View Full Version : Us "old folks" need our sleep.
OK, I'll admit it. I'm an old fuddy-duddy.:( I'd been to Buttercup once for a day trip and really enjoyed the riding. So, now that we have a toy hauler, I'd thought we should try an "off weekend" trip to stay for a couple of days. We went to the cul-de-sac at Buttercup, set up camp Friday and things were pretty cool. Little did I know what we were in for. I didn't realize there would be quads and bikes buzzing the camp until almost 3 AM![V] I didn't feel the crowd was overly rowdy.....as a matter of fact, I thought all in all, it was pretty tame. No loud music or loud, alcohol induced behavior......BUT hauling a$$ through the campgrounds until 3 AM was a bit much for me. I can only image what the "big" weekends are like out there.
So now I come to my question........ Are there ANY camping areas out there that are a little more "considerate" to campers seeking just some cool riding and relaxing? We rode down to the Plank Road camping area on the west side of the dunes, and thought it might be an alternative. Fewer people, yet still close to some nice riding. What's it like down there?
My better half thought the area off Ogilby Rd., just north of the highway was too far from the dunes, and TOO secluded, raising her "security" fears.
Remember..... old farts need love, too.
keep going down the road to greys well and camp back there alot less traffic .....:D
Hammer,
Are you talking about the same road Buttercup and Midway are on? The only area I saw was right below the Plank Road dune area.
Thanks,
You could try Ogilby or even on the exreme north side of gordens well. AZGRIZ camps in a pretty quite area just north and just west of Ogilby road called Ogilby flats. (which I'm now going to call Ogilby "fuddy dudds")
When coming from Yuma westbound on I-8, exit just prior to Grey's Well on Ogilby Road and turn right (north). Go 3 miles to the railroad tracks, and turn left IMMEDIATELY before crossing the tracks. The dirt road heads west, paralleling the powerlines for a mile or so, then does a left turn south, and another right westbound. Just follow it and it'll take you to the cellular tower. There's all kinds of places to camp in the flats out there- can be soft and watch out for kiddie tracks. Get there in the daylight if you can. The cool thing is it's on the east side (leeward side) of the dunes, where they dwindle away to nothing. So, there's about a mile of small dunes to go through (great playground for kids or beginners!) before you get to the big stuff. There are closure markers around, so keep an eye open for those.
We LOVE it out there, and on off weekends/weekdays, it can be very sparsely populated. I've been to Buttercup only in the daytime, and didn't like it at all. Anyway, hope that helps. We've never been to G- just Gordon's Well a few times, and now Ogilby twice this year. It's our favorite place definitely.
Good luck!
Arizona Griz
02/28/05, 8:47 PM
quote:Originally posted by jwalk1
You could try Ogilby or even on the exreme north side of gordens well. AZGRIZ camps in a pretty quite area just north and just west of Ogilby road called Ogilby flats. (which I'm now going to call Ogilby "fuddy dudds")
You can't be refering to me. :D
Bee Bob, I too would like a little peace and quiet at the dunes, but that is not what it is about. There might be weekends a little more quieter than others but you must face the fact that there is riding going on all night long and people will be screaming right by your camp as fast as they can and you can only hope they don't loose control and run into your trailer or rig.
Try not to camp between other camps and the dunes themselves. If you end up camping in this "area" you better prepare for some sleepless nights.
quote:Originally posted by Bee Bob
Hammer,
Are you talking about the same road Buttercup and Midway are on? The only area I saw was right below the Plank Road dune area.
Thanks,
The one and the same ...
Thanks, all for your comments, and thank you Arizona Griz for your honesty.
Don't ever camp in the cul de sac or you'll always have that problem. Go west a couple miles to the Gray's Well camping area and you can get an area to yourself if it's not a holiday weekend. We do go out at night not much past 12 though (how can you not want to ride the dunes at night? hehe).
Just Ride It
03/01/05, 8:08 AM
The sound of bike at night make for good white noise and once you get used to it will help lull you to sleep. We sleep better at the dunes than other quite camping spot because of the bike noises. Although sometimes you get the drunken loud music camp right next to you that sometimes gets on your nerves.
Ogilby calms down around 10 or so, but then you get the trains in the background like at the washes in Glamis. My suggestion is to go more often and get where you do not even notice the bikes.
quote:My suggestion is to go more often and get where you do not even notice the bikes.
I think this is the best idea I've heard all year!
I have a tougher time sleeping in the morning when the Banshees start screaming by at 6:30 hehe.
duneDS650
03/01/05, 5:02 PM
I call it the "Friday Night Effect". As soon as people get to the dunes, they have to take their toys out and play with them. Unfortunately, a lot of people get to the dunes pretty late.
Saturday night is always quieter. Try earplugs and camp where the sand is good.
Arizona Griz
03/01/05, 7:28 PM
quote:Originally posted by BillK
I have a tougher time sleeping in the morning when the Banshees start screaming by at 6:30 hehe.
You mean you are not up and rolling by 6:30. My riding friends hate me for getting started early especially when I warm up the quad.
Just Ride It
03/02/05, 12:32 PM
Early for us is around 9am. Especially after a late night hill ride.
I bought this thing from Target that covers my eyes from any light and has two small speakers that I can set to play some of those quite noises like the ocean or wind blowing. This may work to help eliminate the outside noises. I bought it for the trips where I share my trailer with a loud snoring person. It works great, but so does a few ice cold ones.
