We left for Dumont Sand Dunes kids Halloween trip this past Thursday nite.
One of our group came across a kid on a new Raptor that went straight over a dune and stuffed a Witch eye and creamed himself and his new special edition deluxe.
Kid was pretty hurt.
They went and got the LEOS that were just unloading the rescue dune buggy, and took one of the rangers back with him, and the other rangers followed a few minutes later.
Life flite out to Las Vegas.
BLM is building a concrete helipad with money raised from user fees BTW.
Then next morning were all out drinking coffee, a motorized hang glider flew over us heading east, and one of the people in the group said he should have passed back over by now.
Then, a few minutes later, we heard the sirens,,, and word came that the pilot center punched a dune near the North Pole,, fatally.
Usually our trips are very uneventfull.
The next day, our group came upon a fatal accident where a Long travel car went over a razor and landed upside down crushing the roll cage,, killing both occupants.
A sad, sad scene. An eye opener how easy it if you're not cautious.
Our hearts were really hanging heavy. We felt so bad for the families.
Preventable.
The early take from all the salts is perhaps the driver let off the gas just before launch.
Dumont Dunes are technical Dunes, and in a situation like encountering a razor - horsepower is your friend, ya launch full throttle so the ass end will land first.
It's different than Glamis, expect every edge, every bowl to be razors, be prepaired to pour on the ponies when in trouble.
Your first reaction is to hit the brakes.
Never cross over a razorback, or traverse a witcheye. But be prepaired if you encounter one and it catches you napping.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...umont06036.jpg
They came over the back side of this razorback, perhaps let off the gas,, and the nose hit first, flipping the sand car onto the rollbars, crushing them.
------------------------ Part II
Tonapah and Tidelands railway run:
6 year old Maynard and I took a trip over the old Tonapah and Tidelands railway route. A teriffic Rhino Run:
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...umont06027.jpg
Maynard lands a huge jump on his mighty z50.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...umont06023.jpg
Looking up at the railway bed that we travel on, we bypassed where the trestle was washed out. Gotta watch for these.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...ont06022-1.jpg
Gap throught the pass where the former Tidelands RR ran.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...umont06019.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...umont06018.jpg
Camera started to act up so I couldnt get any Comp hill at nite pix, but it was Rhino city, everyone having a teriffic time. Zillions of Rhinos.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...umont06029.jpg
Kids made sand pumpkins before dressing up after dark and trick or treating around the campsites.
They all loved it.