2015 American Adventurist Desert Rendezvous

2015 Sees the American Adventurist Desert Rendezvous return to the BLM land east of Split Mountain Road, just outside Anza Borrego park boundaries.  This is a lovely area, and the silty washes were in better shape this year for our trip once we departed the pavement.  Kimberley was much less white-knuckled this year, for sure.

Mortero Palms and the Goat Canyon Trestle Hike

In late October, members of the American Adventurist forum started organizing a long and strenuous pre-Thanksgiving hike up to Mortero Palm Canyon and to see the Goat Canyon Trestle.  Seeing the trestle has been on my long-term bucket list for great hikes around San Diego, so I simply had to join them.

2014 American Adventurist SoCal Mountain Rendezvous

Despite the fact that we've enjoyed various Desert Rendezvous events since 2011, this year marked the first time we'd been able to attend the companion Mountain Rendezvous, put on by the excellent team from American Adventurist.  As always, the Rendezvous are a wonderful time to make new friends, see some cool rigs, and eat awesome food.

2014 American Adventurist Desert Rendezvous

A pair of annual Rendezvous events, one Desert, one Mountain, are fast becoming must-do events if you live in the SoCal area and enjoy overlanding, camping, adventure, good people, and/or good food.  This year's desert event was no different.  I was sad to be attending solo, since Annika's soccer season was in full swing during this event, but by the end of the trip, I think the rest of the family was glad they hadn't joined me!

SoCal Desert Rendezvous 2012

A random visit to the Reserve America site had revealed an open three day slot at the San Elijo State Beach campground for the 4th weekend in March, so I grabbed it on instinct. Of course, just a few days later the planned date for the Expedition Portal forum SoCal Desert Rendevous was announced and guess what? Same weekend. After some discussion and in deference to familial harmony, we decided to aim for the beach camp. However as the date neared and the weather fouled, we finally decided that cold weather + impending rain + beach didn't mix and made a last-minute switch to attend the Rendezvous after all. It all worked out and we had a great adventure!

From ExPo Desert Rendezvous 2012