Prolog:
For
those of you not familiar with me or my FSJ, lets just say we
are both still new to the four wheeling experience. I tried wheeling
last year and because of a lack of both talent and equipment,
I was concluding that 4 wheeling was either boring dirt roads
or vehicle damaging, leg breaking, dangerous trails.
Last month
I decided to take Wagoneer by the horns and make it more trail
worthy. I purchased and installed a 3" lift kit. I still
needed all terrain tires, but could not afford the suspension
upgrade, a transmission rebuild, and tires in the same month.
Michael was more than generous to lend me the wheels and tires
off of TC for the EJS weekend. Thanks again.
In the past,
because of body damage to both HIHO and me, my wife had decided
the she was not interested in coming along to witness the carnage.
Probably goes back to my motorcycle racing days (1983) and watching
me crash and break my other leg back then. So, it was to be me
and my 10-year-old son, Sean, going to Moab. Just the guys.
Thursday
Evening:
I work hard at getting everything packed and ready
to go. My lift kit had been missing a bushing when shipped. I
need to disconnect the right front leaf spring and put it all
back together. My wife, who had planned spending the weekend painting
the bedroom, was already done with it. So I also got to move furniture,
hang shades etc. that evening.
Friday:
I'm up early and we are ready to leave at 8AM.
Well, Maria says, "You know, I am done with the painting,
maybe Jennifer and I should join you guys for the weekend, that
is if you don't mind?" Do I mind? Not at all! A family 4
wheel adventure to Moab. Lets go! After packing the girl's stuff
and getting more groceries we were on the road at 10. It was an
uneventful dive out to Moab. We have never been farther west than
Dillon and I have to say to you western slope inhabitants. You
guys have some absolutely beautiful country out there. We arrived
in town just in time to catch James and crew discussing Saturday
morning plans to do Kane Creek Canyon (3-1/2). I ask James his
professional opinion if he thinks HIHO could do it. He says we
should be fine, but has a doubtful expression on his face and
mentions winches and straps. Hmmm.
I could tell
you about Moab Rim Campark, but the is supposed to be a positive
story, right?
Saturday:
We woke up with only about 4 hours of sleep. Some
stupid, inconsiderate, obnoxious, drunk college kids in the next
site partied half the night. Oh, this is supposed to be a positive
report.
Friday evening
Maria and I discussed whether I should do Kane Creek Canyon or
the much easier Secret Spire trail I had signed up for. I was
told "If you go do THAT trail, Jennifer and I will just stay
here in the campground, In fact we may just stay here anyway."
Hmm.
Saturday morning
the sky looked pretty dark and cloudy. I thought about a heavy
rain and doing a trail that required 50 creek crossings and how
rain can turn even a moderate trail into something treacherous.
I decided to do Secret Spire. Maria decided to come along because
a spending the day at a campground in the rain looked more dreadful
then 4 wheeling.
We lined up
on Main Street to be part of the big parade. While waiting for
it all to start we were having bagels and cream cheese when our
Official tail gunner walked past. You want to make new friends
quickly? Offer a hungry man and his wife a bagel and cream cheese.
It was a lot of fun driving in the parade, with all the people
lining Main Street and waving. The kids loved it. I was just soaking
in all the cool YJs, CJs, TJs, XJs, Hummers and even the occasional
SJ! Earlier lead Official had come around and introduced themselves
and the lady told my kids we would be doing a hike to a tunnel
where they can pick crystals. Both kids’ eyes lighted up. Our
trail was about 15 miles out of town and I was being to worry
it was just going to be a dusty dirt road. Amazing how much dust
20 vehicles can kick up. Especially when you are near the back
of the pack. Thank goodness for closed windows and air conditioning.
Oh, and by now it is very sunny and no signs of rain.
We turned
off the dirt road on to some sandy double track. We drove a few
miles, admiring the awesome scenery. We came to our first obstacle.
A little hill with a large, mostly buried, boulder in the middle.
The lead, much modified, XJ goes up like nothing. A stock Explorer
makes it. Then a guy in a lifted YJ has some trouble. He is throwing
sand everywhere and finally makes it in about 5 tries. But not
before digging a bunch of ruts and exposing a lot more of the
boulder. The next bunch makes it fine. I'm thinking it must be
a short wheelbase problem. Now it is my turn. The size of the
boulder spooks me. I go to far to the left and get caught in Mr.
