Episode 13 - Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area

WEBVTT 1 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:09.240 Well, how do you, folks, And good morning, afternoon, or 2 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:14.039 evening, wherever and whenever you may be listening. My name is Tim and 3 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:18.960 welcome to One Day in so Cal. Whether you've lived here your entire life 4 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:23.239 or visiting from across the world, whether you only have one day in so 5 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:26.800 Cal or one month, I want to share some of the coolest, most 6 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:30.960 fun, and most unique things to do right here in southern California, whether 7 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:35.280 that's solo or with friends and family. So join me on my next adventure 8 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:47.640 and hopefully yours. Right now on One Day in so Cal, Welcome to 9 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:51.960 episode thirteen of the One Day in so Cal podcast, just in time for 10 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:59.320 Halloween. Episode one three. It's Friday, October seven, and I'm recording 11 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:03.000 from beautiful right with California. Visit me on the web one Day and SoCal 12 00:01:03.159 --> 00:01:08.159 dot com one Day and Social dot com for the latest episodes, travelog videos, 13 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:12.200 interactive map, social media links, and more. New episodes of this 14 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:19.560 podcast are released every Friday morning. Here's a real quick clip of where I 15 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:41.319 went this week. At the end of last week's episode, I indicated I 16 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:46.000 was on the fence between an a TV rental at Pismo Beach or Palm Springs, 17 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:49.280 California. Both are great places to write a four by four vehicle or 18 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:56.079 an all trained vehicle like a quad or UTV. Acatilla Wells near Palm Springs 19 00:01:56.200 --> 00:02:00.799 is amazing because it's an eighty thousand square foot park to which you can explore 20 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:05.040 to your heart's content. In fact, many people camp out there with toy 21 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.919 hollers during the night while riding and exploring during the day. And the top 22 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:13.919 of off, it's a state park run by the State of California, really 23 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:17.879 specifically aimed at all terrained vehicles. Pismo Beach, on the other hand, 24 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:23.120 is a much smaller but equally amazing in its own right destination. Pismo Beach 25 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:27.840 is one of the few beaches you can ride on in a four by four 26 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:31.280 vehicle or a TV. In California, most beaches in so called band vehicle 27 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:37.159 traffic to all but lifeguard or other merchant responded vehicles. Pismo Beach also has 28 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:39.280 a variety of sand dunes near the beach that you can explore and ride over 29 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:44.960 as well. So, after carefully weighing the options, the Lord of the 30 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:51.240 Rings Adventure and Me ended up going to Palm Springs. UH granted this side 31 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:55.280 is so cal resembles more of more Door than Hobbiton, But still I wanted 32 00:02:55.280 --> 00:03:00.120 that adventure to go out under the open desert and see what I could see. 33 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:07.039 So specifically, Acatia Wells is about sixty miles southeast of Palm Springs, 34 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:13.360 and as in a city called Thermal, Thermal's wedge between the salt and Sea 35 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:16.960 and Akatia well State Vehicular Recreation Area. That's a mouthful, So from here 36 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:22.439 on out, I'm just gonna call it Akatia Wells. But any case, 37 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.319 if if that's too far for you to travel, if you're coming to Palm 38 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:28.879 Springs but you don't want to travel another sixty miles out in the desert, 39 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:30.800 uh, there's another a TV rental place I'll talk about at the end of 40 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:35.680 this podcast, UM, and it's located in Palm Springs proper, by the 41 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:38.960 way. Uh. In any case, the city of Thermal. It's appropriately 42 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:43.039 named given how hot it gets here in the summer. Even when I went 43 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:46.479 this week in October, it got up to nearly a hundred degrees. I 44 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:50.360 was baking out there but still having a good time, so I didn't mind. 45 00:03:51.080 --> 00:03:53.400 Um, because I don't actually own an all train vehicle. I needed 46 00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:59.000 to find a rental all around Ocatia. Wells uh. There are probably about 47 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:03.039 a dozen rental companies offering a wide variety of a TV rentals with varying prices 48 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:06.919 and specs. In the end, I ended up deciding to rent from a 49 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:12.280 business called Steve's a TV Rentals, not a sponsor or anything else. It's 50 00:04:12.360 --> 00:04:15.879 just a dim own researchers is what I went with. Steve's a TV Rentals 51 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:23.560 rents out of variety of quads and the bigger utility terrain vehicles. Steve's a 52 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:27.759 TV also has a presence here in Thermal California, Pismo Beach, California, 53 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:32.720 and Oregan Dunes and Oregon. Steve's a TV Rentals has a pretty good reputation 54 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:40.199 and competitive pricing, so I reserved my Kimco Auto a TV from them. 55 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:45.240 So Steve's a TV Rentals in Palm Springs has a variety of different all trained 56 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.240 vehicles you can rent. Prices start at hundred dollars for a two hour ride 57 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:54.160 on a Honda to fifty X beginner a TV. The t X, by 58 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:58.199 the way, is a five speeds and automatic transmission with optional clutch lever and 59 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:01.720 prices start at just a hundred buck for two hours of writing time. Now 60 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:05.240 I can't be bothered at that semi automatic stuff, so I went a step 61 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:11.240 above and rented the Kimco Full Auto Automatic a t V. This a TV 62 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:15.079 rents for a hundred twenty dollars for two hours and requires a three deposit, 63 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:18.079 which you will get back provided you don't damage the vehicle during your ride or 64 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:23.399 crash or off a cliff or anything crazy. There's also a two seet quad 65 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:26.920 called the Outlander that rents here for two hundred dollars for two hours with a 66 00:05:26.920 --> 00:05:30.160 four deposit. For the kids, There's a Yamaha one rents for seventy five 67 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:34.079 