Arizona Griz
03/02/05, 1:24 PM
My first ride is done by 9:00. I am there to ride. :D
I think I averaged about 4 hours of sleep a night for 3 nights last trip hehe. Last quad ride around 11-12, maybe take the Ranger out and romp around in the desert, get to bed around 3 (after some beers and Soma), up by 7, warm the bikes up and go eat at Pair A Dice or the Buttercup vendors. Ride all day and repeat ;)
Toybreaker
03/02/05, 4:59 PM
Yeah i am one of those that get to the dunes late(12am-3:30am)
and yes i have to go ride right away. I normally bomb right to the hill and shoot it as couple times. Then dune back to camp. And regardless of the time i get in to camp i am awake and ready to ride by 7:30 am.
Arizona Griz
03/02/05, 6:45 PM
There is nothing like riding at sunup at the dunes. [^]
I don't have any problem with those who arrive late and head to the hill or out to the dunes. I usually do a coupld of night rides myself when I go to the dunes. The people I DO have a little bit a problem with are those who pull in at 11:30PM, camp right next to you when there are square miles of open spaces, and then proceed to play their music REALLY loud and race around your camp until three in the morning!
paulnick
03/05/05, 6:06 PM
It's hell getting old, however it beats the alternative. I guess I used to be one of the guys who pi$$ed off the older guys and now the tables have turned.
The times they are a changin'.
Us "old folks" need our sleep.
its not only you old folks need sleep some of us young folks need sleep
This old guy will sleep when he's dead...
I told my wife before her first dune trip that it would be noisy at night. But I agree with what she said. She said thats why people go to the dunes-to ride. If you don't like the noise, don't go! It's all part of the experience.
Mark
duneDS650
03/07/05, 7:46 AM
I agree with ksand, but my experience is that very few ride into the dunes at night (ooooh...it's scary dark out there...) So they ride back and forth in front of their camp. I swear I've seen some people who never ride out of sight of camp.
Glamis is a scary place at night, often time I wont ride past sundown simply because my night vision isn't very good.... But I love firing my quad up at 530 in the morning when the neighboring people had their toys and music going until 3 am....
One time I went to the dunes with this group of people, the music didnt bother me because I am use to it, but they had their young children (812) with them and the group next to us was playing "2 livecrew" and like heavily profaned rap. It was so loud and so clear you can hear every word for 100 yrs around..... We ended up moving our camp because of their inconsideracy....
paulnick
03/07/05, 8:16 AM
Sure we all go to the dunes to ride...THE DUNES. Not to ride around someone's camp all night. You can anywhere and ride around camp. If they don't want to ride the dunes at night and instead race around my campsite all night, I should stay home?
No thanks. I go to ride the dunes and perhaps some day they will leave camp.
Ya the camp ground racers SUCK,,i just think there afraid of going out in the dunes,and trying to impress everyone with what they dont have!
quote:Originally posted by roenick
I told my wife before her first dune trip that it would be noisy at night. But I agree with what she said. She said thats why people go to the dunes-to ride. If you don't like the noise, don't go! It's all part of the experience.
Mark
well you part right RIDE IN THE DUNES !nobody should have to put up with some peeps KIDs that dont know where there at!
Paulnick, I didn't mean I agree with people riding around camp at night, because I don't. I meant you are going to hear people riding OUT TO the dunes and back for a good part of the night. Thats what I meant as it being a part of the experience. I should have said that clearer. If you go to the dunes, you go expecting there to be noise at night, so you shouldn't be surprised when it may keep you awake at night.
Mark
what's really scary is when you go up north fishing in the toyhauler and can't sleep because it's to quiet. The noise kinda lulls me to sleep but I've slept thru hurricanes so......
paulnick
03/08/05, 6:12 PM
roenick. I guess we do agree. It just loses something in the translation. Of course riders have every right to head out to the dunes no matter what time they arrive. That's why we all go there.
My complaint was with the idiot who kept riding around our camp instead of heading out to the dunes to ride. Or worse yet the ones who park right next to you and blast their music most of the night when there is plenty of available space for all.
I would bet that most members of this site are not the major offenders, therefore maybe this is the wrong forum to air the complaint.
It's OK for the riders (especially the younger ones) to ride to their heart's content.
Even in the daytime there was a problem with a guy on a dirt bike riding at high speeds right next to my trailer (over and over again). I asked him if he knew there were miles and miles of dunes over there. He finally got the point and left.
I do not mean to sound like a pain in the a$$ but whatever happedn to courtesy and comment sense?
I guess I will grin and bear it from now on.
courtesy and common sense? i'll bet you can answer your own question there..
There isnt much of that !
Paulnick, I understand your points and totally agree with you.
Mark
paulnick
03/09/05, 6:51 AM
I meant common sense. OK, so I can't type.
quote:Originally posted by paulnick
I meant common sense. OK, so I can't type.
Never even noticed that[8] UNTIL YOU POINTED IT OUT!!!!!![8]
Toybreaker
03/13/05, 11:09 PM
quote:Originally posted by Kitkatt
what's really scary is when you go up north fishing in the toyhauler and can't sleep because it's to quiet. The noise kinda lulls me to sleep but I've slept thru hurricanes so......
Not that this is particularly aplicable but being in the Navy and such background noise is a fact of life. When my ship is out to sea the motion of the ship and the noise of the ventilation and machinery is all part of why i sleep so well.
Also i am part of the ships "fire department" when the fecal matter hits the fan my division is the ships first line of defense (WE ARE GOOD AT WHAT WE DO TOO!)
well the point to all this is when the ventilation kicks off most of us wake up because that is very seriously wrong.