Kofa National Wildlife refuge road trip w/ camping

[CD_SM]

Last weekend my son and I took a road trip from the San Diego area to the Kofa National Wildlife refuge, a bit over 500 miles. The XLT hybrid did great, quiet and comfortable. It's a beautiful area if you ever make it out here (just be sure it's between October and April or you'll roast, maybe even literally).

We left from San Diego at 3pm Friday, had dinner in Yuma, and then found a camp site at Mittry lake. Saturday morning ve checked out McPhaul bridge (a small closed suspension bridge) and had a date shake at Dirty South BBQ (too early for lunch but it looked good). Then we checked out the Yuma Proving Grounds outdoor museum - lots of interesting tanks etc - and headed to the Castle Dome Mine museum. Lot's of interesting artifacts and very deep mine holes. We then went further up US95 to King Road and found a remote camping spot.

Sunday we relaxed and then headed north to Quartzite AZ (which is great if you love polished stone tchotchkes), ate at a diner full of retired snowbirds (literally thousands and thousands if RVs camped in the desert nearby), took I10 W to Blythe CA and then to CA78 all the way back to San Diego, stopping at the *very* windy Imperial San Dunes.

Truck drove great . Got 38.8 mpg for the first 300 miles, including 170 or so miles on I 8 at 70 mph, 50 miles + of well graded gravel roads, and the rest on US95 at 60 mph +/-. For the 244 mi return trip from Quartzite she only got 33 mpg, at about 60 mph on a 2 lane highway, but fighting 25-35 mph headwinds. (I was very worried about sandblasting the paint as we drove through the Imperial Sand Dunes).

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[CurtisB]

You got the sunroof too!

 

[CD_SM]

You got the sunroof too!

Southern California demands it!

 

[IHateSpeedbumps]

You got the sunroof too!

I don't know why anyone would order it without the sunroof.

 

[Hunters Edge]

Thanks for posting. Sounds like you and your son had a great time, and a lot of scenery.

 

[Mavreezy]

Last weekend my son and I took a road trip from the San Diego area to the Kofa National Wildlife refuge, a bit over 500 miles. The XLT hybrid did great, quiet and comfortable. It's a beautiful area if you ever make it out here (just be sure it's between October and April or you'll roast, maybe even literally).

We left from San Diego at 3pm Friday, had dinner in Yuma, and then found a camp site at Mittry lake. Saturday morning ve checked out McPhaul bridge (a small closed suspension bridge) and had a date shake at Dirty South BBQ (too early for lunch but it looked good). Then we checked out the Yuma Proving Grounds outdoor museum - lots of interesting tanks etc - and headed to the Castle Dome Mine museum. Lot's of interesting artifacts and very deep mine holes. We then went further up US95 to King Road and found a remote camping spot.

Sunday we relaxed and then headed north to Quartzite AZ (which is great if you love polished stone tchotchkes), ate at a diner full of retired snowbirds (literally thousands and thousands if RVs camped in the desert nearby), took I10 W to Blythe CA and then to CA78 all the way back to San Diego, stopping at the *very* windy Imperial San Dunes.

Truck drove great . Got 38.8 mpg for the first 300 miles, including 170 or so miles on I 8 at 70 mph, 50 miles + of well graded gravel roads, and the rest on US95 at 60 mph +/-. For the 244 mi return trip from Quartzite she only got 33 mpg, at about 60 mph on a 2 lane highway, but fighting 25-35 mph headwinds. (I was very worried about sandblasting the paint as we drove through the Imperial Sand Dunes).

Beautiful pictures and nice truck! Too bad she's an XLT 🫢. But regardless, awesome scenery. Thanks for sharing

 

[TOMCATFIGHTER]

Good post...I really like my sunroof too. It was a requirement of my new Maverick. Get the PPF...you will not have worries after it.

 

[dlhort1955]

I don't know why anyone would order it without the sunroof.

If you are bald, blue eyed and blond you don't want a sun roof.

 

[TedTX]

I don't know why anyone would order it without the sunroof.

Those who had one before.... on an old European brand, leaked badly. Plus a in-laws sunroof exploded in Colorado on I-25 at 75mph. Blamed on temperature extremes and road vibrations.

