Work already knows that I will not be around. Kinda funny that work is trainable.

94 YJ with the ROCKCRAWLER package stock # upandoverit

I think I get 3 weeks starting next year. Going to Ireland/England/Scotland for 2. Should have some time for EJS..

Oh yeah.. Got my trailer last month!! So I've got room to travel with the dogs now !! hopefully no-one would mine my basset hound comming along... Maybe I could bring Chico, the barking cockatoo also.

Jason


1997 TJ 4.0L/Auto 4.10 D30/8.8 33x12.5 GY MT/R, Onboard Air
Gen II AiRock/Longarms
AEV Rocker protection
Comming Attractions: Expresso Bar, air powered magarita blender
On my way to Moab 4/12/04?

Hmm.. Looks to be a go this time.. on a slightly more 'roughing it' scale.

At least now I actually own camping gear and have my M101 trailer ready to go. So its me and the hound dog for sure this time.

And no school to worry about!!

Jason


1997 TJ 4.0L/Auto 4.10 D30/8.8 33x12.5 GY MT/R, Onboard Air
Gen II AiRock/Longarms
AEV Rocker protection
Comming Attractions: Expresso Bar, air powered magarita blender
M101 Trailer : "Built for the tough demands of the Canadian Army"

Around the middle of Jan I'll post an offical roll call. So everybody start to save your spair change, cause it will be time to hace some FUN!

94 YJ with the ROCKCRAWLER package stock # upandoverit

I'm starting to save the spare change now. Don't want to have to cancel at the last minute like last year.

At least this time I get 3 weeks vacation, no school, and the Jeep is closer to 'done' (as if that will ever happen).

Jan it is then.. Oh.. how cold is it there at that time of year.. wondering if there is any special camping gear (besides a little warmer sleeping bag) that I should pick up.

Hopefully no-one will mind my 45 pound basset hound tagging along.

Jason


1997 TJ 4.0L/Auto 4.10 D30/8.8 33x12.5 GY MT/R, Onboard Air
Gen II AiRock/Longarms
AEV Rocker protection
Comming Attractions: Expresso Bar, air powered magarita blender
M101 Trailer : "Built for the tough demands of the Canadian Army"

A couple of points. Red Rock 4 Wheelers sent out their trail leader/helper packets at the end of September. We had to have them back by October 15th. Within a couple of weeks we'll see the results and maybe even any new trails the official run will have.

Alosix: The weather is variable, at best. No one can predict the spring weather, including the folks that make a living trying. We've had weather that was almost summer like. I've gotten some wicked sun burns with shorts and short sleeves. A couple of years ago we had 6" of snow on the ground safari morning.

About all you can rely on are averages. Normal lows at that time in early April are in the 40s and highs in the 60s. Relative humidity remains most times in the teens. Thats dry for most easterners. Snow is fun, too. It doesn't melt like it does here at home. It rots! Back about 1987 or 88 we had snow early in the week. Dan Mick was still leading Wipe Out Hill at that time and the high ground north of town still had a good 4" or so after we climbed out of the dry wash. By the time we left the "cave" and headed over toward Wipe Out, the snow just rotted from the underside. I guess it was the dry conditions, but there was still a thin crust where the top had been, but almost nothing holding it up. Then it vanished in a matter of a few minutes.

Anyone planning on camping in a commercial campground I'd suggest you get your reservations early. I make my Motel reservation before I leave for the next year. There is still camping allowed in the desert, but you get no security. Out along the river and 128 seem to be the best choices. Anyone camping in the zoo out sandflats road deserves what they get. Several years ago they had a mini riot (drunken teenagers and college students on break.)

All kinds of interesting things happen during Jeep Safari. A couple of years ago a group of French tourists went to the car wash to take their showers. Really shocked the locals seeing nudity in public. Moab city PD had to explain to them the sensibilities of Americans.

