It was about time we went car camping in the 911 again. It’d been 2 years since our 3,500 mile honeymoon roadtrip.
Is it called Onthelanding when you scrape on the dirt a lot? Well, I couldn’t stand scraping very often, but a couple times we did become one with it while offroad scraping at low speeds getting to campsites. I’ve been meaning to crank the torsion’s just a bit to get “Condor” off the dirt.
If you’re not up to speed, this is Condor, our 1988 Porsche Carrera 3.2. We picked him up two and a half years ago and got to work getting the car back in shape. More info regarding the buy/work we did here!
We use the car for just about everything.
Even a bit of offroading.
Not long after doing all of the work we headed out on a
3,500 mile honeymoon roadtrip. More here.
It was awesome.
It was epic.
...and the car did great. It burns some oil, but with 10 quarts in the system it takes a while for it to matter.
At almost 2 years exactly since that original honeymoon camping trip, we decided it was high time we took Condor out on another camping trip. This one was much shorter (620 miles), but we chose the twistiest roads we could find.
We headed out from Phoenix for high ground. Finding a spot that is both remote feeling and still possible for a lowered Porsche 911 can be tough, but we always seem to luck out. Even if it takes a while.
In the morning we sat and watched hunters stalk deer on the hill sides not far away. Back in the dirt, back to happiness, back home.
That morning we started making our way over to Highway 666. Well, let’s be honest, it’s now called Highway 191. I think the signs kept being stolen. More on this fantastic and empty road.
As we left camp I wanted to show K the now forgotten community that exists off a dirt road very near to the middle of nowhere. After a mile of dirt you get onto a beautifully paved road. Then down to a large corral and a master planned community with fire hydrants and cul-de-sacs, but no homes. It’s a neat, if a bit eerie, spot. Horses that belong to a local ranch roam the streets.
Off to the small town of Alpine we went. The place we went for lunch was empty except for the owner giving guitar and mandolin lessons to local kids as we ate. It was a perfect reminder that we were in a part of the state that moves at a much slower pace than the big city.
The diner had it’s own sleepy vacuum.
We spent the entire day rallying along Highway 666. I’d last been here on a motorcycle, but we were going a fair bit quicker in Condor. We saw 1 other car at a pull out and 4 motorcycles later on. It was perfect.
You’ll have to wait for the video to see more of the turns, but this is the kind of stuff we’re talking about.
We did a lot of little dirt pull offs to check out the sights.
Where to next K?
Many miles of nothing.
Something about the shape of a 911. It’s hard coded into my brain to love it.
Hiding from the world we always find little spots to camp away from everyone else.
(Condor on the left and another hunter heading up north on the right.)
As the sun got lower in the sky we realized we’d better find a camp site. We tried an actual camp ground, but there were hunters there and being hermit’s one person is one too many when I want to get away.
So, we bounced back down the road from that campsite and kept looking.
Then, after back tracking up the road...(You mean I have to drive that whole section again? Woohoo!!!) we found the spot.
My happy place.
Thanks for the present Dennis.
This is about as fancy as we get. Which one of you is first? Both? Okay!
The sunset as you can see, was amazing. We were pretty happy. I am always amazed that this car holds up to this much abuse. It spent the entire day slamming through gears not far from redline. Thanks Condor.
The next morning we enjoyed rallying through the last few miles of twisties into a town called Clifton. Home to one of the largest open pit mines on Earth. It’s both impressive and a bit depressing, but since everything I’m using to write/photograph this needs copper, it is what it is.
The scale is just mind blowing. The trucks that are as big as a large house look like fleas
We headed down into old town Clifton. You can tell that this area will one day be pretty interesting once it starts getting redone, but for now it’s just a sketchy old forgotten street.
The town of Clifton has an eerie feel. The unions have been quashed several times. The mine owns most of the homes and even the market in town. You get a feeling that people keep to themselves.
We headed into the desert and our long drive back home. Just then my eyes registered a shape I know, but don’t often see. My dream trucks! These two couples said they’d been on this current trip “for a few years.” Wow, some day...
70 series Land Cruisers.
And with that we motored home. As is a habit with us, we got near Phoenix and had a strong urge to get off the main road away from everyone one last time. We just weren’t quite ready to re-enter home and the responsibilities that come with it. We picked a dirt road and drove until we found a spot to pull over. Another corral, why not.
Condor did well as always. Would I recommend you go and buy an aircooled 911, yes, of course. Prices have gone up since I got Condor, but they are still reasonable if you want one with a few minor issues. We looked for one that was okay mechanically and no rust. The paint is maeco quality and the seats are ripped, but who cares!? You can have one for $10,000 or so less than the “average” price of a new car. For that price it will need some work, like mine. It will have little to no air conditioning, no keyless entry, a horrible stereo with a tape deck and you’ll always have to give it some time in the garage. Still, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Go on, do some shopping... ;-)
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