dollars to two hours with two hundrellar deposit and kind of accommodate children between the 68 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:39.480 ages of nine to twelve. There's also a Polaris Onetana you can rant for 69 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:42.399 your kids, and that rents for seven five dollars with a hundred deposit for 70 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:46.879 writers age twelve. That's right, Steve's definitely rents the kids. If your 71 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:50.480 kids are capable of, you know, handling a TV on their own, 72 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:55.160 you have to be the judge of that, of course. Steve A TV 73 00:05:55.480 --> 00:06:00.199 also rents out utility terrain vehicles as I mentioned earlier, which are basically dune 74 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:02.920 buggy or four wheel drive golf cart style vehicles that can seat between two to 75 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:08.160 four people. The types of UTVs A be alble to rent are the Polaris 76 00:06:08.199 --> 00:06:13.920 Razor Trail S one thousand, Cannon Maverick X three, Polaris Razor N four, 77 00:06:14.279 --> 00:06:18.439 can m Sport Max one thousand, Polaris Razor four one thousand, and 78 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:23.560 the Canon Maverick X three four. And that's a lot of numbers on. 79 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:28.600 Prices on the A U t v s range from three fifty dollars for two 80 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:32.680 hours for the two seat Polaris with all deposit to five dollars for two hours 81 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:40.000 with the Cannon Maverick X three four and deposit. But it should be noted 82 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:43.879 as well they do have a tem percent military, veteran and first responded discounts, 83 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:46.600 so bring those cards if you're coming out to rent, especially if you're 84 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:49.959 going to run a u TV, you could probably save a bundle. Prices 85 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:54.680 in inventory vary between the other two locations of Pisma Beach and Oregon Dunes, 86 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:57.439 but for the purposes of this episode, we are going to stick with Palm 87 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.519 Springs, where I went this week. All Right, we'll get to more 88 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:04.160 about the rental experience in a moment. First, I'd like to talk about 89 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:11.759 Okatia well State Vehicular Recreation Area, a California State park. Okay, that's 90 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:15.600 definitely the last time. We're definitely just gonna call it Akato Wells. But 91 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:18.040 if you travel outside of SoCal, whether that's headed down the fifteen towards Las 92 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:23.120 Vegas or the ten towards Phoenix, Arizona, you're going to be traveling through 93 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:28.240 open stretches of desert. Now, the desert looks plain, vast and empty, 94 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:31.680 but the truth is it holds thousands of secrets. It really really does. 95 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:34.519 Guys. I'm not trying to be mysterious, but the deserts here and 96 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:41.480 so call well any desert really is a mysterious, sometimes beautiful, sometimes scary 97 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:45.120 place. In one instant it can be a hundred twenty degrees and in the 98 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:47.839 next it can be seventy with heavy winds, lightning, heavy rainfall, and 99 00:07:47.879 --> 00:07:51.319 flash flooding. Some of the zany things that you'll find out in the middle 100 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:56.120 of nowhere in the desert, including here in Akatia Wells, to some degree 101 00:07:57.079 --> 00:08:01.480 range from the incredible to the strange to the outright ridiculous. There are rail 102 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:07.040 oasis is with water, golden silver mines, sand dunes straight out of Saudi 103 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:13.600 Saudi Arabia, narrow slot canyons, extinct volcanoes, lava tube caves, abandoned 104 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:18.399 ghost towns and buildings, a charcoal charcoal barbecue on top of a hill that 105 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:22.040 you can actually cook off of a basketball hoop. There's a huge field of 106 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:26.879 smooth sphirical basketball sized stones, lovely called the Pumpkin Patch. There's also a 107 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:31.480 place called Shellery featuring tons of rocks with priest work fossils, huge areas of 108 00:08:31.559 --> 00:08:35.320 perfectly flat dry lake beds that come to life with Brian shrimp whenever a rainstorm 109 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:39.600 brings enough water. And I'm just scratch on the surface of the mysteries way 110 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:41.879 out in the desert, most of which obviously don't even know about or can't 111 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:46.200 find on Google Maps. Up until recently, there was even a secret swimming 112 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:50.960 pool in the middle of the desert that somebody created a some kind of feet 113 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:54.120 of extreme art. And I don't mean a mud hole. I mean a 114 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:58.080 solar powered pool with crystal clear water that could be covered back up after use 115 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:03.399 to keep the sand out. And this thing was probably fifty miles out in 116 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:07.639 the desert in the middle of nowhere. There's even a community out there, 117 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.360 um, well out out in the desert called slab City. Some of you 118 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.200 may have heard of it, but it's often called the last free place on 119 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:18.200 Earth. Um. It's an off the grid, alternative lifestyle community and most 120 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:22.879 residents live here free of charge, use generators and solar power for power, 121 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:28.279 and water is dispensed from a community tank. The most famous attraction at this 122 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:33.240 uh slab City is Salvation Mountain, and Slab City was featured in the movie 123 00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:39.600 UH called The World If You're If You're looking for. My personal opinion, 124 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:45.279 though, slab City is basically one giant advanced homeless encampment um. But nonetheless 125 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:50.399 it's a community and it has its own art museums, hostels, a library 126 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:56.000 at church and internet cafe, restaurants, a pet cemetery, bars, skate 127 00:09:56.039 --> 00:09:58.519 park, small stores, and more. It really does draw those looking for 128 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:03.600 a different a life, tourists, snowbirds, vagrants, criminals, trying to 129 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:07.679 escape the law, and everything in between. It's probably the ultimate post apocalyptic 130 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:13.399 style town straight out of a fallout or book of Eli or the postman Um. 131 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:16.799 But I don't think I can recommend staying or dining here at any any 132 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:22.279 kind of extended stay. But Salvation Mountain is certainly at landmark if you're worth 133 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:26.080 visiting, if you're passing through, if you're so inclined to check it out. 134 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:28.879 It's on the other side of the salt and Sea from Thernal from Thermal 135 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:31.879 Google some of this stuff if you're curious. Funny Marine Corps story by the 136 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:35.279 way, I guess we'll get into a little off topic while we're here. 137 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:39.320 First time I came into contact with Slab City and the people that live here 138 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:43.039 called Slabbers was in two thousand six while I was serving in the Marine Corps. 