Some words of caution: The Morman ethic is alive and well. If you want to get drunk, do it in your motel room or campsite. The local sheriff (Jimmy Nyland) may have a great sense of humor, but it doesn't extend to public drunkeness. Same for Moab PD. Speeding isn't tolerated on the streets no matter how wide they are. Locals like their children, and school zones are pretty strictly enforced. Public drag racing is also frowned upon.

Oh. In Utah, pedestrians have the right of way (just like cows.) If you drive in from the east on I70, take scenic 128 unless you've got a motor home. But remember it is open range, and the cows like the heat from the pavement. The calves get kind of frisky and jump out. If you break it, you've bought it!

My first memory of Moab still sticks with me. It was spring of 1983, and I flew in and rented a car in Grand Junction. I drove down to ride with a buddy that had driven out. When I got to the center of town, I parked across from the Sinclair station (now the site of the visitors center) to figure out where the motel was. Their was a city cop parked across the street and a bit down, like in front of where Eddie McStiffs is. Up from behind me came a 2 stroke dirt bike. No muffler/spark arrestor. Lots of noise and blue smoke pouring out. His helmet was a ball cap turned backwards. He roared across the street, making a left. PUlled up to the pumps. He proceeded to empty the garbage can by both sets of pumps, and then the one inside the service bays. By dumping together all the empty oil cans he managed to get enough to dump in his tank. He then pumped a couple of dollars of gas in the bike. Away he went, super rich mix, up north and out of town. He wasn't speeding and the cop paid him no attention. Different place in time from where I live. Not bad, just different.

Dick Burg

Remember, if you're not in the lead, the view's always the same.

My Jeep and I have an agreement...I let it go pretty much where it wants on the road as long as it goes where I want off road. Works for us.

Dick,
That's for the info. Sounds like a variety of clothing from REI will be in order. That and a bunch of camping gadgets. It'll be just me and a dog. I'll have my M101 behind me, so plenty of room to being stuff.

Do you know if Slickrock is still there? I remember seeing it on ebay a while back.

Jason


1997 TJ 4.0L/Auto 4.10 D30/8.8 33x12.5 GY MT/R, Onboard Air
Gen II AiRock/Longarms
AEV Rocker protection
Comming Attractions: Expresso Bar, air powered magarita blender
M101 Trailer : "Built for the tough demands of the Canadian Army"

Jason,
On your drive out, give me a call if you plan on staying around STL. I won't be able to make it to EJS this year, but I know there are a few Jeepers from this area going. I may be able to hook you up with a group to travel with.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"A man without beer is like a lawnmower without grass."

Mark Yurescko
Member: Southern Illinois Jeep Association
Member: Midwest Jeepthing
2001 TJ Sport
http://webpages.charter.net/yuri/

quote:

---

Originally posted by alosix:
Do you know if Slickrock is still there? I remember seeing it on ebay a while back.

---

Well, it was last spring.... Go to AAA and pick up the travel guide. You've got plenty of time to plan. The big problem is getting a reservation in early. I've got buddies that stay there. Nice place. They've got a slum area where the Suzuki's are camped...... Its a bit out of the center of town, but many people like that.

I've always envied that people that just haul a camper out into the boonies and set up for a week or two. Here where I live you'd get more jail time for camping next to a river than you'd get for murdering someone. Jeep Safari does attract more than the serious jeepers. For whatever reason, kids without any supervision seem to descend on Moab, hell bent on destruction.

They think that because they're in a resort type of place, and they're from elsewhere, laws don't apply to them. Every year dozens of grubby moutain biker types get arrested for "grazing" the salad bar at City Market. You'd think word would get out that they've got a camera watching. Jeepers have a pretty good reputation for acting civilized, or at least we've been doing that in recent years. The joke about the bicycling types is that they come to town with a dirty Tshirt and a $5 bill. And they don't change either.

