Fergie
Expedition Leader
Well, it was quite an adventure for Tiff and I, as well as several others, as I am sure you will hear.
All went well from Thursday night, save for a doggie yakking in the back of the WJ, until about 2:00PM on Friday. At that point, my WJ decided to go from 210* to over 260* in a little less than 200 feet. This was due, as we later found out, to a stuck thermostat. We stopped at the cabin in Butte Valley to let the Jeep cool down, and I damn near lost my face, possibly my life.
As I said, I popped the hood, and saw the coolant boiling in the reservoir. I leaned over the engine to take a look at the fan to make sure it was running. When I leaned over the engine, my wife Tiffany said something to me from the cab, which I couldn’t hear due to the engine noise. I stepped to the side and stuck my head in the window to ask what she had said, and at that moment, the passenger side radiator tank decided to frag itself, sending pieces flying up to 20' away, and sending a LOT of hot coolant into the space my head had just moments earlier occupied. 1Leg was to the right in his vehicle, and ViaTierra to the left, and they can attest to the magnificent explosion (consequently heard by the rest of the group over 1/2 a mile away).
So, the WJ was dead, and the long and the short of it was that we left it there, packed stuff into other vehicles, and made it to the campground. After a good night rest, Green Ganesha, Cowboy Roscoe, Gear and 1Leg, along with me, made our way back to the WJ, 20 miles up on the trail. My wife stayed back at Furnace Creek to call friends and figure out a way to get the WJ to LA.
Let me take a moment here to thank a few people. In this day and age, the generosity and kindness shown to us was unbelievable. All of you are welcome in my house, anywhere, anytime, any reason. I will drop what I am doing to help you, no matter what.
Wesel123 and your wife- Thank you for taking care of Tiff, and for the ride home.
GG, CR, Gear, and 1Leg- Thank you for taking time out of your trip to mount the rescue effort. I hope the secondary rescue is afoot by this time and all is successful.
Now, after the rescue group made it back to the Jeep, our plan was simple. Coast on the downhills, tow on the uphills and difficult sections. I felt like a Baja racer as 1Leg scouted the trail for vehicles and conditions about 3 miles ahead, Gear was the pre-runner about 1 mile ahead, and Gear's brother was my co-pilot and radio man.
Let me tell you, it is quite and adrenaline rush to bomb down the trail at speeds of up to 45mph with no engine power, no power brakes, and no power steering. "Controlled descent" takes on a whole new meaning, and according to 1Leg, it is ************ when a WJ gets air through a trail intersection.
We made it to the road, and my wife and Wesel123 had successfully found a tow truck driver to PU the Jeep and take it to Long Beach. While monetarily, the trip sucked, the new friendships and experiences were more than worth it, but a few lessons learned.
1. Taking spares is a good idea, but how do you carry a spare *PLASTIC* radiator tank?
2. BUY AAA PREMIER MEMBERSHIP!! $1300 for a tow is way more than the yearly service.
3. Sat phones rock!
4. Afternoon tea in the middle of Death Valley is a surreal experience.
5. MSR Dragonflys are worth it.
6. Get a friggin HAM radio and license.
Hopefully the rest of the folks will chime in with their more positive experiences, but we had a fun, albeit difficult time.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts to EVERYONE that help us.
All went well from Thursday night, save for a doggie yakking in the back of the WJ, until about 2:00PM on Friday. At that point, my WJ decided to go from 210* to over 260* in a little less than 200 feet. This was due, as we later found out, to a stuck thermostat. We stopped at the cabin in Butte Valley to let the Jeep cool down, and I damn near lost my face, possibly my life.
As I said, I popped the hood, and saw the coolant boiling in the reservoir. I leaned over the engine to take a look at the fan to make sure it was running. When I leaned over the engine, my wife Tiffany said something to me from the cab, which I couldn’t hear due to the engine noise. I stepped to the side and stuck my head in the window to ask what she had said, and at that moment, the passenger side radiator tank decided to frag itself, sending pieces flying up to 20' away, and sending a LOT of hot coolant into the space my head had just moments earlier occupied. 1Leg was to the right in his vehicle, and ViaTierra to the left, and they can attest to the magnificent explosion (consequently heard by the rest of the group over 1/2 a mile away).
So, the WJ was dead, and the long and the short of it was that we left it there, packed stuff into other vehicles, and made it to the campground. After a good night rest, Green Ganesha, Cowboy Roscoe, Gear and 1Leg, along with me, made our way back to the WJ, 20 miles up on the trail. My wife stayed back at Furnace Creek to call friends and figure out a way to get the WJ to LA.
Let me take a moment here to thank a few people. In this day and age, the generosity and kindness shown to us was unbelievable. All of you are welcome in my house, anywhere, anytime, any reason. I will drop what I am doing to help you, no matter what.
Wesel123 and your wife- Thank you for taking care of Tiff, and for the ride home.
GG, CR, Gear, and 1Leg- Thank you for taking time out of your trip to mount the rescue effort. I hope the secondary rescue is afoot by this time and all is successful.
Now, after the rescue group made it back to the Jeep, our plan was simple. Coast on the downhills, tow on the uphills and difficult sections. I felt like a Baja racer as 1Leg scouted the trail for vehicles and conditions about 3 miles ahead, Gear was the pre-runner about 1 mile ahead, and Gear's brother was my co-pilot and radio man.
Let me tell you, it is quite and adrenaline rush to bomb down the trail at speeds of up to 45mph with no engine power, no power brakes, and no power steering. "Controlled descent" takes on a whole new meaning, and according to 1Leg, it is ************ when a WJ gets air through a trail intersection.
We made it to the road, and my wife and Wesel123 had successfully found a tow truck driver to PU the Jeep and take it to Long Beach. While monetarily, the trip sucked, the new friendships and experiences were more than worth it, but a few lessons learned.
1. Taking spares is a good idea, but how do you carry a spare *PLASTIC* radiator tank?
2. BUY AAA PREMIER MEMBERSHIP!! $1300 for a tow is way more than the yearly service.
3. Sat phones rock!
4. Afternoon tea in the middle of Death Valley is a surreal experience.
5. MSR Dragonflys are worth it.
6. Get a friggin HAM radio and license.
Hopefully the rest of the folks will chime in with their more positive experiences, but we had a fun, albeit difficult time.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts to EVERYONE that help us.