139 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:46.639 I was in a field artillery battery MIKE three eleven, based out of 140 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:50.960 twenty nine Palms, California. Now we piled into seven ton trucks towing and 141 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:54.799 triple seven howitzers and drove all the way out to a spot on federal land 142 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:58.720 near Slab City as part of w t I, or Weapons and Tactics Instructor 143 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:03.120 Score US. What we did in w t I was fire artillery into a 144 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:05.879 gunnery range up in some hills which would mark the target for fighter jets that 145 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:09.720 would then come in and finish up. Now why wouldn't fighter just just do 146 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:13.399 the job begin with? Well, because in artillery we use spatters on the 147 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:18.320 ground that often hang out with the infantry and can see better on the ground 148 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:22.480 and basically have a better better intel about what's going on. So in this 149 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:28.799 case, the infantry or and the spotters would find a target, get the 150 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:31.600 intel on it, relay it back to us, We would hit it and 151 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:35.200 the planes would come in and strike again. In this case we would fire 152 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:39.399 on a target and basically a market for fighter jets, and that was one 153 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:43.879 of the tactics we used, um well, the Marine Corps used. Anyways, 154 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:48.600 we set up our land. Our land based at the foot of the 155 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:52.879 mountains called the Chocolate Mountains Gunnery Range and about a mile north of Slab City. 156 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:56.799 This was truly a self sufficient mini city. We had a mess hall, 157 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:00.799 a portable shower in it, several barrack style field tents, a mechanics 158 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:05.360 garage, a giant trash dumpster and it was all fenced in with barbed wire. 159 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.679 Well, one night, some of the slabbers, which is what we 160 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:11.360 called the folks that lived in slab City. I guess it was better than 161 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:16.080 hills have eye people, but hills have eyes people. But any case, 162 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:18.240 so they decided to come. They were gonna try to come over, sneak 163 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:24.519 into camp and steal some military equipment. You do not mess with the Marine 164 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:28.000 Corps and you do not steal our stuff. Uh. They were promptly caught, 165 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:31.480 basically thrown on the ground at rifle point, and detained until they could 166 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:37.639 be turned over to the Imperial Camic Sheriff's deputies. Evidently the Slabbers didn't know 167 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:41.200 the Marine Corps eleven General Order, which states to be especially watchful at night 168 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.559 and during the time for challenging the challenge all persons on a near my post, 169 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:48.879 and to allow no one to pass without proper authority. From that point 170 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:54.039 on we had we had to have to ship patrols around the perimeter, one 171 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:58.399 marine going one way and the other going the other. Um. That kind 172 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:03.039 of sucked. But to the back Docto Wells, one of the greatest things 173 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:07.960 about having these things so far out in the desert um, whether it's a 174 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:13.360 landmark or a canyon or just some crazy looking rock, is that they are 175 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:18.519 very rarely vandalized by common riff raft because it's so far out and because you 176 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:22.279 almost always need an all trained vehicle to reach it, or four by four 177 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.120 there's still an honor system among four by four riders to respect the attractions that 178 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:30.960 preserve them for others to enjoy something that's getting more and more rare. These 179 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.519 rare these days. I mean you're even here in reports, even a national 180 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:41.919 parks and uh and historical locations. People tag or destroy things, um spray 181 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:46.039 paint over, you know, prehistoric arts. It's like twenty thod years old. 182 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:50.240 It's just destroying art. It's just these things are really out of control. 183 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:52.759 And unfortunately, as as the population gets bigger and bigger, and you 184 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:56.559 know, we're spread out more, it's more of these people are going to 185 00:13:56.600 --> 00:14:00.799 do these things and destroying these kinds of things. Well. Fortunately, out 186 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.679 in Acatia Wells and a lot of other places way out in the desert, 187 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:07.919 these places are either hard to reach, unknown, or just impossible for the 188 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:11.639 average I'm gonna call them rift raft. So a lot of the places that 189 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.240 are still here in Katia Wells, for example, are still here, and 190 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:18.559 they've been here for for decades and decades just the way they were, and 191 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:22.440 people respect that and don't ride over them, and they just come to see 192 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:24.600 them and show their family and their kids, show their kids, and you 193 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:30.080 know how it goes. But I mean, one thing I absolutely loathe about 194 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:33.480 visiting local attractions in the mountains here in southern California, such as waterfalls in 195 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:39.279 the Anglos National Forest or Battened Minds or anything else, is the endless, 196 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.960 disgusting graffiti that covers them. It's ugly and always takes away from the natural 197 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:48.480 beauty of some of these places. Um. But anyways, back Doctea Wells. 