Friday, July 14, 2017

James Drives Wile E

Gopher Flats
Moab, UT
July 5&6, 2017
Wednesday morning we were up and out the door early to meet Dee and Adrienne to run Hell's Revenge.  Hell's is a wild rollercoaster ride over slickrock domes or fins.  It's 6.5 miles of scary fun offers steep climbs and descents with some areas very narrow and close to the edge of high cliffs, several named difficult optional obstacles, and spectacular panoramic views.  Today, James was driving !

Dee led driving Blanche , followed by Adrienne driving Pibble, and James bringing up the rear in WileE.  
Dee gets a mirror shot of our small group.

A sweet picture at the dinosaur tracks. 














I'm not sure who had the most fun...James or Joe and I.

















Dee and James at the river overlook...















James rides along with Dee on Hells' Gate...


Another mirror shot...thanks Dee !
When we reached the top of the Dragon Tail, a very steep descent, I snapped the following picture.  The driver of the vehicle on its top misjudged the line in the dark.  Both driver and passenger spent the night and hiked out at daybreak. 
Thursdays trail of choice was Metal Masher.  Red Rock 4-Wheelers rates this trail a 7 out of 10.  This 11.7 mile loop follows around Arth's Rim and offers up some difficult named obstacles, and lots of fun.  Dee (with passenger Rob) led our trusty band of wheelers followed by James, Scott (with passenger Adrienne) from Texas,  Jim from Texas, and Glen bringing up the back.  
The first couple of obstacles are unnamed tall ledges.
Joe and James discuss options for tire placement...
James gets lined up...
and crawls right up !   



Dee's photo captures how tall Rock Chucker is.




   
A great warm up for what is coming next...Rock Chucker...a tall, gnarly, ledgy climb.








Glen spots...
Dee's photo as James gets lined up.






and James climbs.







A happy mom !
Thanks Dee !
Once Rock Chucker has been conquered, there is a loop that connects back to the main trail.  It's pretty hairy too.
Glen stands by to make sure all four wheels stay on the ground.  It's tippy...I like tippy !
A great photo Dee !
I just realized I failed to get pictures at Arth's Rim...a spectacular overlook about 5700 feet above Hwy 191.  MM is a favorite so I'm sure there will be a next time !

 It was so much fun having James here.  Five days...five trails full of scary fun filled with lots of laughs, WOWS, spectacular views and wonderful memories !  

 I want to send a huge thank you to Dee who organized trails and led us on Hell's Revenge and Metal Masher.



Another huge thank you to Glen who led Kane Creek Canyon and joined us on Cliffhanger and Metal Masher.  He always manages to be in the right place at the right time just in case.



 And lastly, a huge thank you to Jeff who works hard all week in his buggy fabrication business, Dirt Squirrel Motors, LLC and still came out to play on Sunday...and led us on Cliffhanger.



  

 He also got up early on Monday to weld breaks in Wile E's front coil over mount enabling us to enjoy the rest of the week wheeling !    



Ahhh...the memories !
Until next time,
 Happy Trails ! 
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16 comments:

  1. Jeff PierceJuly 14, 2017 at 3:14 PM

    A great trail with all the challenges for your novice driver. Did the front mount break on this trip? Good job James! At least you did not leave any new scars on the rocks :)

    We found a Bronco II with the wheels up in Anza Borrego, it had been stripped and left. Good to know in your find they all made it out safe. Carry extra water, you may decide to spend the night.

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    1. Joe and GayJuly 14, 2017 at 5:50 PM

      Hi Jeff, the front mount broke on Cliffhanger on Sunday. So fortunate to have great friends to make those kinds of repairs! We always have extra water and salty snacks...it's not uncommon to find bikers on the trail in need of both...especially in this heat!

      Delete
  2. our awesome travelsJuly 14, 2017 at 5:46 PM

    So much fun making memories, great photos, thanks for sharing.

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  3. John and Pam (ohtheplacestheygo.wordpress.com)July 14, 2017 at 9:01 PM

    What a wonderful time for your son! I'm sure he was thrilled to do the driving on those crazy trails. Nice to have great company join you and help spot. Five days creating lasting memories:) So glad the people made it out of the tipped over vehicle all right. That was a scary photo!

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    1. Joe and GayJuly 14, 2017 at 9:27 PM

      I think Jamie has the bug Pam...he loves Moab!

      Delete
  4. Janna and MikeJuly 15, 2017 at 7:03 AM

    WOW--you guys had so much fun with your son! How in the world do they get a jeep back on its feet up there--a wrecker is sure not going there!

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    1. Joe and GayJuly 15, 2017 at 10:17 AM

      A lot of strapping and winching Janna with special care taken to not damage the vegetation. We passed the recovery team heading in as we were heading out that day. If it hadn't been so hot, we would have gone back to watch!

      Delete
  5. HansJuly 15, 2017 at 7:59 AM

    It amazes me that people actually try those trails solo in the dark! The results of flipping over in a hole and spending the night in the dark don't sound too smart! You guys do it the right way, with a group of experienced drivers, with properly equipped vehicles in the daylight! :-)

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    Replies
    1. Joe and GayJuly 15, 2017 at 10:21 AM

      I know Hans...we totally agree! We have been on some night runs (sunsets are gorgeous on some of these trails), but always with lots of folks and emergency supplies like water, snacks, tarps, and blankets. Solo rides are never smart!

      Delete
  6. Jodee GravelJuly 15, 2017 at 12:23 PM

    What an exciting few days for James - and his folks!! Not sure I could do those trails in the back seat :-) "...in the dark..." seems like such a bad idea for a solo run, glad they made it out okay.

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    1. Joe and GayJuly 16, 2017 at 7:46 AM

      Solo runs are never a good idea...especially at night! They were very lucky!

      We had such a good time with James. He loved wheeling Jodee & definitely will return to Moab!

      Delete
  7. Metamorphosis LisaJuly 15, 2017 at 7:52 PM

    So much fun sharing your passion with James! That upside down jeep is a sobering reminder of the perils!

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    1. Joe and GayJuly 16, 2017 at 7:49 AM

      I wish James could come in the spring or fall...we had a couple of hikes planned, but with 109+ temps, it just didn't work out. He would love seeing the arches Lisa!

      Delete
  8. Wanderin'July 15, 2017 at 10:30 PM

    Now that you've let your son get his hands on the wheels, you may never have another chance. At least you're both spending quality time together and enjoying it.

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    Replies
    1. Joe and GayJuly 16, 2017 at 7:54 AM

      James was grinning from ear to ear Jeri...so much fun to watch him wheeling!

      Delete

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