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Old 03-01-2021, 04:05 PM   #1
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Hello from SoCal Desert

Greetings to all!

New SMB owner here from the Palm Springs area. I first laid eyes on a SMB around 1995 on the outskirts of Sedona and have dreamed of having one ever since. At the time, I was touring around in a '80 VW Westfalia, and the idea of a rig that had the exact same level of well-designed creature comfort, but could also go WAY off the beaten path ...and not hold up traffic while climbing mountain passes was super intriguing. Fast forward about 25 years and I finally have one!

Picked it up in the Bay Area over the recent Xmas holiday and have been using the hell out of it since, camping (at least one night) every single weekend. 28 nights spent in it over the first two months, mostly within the vast expanses of wide open desert that lay within 2 hours of where I live.

This forum has been immensely helpful, both in research prior to the purchase and in the learning what the hell I have and what to do with it since (see my other post today about the broken sway bar disconnect rod). Owning one of these is most certainly a very consuming hobby/passion.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and a general thank you to all the contributors... and share a few camp spot pics. I look forward to more interaction on here and to hopefully crossing paths with some of you one day.

-2005 RB 6.0 (not bulletproofed yet, but very well maintained), Sportsmobile 4X4 conversion-
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Old 03-01-2021, 04:09 PM   #2
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Congrats. Looks great and awesome photos.
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Old 03-01-2021, 04:33 PM   #3
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Only 28 nights so far??? Good to see you're enjoying it so much! I spent the very first three nights sleeping in mine after I picked it up...in my driveway!
These rigs are built to produce memories, and revitalize your spirit.
Welcome.
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Old 03-01-2021, 08:42 PM   #4
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Nice! Are you way down in So CA or AZ?
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Old 03-02-2021, 08:21 AM   #5
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Congratulations! I've followed a similar path. My first vehicle many decades ago was a used '68 VW van, which is still my daily driver. But a fully converted E350 is so much more capable. Looks like you're putting yours to good use!
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Old 03-02-2021, 10:24 AM   #6
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Thanks Twoxentrix. You're absolutely right about "...creating memories". Couldn't have said it better and I already have some great ones just two months in.
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Old 03-02-2021, 10:28 AM   #7
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Jeffrey, I am in Palm Springs, ideally situated between desert winter playgrounds to the North, East and South (high desert, Joshua Tree, Anza Borrego) and the mountain summer playgrounds to the West (San Bernardino Forest, Cleveland Forest, etc.).
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Old 03-07-2021, 02:41 PM   #8
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I was out in your neck of the woods by the bottom of J Tree in the BLM camping area. Windy Windy on the last weekend of Feb. 60 plus blowing all night. Enjoy the van. Welcome to the club. I have no clue how to get this image rotated though...
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Old 03-08-2021, 09:22 AM   #9
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Is that spot in the 4th pic down along the Colorado River? Looks awesome!
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Old 03-08-2021, 10:34 AM   #10
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Hey there Darkstar. Yes, I was indeed out in that same area last weekend and I think I may have seen you; I was riding my bicycle up Cottonwood Springs Rd on my way to the Visitor's Center and you were headed down, out of the park. I gave a thumbs up when you passed (because you have such a cool rig that looks a lot like mine lol). And yes, it did get pretty windy out there that weekend. I've been out in that area a lot lately because it's so close and convenient for me. In case you weren't aware, there's a ton of great spots to camp on the opposite (South) side of the freeway from where all the overflow Joshua Tree campers are just outside the park border. Some way more private and more protected (i.e. less windy & no view of the freeway). Hard to tell, but it looks from your photo that you may have found your way over there too. Have fun out there & maybe our paths shall cross.
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