198 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:52.200 The animals in the deserts that live here have become highly adaptive to One 199 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:56.000 of the animals I saw frequently on my ride into Acatia Wells was the desert 200 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:00.000 iguana. I mean, this isn't your typical backyard lizard either. These things 201 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:03.519 is get up to two feet long and are pasty white to match the desert 202 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.480 landscape. When I went to White Sands National Monument, many of the species 203 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:11.639 had evolved over time to be completely white to blend in with the snow white 204 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:15.240 sand all around. Now how did that happen, you might ask? Well, 205 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.879 over time, the smaller animals that primarily are confined to White Sands National 206 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:24.039 Monument area would be preyed upon by predators. The animals that were more white 207 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:26.799 would be seen less than those of other colors. Over time, the gene 208 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:30.919 pool would have had an abundance of white animals because the animals that were most 209 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:35.120 white survivedory produced wall. More often than not, animals of different colors would 210 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:39.440 be caught by predators and be seen against the white backdrop. Eventually, all 211 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:43.240 the animals that live primarily within bounds of the white White Sands turned white. 212 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:50.039 Some of these animals include the apache mouch mouse, bleached earless lizard, stand 213 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:54.159 treader, camel, cricket, sandwal spider, and white moss, and they 214 00:15:54.159 --> 00:16:00.120 are unique to the area and found nowhere else really. So Ocatilla Wells a 215 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:03.879 pretty amazing state park that caters largely to a t V s and four by 216 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:07.720 four vehicles. That doesn't mean you can't come in and hike and do anything 217 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:11.240 else, but this is mainly the customers that come here. So to speak. 218 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:17.080 Um just eighty thousand square feet of trails, camping, restrooms, and 219 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:22.600 shower facilities, picnic tables, shade areas, a Discovery Center Amphitheater. Um. 220 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:26.679 There's even a four by four training area where you can start to learn 221 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:33.120 how to do some four by four stuff correction by the way, acres of 222 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:40.000 land um and with amazing places like blow Sandhill, devil slide, barrel, 223 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:45.159 spring share, shell reath, the gas domes, pumpy Patch or gas domes 224 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:49.360 like where I went um camping and uh entrance is absolutely free by the way, 225 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:53.240 so that's pretty cool. Um. But with all that said, let's 226 00:16:53.240 --> 00:17:00.879 get onto the experience of my rental at Steve's A TV Rentals and thermal Um. 227 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:06.680 So I mapped out Steve's A TV Rentals on Google Maps and I thought 228 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:11.720 I knew where it was, but apparently that wasn't the case. I arrived 229 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:15.160 at a building with a sign on it that said Steve's A TV Rentals. 230 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:18.640 Okay, makes sense. Right next to it was a NAPA Auto parts store. 231 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:23.039 I walked into what looked like the office at Steve's A TV Rentals and 232 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:26.519 found it deserted. No computer at the counter, no staff. There was 233 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:30.119 a variety of helmets on the wall to the right, but other than that, 234 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.000 the door was wide open, the lights were off, and there was 235 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:37.359 no air conditioning. On this hot day, I started to wonder what kind 236 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:42.400 of tubit operations saw dust joint this was? UM. I walked outside and 237 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:47.920 fortunately for me, a guy came up and he informed the rental office was 238 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:52.759 next door at NAP Auto Parts. This confused me, as the store said 239 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:59.039 NAPA and this building said Steve's a TV Rentals okay, while I shrugged it 240 00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:03.039 off and walked over to you Nap Auto Parts and saw a small little sign 241 00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:07.200 up the door that read rental office. Short story long, Steve's Palm Spring 242 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:11.359 location really needs a bigger, better sign. So that first time, it 243 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:17.400 was like me or not confused, because when I walked into Nap Auto Parts, 244 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:22.839 it was, surprisingly enough a n Apple Auto parts store. UM kind 245 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:25.480 of more for a TV S, though it kind of catered more to a 246 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:27.960 TV S, had more ATV parts and stuff like that, but still it 247 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:33.720 looked like an auto parts store, not an a TV rental uh office. 248 00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:38.039 But in any case, UM, I had no idea I'd be renting an 249 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:41.920 a TV from an auto parts store, and neither do most people. Once 250 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:45.839 I get Once you get inside, the lady behind the counter already knows my 251 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:49.759 name because um, one of the only rentals for that time slot, which 252 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.640 is strange given that it's a Sunday. I was expecting like a crowd of 253 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:56.200 people, but that wasn't the case, and because I was the only person 254 00:18:56.279 --> 00:19:00.920 during this two hours to rent, I was upgraded to they can am for 255 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:04.599 fifty, which was bigger and more powerful than my KIMK rental. Definitely a 256 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:08.839 nice gesture and definitely made up for the confusion at first. I uh so, 257 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:12.039 I signed an initial the rental agreement, handed over a credit card for 258 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:17.160 the deposit, and she turns on a video on the TV which is mounted 259 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:22.799 on the wall for a ten minute demonstration about my upcomping rental. The information 260 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:26.400 of this video is actually good. Most of these little you know, these 261 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:30.359 little these little videos that they show you at before you go out and do 262 00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:33.079 an event or an attraction are usually junk, but this one was pretty good 263 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:36.960 and straight to the point. It explains what to do in the event your 264 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:41.519 HV break breaks down, how to communicate with other writers, and uh explains 265 00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:44.799 how to get to Akatia wells from the rental location, as well as how 266 00:19:44.839 --> 00:19:48.279 to start your vehicle. A bunch of good information, um what to do, 267 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.119 what not to do and um, yes, you heard that right. 