Jeep Trail Ride - Below The Radar

This was the maiden voyage for Bart and Erica Cox's new Rubicon Unlimited since the couple retired their CJ. Clearly Bart has plenty of prior seat time because the new Jeep went everywhere he pointed it.

The 4.88 gears in the stock Dana 44 differentials helped Bart Cox spin the 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains on the exit from The Webb.

Is it a bird? A plane? No, it is the Mud Shark! Dave Golubosky recently moved from Michigan to New Mexico and is making the transition from Mud Shark to Rock Shark. With locked axles under the custom paint, this Jeep is more than just another pretty face.

Saturday afternoon's exploring took us north of Abiquiu through a dry arroyo and a rutted two track-road. With no destination in mind, we simply explored until dwindling daylight forced us back toward town.

The exit from The Webb was steep and loose. The road cut through the pinion pine connects to the power-line road on the ridge above the trail. Large rocks scattered throughout the exit made it nearly impossible to maintain momentum.

The Creeper Jeepers had quite a turnout for the run. With deep snow still covering much of Colorado, the group was anxious to head farther south to get their wheeling fix.

This well-built Cherokee is actually Mike Taylor's daily driver for his cabinet business. "Pagosa Springs isn't that big of a town though," he admits, which makes living with 37-inch Super Swamper Iroks a lot easier on the pavement.

Mike Taylor made the hillclimb out of The Webb unassisted, only to break a Dana 44 stub shaft when assisting a fellow Creeper Jeeper. He just unlocked the hubs and drove on to his trailer to get home, where he plans to order up a set of chrome-moly axleshafts.