Pismo... talk about a s**t hole....

[Str8Wicked]

OK so here it is, we head out to Pismo, beautiful drive over there through Santa Barbara and up the coast... Had the cruise control on 65 all teh way up since I didn't want to put to much stress on the new rear end that had just finished installed the night before....


So we get there around 4 pm and can't get inside.. We asking the friendly officers ( dumb *****es, knowing nothing, confused cops with attituds.... I know why NWA wrote the song "FU*K the police" now) well anyways, we ask them where we can find a camp area for the night... sot hey tell us that try the other entrance or Lopez Lake which was about 20 miles away... So first we try the other entrance and have no luck, so we decide to go to Lopez Lake.

We drive out there and about 5 miles fromt he entrance tehre is a sign that says Lopez lake is full, so being 5 miles awat we decide to take a pass anyways. Since my son was hungry we had thought we could jsut BBQ somewhere there if we had no luck to camp. So we get there and ask the rangers if there is any room for camping.. No room... OK so is there any other places to camp, they answered the closer you get the beach the harder it will be to find a camp. So I say is there any other camps around here, and they were like not that we know of. So I ask where is the closest one, and they answer they do not know... I'm thinking now to myself how can they possibly not know, they are rangers and have maps and listings of all camp grounds in CA... *******s..
So I ask if we can BBQ here and than leave, they tell me I can but only have 30 mins... I'm like it'll take me that long to just unload the stuff so we bust out a bag of chips for my son and head back to the beach.


We get to the beach and finally speak to the only officer that has been polite to us and he tells us they will open the gates to Pismo at 11 pm.. It's about 9 pm now so we decide to find a place to park, ahve a few beers and watch the fireworks... At about 10:30 I jump in my truck and find a closer place to the gate to park and wait till 11. Well by this time my wife, sister in law, and son were asleep so just me and my cousin were up... We head to the gate at 11 and ask for a camp... The lady tells us "there is no room".. so I say "are you kidding, are you telling me not one person camping hasn't left because of emergency, etc." She says she doesn't know who has left but we can come at 6 am on Sat. and by that time we were like lets get outta here.


We find an industrial area outta the way of any resadential areas to park the Avi amnd get some sleep. We lock up all the quads on the trailer, have a few more beers and get are sleep on. Walking up every 15 mins. you can tell we didn't get a good night sleep but it was decent and at 6:00 am we headed the gate and got our day pass.


We go inside to see camping area's that have tons of room for camping and that just pisses us off more but we head up to pole 6 and set up camp at the entrance to the dunes on the hill... Nice day so far... We cooked some grub and at about 10 am are friends showed up to meet us. Great day, went riding a few times, until the wind decides to kick up... We are freezing our *****es off while the girls are b!tching about anything they can... So we try to make it a decent day and get some riding in.. AThe riding was rough and crappy, not worth the drive at all. The comp hill was a joke, and the drags were the only thing decent.

SO at about 8:30 pm we get the grille on and start shooting fireworks... After eating and blowing up as much as we could, we start packing and get outta there. By that time the ocean air ahd wet almost everything we had out and man was it shytty.. Sand stuck to everything and I wasn't in a good mood while leaving. Took off around 12 and had a nice relaxing drive home. Got home about 4:30 am and put the trailer in the garage. Man my quad and trailer looked worse than if I would have gone riding in hard packed dirt.

Wake up at about 5:oo pm next day and start cleaning. A small job ended up taking about 4 hours to acomplish. That sand is just horrible, in Canta Mar we had no trouble like this, it was just horrible....


So my thoughts are that the people are fuccin rude and *********s up north, the sand conditions are shyt, and the dunes are nothing special.

THe nicest thing about Pismo I think was the view of the ocean, and the drive was great since it offered a lot to look at. I may head back one day but I'd make sure we reserved a spot and that it wasn't a holiday weekend.

The worse thing was the cleaning afterwards and how dirty everything got and how the sand stuck to everything imaginable... Just made me wish Nov. was here so I could hit good ol Glamis....


