You may have noticed by now that each year we get a bad case of slickrock fever. It usually flares up around March when Southern California temperatures, and those in our corporate office, start to rise. We've discovered that the only way to relieve this cranial discomfort is to get out of dodge and make our pilgrimage to Moab, Utah. That's right, doctor's orders. Who are we to argue? Amazingly enough, the remedy always seems to work. A place of surreal beauty, endless backcountry, sand stone mesas, and slickrock trails, Moab offers some of the best four-wheeling in the country. Just what we need.
This year we made it a point to go out with a different group each day, and the criteria were simple. All the rigs had to be of the same make; we wanted drivers who would push their rigs through 4+ trails; and we wanted groups that don't normally get a lot of coverage. What developed was a week of great 'wheeling.
Our first day out we hooked-up with a group of vintage Broncos in Pritchet Canyon. Before climbing into Jerry Hoffweister's Ford, we should have read the vehicle tech sheet. We're certain that under the unique features section it would have stated crazy driver at the wheel. We should have picked up on it, but we managed to get through the day and part of the night unscathed.
Pritchet Canyon is one of Moab's 4+ rated trails and has become increasingly popular. With obstacles such as Rock Pile, Rocker Knocker, and Yellow Rock, it's gained a reputation for carnage. We packed our bags for an early departure and a late return. Heading north from town to the trailhead, we shifted into Low-range and dropped through several slickrock ledges before 'crawling into a sandy wash. The canyon walls towered several hundred feet to either side; the wash was dotted with desert sage, junipers, and pinion. Right out of the gates one of the rigs sheared a driveline. Luke Clark, an engineer at Klune-V, and Jim Cole of James Duff Enterprises, volunteered to do a trail fix. However, the driver, who had driven down from Washington, opted to head back and fix it in town. A second vehicle volunteered to assist the disabled rig back to the pavement.
Twisting the day away, we moved the herd along to the base of Rocker Knocker, a series of off-camber stair-steps with a pucker factor of 10 and an ugly left turn at the top. Prior to tackling Rocker Knocker, Jim Cole's battery came loose, bounced around, and shorted out on the hood. Get the picture? The result was an instant explosion and thermal meltdown. By the time the hood was opened, what had been an Optima battery now looked like the Wicked Witch of the West after being doused in water. Fortunately, aside from being an ugly mess, nothing else was damaged. After a little clean up, we salvaged a secondary battery from his dual battery setup and were moving.
While most bypasses are usually easier than the obstacle, the one around Rocker Knocker requires a winch and a spotter. Most opted to stay the course and take their knocks. Forced between a rock and a hard spot, our next casualty was a pretzeled tie-rod. The use of a Hi-Lift jack and winch cable got it back in line and we were moving again. Several hours later, the last of our group was clear.
Shadows were getting long by the time we got in line for the Rock Pile. Rumor had it that only one rig had cleared under its own power that day. Taking our place in line gave us a chance to take in the brilliant colors of a Utah sunset. Our turn at the winch controls came and went and we headed for the summit. After spotting the last rig over the top of Yellow Rock with flashlights, we headed for town. We have to give a huge thank you to the crew at the Moab Diner for letting us order cheeseburgers and fries at 30 seconds past closing time.
There is something nostalgic about running down a backcountry dirt track in a vintage Bronco: it's reminiscent of the wild west. Fresh, clean air in your face and the open road ahead of you makes you want to lock in the hubs and take it for a ride. Last year we saluted the venerable old Ford on occasion of its 35th anniversary. We're looking forward to the 40th.