Off-Roading in the Nevada Desert

#eckjeeplife

In 2022, Marshall and I made an exciting leap and swapped our trusty Dodge Truck for a rugged Jeep Mojave. It may still function as a truck, but it undeniably brought out the adventurous kids in us who had always dreamed of cruising around in a Jeep. Bursting with excitement over our new toy, we couldn’t wait to hit the road. So, what did we do the very next day? You guessed it—off we went to the stunning Mojave Desert! Buckle up for a wild ride through one of America’s most iconic landscapes! 😉✨

Walker Lake

Our first official ‘off-road’ adventure in our new Jeep took a thrilling turn just before Walker Lake, leading us up to a breathtaking plateau that offered a stunning panoramic view of this natural gem.

The lake appeared as a mesmerizing blue halo amidst the surrounding brown desert—a sight to behold! However, we were taken aback by how much the water levels had receded compared to historical records. It was a little surreal to see picnic tables seemingly floating over nothing! Like many bodies of water, this precious lake has been shrinking, which has significant implications for local wildlife and tourism (check out the article).

Off-Roading

As we continued to wind our way south, we found many, MANY more pull-offs designed for folks just like us looking for off-road adventures! We were temped down virtually endless dirt roads so many times, we rolled into Vegas several hours later than anticipated. No regrets;)

Vegas Sights

Las Vegas isn’t too far away from Eugene, Oregon for it to be a semi-regular vacation destination for the Eck family . . . 2 days by car or 3 hours by plane. Sometimes we drive and sometimes we fly, but the food and views are always worth the while!

For a wider look at our #EckVegas adventures, check out this earlier photo and travel blog post.

Joshua Tree National Forest

With a kid named Joshua, we had to check these particular trees out and then fell even more in love with them when we start to explore their history and possible future!

This unique specimen ONLY grows in this part of the world and has withstood the extreme elements of the Mojave Desert for ages. As their environments change, the fight to save these trees has only begun (article).

Lake Mead

And last but not least, just below Las Vegas, we took a drive through Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This protected area was a delight to drive through full of both ancient and more recent human history . . . Even managed to capture a rainbow!🌈

Outdoor Cooking

For us, outdoor cooking and off-grid driving just seem to go hand in hand. Here we capture the chef in his natural habitat cooking for families and friends😉

Never-Ending Horizons

And who can forget the skyline in the desert . . . And the sunsets! Never-ending horizons give you the feelings you can drive forever☺️

August 21, 2024 by Tabithaeck Categories: Nevada AdventuresTags: Jeep Life Cast-Iron Cooking, Nevada, Photography Leave a comment

Mountain Top Camping

One of the great joys of owning a truck is the built-in bed you get to take with you where ever the road may wander;) But by diving a Jeep that’s ALSO a truck, outdoor camping takes on entirely new heights with off-roading now on the table. Last summer, we had the most magical mountain top camping trip in eastern Oregon in the Mojave.

Jeep Off Grid

It was such a mild evening, we decided to forgo the tent and air mattresses and, instead, spread the netting over the back of the Jeep and rollout the couple’s sleeping bag in the truck bed.

Over the Fire Cooking

One of our favorite parts of the camping experience is the outdoor cooking! We stopped at a small grocery store before heading up the mountain where we splurged on a T-bone for a delightful, over the fire dinner of creamy gnocchi, large prawns and steak. Special thanks to the bearded talents of Mr. McKenzie Castiron Cooking!

Eck Family Tradition

This gorgeous mountain top is actually part of a winter hunting camp tradition with generations of Ecks roaming these heights, hunting elk and stocking the family freezer each year. And on this magical night, we spent the evening telling stories of days gone by around the fire as the sunset.

Mountain Top Sunset

And speaking of sunsets, while there were magical landscapes in all directions with a panoramic view from the mountain top, like most summer sunsets, this one lasted forever!

We even managed to capture the moment from the back of the Jeep through the curtains for a beautiful time lapse video:)

Looking forward to visiting again this summer!

#tecklandscapes #meandmytabby #oregonexplored #pnw #eckfamilyadventures

March 17, 2023August 20, 2023 by Tabithaeck Categories: PNW AdventuresTags: Jeep Life Cast-Iron Cooking, Photography 1 Comment

Jeep adventures with outdoor cooking❤️

Reminiscing about 2022 and off-road Jeep adventures with outdoor cooking in the Nevada desert☺️

When we bought the Jeep Gladiator Mojave back in 2021, we took off the next day for a road trip to the wilds of Nevada. Our first jeep purchase, the truck model gave us a functional pickup truck but also allowed us to go off-road in places a Jeep can take you . . . lower center of gravity and all that jazz. Nevada desert adventures in 2022 did not disappoint!

On this adventure, not only did Marshall bring out the cast-iron skillet for some over-the-fire cooking while off-road, we brought out the Yeti water cooler as well as the Yeti steel cooler to keep us hydrated and the food cold for days! On the website, Yeti’s inventory is always changing but you can check out their current stock HERE. That being said, we’ve found some of our favorite pieces from small resellers who will often offer a slight used model that is no longer being produced;)