I'll try to hava pics later...

[CHAUNCY]

Sorry to hear about your lousy trip. I was up there last weekend for the first time and first time to the dunes. It took us a while to park last saturday because of finding a spot. We found one and unloaded and went riding. It was my first time to the dunes and I knew it would be small but I didnt think it would be that small:o Comp hill was small like you said and the drags were alright I thought. Cleaning takes a while though:o I guess its an alright place to ride in an off weekend though:ermm:

[sduncan]

I'm glad that you think of it as such. I wish more people from So.Cal. would think the same way and stay away also.

I'll respond to your complaints in the order they were registered.

1) If you didn't make reservations for camping on a MAJOR holiday weekend, then you're the idiot. Would you try to go to any other popular camping spot and not make any? As soon as you drove off *****ing about how dumb they are, they were probably saying the same thing about you. As far as rangers at Lake Lopez, I can't tell you, but I doubt that they carry maps to all the campgrounds in the area. But you didn't take a map either did you? So who's fault is that?

2) At 11pm the day use passes for that day are expired, meaning that if you are caught on the beach with one after 11pm, then its a $270 fine. Its all posted for all to read right in front of the ranger shack. Also, there is no way in hell that the rangers can keep track of whos leaving the beach with camping passes. If you had an emergency and had to leave in a hurry, would you stop and tell them? I thought not.

3) You may have seen lots of room, but camping sites are limited to 1000 sites total. Thats it. Remember the reservation thing? About the wind, yes it does blow occassionally, but remember that you are on the coast and its part of the game. I know for a fact that it blows like hell at Glamis. It gets cold too huh? If the riding was rough and crappy, then go back to Glamis and enjoy the heat. Its always rough when you have a bazillion people riding over the same terrain. You should try it when its smooth.
Comp Hill is just a place for the trucks and booger eating kids to go and act stupid simply because its easy to get to. The drags are OK if you're into that. The dunes in the back is where you need to go, but its only 1500 acres.

4) By the way, fireworks are ILLEGAL at Pismo because no one ever picks them up and they trash up the dunes. Hope you took yours home with you. Remember that coastal moisture. Its alot easier to deal with if you bring a tarp. And cleaning up everything is a major pain, I agree, but I think its worth it.

5) One more thing, some of the rudest, ignorant, people I have ever come across come from south of the Grapevine. Everytime I have to go down there(LA area) I come home mad. There isn't enough money around to get me to live anywhere down there. The sand is good, but not on a holiday, and there is not anywhere else in Ca. that you can camp on the beach and ride in the same area. That alone makes it special. Your last statement makes me think that you've learned something holidays and reservations. Stay away from holidays and ALWAYS make reservations, especially in the summer months.

[Str8Wicked]

I know we didn't make reservations and that is fine, we would have appreciated some help from the cops and rangers thou when asking them instead of just getting attitude from them. We were actually polite to everyone until they started acting like A holes to us... The wind blows much harder in Glamis but yet the dunes are worth the trouble there and you don't have to worry about a spot to camp in. You can have over 100,000 easy and still find a camp ground.

I don't know if you start this thing into a south vs north thing I'm all for it... But really I'm just saying the only nice people we spoke to all weekend were from the LA area and all the rude people were local.

As for fireworks, we were launching them right in front of rangers and they told us not one thing.

Oh yeah and for the rude people, wind, and our trouble camping that is not why I called it a sh*t hole. Those are partly my fault and things I can deal with. The sand sticking to everything is what really got to me and the mouisture on everything was horrible. Who minds a bit of moisture but when it's salt water it's just horrible. I can see if you have an RV that it would be OK, but in a tent it was shytyy.


Just my opinion so don't kill me for it... I didn't say I would never go back but I said it wouldn't be on an holiday weekend.


As for the views, they are really beautiful and I loved being on the beach and having the dunes right there but from LA I can take a 2 1/2 hour trip to Canta Mar which is on the beach with dunes. It's way smaller but worth it since you don't have to worry about the reservations and in no way was there moisture on everything like there was in Pismo.


