Outlaw Offroad & Hercules Tires

Gopher Flats
Moab, UT
November 16, 2016

Our very good friends Jim and Barb Horne are owners of Outlaw Offroad Moab.  Jim is well known in the area for providing outstanding jeep tours...in fact yesterday was his 257th & final jeep tour for this year.   Of course that is just total days on trail which doesn't take into consideration that on busy days he can do up to four tours/guides a day !  We met Jim in June 2013 when he did the first modifications to Pearl and the friendship has just grown since then.  We are now next door neighbors here at Gopher Flats... talk about fun times !

Jim invited us to join him on this last tour for the year as he guided 10 jeeps with representatives from Hercules Tires.... Jedd (vice-president of marketing who organized the event ),  his right hand Camilla, and various dealers from all over the country.  Two professional race drivers sponsored by Hercules were also part of the group.  Joe, Tom (the videographer recording the event) and I rode with Jim.  The event was to test drive new Hercules tires that Cooper Tire has manufactured for them.

Everything was top-drawer.  Hercules rented the jeeps from Twisted Jeeps here in Moab and had the Hercules tires installed on all 10 of the vehicles...including spares.  The tires used were 35" and ran the trails at 27 PSI.  Even without "airing down" these tires crawled every single obstacle with no excess tire spin which Joe and I thought was amazing.  The drivers had NEVER wheeled in Moab.  The idea was for them to witness first hand how the tires perform and return to their dealerships with experience and knowledge of the amazing capabilities of their tires. Cooper Tire, also provided other important things for the event like lunch complete with Tailgater trailer,  big screen TV,  grilled BBQ chicken and Polish Sausages with all the fixings...all served on location at the trail head when we finished.  

Our trail for the day was Poison Spider.  It was a real treat watching Jim expertly guide drivers through the difficult obstacles. Tom hustled around in and out of the jeep to get videos, attach go pro cams and even fly a drone several times.  It was such a pleasure to see all the drivers smiles as they successfully completed one obstacle after another.  I'm certain everyone had a lot of fun and perhaps more importantly, they all took home a much better understanding of how Hercules tires will truly measure up to their customers most extreme demands !

Here the jeeps line up to start "The Waterfall".  Jim masterfully spotted each one up...

...and managed to get a poser shot with a driver side wheel lift.

All the while, Camilla (in the red jacket) stays busy taking pictures. 

Getting through "The Chute" is a challenge.  All these drivers handled it with grace and grins !

I liked the reflection on the jeep of the crowd watching.

 The last jeep up "The Chute"...

  
Next up is "The Wedgy".  Jim gets everyone up with no incidents while Tom records. 

 The view from the top of Wedgy is one of my favorites.

The overlook at Little Arch is a great place to stretch and explore.


 A pretty cool shot of Poison Spider on the left and Moab Rim on the right.  The Colorado River runs between them. 

 Two of the tires that are new to Hercules this year and used yesterday are the Terra Trac M/T and Terra Trac T/G.  Both tires are light truck tires with the M/T being a mud terrain and the T/G being a traction tire.  Jim pointed out to Joe and I  the square profile design to optimize surface contact for off-road traction on the T/G tire.  Both tires performed flawlessly on our outing.    


 In addition to his video camera, Tom used a drone several times.  On the way out, when we reached the Poison Spider Mesa, he flew his drone to capture the jeeps as they flew, well at least went faster than a crawl.  We had the trail all to ourselves all day except for a biker we passed earlier.   

 Back at the trail head lunch was waiting.  We...umm I...was starving.  The smell of chicken grilling filled the air and I filled my plate !  

Our host Jedd is on the right. 

Here Jim chats with Greg Wilson of Greg Wilson Racing.  Greg has 23 years experience racing dirt track sprint cars and 2016 marked his first full season of running with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in his own Greg Wilson, Hercules Tire car.  He had his first WOO win this past September at the famed high-bank Eldora Speedway. 

Thank you Jim for inviting us to tag along and a huge thanks to Jedd and his crew for their warm hospitality.  They made Joe and I feel as though we were part of the group.  Friends were made and for sure the next time we need tires, we will consider Hercules Tires.   

After lunch, Tom gets set up for testimonials from anyone who will volunteer to share a few words about the day. 

 Jim takes the spotlight as Camilla goes over a few questions.  

 Until next time...let the good times roll !

You rock Jim Horne !

You're awesome Hercules Tires !

 HAPPY TRAILS !       

Backwards Steel Bender

Gopher Flats
Moab, UT
November 1, 2016

What a gorgeous November we are having.  Chilly mornings give way to clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds with temperatures in the upper sixties to lower seventies.  Who would have thought it ?  Weather history states highs should be in the low 50s and lows in the high 20s.  Looking at the extended forecast, that might just be the case next week.  But for now, it's weather bliss !

Way back on November 1st...yep, that's how far behind I am as I am still struggling with making time for the computer...we joined Dee, Chris and Scott, and Dale and Ward (Rolande's son) for an awesome day of wheeling on Steel Bender.  There are two described routes for Steel Bended in the Charles Wells Guide.  We did what Dee refers to as the backwards route starting at Ken's Lake.  It is rated difficult because of numerous tall ledges (some with bypasses) so larger tires, high ground clearance and lockers are recommended.  Joe and I had done the Steel Bender Loop Route a couple of times, but this was our first time to do Steel Bender Flat Route trail south to north.  To say it's 8.8 miles of epic scenery and fun ledges would be an under statement.  Here is a small sampling of our fantastic day.

Riding along Spanish Valley Road towards Ken's Lake which is only about 5 minutes from Gopher Flats.

 Ken's Lake is an off-stream agricultural reservoir at the foot of the west slopes of the the LaSal Mountains that is fed by a tunnel which diverts water from Upper Mill Creek.  It's a popular camping and fishing spot managed by the BLM.

Scott and Chris led our group followed by Dale and Ward, Dee, and us bringing up the rear.  

Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho, it's off to play we go !

It's always a treat to follow Dee !

After we all climbed down the loose gravel and boulders know as Witches Step, Scott, Dale and Dee had fun climbing back up and down again.

First Scott in his YJ...

then Dale in his buggy...

...and Dee in Blanche.

There is one more tricky spot.  Its a huge boulder (Charles Wells says extreme ledge), 8 feet high or so on the driver side and less on the passenger side.  It has washed out at the bottom with lots of loose rocks.  The taller driver side is close to a deep drop off.  Dee goes first trying her hand at the tallest section of the boulder which she has done several times in the past.  It wasn't meant to be this day.  After backing off the boulder several times on the loose rocks and sliding closer and closer to the drop off, she needed a strap and a winch to pull Blanche back up onto level ground.

 All turned out good and Dee climbed the middle section...6 feet high or so...along with Dale.  Joe and I took the far passenger side with Dee spotting us.  Scott had climbed earlier to winch Dee.

From there it's an easy drive on slickrock, down through some washes, and across the creek to the exit on the north side.  This is definitely a trail we look forward to doing again...on wheels and on foot.

 Until next time...let the good times roll !

 HAPPY TRAILS !