Yuri above mentioned traveling...There are a lot of us that run west on I70 (thats the big road with grass growing in the middle.) One of the time passing things is looking for other Jeepers going west. Works coming home, too. Dozens moving faster and slower. You think we wave at jeepers going the other direction! Even more interesting is when some unlucky guy has a problem and pulls over. Everyone stops to help. Once we pulled over to change drivers (we had 4 jeeps coming east.) Before we could get back on the road a half dozen other jeeps had pulled over to help (on Easter Sunday, no less.)

Dick Burg

Remember, if you're not in the lead, the view's always the same.

My Jeep and I have an agreement...I let it go pretty much where it wants on the road as long as it goes where I want off road. Works for us.

It's still there.. No Worries.

Troy Moser www.extreme4wheeler.com

2000 TJ - 4" Teraflex Long Arm Kit, 1" teraflex Body Lift, Teraflex Short Shaft & Driveshaft, Teraflex Upper Control Arms, Teraflex Skids - Gas tank, Steering box, & Oil Pan, 35/12.50/15 BFG Muds on 15x11.75 Rockcrawler Rims, Currie rear tire carrier, Warn XD9000I Winch, 4.56 Gears in D30 and D44.Through the dash Roll Cage, ARB's Front & Rear, New Alloy Shafts,Four X Doctor rocker guards, Complete HD Steering conversion.

I will be there in 2004 with the freshly built Timberbuggy. I am putting the new engine, trans and atlas in around Christmas finally along with new axles, and 3 links in the spring. ca't wait! Who all is planning to go this year? And... where do I call to make reservations now, hotel wise, crappy two bed room is fie, under $100 a night possible?

----------------------------------------------------------
You say redneck like it's a bad thing?
----------------------------------------------------------
The Extreme Timberbuggy Project:

'94 YJ, 4.3L Vortec, SM465, Atlas II 4.3
Dana 44 F/R, Detroits F/R, 5.13's, 3-links?
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.timbercrawler.com
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I always make my reservations for the next year before we leave. The brand new flashy motels charge big bucks and deliver little. Many of the motels are full already. Try the Greenwell/Best Western. It has the advantage of being right in the middle of town, as does the Ramada. Or maybe the Apache. The Motel we stay at is already full.
We pay less than $100/night. I'm sure some of the other, smaller motels should suit you.

One thing I thinks pretty cool is that we're discussing this 5 months ahead and its generating interest.

The plans for the Jeep Safari are right on schedule. I got my latest letter from Red Rock, confirming my trail assignments already. The newspaper is usually printed in December and its mailed to prior participants in January. For anyone interested they can probably contact Red Rock 4 Wheelers at 435-259-ROCK. Someone there should take your name and see to it you are sent one.

Dick Burg

Remember, if you're not in the lead, the view's always the same.

My Jeep and I have an agreement...I let it go pretty much where it wants on the road as long as it goes where I want off road. Works for us.

The interest this early is pretty cool. Think I'll be roughing it this year. Brining a pooch, so most hotels/motels are probably out.

Looks like this year will probably be my last chance to make it for a while. Last year was a bust, but I probably shouldn't have planned to anyway because I was finishing my BS.

This year there is no school !! Then next I'll start the MS/PhD program somewhere.

Dick, are the dates posted anywhere yet?

Jason


1997 TJ 4.0L/Auto 4.10 D30/8.8 33x12.5 GY MT/R, Onboard Air
Gen II AiRock/Longarms
AEV Rocker protection
Comming Attractions: Expresso Bar, air powered magarita blender
M101 Trailer : "Built for the tough demands of the Canadian Army"

I am going try again this year. BUT as usual military always seems to mess things up.

2002 Patriot Blue Liberty 1992 YJ 4.0

quote:

---

Originally posted by alosix:
Dick, are the dates posted anywhere yet?

---

Its at Easter every year. How about..This year Easter is on a Sunday?

