Testing in the Sierras
The miata has never received any proper off-road testing since I lifted her. Our trip to Oregon was far too tame with soft dirt and mud. Good buddy asked if I was interested in joining for a camping trip this weekend and of course I said yes. I’m just waiting for the Ultima so nothing too important to distract me (yes Sam and Cam I know I need to work on your stuff…).
Original plan was to head up to the coastal beach location near Fort Bragg, but we heard beach camping was no longer allowed. Thus off to the mountains we headed!
Sawmill Lake about 20 miles from Truckee was the destination.
Step 1
Packing a miata has become a bit of an artform to ensure all the gear has a home and we still fit inside the car. High level list of supplies plus a Step22 Pangolin Tool Roll
Pair of camping chairs
6 foot table
37l cooler (plus a spare battery to power it at camp)
Grill w/pair of propane tanks
2.5 gallons of extra fuel
Two rolls of cooking/eating supplies (23ZERO)
Small shovel & hatchet
4 gallons of water + filtration to refill
Extra fluids for car
Tent, air pad, sleeping bag, pillows
Air Down
While I only have little tires they still can have improved tractions by lowing the pressure. I ended up dropping to 25 psi instead of the standard 32. Didn’t have any issues with traction nor blew a bead. Will use this in the future.
Also the snow tires did great in this heat and sharp rocks.
Finding its place in the mountains. Little green miata.
Making our way past Bowman Lake
Just a few questionable spots before making it here. Had to navigate and choose the best lines, overall little miata did well.
Eager to test it harder with some buddies while on the trail.
Late night running
Ended up going for a run the first evening to find another friend showing up that wasn’t as confident. The 5150 whip along with Harbor Freight lights did their jobs. Great fun to off-road at night with the top down.
Calm stillness of the morning
Making our way out of the hills and back to Truckee.
Never Doubt Your Car
While I might have given my little Miata a bit of help, nothing significant was done to the power or drive train. Merely using the car to its full ability. It is always a joy to test you and your vehicles abilities with friends. This weekend I didn’t push too hard and still made it to places others with trucks were questioning. I eagerly look forward to Baja XL and the challenges it will bring. I did learn of my cars cooling limitations and will happily install the new cross flow radiator as well as coolant re-route.
If you’re curious to see where this little green miata made it, here is my track.
See you on the trails and keep pushing your limits!
