I'm planning on doing the Hole in the Rock trail starting on 5/16 as part of my May adventure, do you want to join up?. The plan is to start at Lockhart Basin, head into Needles and move south, eventually to Comb Ridge. Let me know, I've started a thread over on the planning section "Winter planning for my spring Utah trip"
Rookies on the Rubicon
- Thread starter jeremyk
- Start date
I'm planning on doing the Hole in the Rock trail starting on 5/16 as part of my May adventure, do you want to join up?. The plan is to start at Lockhart Basin, head into Needles and move south, eventually to Comb Ridge. Let me know, I've started a thread over on the planning section "Winter planning for my spring Utah trip"
Wow, what a fantastic write up, pics and videos. I just spent most of my morning reading this. I seriously cut into my mountain biking time but it was super worth it. I hope you create more of these write ups for your future trips. Thanks again.
Also, I saw you have 2 tanks. This is something I want to do on my 2003 tacoma. I've read a 1985 Ford F150 aux tank will fit where the spare tire mounts under the bed. What did you use?
Also, I saw you have 2 tanks. This is something I want to do on my 2003 tacoma. I've read a 1985 Ford F150 aux tank will fit where the spare tire mounts under the bed. What did you use?
I thought this was a great overview of the Rubicon, so with Jeremy's blessing (the OP), I've posted this story on West County Explorers Club. If you'd like to see it in a slightly cleaned up blog format, here are the links:
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 1, The Ground Rules
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 2, Loon Lake Trailhead
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 3, Little Sluice
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 4, Buck Island Lake to Martini Tree
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 5, Midnight Buggies at Martini Tree
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 6, The Big Sluice
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 7, Cadillac Hill
Edit: I've also put it on the front page of Expo this week!
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 1, The Ground Rules
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 2, Loon Lake Trailhead
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 3, Little Sluice
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 4, Buck Island Lake to Martini Tree
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 5, Midnight Buggies at Martini Tree
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 6, The Big Sluice
Rookies on the Rubicon, Part 7, Cadillac Hill
Edit: I've also put it on the front page of Expo this week!
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SoCal Tom
Explorer
Nice write up,
It reminded me a bit of my trip back in 04. We were a group of 3 Early Broncos on 35s. We were all pretty well prepared for the trail. We didn't make past the first day until one guy pulled his steering box loose from the frame ( the gate keeper was declawed shortly after this trip). As we were taking a break on the granite slabs, a 99 LR Disco, with a lift kit came by. It was beautiful, not a scratch on it. He said it was his wife's car, and she went on vacation. He was escorted by his gray haired uncle in a late 60's CJ5, that looked like the oil was last changed in 1980. We ended up passing them a little while down the road. The rear bumper was smiling at all who approached, and a couple of the rear quarter panels were now dented. We camped at Buck Island, since spider lake was closed. They didn't get there until almost dark ( that's 8 oclock ish in July). What you send about relentless is true. I've been on tougher trails, but this one stays tough for most of the 26 miles.
The Disco pulled out early the next day. We caught up to them at Rubicon springs. He was off to the right trying to dodge the rocks, and I just happened to look over as the last remaining radius arm? broke, his front diff pivoted, and snapped the u-joint and he was done. We asked if we could help ( I dunno how) but he climbed in the back of the well worn CJ and they headed out to get parts and tools, the little 4 cylinder engine chugging along....
We patched together the Broken Bronco and he went home via Tahoe. We climbed to the top of Cadillac hill turned around and headed back out. It was a great trip, but it was mentally exhausting.
Tom
It reminded me a bit of my trip back in 04. We were a group of 3 Early Broncos on 35s. We were all pretty well prepared for the trail. We didn't make past the first day until one guy pulled his steering box loose from the frame ( the gate keeper was declawed shortly after this trip). As we were taking a break on the granite slabs, a 99 LR Disco, with a lift kit came by. It was beautiful, not a scratch on it. He said it was his wife's car, and she went on vacation. He was escorted by his gray haired uncle in a late 60's CJ5, that looked like the oil was last changed in 1980. We ended up passing them a little while down the road. The rear bumper was smiling at all who approached, and a couple of the rear quarter panels were now dented. We camped at Buck Island, since spider lake was closed. They didn't get there until almost dark ( that's 8 oclock ish in July). What you send about relentless is true. I've been on tougher trails, but this one stays tough for most of the 26 miles.