Ok. The offical dates are the prior Saturday, which this year will be the 3rd of April. Trails will be everyday up thru "Big Saturday", thats the one before Easter, or April 10th. Some trails are led on Easter, too. So you can get 9 days in on offical rides.

What normally happens is the Lottery system they use will drop you from a few days. Thats OK because after a couple of days you'll see a trail or two you'd like to explore on your own or with people you meet. Depending on where you stay, you'll probably hook up with some neighbors and go have fun. Moab is in the center of nowhere (why we all love it.) There are trails all over the place in any direction you go. There are some pretty good books that will direct you to trail heads, etc.

Make sure you get a copy of the newspaper. They send it out an it includes the registration/application. Some hints: Leave Good Friday open. Don't let anyone talk you into any preplanning for that day. If you've never gone to the Safari, you need to spend that day (no, invest that day) at the Arena. Its kind of the center of activities for the safari, but thats the big day for the vendors to display their wares. Anyone that is anything in off road manufacturing is set up there. You see their lift kits, tires, blowers, roll cages, bumpers, everything. Most have stuff for sale, too. Its easy to spend big buck$. On the other hand, they all give pretty good discounts or show prices. You also get to meet the people we talk about. Many of them are what has made the sport what it is today.

The raffle/door prizes are way too long and boring, but most people stay because they give away hundreds of prizes worth between $50,000 and $100,000 bucks. Lots of people walk away with winches, tires, bumpers, frames, tug-em straps, shocks, etc. Yeah, it lasts way too long. Can't give that much away in a few minutes.

Even if you don't spend any money, you'll come away with lots of ideas. Chrysler puts on their own dog-and-pony show. In 2003 its where they were showing the prototypes of the Rubicons. Last year they had the AEV Brute. Thats in town by the Gearheads shop and is open earlier in the week.

There are tricks to getting the trails you want, like requesting them earlier in the week, etc. It also helps to know the trails. We can discuss that here at length, or in a later thread. Some trails have terrible reputations for staying out half the night (Golden Spike) if anyone has a problem. Other trails seem to keep moving and aren't as long, so you can get back to town or your campsite early. Some trails have terrible reps for destroying Jeeps. Others are just fun day rides in the rocks.

You can have a great time in Moab without even going on any of the organized trails. If you are going to poach a trail, be considerate and go on a day the trail isn't going to be run. If thats not possible, just go in after the offical trail has gone thru. The leaders try to keep things moving and there's no reason to block things up.

Many trails are named that aren't part of the Safari. Upper and lower Helldorado are examples. Known for eating jeeps, those aren't for newbies.
If you're driving your trailrider, you might want to pick trails that don't have terrible reps. There are usually 26 separate trails on the Safari. Some are only run one day (Big Saturday), others almost everyday. The descriptions in the paper are probably too short. The ratings are fairly good, so believe them.

Most of us try to practice good trail manners. It wasn't always so. The first year I tail gunned a trail (1985), we filled the back of the jeep with bags full of trash. Most of that was just dumped by the participants. Things have come a long way since then. Its really unusual to see anyone pitching beer cans out the side of their jeeps now. The other participants aren't tolerant of that either. The leaders and gunners don't have to call the sheriff's office, the other participants do it. Its not at all unusual for trouble makers to be met at the end of the trail by a full posse! OK, just a few sheriffs cruisers and/or city police and Utah HP. Everyone wants you to have a good time, no one wants to put up with antics.

We share the desert with tree huggers, bicycle freaks, hikers, and eco-wierdo's. They all hate jeepers (until they get a broken leg or run out of water, etc.) Its OK, we can hate back. Or ignore them.

Interesting rides include going down to Elephant Hill, either on the organized rides or running down thru Lockhart Basin. I really liked Crystal Geyser. Its not hard to get to, but its an impressive cold water geyser. Lots of water ejected. Just cruising Yellow Cat road and its side roads could fill a week, easy.