The drive was nice like I said but next time I head up the 101 I'll probably just stop in Santa Barbara or Solvang for the weekend instead.

[sduncan]

I'm sure that the rangers just get plain tired of holiday weekends. Its nothing but a pain for them. I've talked to several and they all pretty much said the same. Go and talk to some of them when its not a madhouse and you'd be suprised at the different attitude. I know that its their job to deal with the public and remain professional, but dealing with the public can try anyones patience.
With only 1500 acres, there just not enough room for a million people. Its really sad.

I could care less about north/ south. The locals are sometimes not very respondant to "tourists", but this is the exception, not the rule.

Can't comment anymore on the fireworks, but I know that they are supposed to be illegal.

The salt and sand are just part of the game there. The amount of moisture varies depending on the weather. I used to camp in tents there forever ago, then did the motel thing, and now have the toyhauler. Tents SUCK. Motels are OK, the RV is the way to go. Confooshus say" Women, tent and sand are bad for marriage/relationship/sex life"

I personally don't go near the place (or any other riding area) on holidays. Stupidity runs amuck and the retards are out in force. Go back during the middle of the week or after school starts. Big difference.

I'm not killin'ya, but had to clear up some of that. I go all the time and have been going since 1980. I've seen good things, bad things, and lots of changes. But in the summer, its a great place to take the kids and relax and enjoy the dunes, the view, and the cool weather. I hate to see the place bashed on.

[Str8Wicked]

Actually I may try it just to see once again on an off weekend. As for the rangers I understand that they are pissed off at everyone but some of them were just plain rude or ignoring questions and telling us to move along because there were cars behind us... I'm thinking to myself that they spent more time and effort telling me to move along than if they just answered my question. I know last thanksgiving in Glamis the rangers were being hard on everyone as well... they asked to see my registration on my truck three times that weekend but not once did they give me a "I don't want you here friggin attitude". They did there job and were harder about it since it was a holiday but they didn't treat me like a piece of shyt.....


Like I said thou... I'll try it on an off weekend and see how it is... maybe get a motel this time and see what happens...


For the fireworks, again like I said we saw the signs that they were illegal, the rangers passed by actually right after we lit two 150 shot rocket fireworks that went on for like 1 min. straight...
They just passed by after and didn't say a word....


I never got hasseled once by the rangers, the ones that were a pain to deal with were outside at the gate and the cops outside... Once inside we weren't hasseled really and kept to yourselves.....


I should have pics, I'm not sure if Sinners Gear is gonna ghave some on his site since he took a few but if not I'll get them from him...

[F-16Guy]

My Lord, that was the most civil exchange of opinion I've witnessed on this site for a long time. I have to applaud both of you. This should be locked and sticky'd to the top of every forum as an example of how to discuss something without taking it back to eighth grade. Come to think of it, the Dune forum is usually like that. Must be something about people that grew up riding in the dunes. I agree with both of you. Rangers can make or break a trip, but you have to sympathise with them on a holiday weekend.

[310Rduner]

Pismo is generally always like that on the major holidays, especially the 4th.. most people that showed up had reservations at least a month back.. no biggie tho..

And i still always think the best way to get into a riding spot is to go when they aren't large crowds and you can experience the place at a more or less relaxed pace based on how you feel like riding. And not how your forced to ride because of the crowds.

I agree.. go back during the middle of the week or a non-busy weekend for Pismo and you will be amazed at the difference, generally the sand is smoother and the idiots are gone.

The back dunes are deffinately where its at.. comp used to be bigger.. and it does get noticeably smaller as the year goes on, due to holidays, winds and crowds.. then give it a few months and it's slightly more up to par.. still its small.

The real comp hill now is straight across from comp hill to the back near the fences.. the two face each other basically... sduncan prolly knows its the one where the hummers are constantly at..

I'll be there either starting on Wednesday or Thursday, and staying for 3 days.. ill tell you how its changed in the few days after the 4th..