268 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:55.480 There is a way to communicate with people if you're passing by them, and 269 00:19:55.559 --> 00:19:57.839 it's kind of a culture thing, I guess. But anyways, after the 270 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:02.720 video at other play can men and I followed him to the first location I 271 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:06.599 mistakenly thought was Steve's a TV rentals. It was here that I selected a 272 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.599 helmet and was led out to my a t V. I was given some 273 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.720 brief instructions on how to start the a TV, how to change gears, 274 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:17.160 and that's really it. You're pretty much ready to go at that point and 275 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:21.880 you're on your own. So, because my instructor needed to test drive a 276 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:25.000 UTV after a pair, he told me I could follow him to the entrance 277 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:27.519 of Akatia. Wells, generally, I don't like these kinds of things if 278 00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:32.160 if it's not a guided tour, I don't like guided tours anyways, but 279 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:34.160 I agreed I would at least follow him to the entrance. But that's about 280 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:37.559 as far as I would go with him. Um So, anyways, they 281 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:45.480 we took off down down basically a dirt road that kind of side straddled a 282 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:49.720 paved road. We had to cross over two roads to get there, But 283 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:53.559 the entrance Scatia Wells from Steve's a TV rentals is about a mile and a 284 00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:59.920 half ride um, and eventually you're gonna come up to a wash that goes 285 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:03.839 under the highway, which is Highway eighty six. From here, I was 286 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:07.119 on my own, and instructions were to follow the wash to the Telephone Pole 287 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:11.920 Road, make a left and travel and telllife arrived at a park restroom from 288 00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:14.640 here, make another left and I would arrive at the gas Domes. One 289 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:18.240 of the mini features here at Akatilla Wells and a good suggestion for a first 290 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:22.160 time writer like me. So the instructions are really easy to follow straight to 291 00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:26.960 the point, and uh I had no trouble at all, no not getting 292 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:29.960 lost or making a round turn, and it was really really easy to find 293 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:33.039 the only thing about going to the gas Domes is it takes about twenty five 294 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:37.160 minutes of your time to get there on a two hour rental with a minute 295 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:41.319 right back, that's about half your time. The entrance Tota Wells, which 296 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:45.759 is a large wash, is a fun ride though, but the Telephone Pole 297 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:48.599 Road is just a long, seemingly endless, straight dirt road and it's pretty 298 00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:52.799 boring unfortunately, And the only thing you're gonna see on this long stretch of 299 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:59.160 road is the County dump, so that's exciting. You'll spend a quarter of 300 00:21:59.160 --> 00:22:00.799 your time on the street road if you decide to go to the gas domes. 301 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:03.799 But don't get me wrong, on the gas domes are worth the trip. 302 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:10.480 It's a great beginner area with a couple of advanced some advanced terrain you 303 00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:15.160 can ride on if you're feeling more confident as you're riding around UM. But 304 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:18.319 the gas domes are basically volcano like mud pots of bubbling liquid, cold to 305 00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:23.079 the touch. The gray water releases large bubbles of gas to the surface UM. 306 00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:26.359 Unfortunately, on my trip here, I didn't see any of that. 307 00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:30.559 I guess it has it's on and off times, or there's probably some locations 308 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:33.880 where it was more active than others, but I didn't. I didn't see 309 00:22:33.880 --> 00:22:41.160 the actual um geothermal activity unfortunately. But these uh, these mud pots of 310 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:45.799 bubbling liquid are constantly build themselves up by depositing more and more of that fine 311 00:22:45.799 --> 00:22:51.559 clay particle at the surface as the water dries, and basically that's how the 312 00:22:52.119 --> 00:22:56.559 little hills got formed here that you can ride around and jump over and ride, 313 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:00.839 um, you know, right right through and everything else. Um. 314 00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:04.799 The color has come from various minerals and the dissolved water and and that were 315 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:08.599 brought up from underground by the rising gases. Basically, these domes are similar 316 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:11.480 to the more active carbon dioxide and mud pots near the salt and sea. 317 00:23:11.880 --> 00:23:15.880 The domes have been fenced to protect their fragile soil structure, especially the more 318 00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:22.160 fragile ones um, and the hills just grow over time. Strangely enough, 319 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:26.799 again, though it was Sunday and I was the only person around here for 320 00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:30.680 basically the whole hour, I had the whole place to myself, which was 321 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:33.400 kind of cool. Um. But for the first time a TV rider, 322 00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:37.680 I also wouldn't mind having people around, just in case I got hurt or 323 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:41.240 something happened to me. Um. But in general, if you are first 324 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:45.039 time a tv rre like me, two hours there's plenty of time to get 325 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:48.000 a taste of whether or not you want to make this into a hobby or 326 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:52.200 eventually purchased one of these vehicles. I wrote out with a full tank of 327 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:55.880 gas, and when I came back, I had left, so there's plenty 328 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:59.279 enough for a four hour ride, although you may have to conserve if you're 329 00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:03.839 gonna do something longer. By the way, I will have the entire ride 330 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:07.000 on the website one day and social dot com under the video section. You 331 