Many of you have been wondering why we have delayed our departure from California, and others have asked about my recent surgery. Here’s the scoop on both questions. Forty years ago, in South Lake Tahoe, CA, I tore the bottom of my left middle finger off while installing a winch cable on our Land Rover […]
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 […]
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 […]
In Search of Drug Smugglers and Unexploded Ordnances It isn’t often that we find an adventure as tempting as Arizona’s Devil’s Highway, otherwise known as “El Camino Del Diablo”, who could resist a name like that. Paging through the Backcountry Adventures of Arizona guidebook, published by Alder Backcountry Guides, we found the trailhead off I-80 […]
In the process of replacing the water pump belts and hoses at Ken Imler Diesel Performance, we took care of a couple of other problems. Plastic is convenient for lightweight manufacturing, but it doesn’t last forever under a hot engine compartment. Our overflow tank was deteriorating and the plastic brackets were cracking. The fan blade […]
Horsepower of a Different Kind In Search of Nowhere We had just come up from the north end of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Utah, and stopped at the Visitors Center in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Surrounding Sweetwater County is home to 10,500 square miles of pure, high desert adventure, so it sounded like an easy […]
To all our Friends and Family around the World We wish you an adventurous, healthy and happy 2013! Gary and Monika
It was the rainy season in Chihuahua. Creeks had swollen and afternoon thunderstorms were the norm. From The Turtle Expedition’s earliest days of exploring Mexico in our old blue Land Rover, otherwise known as La Tortuga Azul, we have always been fascinated by the backroads. They invariably have led to the most interesting places and […]
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, […]
An equally important part of the cooling system is the serpentine belt that powers the water pump as well as power steering, alternators and the fan blade. During a recent demonstration video shot at Ken Imler Diesel Performance in Sacramento, we installed the new Gates Heavy-Duty FleetRunner® Belt that provides twice the service life compared […]