[Str8Wicked]

Originally posted by F-16Guy
My Lord, that was the most civil exchange of opinion I've witnessed on this site for a long time. I have to applaud both of you. This should be locked and sticky'd to the top of every forum as an example of how to discuss something without taking it back to eighth grade. Come to think of it, the Dune forum is usually like that. Must be something about people that grew up riding in the dunes. I agree with both of you. Rangers can make or break a trip, but you have to sympathise with them on a holiday weekend.


Must be the high content of sand particles in our blood.... lol

[Str8Wicked]

My son getting in one of his freestyle moods... lol

[Str8Wicked]

Here he goes...

[Str8Wicked]

Me just letting some anger out with the BBQ thongs.... lol

[Str8Wicked]

The Avi.....

[CHAUNCY]

Cool pics man:blah:

[Burl Swift]

Pismo was one of my favorite places to go with my Bronco. We used to make money pulling people out when they tried to cross that little creek at high tide. They'd try to drive their class C motor homes pulling enclosed trailers across that creek with fully inflated road tires and they'd go a little to far out toward the ocean...25 minutes and 60 dollars(the tow companies would charge 100, we were doing them a favor) later I'd have 'em out. :)

Its pretty cool when they hold the Sand Nationals there, right along the beach. That sand is so sweet to hook up in, it was insta traction.

Comp hill used to be much better but the last time I was there more people were interested in the drags right next to sand highway infront of Comp hill then the actual climbs. I've seen stock F250's go up that hill no problem so it isn't very fun for the quads and rails. Back by the fence line is where the real climbing is.

[Dune Surfer]

I have to agree with ya str8t. It sucked!! I had a place to stay but it was cold and WINDY. The riding did get better because of it though. Way to many people in such a small area. Good to see you again. Can't wait for Glamis.

[Str8Wicked]

I forgot to ask.. how you like the predator..... we are taking a trip to Glamis for the night in two weeks.... Leaving Sat. at 4pm and coming back after riding, I'm figuring like 6 am we'll head home....

[Str8Wicked]

Their are tons of more pics on


http://www.sinnersgear.com

They went down with us and actually got some really cool pics...

[Dune Surfer]

Loved the predator. I rode past you guys when you were out in your Avi. See you next time.

[mopar 400]

Dune Surfer, let me know the next time you going to pismo. well make the trip. ....later Gary p.s bring the New Yorker.

[D-4our]

dude that sucks you had a bad time up here. its usually nice when all the damn bakos arent crowding and trashing the place. if you told me i mighhave been able to pull some strings for you cause my mom works for the district office and we get people on all the time, oh well.

[mopar 400]

d-4 thats good to know, maybe somtime time you can help a exrider brother out........:D

[D-4our]

hahaha...hook an exrider brotha up with some dough and ill see what i can do, nah j.k.:blah:

[Flip)(stick]

Dude you got the sweetest truck ive seen in a long time:)

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by Str8Wicked
Their are tons of more pics on


http://www.sinnersgear.com

They went down with us and actually got some really cool pics... one of these days you will have to come and try out our dunes .....no DB,plenty of room lots of climbing.decent weather if you go later in the summer.and the sand is soooooooooo soft..:blah:

[Str8Wicked]

Originally posted by D-4our
hahaha...hook an exrider brotha up with some dough and ill see what i can do, nah j.k.:blah:

I would've kicked some cash down to beat a night in the truck.. I think none of us slept straight that night except my son.. lol

[Str8Wicked]

Originally posted by D-4our
hahaha...hook an exrider brotha up with some dough and ill see what i can do, nah j.k.:blah:

I would've kicked some cash down to beat a night in the truck.. I think none of us slept straight that night except my son.. lol

[Str8Wicked]

Originally posted by QuadJunkies
one of these days you will have to come and try out our dunes .....no DB,plenty of room lots of climbing.decent weather if you go later in the summer.and the sand is soooooooooo soft..:blah:

Maybe one of these friggin days...

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by Str8Wicked
Maybe one of these friggin days... ITs a yearly trip for me ,so we should make plans on anothere trip for next summer...:D LOL........I havent even left (i leave tomorrow) and Im already talking about another group ride.......:p

[Chef]

Originally posted by QuadJunkies
ITs a yearly trip for me ,so we should make plans on anothere trip for next summer...:D LOL........I havent even left (i leave tomorrow) and Im already talking about another group ride.......:p

I might be able to make it next time!! See if you cant make it during the week!! :D

[Str8Wicked]

This is a bad season for me to be taking off work... Way to busy right now...

[lilpoppy]

When I go to Pismo we cover our quads at night with tarps and coat all the metal parts with wd-40. It repells the salt water. Other than that I like it out there. Personally I like the busy holliday weekends because I love drag racing and that is when all the competition is out there. As for comp hill I went on memorial weekend and it hella sucked. I didn't even have enough room to get into 3rd gear and I almost got run over numerous times by drunk guys in truks. I havn't heard about this other hill across from comp hill and we will have to check it out next time.

[310Rduner]

yeah check it out.. if you go from like comp straight out you will either hit this huge damnned hill .. or you are too far right.. and you will come to that open space you know.. then it hits that bottleneck whoops.. you know where i mean?? well when you come out of those whoops and you are heading left.. like you took the whoops from the right side where they start to the left.. well you will kinda hit the place where the fence ends .. and its like just in that area..:confused:

[lilpoppy]

Ya I think I know where you are talking about. I will check it out next time. Thanks for the info.

[310Rduner]

np

[aroracer72]

well guys, unfortunately it sucked for you, but that was cause you didnt fully resaerch and prepare for it. 1) never park on a hill top by the beach!!!!..thats the worst place to camp, the ocean breeze picks up cause of the sun going down, and the moisture carries along with it.2) you were expecting to drive to the biggest dunes in america on a MAJOR holiday WITHOUT reservations!!!...your crazy!!3) yes the rangers are dicks...lol...everything you said about them is accurate, but they dont have all the maps. 4)and overall all the bad things happened to you, next time you go, remember to fully prepare a spot and reservations, and camp in the "pit" of a dune, were the wind nor moisture will get at you. Well hope this helps you, and hopefully next time will be better!!!!

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by 310Rduner
yeah check it out.. if you go from like comp straight out you will either hit this huge damnned hill .. or you are too far right.. and you will come to that open space you know.. then it hits that bottleneck whoops.. you know where i mean?? well when you come out of those whoops and you are heading left.. like you took the whoops from the right side where they start to the left.. well you will kinda hit the place where the fence ends .. and its like just in that area..:confused:

huge hill? ha ha ha ha ha, right. At pismo?

[LERaptor660R]

Suck's for the bad trip.


what size are those rim's on the avi?
what type of tire's and how long the last?

[Str8Wicked]

Originally posted by aroracer72
.2) you were expecting to drive to the biggest dunes in america on a MAJOR holiday WITHOUT reservations!!!...your crazy!!

The biggest dunes in America we were expecting..Sorry I'm a Glamis Regular and I don't expect anything larger than Glamis on the west coast...

[Str8Wicked]

Originally posted by aroracer72
.2) you were expecting to drive to the biggest dunes in america on a MAJOR holiday WITHOUT reservations!!!...your crazy!!

The biggest dunes in America we were expecting..Sorry I'm a Glamis Regular and I don't expect anything larger than Glamis on the west coast...

[310Rduner]

Originally posted by Dune Surfer
huge hill? ha ha ha ha ha, right. At pismo?

i didnt say its the biggest dune iver ever been on, i freely admit that Glamis Crushes anything else in comparison, and i would rather go there than anywhere else.

But yes, i said huge hill, because compared to the other dunes at Pismo, it is a pretty damned big one. :p

[mopar 400]

You mean big rollers.....

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by mopar 400
You mean big rollers..... ;)

[Str8Wicked]

Aren't those more like lumps in the sand.. Or we can call them speed bumps.... ha ha ha

[JabberJaw]

If at first you don't succeed...start shootin people!

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by JabberJaw
If at first you don't succeed...start shootin people!

lmao:D

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by Dune Surfer
huge hill? ha ha ha ha ha, right. At pismo? Anyone have piocs of this HUGe hill?I would love to see it.....:cool:

[Dune Surfer]

Think of the dunes at st a's as a 10 and pismo as a 2. you get the idea

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by Dune Surfer
Think of the dunes at st a's as a 10 and pismo as a 2. you get the idea Serious?????:eek2: .......Ok......lol....... I get the picture now......:p ;)

[310Rduner]

hey guys.. you dont have to jump all over me about what i said, sheezus.

i know pismo is small, but who gives a sh*t, any dune is a good dune Gd it, lmao:)

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by 310Rduner
hey guys.. you dont have to jump all over me about what i said, sheezus.

i know pismo is small, but who gives a sh*t, any dune is a good dune Gd it, lmao:)

true true, any dune riding is good riding:D QJ it is like the dunes going towards the smaller dunes at st a's, but more people and no rocks. Some are bigger but not real big.

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by mopar 400
Dune Surfer, let me know the next time you going to pismo. well make the trip. ....later Gary p.s bring the New Yorker.

I reserved a spot Aug 15-16 I'll pm ya. Lilpoppy Here is your chance to kick my arse:D

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by Dune Surfer
true true, any dune riding is good riding:D QJ it is like the dunes going towards the smaller dunes at st a's, but more people and no rocks. Some are bigger but not real big. So where do people go to ride the bigger stuff like we have.....Dumont???

[Dune Surfer]

Glamis

[lilpoppy]

Originally posted by Dune Surfer
I reserved a spot Aug 15-16 I'll pm ya. Lilpoppy Here is your chance to kick my arse:D


Let me see what I can do. I don't think my friends quads will be ready by then but I will look into it. My friend got a little crazy in the other thread, I hope there are no hard feelings.

[Dune Surfer]

Originally posted by lilpoppy
Let me see what I can do. I don't think my friends quads will be ready by then but I will look into it. My friend got a little crazy in the other thread, I hope there are no hard feelings.

No hard feelings ay all:) I really couldn't care less about drag racing. I am more into dune riding. I will drag for a change of pace. I'm not a very good dragger anyway, so I don't get upset about losing a drag race. I would expect someone smaller than me to win. All I said was the truth a 400ex has not beaten me yet, someone will. They will have some $$$ in them. a stocker vs. a stocker it is no contest. I enjoy getting together with other exriders members. Thats how I meat mopar 400 and mopar 400 ( father and son) ketch, quad junkeis, glamis 400, aftermarket, str8wicked, out for sand, and many more. We all share the same love of quading and it's fun to ride together. Try to make it, it would be cool to go for a ride, you met mopar 400 last trip this time lets ride.

[Tazz300ex]

Yo Staright you should havce asked me and TJ about Pismo............Dude I could have hooked you up on the info..I haven't been on the boards for awhile..had some things to take care of..... TJ300ex is gone off to Virginia.......... Hey straight when you want to ride??? give me a call..I will PM you with my numbers....anyway...remeber our post about glamis and how my buddy cut his finger off at glmais? well after that we decided during a sandstorm to go out to pismo..my jeep broke down and I couln't make it to pismo but my buddy's from sac went and TJ300 went.... said it was cool till the 90000 rangers pulled them over for dumb ****!!! I will PM yu with my INFo...

[4wheelboy]

haha yous all complain how small your dunes are and how they suk. hm i wonder what it would be lik riding a pit thats as big as a high school be happy woth what u got cuz in jersey u aint got sheeeit :(

[Str8Wicked]

we are happy with what we got.. We have Glamis, Pismo, or Dumont in about the same driving distance from Los Angeles County. We are just stating our opinions on Pismo based on a comparision to other dunes in the region here... thats all that is happening... We are always happy to have more riding areas even thou some I dislike compared to others...