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:11.039 also be able to watch if you follow our Facebook or YouTube channel. UM 332 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:15.000 also have pictures on the travelogue of this ride and some of the features of 333 00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:18.440 you'll be able to see some of the gas dome pictures and everything else and 334 00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:22.920 and some of what I saw. So again, the only problem with riding 335 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:26.319 at Totia Wells from Steve d t Rentals is that the ride in and out 336 00:24:26.359 --> 00:24:30.200 takes up to half of your to our time slot. But to be fair, 337 00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:33.920 most attractions will take at least thirty minutes to write too, if not 338 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:37.680 more, You could also opt out. There's actually a small oasis, not 339 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:42.079 like the kind of you'd probably see like on a on a thoor love and 340 00:24:42.119 --> 00:24:47.519 thunder or something like that, but nonetheless in oasis, a genuine oasis with 341 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:51.440 palm trees and and you know, plants that need water. Uh, no 342 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:53.839 water, The water is underground, but it's still kind of cool to see 343 00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:56.759 out in the middle of the desert. UM. But if you want to 344 00:24:56.759 --> 00:25:00.839 explore more than one attraction. During your rental, you will certainly need to 345 00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:03.680 get a longer rental. As part of the rental, they also offer you 346 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:07.559 insurance. It varies based on the type of vehicle you're renting, but for 347 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:12.039 my rental, Belton clutch insurance was twenty five dollars and damage insurance including tires 348 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:18.799 was forty dollars. Keep in mind the forty dollar insurance covers the Belton clutch. 349 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:22.599 So if you're gonna you're concerned about tires and you get the forty dollars, 350 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:23.960 you know, that's all you need to get that will cover you for 351 00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:27.960 everything. But in my honest opinion, I don't really think you need to 352 00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:32.960 purchase the insurance up sell as long as you stay are staying on the maintain 353 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:38.519 trails and writing responsibly, not doing crazy jomps or going down steep cliffs or 354 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:44.240 or you know, doing some other kind of crazy thing that's gonna get you 355 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:47.319 hurt. Let you know, as long as you drive responsible like I did, 356 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:51.519 you certainly shouldn't have anything to worry about. Nonetheless, things do happen, 357 00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:55.240 So this is judgment. Call you off to make again some good news 358 00:25:55.240 --> 00:25:56.960 about Ato Wells. There is self service in a lot of the park, 359 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:00.640 so if you do run into trouble or break down, you'll be able to 360 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:03.359 call Steve's a t v S to come rescue you. And as part of 361 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:07.160 the rental, you'll be given a map along with contact sheet I'll want to 362 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:10.839 do if you break down or crash or something else happens. Basically, and 363 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:15.720 because it's the state park, it's regularly patrolled by state park rangers and is 364 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:18.319 very well is very popular, so you'll likely run into a lot of other 365 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:23.359 a TV or by four by four vehicles. UM. Keep in mind, 366 00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:26.839 two kids can ride their own a TV vehicles made especially for them if they're 367 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:33.240 at least nine. I believe seven is the youngest that can ride UH in 368 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:37.680 a vehicle with you. Let's say you rent in a u TV, maybe 369 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:41.519 a four pastor UTV. They definitely don't allow car seats in the UTVs, 370 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:47.039 but they do allow younger passengers to ride with you. But if they're at 371 00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:51.559 least nine, UM, they can rent their own UTV. You can rent 372 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:53.279 your kids to their own a TV and they can go with you out in 373 00:26:53.319 --> 00:26:57.960 the desert exploring. UM. So regarding safety or concerns out in the desert, 374 00:26:59.319 --> 00:27:02.440 You're not gonna have to worry about anything criminal wise, but water, 375 00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:07.039 water, water, Bring at least I would say, a hundred ounces of 376 00:27:07.079 --> 00:27:11.960 water in between spring and fall, at least a hundred ounces of water. 377 00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:17.279 And by at least I mean bring more. Um. Honestly, you'd probably 378 00:27:17.319 --> 00:27:19.319 be better served with at least a gallon of water, even for a two 379 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:22.359 hour rental. It gets hot even in spring and fall, and you will 380 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:26.079 need it even when writing forty miles down a dirt road with the wind blowing 381 00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:30.079 at you. If you are a new day I feel like I was. 382 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:37.000 Um, you'll be cautious at first until you learn what your right is capable 383 00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:40.400 of. This is what I did. I kept it slow, went over 384 00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:45.440 bumps at a crawl, tiptoed over river beds, dry river beds. Uh. 385 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:47.920 And by the end of this rental I was zipping around not afraid of 386 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:51.920 any bumps or dips. I was going on some more advanced train on top 387 00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:56.519 of hills and learning how capable, really, how capable these purpose built vehicles 388 00:27:56.640 --> 00:28:00.359 really are. They really are there, They're really capable of doing them some 389 00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:04.880 cool stuff, um safely. The only time I had a bit of trouble 390 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:08.359 was when I was trying to get out of a dry river bed and the 391 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:11.759 sides were a bit steep, maybe a foot and a half. So I 392 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:17.799 got the front two tires over and once the back tried to dig itself out, 393 00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:19.680 it just dug and dug. Um. I got stuck for a brief 394 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:25.640 moment until I gunned it up and the tires basically dug themselves a new trail 395 00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:29.960 um on the side of the wash and come me out. Um. So, 396 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:33.200 but take it easy, enjoy the ride in the adventure, and as 397 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:36.640 we always said in the Marine Corps, slow as smooth and smooth as fast. 398 00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:42.640 So I do want to give a couple of tips here of basically about 399 00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:45.880 the rental, some