Hi, my name is Ivan! My wife Cindy and I will be using this site to document our adventures and hopefully provide you with valuable information for your outdoor adventures.
It all started the summer of 2002. My dad generously gifted me a 2002 Toyota Tacoma as a high school graduation gift, shortly after, I added a small lift and larger tires to it. In August 2002, Cindy and I started dating, with her quickly becoming my first adventure partner. We found ourselves visiting Sports Chalet often, looking at camping gear and spending time in their book/ magazine section.
In April 2003 we took our first camping trip to Big Bear. Following the directions of a book no longer in its original publication (Backcountry Adventures) we discovered how beautiful the Holcomb Valley area was after spending the weekend at a Yellow Post campground. A picnic table, fire ring and a flat area for our tent was all we needed. Of course, that was over 17 years ago, and our needs have changed. Our list of gear has grown, our original vehicle has changed and most importantly, we no longer spend the weekends alone. Our kids Melanie (13) and Jacob (9) now accompany us on our adventures!
Where have we been?
- Old Dale Mining District
- Tonopah Nevada
- Big Bear Holcomb Valley
- Mojave Trail
- Cerro Gordo Ghost Town
- Gold Point Ghost Town
- Mohawk Mine
- Alabama Hills
- Town of Ballarat
- Barker Ranch
- Anza Borrego State Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Death Valley Nation Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Kings Canyon National Park
- Sequoia Nation Park
- Haleakalā National Park
- and many many more…
Where are we going next?
- Blue Sun Cave (Anza Borrego)
- Hidden Cave (Joshua Tree NP)
- Summer Solstice Cave (Anza Borrego)
- Goat Canyon Trestle (Anza Borrego)
- Carrizo Gorge Cave (Anza Borrego)
- New Mexico
- Colorado
- Newberry Cave (Mojave Desert)
- Anything mining, Native American and unique hard to get to places.