The Call of Baja

January 22, 2013

The Turtle Expedition joins Granville King in Search for Baja Treasures Granville King is an ornery Cuss. What makes him likeable is that he knows it: He’s proud of being an ornery cuss. Despite his mean streak, we’ve grown quite fond of the old desert rat. Monika and I have a lot in common with […]

Gary’s Birthday trip to Ensenada, Baja California

January 18, 2013

For me, it’s just a number, really!! For Monika, Birthdays are a big deal and should be celebrated for days if not weeks. OK. I had my wish list. January 11: First stop was El Cajon, CA (an easy 8-hr drive from Nevada City) for a wonderful rib-eye & shrimp dinner prepared by my gourmet […]

Happy New Year 2013

December 31, 2012

To all our Friends and Family around the World We wish you an adventurous, healthy and happy 2013! Gary and Monika

Merry Christmas

December 23, 2012

We were sitting among friends in a small apartment on the outskirts of Moscow, discussing the perils of driving alone across Siberia. Suddenly, an older gentleman looked at us and put his hand on his wrist. “Feel your pulse,” he said. We did. He moved his hand to his neck. “Feel your pulse,” he continued, […]

New Additions to our Adventure Page

December 1, 2012

Today, we are starting a series of stories from Baja California & Chihuahua, Mexico and Western United States previously published in various magazines. Please keep checking the Adventures’ page. The first one to be published is: Baja Testing The Turtle V It includes an exciting trip up the spine of Baja to visit century-old ranches, […]

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 21, 2012

HAPPY THANKSGIVING GARY AND MONIKA Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness, universal to all ages and all faiths. At whatever straws we must grasp, there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings. J. Robert Moskin

Footware on the Road

October 13, 2012

When The Turtle V stops, our primary means of transportation will be walking. During our 28-day John Muir Trail trek,, we discovered La Sportiva boots, and Superfeet Insoles. No more blisters and no re-occurrences of the painful Plantar Fasciitis that can quickly ruin any hike. Unlike even the best out-of-the-box insoles, the Superfeet can be […]

Van Dyke Storage Box

October 9, 2012

Storage in a small expedition camper like The Turtle V is critical. Clothes for four seasons, medical supplies, camera equipment, computers, tools and spare parts, food—it’s a long list, whether it’s for three days or three years. In addition to the Weatherguard box on the front rack, we needed more storage for light equipment and […]

The Big Move #4

October 5, 2012

Some things would never see a flea market. With an acre of property, there are plenty of places to hide stuff. Pallets, dead dishwashers, paint buckets, wine barrel rings—a 13-year collection that tipped the scales at the local recycle yard just under 1/2 a ton.

The Big Move #3

October 1, 2012

It is positively amazing how much really valuable “stuff” you can accumulate in 13 years. (Yes, that’s how long it has been since our three-year Trans-Eurasian expedition across all of Russia and around the World.) This was good stuff. The local flea market was the answer. For eight hours we bargained with the masses wanting […]