of the things that are on the website, like the 400 00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:48.559 frequently asked questions, and some of the things I picked up through my own 401 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:53.039 experience. Um, by the way, did I mention water? Well, 402 00:28:53.079 --> 00:28:56.519 if I didn't mention water, bring at least a gallon of water for a 403 00:28:56.559 --> 00:29:02.960 two hour ride. Honestly, bring more. But that's your first tip. 404 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:06.359 Second tip, they provide a full helmet as part of the rental, but 405 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:11.319 everything else is your responsibility. You can bring a rent goggles from Steves but 406 00:29:11.400 --> 00:29:15.720 honestly, unless there's a sandstorm or something else crazy like that, sunglasses should 407 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:18.240 be more than enough to get you by. That's all. I wore on 408 00:29:18.279 --> 00:29:21.039 this with sunglasses and I was perfectly fine. He kept the stand out of 409 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:25.400 my eyes, the little bits that was going up, um, and I 410 00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:27.680 was good. I could see clearly through my oak leys. It was fine. 411 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:34.440 Um. They also require closed toad shoes or no sandals or flip flops 412 00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:37.720 or anything like that. I wouldn't even try to get away with crocs if 413 00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:41.559 that's your thing, but you know, just just tennis shoes. It's fine. 414 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:45.039 You don't have to wear any crazy boots or anything like that. They 415 00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:49.160 also suggest pants, and I think that's a great suggestion. Um, No, 416 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:52.880 I do. I think that's a great suggestion. While writing around on 417 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:56.240 my A t V, I wore shorts, and the engine made for a 418 00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:02.480 very uncomfortable experience as it was heating up, borderline burning my legs. Pants 419 00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:06.000 would have likely helped with that as I was riding around and it was already 420 00:30:06.039 --> 00:30:08.680 hot out there, so that the engine is already pretty warm, and um, 421 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:12.279 just the exhaust, not the exhaust, but the just the heat coming 422 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:17.440 off the engine was just you know, it was just really hot on Mama 423 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:21.240 lays. I literally had like like spread out the legs like to try to 424 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:22.519 get some more wind on them to cool them off. And that just kind 425 00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:26.799 of was distracting. Or how to take little breaks and and uh, you 426 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:30.640 know, stop the vehicle for a minute. And just um, I think 427 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:34.200 pants would have solved most of those problems. It probably would have given me 428 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:38.079 enough protection from the the engine. The engine heat would have hit the pants 429 00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:41.359 and then cooled off from there instead of my legs having to absorb all the 430 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:48.519 heat. Um. But also next tip here on weekends correction on week days. 431 00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:52.279 Week days, they need you to show up at least thirty minutes before 432 00:30:52.319 --> 00:30:56.559 your rental time so they can process paperwork. Have you watched the video get 433 00:30:56.559 --> 00:31:00.200 you Fitted with gear and learned about your a TV? On weekends there a 434 00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:03.599 question you show up to an hour early. I would absolutely show up an 435 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:07.720 hour early. Definitely, definitely, definitely UM on this On this trip, 436 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:12.200 I showed up forty five minutes early on a Sunday and was the only person 437 00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:17.559 there and still got off a few minutes late for my right So an hour 438 00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:19.799 or maybe more would be ideal. And you might even get some extra right 439 00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:23.720 time in So why not If rain is in the forecast, call ahead. 440 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:27.160 The entire part of your ride into Octo Wells will be in a flash flood 441 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:33.119 channel, especially that first part that first party your ride. You're literally traveling 442 00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:38.079 a couple of miles up a flash flood. Uh dry dry wash. So 443 00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:41.359 if there is any flash fleddlings in the forecast, you won't be able to 444 00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:45.119 ride. For safety reasons. Obviously, because this is a state park, 445 00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:48.759 you will need to have a driver's license. If you don't have a driver's 446 00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:53.799 license or it's revoked, they will deny your rental. So before you go 447 00:31:53.799 --> 00:31:57.440 out riding a TV S in the state park, go get your life in 448 00:31:57.559 --> 00:32:01.319 order first. Then you can go or a a t v S. UM. 449 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:07.200 I would definitely recommend sunscreen, even for a two hour ride. Uh 450 00:32:07.319 --> 00:32:09.400 let's see. Um. Just a couple of basic tips as well. Make 451 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:13.039 sure your phone is fully charged in case you need to call for help. 452 00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:15.839 Worst case scenario, you'll have to wait for someone to drive by, which 453 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:21.880 might take two or three hours, but will happen eventually almost guaranteed. Also, 454 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:23.319 if you don't bring their rental back, they'll probably come out searching for 455 00:32:23.400 --> 00:32:27.720 you. UM. It might be a little embarrassing to have a come arrange 456 00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:30.799 or come rescue or something, but it beats being stuck out in the middle 457 00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:34.519 of the desert and dying of the hydrated or something crazy. UM. In 458 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:37.799 fact, while I was double checking the map at the restroom before I turned 459 00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:45.920 into UM my final turn UM on Telephone Pole Road, UM, I turned 460 00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:50.119 off my a TV for a second. I was looking or at the map, 461 00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:52.480 and a truck with a TV S on a trailer was coming down the 462 00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:54.920 road and stopped for a second to check and make sure I was good. 463 00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:59.680 So there are definitely helpful people out here that will give you a hand if 464 00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:01.880 something should happen. Another thing I want you to be aware of. They 465 00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:07.720 have a sign at Steve's a TV Rentals that plainly states our refund policy is 466 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:12.759 simple. We don't have a refund policy for lost time, early returns, 467 00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:16.200 late starts, weather conditions, broken a t V S, or forfeited time. 468 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:21.200 If you have a breakdown and we determine it was not caused by abuse, 469 00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:24.200 misuse, or operator error, we will compensate your lost time by extending 470 00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:29.079 your rental or give you a voucher. Good on your next rental, we 471 00:33:29.119 --> 00:33:34.240 will not give time for the other a tv s in your group. Now. 472 00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:37.960 To have such a harsh refund policy, they must have had a lot 473 00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:43.039 of issues in the past, um Steve must have or whoever owned Steve's A 474 00:33:43.079 --> 00:33:45.880 t Rentals said eventually, just screw it. You know, I'm not dealing 475 00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:50.480 with it anymore, And honestly, I'm kind of sympathetic to a degree on 476 00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:54.599 that. But nonetheless, it's your hard earned money, and I'm big on 477 00:33:54.799 --> 00:34:00.720 maximum value. If I had genuinely, if I had a genuinely double experience, 478 00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:04.960 and they refused to refund me or offer some kind of compensation, I 479 00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:08.280 would have gone straight to my bank and initiated a chargeback. Banks understand that 480 00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:13.519 your money is your money, and not only would I get my money back, 481 00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:15.400 but they would have been charged a fee for the charge back. All 482 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:19.679 that drama said, I don't think you're going to have any problems with Steve's 483 00:34:19.719 --> 00:34:23.159 a TV Rentals. I had a great time, was writing on well maintained 484 00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:28.639 equipment, got my deposit back, and the charge for two hours of open 485 00:34:28.679 --> 00:34:32.800 desert adventure was worth every penny. Steve's is reputable and a great time overall, 486 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:37.400 last, but not least did I mentioned bring at least hundred ounces of 487 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:40.079 water. I suggested camel back style backpack, so you can pack some stuff 488 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:45.679 with you and still have water. Um, you could probably get away in 489 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:51.280 the winter without have bringing a lot of water, maybe maybe se or something. 490 00:34:51.360 --> 00:34:57.119 But uh, in the summer. I actually, on my way back, 491 00:34:57.119 --> 00:35:00.400 I ran out of water. Not a big deal among my back you 492 00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:05.159 know, it's another twenty thirty minutes. But um, when I got back 493 00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:07.920 and I eventually you know, got back in the car and everything, you 494 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:09.800 know, I was already dehydrated and had a headache, and it was just 495 00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:13.599 like, it sucks. I should have just brought more water. Resolved all 496 00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:17.039 these problems ended having to take like three aspirin. But just bring lots of 497 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:20.519 water. You are going to hydrate out here, you learn on a TV. 498 00:35:21.559 --> 00:35:23.800 So just know that. Um, so final thoughts here. I had 499 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:28.320 a blast running from Steve's a t v s and exploring the desert. I 500 00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:30.559 do have a four by four vehicle, a Subaru, and have done some 501 00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:34.599 exploring on my local mountains. You know, a lot of the fire roads. 502 00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:36.960 There's a lot to see up in the Anglish National Forest, A lot 503 00:35:36.960 --> 00:35:38.800 of kind of like the desert, a lot of little secret spots or old 504 00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:45.440 buildings like mines or cabins and cool stuff like that. But this was the 505 00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:47.239 first time I ever rented and went out on my own in the desert on 506 00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:52.199 an a t V. It's definitely worth a half day of your time, 507 00:35:52.280 --> 00:35:53.960 especially if you're going to be in the Palm Springs Air to be in with. 508 00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:58.119 But if you don't want to drive out that far, there is an 509 00:35:58.119 --> 00:36:00.639 a TV rental on a few acres of private at land in Prompts in the 510 00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:05.920 city of Palm Springs. They rent for fifty dollars for every thirty minutes. 511 00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:08.760 They have a variety of terrain. But my problem with this place it was 512 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:15.360 it was too restricted on a few acres. Um. Nonetheless, if you 513 00:36:15.400 --> 00:36:17.039 want to go that route, they are called the name of them is off 514 00:36:17.159 --> 00:36:21.440 Road Rentals, and they're located just off Highway one eleven on your way into 515 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:27.280 Palm Springs from the Tent Freeway. UM. Also, when I took out 516 00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:30.320 that some of the pictures it just seemed really really sandy. I saw some 517 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:34.159 videos people shot of them riding around. They kept getting into deep sand, 518 00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:37.039 stuck and then and again it was it was just it must have been on 519 00:36:37.079 --> 00:36:43.519 maybe ten acres of land on a hillside. And I I don't like being 520 00:36:43.519 --> 00:36:46.159 restricted like that, like going out and exploring and doing my own thing and 521 00:36:46.199 --> 00:36:50.760 assessing things from my on my own and the danger of things and everything else. 522 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:54.079 And that comes with a trip into more door a k a. The 523 00:36:54.119 --> 00:37:00.599 Sonora Desert. So if that's what you want to do, absolutely for fifty 524 00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:01.920 bucks for thirty bees, that's not a bad deal, especially if you want 525 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:05.639 to just you know, say you did it. You want on a TV, 526 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:07.800 went on some hills and stuff, you know, go for it. 527 00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:13.960 Um, it's located in Palm Springs, uh off road rentals. Well that's 528 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:16.159 gonna do it for this week. A little bit shorter episode than most because 529 00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:20.679 there's only so much I can talk about writing a quad and mill of the 530 00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:24.519 desert. But I think I got all the good points, uh all right 531 00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:30.679 basically talked about here. Um, So thanks for tuning in. Next week, 532 00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:36.760 I'll be going I can't believe it again again. I'll be going to 533 00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:42.119 Hollywood and I'll be going to watch a major Broadway production at probably the most 534 00:37:42.159 --> 00:37:47.039 famous, uh famous theater here in SoCal So here's the hint in piano fashion 535 00:37:47.079 --> 00:38:49.360 as usual. See you next week, Get the the bladder, the b 536 00:39:31.199 --> 00:40:50.320 M, and the Thanks for listening, folks. Please visit the website one 537 00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:54.239 day in so cal dot com and if you enjoyed this podcast, consider subscribing. 538 00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:58.000 Feel free to leave me tips and info on how I can improve. 539 00:40:58.639 --> 00:41:05.320 Thanks again, Back the Blue