The best way to clean up scuffed tires and maybe dirty/dusty wheels is up on the LaSal Loop Road. Just find a snow pile and dive into it. For whatever reason, snow and ice crystals scrub them really clean. On tuesday of every year there's a snow run. Various groups try to run up to the top of Geyser pass (no geyser, it was named for a guy with the last name of Geyser.)

Some really fun sand dunes down on the road to Behind the Rocks. Just a play area, usually good for a driveshaft or two per day.

Beware of fuel prices. Moab business' have a terrible habit of jacking their prices. That includes beer at Woody's. Moab has a Wendy's, and Arby's, and a McDonalds. Wasn't always like that.

For a more local flavor, try Milts Stop and Eat over on, I think, 400 East. Been there forever and the proprietor is a long time Red Rock member.
Good Breakfasts, Lunch, and supper. Watch the ChiliCheeseburgers. Most people love them, but they talk to you.

Beer in Moab is 3.2%, and the local Mormons frown on DUI. If you're coming from the east, pick up your supplies in Grand Junction, CO. Ya gotta stop there for gas, anyway.

Dick Burg

Remember, if you're not in the lead, the view's always the same.

My Jeep and I have an agreement...I let it go pretty much where it wants on the road as long as it goes where I want off road. Works for us.

That's some great info D. Burg. I seen pictures and heard stores about Moab form fellow jeepers, but I wasn't able to create a good mental image of the overall sence there. You do a great job in filling in details for eastners like myself. Keep the stories and info comin.
I plan on trailering my jeep along with another friend of mine, (Mr. Luckie) if he can get away from work. I'm making plans now and starting to get resevations setup. I guess it will take about two days to drive from Atlanta, Ga to Moab. Probibly try to stay the whole week.

Do I need to get in touch with Red Rock 4wd to make resevations to ride or just show up and jump in? Do they have a web site?

Josh

99 TJ Sahara
RE LA 4.5" w/ RS9000X's
35" MT/R's
Atlas II 3.8
Currie Dana 60 rear w/ 4.56 & ARB & Disc Brakes
Avalanche Engineering custom "boatside rockers"
Priemer Power Welder
Warn HS9500, rear BulletProof swingout carrier
Tomken Rockcrawler front bumper
Leds and M.O.R.E. cage

Red Rock publishes a newspaper each winter. It usually goes to press in December and then gets mailed to interested parties in January. Its a pretty complete summary, often running 50 or so pages. It includes a pretty rudimentary map showing where each trail goes. Then another map showing where you should line-up for your trail on Big Saturday. Of course a third shows points of interest by advertisers in town.

Also, each trail has a verbal description of the high points. Included is an application for the Safari. Its a bit costly, but necessary if the event is to continue. BLM skims off a big chunk as user fees. Trails are applied for, then selected by lottery. It works fairly well, unless you don't get what you want.

If you want a copy mailed to you, call 435-259-ROCK and ask whoever answers to take your name and address. That should get you a paper. Many of us treat them as souveniors. I have mine back to 1983, except for 1984. No one has that, and we can't find one. If anyone here has a 1984 paper, please let us know. Prior to about 1983 all that was printed was a mimeographed thing, a couple of pages long, with a few trails listed. Get back into the 1970s and it was only a couple of trails and real informal. That makes it pretty hard to do research.

Dick Burg

Dick Burg

Remember, if you're not in the lead, the view's always the same.

My Jeep and I have an agreement...I let it go pretty much where it wants on the road as long as it goes where I want off road. Works for us.

Can't wait I'll be there

'99 TJ Flaty 35's RE arms, Poison Spyder Customs Rockers, PSC Stinger, PSC corner crushers and every thing has lots of scratches on it.

True dat!!!

_______________________________________________
Yo moma!!

97 TJ SE
Airaid intake $200
Pacesetter header $150
Magnaflow muffler and cat $600
65mph!! Priceless!!
Maybe I shoulda bought a 4.0..

SOOOO...is there gonna be another RC.com run this year?? Just wondering