The Disco pulled out early the next day. We caught up to them at Rubicon springs. He was off to the right trying to dodge the rocks, and I just happened to look over as the last remaining radius arm? broke, his front diff pivoted, and snapped the u-joint and he was done. We asked if we could help ( I dunno how) but he climbed in the back of the well worn CJ and they headed out to get parts and tools, the little 4 cylinder engine chugging along....
We patched together the Broken Bronco and he went home via Tahoe. We climbed to the top of Cadillac hill turned around and headed back out. It was a great trip, but it was mentally exhausting.
Tom
Thanks
Hey thanks to everyone for the great and encouraging response to our story, everyone has been very kind to overlook all of the typos and missing videos. I am truly appreciative for all of the tales some of you tell about your experiences on the trail, I love reading that stuff. In every way they validate the whole experience, the challenge and the joy that we got from running this trail.
I am also thankful to Nik from the West County Explorers Club for posting it up on his blog and for putting it on the "front page" of the Expedition Portal. All of this is going to make my encore all the more challenging, but I will try again, soon...
Jeremy Knight
Hey thanks to everyone for the great and encouraging response to our story, everyone has been very kind to overlook all of the typos and missing videos. I am truly appreciative for all of the tales some of you tell about your experiences on the trail, I love reading that stuff. In every way they validate the whole experience, the challenge and the joy that we got from running this trail.
I am also thankful to Nik from the West County Explorers Club for posting it up on his blog and for putting it on the "front page" of the Expedition Portal. All of this is going to make my encore all the more challenging, but I will try again, soon...
Jeremy Knight
I was one of the ones linked here from the front page articles ... I have to sincerely echo that you've put together a very well done write up, thanks for taking the time. Please link back here with a pointer to your longer write up (hope I didn't miss it already) from the Southern Utah trip, I'd love to read that one too.
There's a group on the 2nd Gen Xterra site that I frequent, that's planning a Rubicon trip for later this year. Sounds like a few of them will be of a similar mindset to your trip (Rubicon rookies and all that); though they will have at least one buggy along (and a couple of guys who have run it before) ... I dropped a link to this thread for them to check out, hope that was okay.
There's a group on the 2nd Gen Xterra site that I frequent, that's planning a Rubicon trip for later this year. Sounds like a few of them will be of a similar mindset to your trip (Rubicon rookies and all that); though they will have at least one buggy along (and a couple of guys who have run it before) ... I dropped a link to this thread for them to check out, hope that was okay.
Share away it's all good. I was hoping that this could give a bit of trail and prep info for people brave enough to give it a try, so I hope it offers assistance other "rookies". Armor up and don't rush the trail and do hasty things, talk it over and then stick to your plan unless to find a better way - don't let your pride get in the way of good judgment or good advice. And above all - have FUN!
I started to post up my Utah adventure under "Overlanding to the Expo" but stopped after three episodes. I am very long-winded in my writing, so it takes a long time for me to do. I look at the pictures and notes I have taken and remember the emotion of where I was or what I was doing, and I just write, that means a lot of words. I am going to try to finish those up and then post them as one story. Right now I'm busy getting ready for my next adventure, so my mind is elsewhere...
Fair enough, I'll look for that ... then I can subscribe and read updates as they come. I hear you on both counts (the writing/story telling and the being distracted).
MTaco
Adventurer
Thank you for the excellent write up! It had me checking for the next installment every morning. Very well written and documented!
One question about your FJ. Did you make or buy that wind fairing / deflector that you have in front of your RTT? Any details would be great. Thanks.
One question about your FJ. Did you make or buy that wind fairing / deflector that you have in front of your RTT? Any details would be great. Thanks.
Thanks, some of the videos seem to be missing, but they're all on You Tube and the titles are the same. My extra is a 14 gal FJc specific tank that I purchased from Dale Avery. It is set up as a transfer tank so that I don't have any emissions system alarms, the pump has a check-valve so the tanks are separate when the pump is not running. The fill is also separate.
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it; hopefully, I will do more. I made the faring, it's 1/8th aluminum and fits around the Waag insert basket I have and bolts to the factory rack. It actually works pretty well. I made a cardboard pattern and cut and bent it as required.