 

[IHateSpeedbumps]

If you are bald, blue eyed and blond you don't want a sun roof.

My wife is a pale redhead and loves sunroofs.

 

[BigB]

I don't know why anyone would order it without the sunroof.

Because I had two vehicles with a sunroof and hardly ever used them.

 

[IHateSpeedbumps]

Those who had one before.... on an old European brand, leaked badly. Plus a in-laws sunroof exploded in Colorado on I-25 at 75mph. Blamed on temperature extremes and road vibrations.

Never had a sunroof leak but I maintained them well to prevent the drain tube from getting blocked which is what causes most leaking. I also haven't had one break even I lowered cars with stiff suspension on bad roads. But I understand how personal problems with things can cause aversion to those things. I dislike chrome wheels because of issues I have had in the past.

 

[1SgtDavo]

Nice write up, thanks for sharing, beautiful country.

 

[VICKY]

Last weekend my son and I took a road trip from the San Diego area to the Kofa National Wildlife refuge, a bit over 500 miles. The XLT hybrid did great, quiet and comfortable. It's a beautiful area if you ever make it out here (just be sure it's between October and April or you'll roast, maybe even literally).

We left from San Diego at 3pm Friday, had dinner in Yuma, and then found a camp site at Mittry lake. Saturday morning ve checked out McPhaul bridge (a small closed suspension bridge) and had a date shake at Dirty South BBQ (too early for lunch but it looked good). Then we checked out the Yuma Proving Grounds outdoor museum - lots of interesting tanks etc - and headed to the Castle Dome Mine museum. Lot's of interesting artifacts and very deep mine holes. We then went further up US95 to King Road and found a remote camping spot.

Sunday we relaxed and then headed north to Quartzite AZ (which is great if you love polished stone tchotchkes), ate at a diner full of retired snowbirds (literally thousands and thousands if RVs camped in the desert nearby), took I10 W to Blythe CA and then to CA78 all the way back to San Diego, stopping at the *very* windy Imperial San Dunes.

Truck drove great . Got 38.8 mpg for the first 300 miles, including 170 or so miles on I 8 at 70 mph, 50 miles + of well graded gravel roads, and the rest on US95 at 60 mph +/-. For the 244 mi return trip from Quartzite she only got 33 mpg, at about 60 mph on a 2 lane highway, but fighting 25-35 mph headwinds. (I was very worried about sandblasting the paint as we drove through the Imperial Sand Dunes).

JUST BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!! ENJOY

 

[lajlmt]

Last weekend my son and I took a road trip from the San Diego area to the Kofa National Wildlife refuge, a bit over 500 miles. The XLT hybrid did great, quiet and comfortable. It's a beautiful area if you ever make it out here (just be sure it's between October and April or you'll roast, maybe even literally).

We left from San Diego at 3pm Friday, had dinner in Yuma, and then found a camp site at Mittry lake. Saturday morning ve checked out McPhaul bridge (a small closed suspension bridge) and had a date shake at Dirty South BBQ (too early for lunch but it looked good). Then we checked out the Yuma Proving Grounds outdoor museum - lots of interesting tanks etc - and headed to the Castle Dome Mine museum. Lot's of interesting artifacts and very deep mine holes. We then went further up US95 to King Road and found a remote camping spot.

Sunday we relaxed and then headed north to Quartzite AZ (which is great if you love polished stone tchotchkes), ate at a diner full of retired snowbirds (literally thousands and thousands if RVs camped in the desert nearby), took I10 W to Blythe CA and then to CA78 all the way back to San Diego, stopping at the *very* windy Imperial San Dunes.

Truck drove great . Got 38.8 mpg for the first 300 miles, including 170 or so miles on I 8 at 70 mph, 50 miles + of well graded gravel roads, and the rest on US95 at 60 mph +/-. For the 244 mi return trip from Quartzite she only got 33 mpg, at about 60 mph on a 2 lane highway, but fighting 25-35 mph headwinds. (I was very worried about sandblasting the paint as we drove through the Imperial Sand Dunes).

Fantastic! In some pictures the Cactus paint looks like the new Terrain color

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