Quick San Rafael Swell Expedition: May 11-13

[sixstringsteve]

great news Cody, I'm glad you can make it. I'll text you when we leave Cabelas on friday night.

 

[thefirstzukman]

ok i am in for sure. i might have two others with me not sure yet with them. i would like to be in group two on the Saturday. i will met up with every one on the freeway around south orem.

Sorry Cody.... Only room for 1 toyota in group 2..

 

[Kevin B.]

Steve, how is space at the campsite, do you know? I'm trying to decide which tent to bring.

 

[sixstringsteve]

there really isn't a campsite, just the end of a dirt road, and I've never been there. I just picked a spot on the map. Zoom in on the google map (post#1) in satelite view and you'll get an idea for how big it is. There won't be many of us, so I assume you'll have PLENTY of room for a huge tent.

 

[DevinB]

Me and my 6-year old are good to go, though I'm not sure if Davy will make it. Count us for group one, we'll have a stock Grand Cherokee.

I don't think I've ever camped for more than a day where I didn't have access to a store to buy ice for the coolers. How do I keep stuff cold for two days? Lame question, I know... I have a normal-sized cooler for everything. Just one big block of ice? A couple bags of crushed? It's a decent cooler, I've just never had to depend on it for more than a day at the most.

 

[sixstringsteve]

go to the grocery store and buy a block of dry ice. Unwrap if from the brown paper bag and put it at the bottom of your cooler, then put your regular ice on top of it. It'll stay cold for 3-4 days, depending on which cooler you have.

 

[DevinB]

How big of a block are we talking?

 

[sixstringsteve]

Dry ice usually comes in blocks about the size of two bricks, which is plenty. I'd say it's usually 2"x6"x8". Put the dry ice cubes in the bottom of your cooler, then pour a bag or two of crushed ice over the top. The dry ice is so cold that it will burn you if you touch it, so don't. By placing a layer of ice cubes between the dry ice and your food, you'll be golden. The dry ice keeps the ice cold, and the ice keeps your food cold. You can't mess it up. One cool note about dry ice is that sometimes it carbonates fruit. We had grapes in our cooler with dry ice, and by the 3rd day they were carbonated.

My wife taught me that there is a science to loading a cooler. You want your super cold stuff at the bottom (milk, drinks, etc), and your warmer stuff at the top (lettuce, eggs, cheese). Think of the bottom of your cooler as a freezer and the top as a cooler.

 

[sixstringsteve]

To be honest, a good cooler will keep ice cold for several days.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Please bring firewood if you want to enjoy a fire. I'll be bringing a bundle of wood, but we'll burn through it in 2 hours.

 

[bitshifter]

Re: ice, you'll probably be fine for 2 days w/ a block of regular ice and a bag or two of cubed. The block will melt slower due to having less surface area, and cubes will cool stuff down quickly. We keep our milk and meat next to the block ice and our drinks on cubes and it works well for us. Steve definitely has good suggestions about dry ice, though, if you want to go that route. Just don't put your sliced sandwich meat near the dry ice, or you'll have a giant meat-sicle when you go to make sandwiches .

 

[radred92]

So I'm sorry to keep asking but where exactly are we meeting off of 70? I've only been west on 70 once. Is this an exit or something?

thanks!

 

[sixstringsteve]

So I'm sorry to keep asking but where exactly are we meeting off of 70? I've only been west on 70 once. Is this an exit or something?

thanks!

No problem. I haven't communicated it very well. See post #1. I have updated all the info there.

 

[mesha]

dry ice will not be needed for this trip. Your cooler will be fine.

Me and my 6-year old are good to go, though I'm not sure if Davy will make it. Count us for group one, we'll have a stock Grand Cherokee.

I don't think I've ever camped for more than a day where I didn't have access to a store to buy ice for the coolers. How do I keep stuff cold for two days? Lame question, I know... I have a normal-sized cooler for everything. Just one big block of ice? A couple bags of crushed? It's a decent cooler, I've just never had to depend on it for more than a day at the most.

 

[sixstringsteve]

It should be perfect weather. A low of 45 in the evenings and a high of 77 on Saturday.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Does anyone have any room for my brother to ride with them? Both down to the swell and on trail #2? Our car is full (looks like I need to get a 4-door soon), and he doesn't have a 4x4.

 

[FatTony]

i might have a open spot. toyotas dont break down so why not have more of them on the trail

 

[sixstringsteve]

And even if they do break, Scott will be there to solve all our problems.

 

[Kevin B.]

I could probably cram him in the back of mine if there was no other option. I don't have a belt on that side, though...

Who's NOT driving a Toyota on this trip?

 

[DevinB]

I'll have a spot in the WJ, a comfy front seat. It'll get him down to the campsite, but I won't be going with group 2. But he better like Pink Floyd and not bite his toe nails. That's just nasty.