Into the wild with the Quail

We took the Quail out to the Four Peaks Wilderness.

To get to our camping spot we had to drive over rough, rock-strewn roads, through streams, and through narrow passages.  The Quail passed with flying colors.

Sleeping was an adventure.  The Quail Teardrop is basically a sleeping area, and we chose the smallest one made.

Our mistake was trying to cram too much into it.  We had more blankets and pillows than we needed and than we had room for.  But that was the purpose of this trip--to learn, and learn we did.

In terms of what we can do with the Rat and Quail, this doesn't scratch the surface of what we can do.  As rough and tight as this area was, it is nothing compared to where we plan to go...and will go.  But it was a good way to learn.  A good start. 

Here are some photos:

 

Our campsite.  Only two groups drove by the main road in the time we were there  ("Main road" being defined here as a one-lane dirt/rocky Forest Service road designated for off-road vehicles).  Both groups were using off-road vehicles.  One group of two were on dirt bikes and another was a couple in a Polaris.  And here we were, in the same place, in a Toyota you can drive in comfort to a grocery store and a Teardrop!!!

Here is our site:

Our set-up:

Cooking is soooo much easier than when we were tent camping.

Cooking dinner:

Cooking breakfast:

Dan gets breakfast in bed.   This photo also shows how the sleeping compartment is only the size of the mattress (46" by 74"), which is 8" narrower and 1" shorter than a standard double mattress, and only 7 inches wider than a single mattress.  

We took three nice hikes.  They were all on rough and rocky forest roads.  Two were into wilderness areas.  Because we were in desert mountains we had a lot of elevation gain, and hiked very slowly so we didn't twist an ankle.

On one of them we saw a Javelina--the only one we have ever seen anywhere except in southern Texas.

 

The Quail (Teardrop) is in the very center of the photo, over Vicky's shoulder, far down in the valley:

These may be the tallest Saguaro cacti we have ever seen.  Many were absolutely huge.

The four peaks that the Four Peaks Wilderness area is named for are above Vicky in the following photo:

See Dan?

See Vicky?

Here are some videos showing where we can go: