2012 Ram 3500 on 2040-cars

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Power Wagon train: Exploring the Mojave Road

If you're in Vegas with free time and keys to a Power Wagon, taking an interstate home seems pointless when there's a 135-mile desert trail an hour away, an ideal opportunity to live with – and in – this off-roading Ram pickup for three days. So with friends schlepping camping gear to a rendezvous, this test/history lesson was on. The Road The Mojave Road most closely echoes the path 19 th century westbound settlers and eastbound government supply teams followed between the Colorado River near the AZ/CA/NV junction and Barstow en route to Los Angeles. This 35 th parallel route based on Indian trails has also been called the Old Spanish Trail, Old Government Road (how it appears on many navigation system maps), and the Mohave Road. It was preferred for having more temperate weather and reliable water than routes further south. Desert travel particularly was all about water at regular intervals. Much of the Mojave Road is under National Park Service purview in the 1.6-million-acre Mojave National Preserve, encompassing a big chunk of southeastern California. Nestled between two interstates, there are paved access roads to north and south, so you needn't run the entire distance if only a few areas interest you. It is home to geologic formations from mountains to lava beds and tubes, Joshua trees, and after rains like this winter, beautiful wildflower blooms. You'll see old mines and rail lines, and hear the "singing" sand dunes at Kelso (which I'd categorize as more of a monk's chant). We saw birds of prey, wild burros, lizards, and rabbits, and heard or saw evidence of coyotes, cows, and roadrunners. All the while figuring a rattlesnake could be behind any bush. The plan was to enjoy the mesquite scents and make a few stops (the Rock House, Mojave Mailbox) but otherwise make a non-committal east-to-west camping trip of it. Do as much or little as you like, though the NPS does remind you the desert can be an inhospitable place. Cell service is hit-or-miss, and they specifically recommend against relying solely on automotive GPS navigation. Lower elevations average triple-digit highs four months of the year while upper elevations get snow; in February the temperature at our 2,800-foot campsite dropped to freezing while days were sunny and moderate. If the entire road is open, it's about 135 miles from the river to western end, but in February expect portions to be closed, potentially making it many miles longer.

Ram recreates 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' with SI Swimsuit models

America may have been founded on the overthrow of British rule, on revolution against tyranny and the rejection of over-taxation without representation. But these days, you might argue that America is more about things like pickup trucks and swimsuit models. Fortunately you needn't choose between the founding principles and modern obsessions with this latest promo from Ram. Sports Illustrated brought together a coven of its finest (and we do mean finest) swimsuit models and set them adrift upon the frozen Delaware River atop a wooden barge with a Ram 1500 pickup towing a row boat, recreating Emanuel Leutze's famous painting, "Washington Crossing the Delaware." And just why did they go through all the trouble? Because freedom, that's why. (Be forewarned, though, that the video is not strictly safe for work, what with all the scantily clad revolutionaries and what have you.) News Source: Ram via YouTube Celebrities Marketing/Advertising RAM Videos sports illustrated swimsuit edition

2021 Ram 1500 gets Reverse Steering Control to help with trailers

A month ago, Mopar Insiders got the scoop on new features coming to the 2021 Ram 1500 and now thanks to MI getting a peek at dealer guides for the coming model year, we got more details. New for 2021 will be Trailer Reverse Steering Control, which will provide easy in-cab directional control when backing a trailer and be part of next model year's Trailer-Tow Group package. The current package includes trailer-tow mirrors and a trailer brake control. Next year's Trailer-Tow Group will include trailer brake control, trailer light check, trailer reverse steering control, and trailer tire-pressure monitoring. The current group adds $400 to the price of a new Ram; the new equipment will likely cause that number to rise.  We're not sure what happened to the trailer-tow mirrors, but with the Surround-View Camera system thought to be available on the trailer mirrors in 2021 — an option cribbed from the HD lineup — there's likely a bit more package rearranging in store. The third addition mentioned last month was a bed-focused camera housed next to the third brake light, which would be another HD hand-me-down. The camera would fit in with the enhanced trailer focus, and get Ram aligned with assistance features that have become a near necessity in pickups and SUVs. At the other end of the truck, the Snow Plow Prep package makes the leap from the 2500 to the 1500. We only wish Ram had kept the Snow Chief Group name used for the 2500 trucks.    Uconnect 5 is coming as well to the Ram after launching on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The new Android-based operating system provides five-times-faster processing power and three times the screen resolution, while adding 4G Wi-Fi capability, configurable buttons and custom pages, six individual profiles, better looking interactive maps from TomTom, the ability to connect two phones at a time, and Alexa integration.