YJ's ruts. Sand flying everywhere. I try again. No Good. Then
I hear the most horrible sound. It sounded like a chain saw was
trying to cut through the rear fender. Oh man, now I am panicked
and embarrassed. The sound was the left rear tire hitting the
inside of the fender. I get out the 2lb sledge and do a little
tapping for increase the clearance. I try again. No go! Now the
leader is heading back to get winch me. I hear the officials on
the CB talking about tow hooks, or more, the lack of them on a
GW. Just at the wincher arrives, my new friend, the tail gunner,
walks up and suggests I go up the boulder. I say OK, but in my
mind I think no way I am going to clear that thing. We toss a
couple of rocks in front to help the approach and I go for it.
As I climb
the hill I cringe waiting for the rocker panels to hit and before
I know it I am up the hill and never heard the dreaded metal to
rock sound. All I hear is a cheer from the crowd. That 3"
lift just paid for itself. My lovely wife reminds me I need to
have more confidence in both my driving skill and our equipment.
Duh!
We drove some
sandier double track and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Suddenly
we came to a stop. The whole group is just sitting there. The
CB's are quiet. From our vantage point we cannot see what's going,
or what's not going on, at the front of the pack. We sit for probably
a 1/2 hour. What could the problem(s) be?
After sitting
awhile, one of the more curious trailers who had gone up front
to see what was happening came walking by. Seems we have to cross
a wash and the climb out had been a challenge for a couple of
trucks. He says "Just make sure you give it enough gas to
make it up the other side." We finally get moving and it
is my turn. Maria gets out to watch from the side of the trail.
But she didn't grab the camera :-(
I drive down
into the wash and prepare for the climb out. The way out is a
near vertical rock wall 4 feet tall. Our trail leader had strategically
placed 2 rocks to help the approach. He says "just keep your
tires lined up with these rocks and you will do fine." I
remember Maria's advice for the first obstacle "Charlie,
you to have more confidence in your driving skills and our equipment".
I go for it. I hit the rocks perfectly and drive up the "wall".
Wahoo! First Shot. The crowd cheers. I pulled forward and get
out to watch the others. Maria informs me that while I was in
the wash there was murmurs in the crowd expressing doubt that
the Grand Wagoneer was going to make the climb. We showed them.
Ha!
We watched
a tricked put Discovery hit his grill guard 2 times trying to
get out of the gulch. He had to remove it to finally climb out.
And not with out spinning the tires and kicking up a lot of dirt.
I later found out that the hold up was because a Ford Explorer
had to be strapped up. I felt good that we made it and HIHO squelched
the doubts that the others had in her abilities.
The next section
of trail was mostly slick rock. Our first time on that type of
surface. The traction was incredible. The trail was very twisty
and if you didn't keep an eye on the Jeep in front of you, it
would have been easy to get lost. As we descended towards Spring
Creek canyon there were several mildly steep ledges to climb down.
I watched the stock TJ in front of us hit its hitch on almost
every one. We one hit only one. The 3" lift and 31"
tires are really paying off.
We stopped
for lunch and hiked to the Dellenbaugh Tunnel. It was about 100’
long and the kids had a great time looking for crystals and trying
to avoid the Bat dung. There was great viewing from the edge of
the Spring Creek Canyon
They found
some big horn sheep bones also. Free souvenirs, the best kind.
Next we went on to the Secret Spire and enjoying some more slick
rock and tolerated more dusty dirt roads.
Secret Spire
was a perfect trail for a 1st time Moab visitor. The trail leaders
kept it interesting and fun. I think the 2 family members, Maria
and Jennifer, who were reluctant to come along, had very sore
cheek muscles from smiling all day long.
We headed
into town and enjoyed dinner at the Moab Dinner. We saw Michael
and Backhoe. He showed us all his new sheet metal modifications.
That poor Jeep took a beating. Needless to say, we made the absolutely
correct decision not joining James and crew on the Cane Creek
Canyon trail. HIHO surly would have had custom bodywork also.
Sunday:
After another night of listening to a bunch of
drunken college kids Sean and I were able to get up at 5:30. We
went to the Easter Sunrise Service in Arches Park. Stunning Beautiful
area. The girls were too tired from all that smiling on Saturday.
They slept late. Packed camp, ate a late breakfast at the pancake
place in town, went over to Potato Salad Hill to watch a little
of that foolishness and headed home.
We had a great
weekend. The scenery was excellent. The trail was a little challenging
and great fun. Seeing all the cool 4x4s in town was causing me
to overdose with daydreams of my desired future modifications.
Notes
for next year:
