[ED4] Trip Report: Mendocino National Forest (6/10 - 12th 2022)

Hi ED4! 

Hope everyone is having a great summer. 

As some of you may have heard, a few of us went on a last-minute trip to Mendocino NF that I planned and led in mid-June.

I took this opportunity to complete the remaining item that I think I need to become an official ED4 member -- my third trip report. 

[ED4] Trip Report: Mendocino National Forest (June 10 - 12th 2022)

Big thanks to Dennis, Dishaan and Neale for helping me lead the trip and making it an awesome time. 

Best,
Patrick

[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (5/21/22)

ED4 Trip Report May 2022 Safety Clinic

Todd and Nolan Sulser

Asked by Magnus to come as volunteers for the Spring Safety Clinic. Arrived at around 8:30 in the morning on Saturday to assist wherever needed. We met up with Magnus, where he directed us to be assistant tail gunners to the Green group while they were driving the trials and obstacles. Kelly Radcliffe was our lead on the trail. Vehicles were all well equipped for the terrain; two Tacoma trucks, some FJ’s, several Jeeps, including a TJ Rubicon Unlimited, which my dad and I liked very much. We drove in my Jeep TJ, which was more than capable for the terrain. Handed out some of our spare radios to those that did not have one, which we got back at the end of the day. Got to experience the Quarry for the first time, which was a good experience. Thankfully, we had to deal with no rollovers this year, as we had seen in two of our previous four trips. At the end of the day while traveling back to the main entrance, we picked up the blue trail markers and an extra red one that Kelly asked us to grab.

Attached below are some photos from the day:


[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (5/21/22)

ED4 trip report May 2022 safety clinic report

Michele Donato

I arrived at Area 5 at 7:30 and I went straight to helping Colin to inspect vehicles of blue group. Our group was composed by two Tacomas, two 4Runners, one giant GIANT Lexus 570, one JK, one JL, and an old school 4Runner.!

Red group and Blue group are ready to go!

As usual there was a great deal of variety of vehicle types, including some I saw for the first time: a brand new Bronco and two (not one, but two!) hybrid JLs: these three vehicles still had temporary plates on! The off-roading world is changing…!

Electro-jeeps!

Great performance of the instructors. Students were engaged all the time.

The class went smoothly, students seemed engaged and asked a lot of interesting questions. The only negative side was the absence of a shade, but luckily the air was not too hot and students did not seem to mind too much.

On The Trail

After a short lunch where we introduced ourselves to the students, we hit the trails. This was my first time on the trail in the clinic (except for when I was a student) but luckily both the lead (Colin) and the tail (Kelly S) were patient enough. All students seem to have had a great time all around. One aspect I noticed was that they felt encouraged but not pressured into doing any of the obstacles.  

The Quarry made for a great replacement for the ravine

Notable differences with my previous experience at the clinic were the missing old ravine, and the obstacles at the quarry. This last one made for very interesting and in my opinion very realistic obstacles.  

The only time students felt pressure, in particular peer pressure, was when Connor, in the topless JL, managed to do the stair stepper without lockers and without stopping once.

After his dad did the obstacle, Connor commented “Mine went smoother” and his dad was a proud dad.

Jokes aside, I think that is the key aspect of the clinic: empowering students to know the limits of their vehicles and their abilities off road, in a controlled environment where the danger of damage is limited, and supervised by competent people. That made it for a relaxed, fun event. So much fun that a few students were at their second time at the clinic. When asked why, their answer was “I had so much time last time, why not?”.

Dusty end of the day

The day ended with a small hiccup when the older 4Runner experienced a fuel pump failure in the mid of the second trail of the day. Kelly S stayed behind with the student, I took tail, and we finished the trail without any other stop. The vehicle was recovered by other club members.

Apparently second servings were mandatory, and I went close to third servings…

Students (and this mid-gunner) had a lot of fun and I am sure we will see more of some of them in the future.

After we ended the trail we headed to the covered area where an amazing BBQ dinner was waiting for us. Kudos to the BBQ master that prepared all of it by himself, by what I was told.

Overall a great day, congratulations to the organizers for another successful clinic.

[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (5/15/20)

May 15, 2021 at Hollister Hills SVRA

I arrived at Area 5 Friday afternoon. It was sunny and warm when I arrived, so I chose a spot in the shade to set up camp. The shade served its purpose, but the spot I chose was very close to where the hill descent exercise would be conducted during the clinic. I was not planning on camping Saturday night, so I packed up camp right after registration on Saturday, so as to not be in the way.

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The rest of the day Friday was spent eating, drinking and hanging out around the fire with other club members and prospectives. It was great to be able to spend more time talking to everyone at greater length than generally possible during Zoom meetings or quick day runs.

Students were allowed to camp at Area 5 this time, and some joined us for Friday night camping. I had been a student at the September 2020 clinic, when only volunteers could camp, so it was good to experience a more normal clinic camping situation this time.

Friday night and Saturday were colder than I had expected for Hollister this time of year. It was especially chilly in the morning, and didn’t go above low 60s all day. I got an early start to the day on Saturday as I was helping with registration and parking. I met up with Rick at the Area 5 gate before 7 am - my task was to guide students to line up for registration after Rick had collected their covid forms. Registration moved so fast though, that it wasn’t necessary to line students up after the first few, and I was able to directly send them to registration as they came in. Good job everyone on registration.

After registration, I packed up my camp and ate an early lunch. I found Scott, Michele and Rye, and we waited around at Area 5 until it was time to go up to the obstacle course. It was fun to watch the very capable RC Land Cruiser tackle the various Area 5 obstacles, like some sticks next to each other (small frame twister), shoes, and some concrete pads on the ground.

Scott, Michele, and I got to the frame twister some time before the first group of students. We checked out the obstacle, discussing our plan of action and figuring out the best line and ruts to avoid. Thanks to all ED4 members who worked on stacking rocks and dirt to make this obstacle more doable before the clinic.

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Students were directed to aim toward the third from the last pole, then turn slightly in the other direction to get over the final poles. This would result in the student’s front passenger and driver side tires aimed at the two rocks following the poles (avoiding the deep ruts), which they would get over to complete the obstacle. This worked for most rigs - one Lexus with a low hanging bumper couldn’t make it over the rocks so we spotted around the rocks, and stacked some smaller rocks to help.

Another group not part of the safety clinic went through the frame twister in the down time between safety clinic groups. We did not spot them (they had their own spotter), but they did not pick the best line and got stuck in the ruts. Tire spinning and bouncing followed… but they eventually got through it. We also saw a Toyota try and fail to get over the other obstacle with the logs, across from the frame twister.

The last group to come through was a little after 5 PM. After this, we all drove back down to Area 5 from the obstacle course. The students remained in their groups to take photos, with the groups spread out across Area 5. I had already packed up my camp earlier, so I said my goodbyes and left at this point.

This was my first time volunteering at clinic. It was great to work with the dedicated club members and prospectives, and to see the enthusiastic students have fun in their 4x4s. Hope to see everyone out on a future run soon.

-Dishaan Ahuja (prospective member)

[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (5/15/20)

ED4: A Helping Club

Over many months of being a prospectus member, I noticed a theme I have seen repeatedly in the time I’ve been considering joining the club. The theme is how the club helps its members and others in the community. This quality really makes the club shine as compared to other groups that are more social in nature and do not have a mission to help the off-roading community. My first trip that was with Esprit de Four was in May of 2019. I attended the safety clinic as a student with my stock 2015 JK Wrangler Sport along with my son. We camped out Friday night and got to know some of the club members at campfire. Unfortunately, it rained during the clinic cutting things short, so I didn’t get to know everyone. In order to complete the clinic, we attended the next safety clinic camping out again in September of 2019. I was able to meet almost all of the club at this event and learned of other events that club members attend.

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After two clinics, not only was I much more informed at being safe on the trail, but I was also hooked on off-roading. I wanted a more capable rig than my stock JK but didn’t know what or how. My son was about to get his license and while I wanted to have him drive the Jeep, I wanted to upgrade. During the September safety clinic, CJ and I discussed this situation. We got to talking about “projects” vehicles that would be good for dads and sons. I proceeded to buy another Jeep (an under-loved 2003 TJ Sport) with the intent of working on both Jeeps with my son. Due to the club’s help, I learned directly from those who have been through similar upgrades before. This person to person help is so much more valuable, responsive and personal than watching YouTube videos or reading websites.

I decided to attend King of the Hammers in February 2020. The club told me where to find them in the mass of 60,000 attendees. They offered me a windbreak for camping out in my Jeep, dinner, and friendship taking me to some of the key events of the week. It was here that I really talked about what I could do with the “new” 2003 TJ. The group really took the time to share with me their deep knowledge of the learnings they gathered over the years.

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Over the course of the summer, the TJ got bigger 35” tires, beadlock wheels, a long arm lift and full armor. Meanwhile, my son and I learned how to make small repairs. We redid brakes, added a winch, replaced wiring, and belt drive accessories on the TJ. We swapped out the radio and added a backup camera on the JK. During these upgrades and repairs, the club helped on Facebook, via email, and volunteered to stop by to assist with modifications. This in turn helped me and my son to have a project during the 2020 pandemic.

In December, we participated in the toy drive where the club donated eleven rigs worth of toys to Toys for Tots.

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In February I started to pay the help forward, guiding another prospectus around on their first trip to Hollister in their new rig. I was also able to help with the May 2021 safety clinic. Even though I was a prospectus, I had been to enough events that I decided to volunteer. I was able to arrive early on Thursday and saw the hard work the club put into preparing for the event. Magnus provided us all with dinner - Chicken/Sausage de Four - which gave us great energy for the work ahead. On Friday, I was able to assist with repairing the obstacles getting them ready for clinic attendees. Kelly, Bruce, and others did the hard work of moving boulders to fill in holes that would have tripped up new drivers. On Saturday, my son and I were able to help attendees get checked into their groups and then later spot the ravine crossing and hill climb with Rick.

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During the clinic, the club helped two vehicles that were in Hollister, but not part of the clinic. On Friday, two club members provided tools and expertise to fix a disabled pickup truck on the obstacle course getting a family home. On Saturday, towards the end of the clinic, the club provided emergency communications to help rangers get immediate help to a roll-over. Later once everyone was safe, the club performed the recovery of the rig. These repairs and assistance were clear demonstrations of what drew me to this club early on. Esprit de Four is always there to help other off-roaders not only with education, but with needed help making sure no one is left behind.

Over the months of these events, I attended club meetings and saw how the club members helped each other - sometimes loaning out equipment, sometimes bringing tools and themselves to help repair each other’s rigs - other times just being there to lend thoughts and prayers for challenges club members were having in their lives. During these meetings, Dennis and the club spend time talking about what support the California Four Wheel Drive Association needs to ensure all of California off-roading is well taken care of.

I look forward to being part of Esprit de Four helping others over the coming years.

-Andrew Spyker (prospective member)

[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (5/15/20)

Trip Report: Spring Safety Clinic – May 15, 2021

Before arriving at this event, I had a gut feeling that my stock vehicle could handle most everything thrown at it. Upon arrival and seeing some heavily modded vehicles made me wonder if perhaps I had gotten in over my head!? It was reassuring to see many other participants with stock vehicles, and at the end of the day I learned that my Jeep is very capable, as long as I drive it with intention and using proper technique...

I arrived at the Upper Ranch area 5 in my 2020 Wrangler Rubicon at around 7:40am. It was chilly with just the slightest hint of drizzle.

Registration was quick and easy as was vehicle inspection and air-down. Wandering around a bit talking to club members I was impressed at how things were so well organized.

I was assigned to the yellow group where we had ~11 student vehicles (mostly Jeeps plus two pickups) plus three club members running lead/mid/tail: Daryl, Chris and Joanna. A very friendly and lively group, everyone seemed to be excited for what the day held in store.

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The day's activity was split into a classroom section in the morning and then hands-on driving skills sections in the afternoon.

Morning session: Classroom

CJ, Jason and Kelly supported the prerequisite video training with lots of good info on:

  • Knowing your vehicle's limits (clearance, approach and departure angles, etc.)

  • Practical advice with an emphasis on safety

  • Useful gear to have (recovery, jacks, fire extinguisher, etc.) Yellow Group assembling at Area 5

  • Things to be aware of and to sometimes avoid

  • Special situations, such as the risks of water crossings

  • Some clues about dealing with obstacles (e.g. momentum)

  • The importance of setting the correct tire pressure for conditions

  • Plus helpful Q & A Important tip: JEEP stands for "Just Empty Every Pocket" 😄

Afternoon Session

After a quick lunch break the afternoon session consisted of a number of hands-on skills sections.

1. Tire Placement

Getting the driver's side placed correctly was pretty straightforward. The passenger side (especially rear) not so much! It was clear that being accurate here would help navigate some of the future obstacles. I need to practice this some more. Also a very practical reminder to ask for a spotter when needed.

2. Driving the Red Trail

This was a nice drive through some of the Upper Ranch area with varied terrain to get comfortable on. Daryl, Chris and Joanna used the radio to inform us and keep the group banded together. Poison oak was everywhere! Also, while there there few a side-by-sides zipping around pretty fast which was a bit unnerving, all drivers on the trail were courteous. A few times we got out of our vehicles to walk ahead to learn what the best line would be. Daryl helped us out by demonstrating how to take a certain line or navigate a particular obstacle.

3. Obstacle Course

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Here we started with the stair steps. The advice to use just a little momentum paid off and everyone did really well. Big confidence booster!

The frame twister section was well explained by the crew manning it, and we had enough time left for everyone to run through it twice.

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4. Driving the Blue Trail

This was another chance to get more practice and see more of the park. We got to test ourselves on a couple of three-point turns in narrow spots.

The ravine was a fun obstacle with helpful tips such as don't be concerned about letting your tires ride on the sidewalls a bit.

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Finally we came upon a short but steep hill climb where we needed to stay far to driver's side on dirt while the passenger side went up over a rocky area... a little intimidating due to the lack of visibility, but in the end no big deal.

5. Hill Stop and Reverse

This was a very different exercise. Accurately backing down the hill around a corner and on an angle was an odd experience. I was glad to be able to repeat it to really understand the correct technique. After the hill obstacle we all aired-up and assembled for a group photo before heading out of the park at about 5:30pm.

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Take-aways:

  • The driving skills sessions were invaluable. Lots of wisdom/guidance along with plenty of support was offered generously!

  • Learning to trust my spotters was not difficult, as all staff were very supportive and helpful— they boosted my confidence

  • A felt a real sense of camaraderie among the club members and students

Looking forward to more off-road experiences with the club!

Jim Stratton, prospective member

[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Fun Run (11/21/20)

This fun run was my first time wheeling, besides the September Safety Clinic which I
attended. I had a great time out on the trails and watching those who took on the harder
obstacles. Thanks to all who helped organize this!

I arrived at Hollister just before 8 am, to make sure I could get in and have enough time
to air down. I saw a couple ED4 members in line, including Daryl in the Samurai in front
of me and CJ in the line further back.

With the help of Gaia GPS, I found my way to the meeting point at the oak tree with
plenty of time to air down and introduce myself to the members present. Others slowly
trickled in over the next half hour.

I realized my truck (a double cab long bed) was pretty much the longest vehicle anyone
had brought for the trails (see comparison picture at Hector Heights below). This meant
I needed to do a few 3 and 4 point turns at some places on the trails.

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Daryl volunteered to lead the newbies and those looking for a more relaxed experience through the park (thank you!). We first went up to Hector Heights, successfully beating the lunch crowd. On the way back down, there were quite a few rigs coming the opposite way, and it took some time and careful maneuvering on both sides to pass.

We next headed to the granite pit area. I did bottom out once, which reminded me I need real skid plates and some rock sliders. Seems I got away without breaking anything this time though, and I’ll plan to install some protection before future runs.

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Next up was the ravine. I parked and watched some of the others skillfully navigate it. It was great inspiration for when I have more skills and a more capable rig.

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We drove on some more trails after this, passing by the rock garden. I bypassed it, but watched some of the others driving through. My truck could have made it through, but I was wary due to already having scraped the underside and not having proper skid plates etc so I took the bypass. I also bypassed the tunnel.

I wanted to record a track of where we went, so I had Gaia GPS set to record, but I must have forgotten to grant it permission to get my location in the background, because nothing ended up being recorded. I’ll keep that in mind for next time. I also didn’t have my ham license at the time of the fun run, so I used an FRS radio I brought.

I had also brought recovery/safety gear like a snatch strap and soft shackles, a tire patch kit, fire extinguisher, first aid kit etc, but luckily did not end up needing it this time.

We eventually returned to the old obstacle course and went through the frame twister. We decided to call it a day shortly after this. I aired back up using a portable compressor I brought, and we left the park. It was a fun day, and I am looking forward to future runs with the club!

-Dishaan Ahuja (Prospective)
2019 Toyota Double-Cab/Long-Bed TRD

[ED4] Trip Report: Death Valley Fall '20

Death Valley Trip Report - October 21-27

I’d forgotten how much fun it is driving down I-5 to Bakersfield. NOT. Wow that is a boring stretch of road. Now try it in a 37-year-old vintage Toyota Land Cruiser. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I arrived in Ridgecrest Wednesday night for my last night sleeping in a regular bed and a morning shower. After some emails and texts with Bruce, we soon discovered all of us who were driving Pleasant Canyon the next day were staying in Ridgecrest. We all met up the next morning at the gas station across the road from my hotel and bumped elbows, exchanged names, topped off our fuel tanks and we were off to Ballarat.

Most of the drive was on the highway, then as we turned onto a dirt road, we all aired down our tires and proceeded to Ballarat and checked out the little ghost town with a jail and quite a few donkeys hanging around.

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The Pleasant Canyon was a very fun drive, and my introduction to the group, and the technique for spotting when we got to some tough spots such as “chicken rock”. I’ll admit with a significant drop off to the right side of the road, when being directed through chicken rock and Bruce pointed for me to go right, I didn’t do it. I mentioned it to him later and he laughed and said when Vidas also directed him to the right, he didn’t do it either.

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However, from then on I followed the spotters instructions as they clearly had a better view of what was happening under my tires and differentials than I did. While Bruce looked like he was directing a 747 into the gate, his directions were very easy to follow. Straight up, a little to one side to turn the wheels, then even more to make it a sharp turn.

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Instead of detailing each day, a broad stroke description actually matches the scenery. I was amazed at the vastness of the park, in addition to Death Valley. We went over and through several mountain ranges, and a big beautiful valley would open up before us. Then we’d go over another mountain range and there was another, and then another, spectacular views. Some of these areas had no paved roads, so its clear very view tourists get to most of what we saw on this trip.

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The severity of the off-road routes varied. Some sections would have been passable by a 2-wheel drive truck, but most needed 4-wheel drive, and of course there were a handful of more difficult sections where a spotter was very helpful to get through unscathed.

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I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this trip as it relates to the pandemic. I felt very safe the whole trip. Obviously when in my own truck there was lots of social distance. The times we stopped for lunch or to look in an abandoned mine, Charles Manson’s hideout, or to survey and spot though a tough section, everyone kept a decent distance and there was usually a light breeze to a stiff wind blowing.

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While I’d say we relaxed our caution a bit over the trip, we all camped separately, fixed our own meals separately, and no campfire to sit around and chat, which we all missed. I changed that a little Saturday night when I fired up my old school white gas Coleman lantern. After we’d all had dinner, we got together in a big circle with plenty of social distance around the lantern and talked until we got cold. Sunday night Bruce, Patrick, Joe and I, with the wind blowing like stink, did that again because we just couldn’t go to bed at 7:30 even though it was dark. So with beer and cocktails, warm jackets, gloves and fleece hats, we sat around the Colman lantern, swapping jokes and solving world problems until close to 11PM, with the wind getting worse and worse.

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It was an interesting Sunday night for sure. We’d been warned by the camp host that the wild donkeys in the area would destroy our camp if we left anything out. I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical, but at the same time I packed up any extra gear into the back of my truck, as did Patrick and Joe who were right next to me, and went to bed with the wind howling, shaking my tent like it was a prank. Dust and silt were blowing up and under the rain fly to the mesh netting of the main tent, which then filtered down all over everything in the tent. What a mess. As you might imagine sleep was sporadic with the tent shaking, so I was awake at 2:30AM when I heard a loud growl right outside my tent. My first thought - that doesn’t sound like a donkey. You’ll laugh, but I loudly growled back, and hit the side of my tent. It was blowing around so much I doubt the animal could tell I did that, and then it growled again, and it sounded within a few feet from my tent. So of course I growled back again even louder, and then laughed at myself. There was no more growling and I got back asleep when a little after 3AM, extremely loud HEE-HAWING started up by a number of donkeys who were clearly right in our camp between me and Patrick & Joe. It was a bit unnerving because they were so close, but it was also pretty darn funny. Fortunately that didn’t last too long and I was able to get back to sleep again. The wind had lightened a little by morning, but was still blowing as we all packed up our tents and gear ready for our last day of the journey.

Last but not least was the weather and temperature. Overall, we had fantastic weather with blue skies and a few clouds. It was hot during the day the first couple of days, with comfortable cooler temps at night to sleep. Friday afternoon when we arrived at the Visitor Center to pay for entry into the park it was pretty hot at 97 degrees, but it was a dry heat. Saturday night we were in sweatshirts and jackets around the lantern. Monday after the big wind storm overnight, we stopped for lunch which we always ate outside, but we all got back into our rigs to eat because it was pretty cold. Bruce’s Jeep has an onboard thermometer which read 27 degrees, along with a very stiff wind.

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It was an epic trip. Bruce and Vidas did a great job planning and leading the group. It was a great group of people and lots of fun. I’d not only highly recommend others to participate if they host it again next year, I would go again in a heartbeat.

Rye Livingston
1983 BJ42 Toyota Land Cruiser

[ED4] Trip Report: Death Valley Fall '20

Trip Report: Death Valley (Oct. 22 - 26, 2020)

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This was my first time visiting Death Valley and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. My friend Joe joined me in my 2008 4Runner (3 inch lift with 32” BFGs). We had a great time! This off-road trip was an incredible way to see the park; we were able to see quite a few different regions in this massive park. 

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I joined for the “Core Days” of the trip, but all of the other folks did the optional day (Pleasant Canyon Loop) before the Core Days, and the add-on day (Cerro Gordo). We met the group Thursday evening in the Ballarat ghost town. Very unique place with plenty of space to camp (and bathrooms). 

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Friday morning we headed out on Goler Canyon road. Visited some sites like Barker’s Ranch (where Charles Manson and gang were captured) and, later in the day, the Geologist’s Cabin (where we had lunch). Getting to the top of Mengel’s pass provided the first technical driving of the trip. Fun ascent and no problems. On the way down the other side, we got views (and eventually drove by) the beautiful Striped Butte. After lunch, we rejoined the pavement and proceeded north to Furnace Creek where we got gas and park passes. We then headed out to Echo Canyon as the sun was starting to set, and arrived at our campsite next to the Eye of the Needle. For me, this campsite was the best of the trip: we camped just north of the Needle with canyon walls rising around us, with plenty of space to spread out and relax. 

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Saturday morning we headed north, but were soon stopped as Scott radioed in that he had a flat. Unfortunately this was the beginning of the end of the trip for Scott and his wife Tuyet. He turned around and headed to town (Beatty) to try to find a new tire. We continued up Echo Pass and then onto Beatty, where we gassed up and met up with Scott and Tuyet. They were unable to find a new tire, so we unfortunately had to say goodbye and they headed home. We next headed west on Titus Canyon Road, which was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Stunning views of the Amargosa Range as you re-enter the park. Equally impressive views as we entered the canyon, with unique rock formations and the road twists, turns, and descends, eventually opening up into Death Valley. From there, a bit more pavement driving north to Mesquite Spring campground. 

Sunday morning we took a short drive north to Ubehebe Crater, a massive volcanic crater 600 feet deep and half a mile across. We then headed south on Racetrack Road toward, of course, the Racetrack. It seems to have been fairly recently graded and the washboard wasn’t too bad. We stopped for a photo at Teakettle Junction (though we forgot to bring a teakettle to add to the collection). Soon we arrived at the Racetrack where we spent quite a bit of time exploring the Grandstand and the southern part of the Racetrack. If we had more time, I would have loved to have done the hike that Jeff pointed out where one can clearly see the tracks of the rocks from a height (especially at sunset). We next visited the Lippincott Mine, and then proceeded to Lippincott Mine Road. It wasn’t as hairy as I expected, though there were a few washouts. This drive was one of the highlights for me: coming up over the Last Change Range (I think that’s right), and then opening up into the Saline Valley. From there we drove across Saline Valley. (It was amazing how each of these different segments of the trip provided different looking surroundings, rock formations, and colors.) We drove west across the valley and eventually to an abandoned ranch near Snowflake Mine. We then drove east across the valley toward Saline Valley Warm Springs. Under normal circumstances, we would have been treated to naturally heated hot tubs, pools, and showers in this oasis in the desert. Unfortunately Covid had the pools closed. The weather was extremely windy (and a bit cold), but we all survived and no one lost a tent. Although it was disappointing the pools weren’t open, it gives us something to look forward to next time. 

Monday morning we headed south, toward South Pass, which brought us up the Panamint Mountains and provided another incredible view: looking south across the beautiful Panamint Valley. Just before this, we parted ways with the group since we were on our way home, and they had the rest of the day to explore and go to Cerro Gordo. 

It was an awesome adventure, with a great group of folks (all of whom I was meeting for the first time). Big thanks to Vidas and Bruce for all of their work planning and leading the trip. (And a hat tip to Connie who lent me a Rotopax for the trip.)

Best,
Patrick Mueller


[ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (9/19/20)

My family and I communicated with Ellen with intentions to camp in Area 5 with the club but due to Covid, reasons we had to camp on our own in Hollister's Lower Ranch.

I want to share a little about our camping experience in case it could help future Safety Clinic students looking to camp. Hollister offers 2 camping options at a cost of $10 per vehicle and 6 persons per site:

  • Option 1:

    • Camp at the Lower Ranch on a 1st come 1st serve basis and the Lower Ranch does have flushing toilets, running water, and garbage bins

  • Option 2:

    • Camp at the Hudner Ranch on a reservation basis however, Hudner Ranch has only drop toilets and no running water. The part described Hudner Ranch as an attractive campsite for those looking for the private and secluded camping experience

What worked for my family was the park told us to book Hudner Ranch so we could have a guaranteed campsite but if spacing is available at the Lower Ranch when we check-in, we could then camp at the Lower ranch. So was exactly what we did.

My group was mainly 7 family members 5 adults, 2 kids, and 1 family friend. 3 of 4 rigs from our group participated in the clinic. The picture attached were taken at the Safety Clinic and taken Sat morning just as we were leaving camp to head over to Area 5.

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  • My - White 1996 ZJ Grand Cherokee,(small lift, 32" tires, no lockers)

  • My cousin, Tri Nguyen's - Gunmetal Gray 2005 Nissan Frontier (small lift, 31" tires, factory rear locker)

  • My friend, Thy Nguyen's - Cement Gray 2019 Tacoma TDR Sport (4" lift, 33" tires, factory rear locker)

  • My other cousin with the Red FJ Cruiser was suffering from a major case of FOMO because he failed to register for the clinic

We all agreed our favorite parts were, the obstacle course, camping, and learning about all the safety practices. We could have used a bit more training on camping wildlife safety because coincidentally, our campsite was invaded by a skunk that night before. Luckily nothing bad happened, other than we all lost 2 hours of sleep trying to patiently usher the skunk away from our camp, but minor wildlife training information could have been handy for us that night and for future trips. And perhaps a little segment about bring in bring out best practices could help folks with their trip survival planning.. especially when it comes to spare parts, tools fluids etc.

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My personal favorite was the stair climb and the hill climb. I was amazed to discover my limited equipped Jeep was able to get thru those obstacles. I also realized a need more practice maintaining eye focus with my spotter and more practice with tire placement.

Thank you so much for hosting one of the most pleasant, educational, and entertaining experiences my family has ever been on.

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I look forward to contributing, getting to know, and learning from club members.

David Tran

[ED4] Trip Report: Sierra Trek '19

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I had a great time going to Sierra Trek for my very first time. My Jeep is now on 35s but since I only have a front locker, I was apprehensive about doing the Fordyce trail. I opted for doing Signal Peak (first time) and another short run on Saturday afternoon, where even a stock JL made it through by taking some bypasses. Contrary to what I had heard in the past, you can have a blast at Sierra Trek even if you don’t drive the toughest trail. We camped out by the lake with several other club guys, my friend actually caught some trout that we had for dinner Saturday night, and everyone there was very hospitable. The evenings get a bit loud with the music and partying but nothing too out of control. I would definitely encourage anyone and everyone with a 4x4 to go to Sierra Trek, even if they don’t feel ready for the Fordyce trail. The atmosphere is fantastic!

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Alex Florea

[ED4] Overnight Trip Report #1: Safety Clinic (9/2017)

Arrived at Area 5 in Hollister Hills around 5:30 or so and found a level area to set up camp. After tent was up and rear of Jeep organized the potluck was beginning in earnest. I made some lazy man’s pulled pork in the crock pot and some North Carolina style coleslaw for a side and there was plenty of other tasty food to go around.

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After dinner Jason pulled out the portable movie screen and after a bit of “technical difficulties” the sound was 5X5 and ready to roll. A couple of off roading shorts and onto the main show for comedy night at the campfire.

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Always enjoy a fire and this was no exception, nice conversation, a warm fire and few beverages make for a nice evening.

On Saturday morning, a nice pot of coffee on the backpacking stove and some oatmeal and I was ready for the driver inspections assignment.

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I really enjoyed seeing all the different modifications and talking with the students. After driver inspections, and a couple of student runs to the classroom I helped Joe and Joanna set up the tire placement course. Once this was completed I packed up the tent and camp and had to make an early exit due to a family commitment with some out of town guests. While I was disappointed I could not support the club for the whole day and enjoy another night around the fire, the time I was able to spend and get to know folks better was very enjoyable. The event was well planned, well organized during the morning and thanks to all who were able to stay all day and make this a great event for the students. When I took the course in May 2017, I learned so much that made me more comfortable to challenge myself within my experience and I am sure these students gained that same confidence.

Joe Morris

[ED4] Trip Report CA4WD Winter Fun Fest - (1/16/2018)

Joe & Mary Jane Morris I arrived into Grass Valley around 3:00 and checked into a cozy VRBO rental house as I was afraid for snow and cold weather and we are tent campers…so I took the easy way out. Since this was the boss’s first off road trip, and being cold is very low on her list of fun things, I felt this was wise.

I drove solo from Fairfield where I had to be for a business meeting on Friday morning and Mary Jane drove up with Dave and Denice Kapp from the Morgan Hill area.

I had signed up for the HAM exam through My Off Road Radio, I had tried to get the 8 hour “ham cram” course also, but it was full when I inquired. After arriving at the fairgrounds and checking in I sat through the last 1.5 hours of the course and I am very happy that I did not sit through that for 8 straight hours. The on-line course was very well done and with all resources available to take practice tests I felt very prepared. The “classroom” was not very conducive to learning. The students who sat through the full day were not too happy. The exam finally started around 5:30 and as people were hitting the bar and milling around and towards the end cueing up for dinner around us I completed the exam. 34/35 and I am now licensed as a technician.

Nice to spend some time with all the ED4 folks at a common table and after dinner and catching up we retired for the evening.

Breakfast Saturday morning was a long line exacerbated with one of the griddles being down. “No pancakes for you” as we went through.

Check in at the K-mart and an honor system inspection process was next. Segregation of vehicle by capability began and the bulk of the ED4 folks ended up in group B. A short pre-ride briefing was held by the trial boss, stressing the need for the “C” group to pull their own weight when they get stuck, getting us thinking there might be some challenges ahead.

After a short ride to a staging area for all to catch up we progressed on the days run. Mary Jane really enjoyed the ride through North Bloomfield (formally Humbug), a thriving town of over 2,000 in late 1870, turned into a ghost town when hydraulic mining was outlawed in 1884 and now abandoned. Severla building are still standing and there is a small museum that looked to be active, but not open that morning. After about 1.5 hours we arrived in Graniteville and aired down. There was an active cemetery at this location with the earliest gravestone we could read from the late 1830’s. Off to higher elevations in search of snow, there were some traces between 5 & 6 thousand feet but we did not get into anything appreciable until over 7,000 feet.

From our lunch spot in a large snow covered clearing you could see the Sierra Buttes clearly and a great view of the valley.

We made our way back down the other side of the peak and aired up on highway 41 after a relatively easy day of driving.

Being from Michigan, this was a typical spring day…lots of mud, some snow and just generally soupy. Nothing too technical or challenging, but a great first ride for Mary Jane and Coco. They are looking forward to the next trip!

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{ED4] Trip Report: Hollister Safety Clinic (9/20/2017)

I arrived at Area 5 at about noon on Friday, and met up with a few of the guys. Ron invited me to ride with him on a pre-run to stake the two trail routes. I enjoyed talking with Ron, getting to know him and learning a more about the club. The SVRA park has changed a bit since I was there last.

After returning to Area 5, I found a quiet spot in a corner and set up my camp site. That evening was the pot-luck, and once the sun went down the breeze cooled things off a lot, so I took advantage of the fire before the movie started.

Saturday morning started early, and as expected, participants began to arrive about 7:00 AM. I was assigned to "shadow" people on the inspection team, which I found very enlightening. I learned a few things about what to look for, along with the pros and cons of various factory and after market accessories.

After a very long break during the participant training window, I was assigned to assist with the Stair Step obstacle. I took up a position at the bottom, and spent the rest of the afternoon learning some valuable lessons from Dick. We both worked constantly to keep the dust down by sweeping some of the dirt from the obstacle.

I was super impressed with the ability of the drivers to quickly pick up pointers and follow instructions. I was also super impressed with those non-off-road vehicles that successfully negotiated the steps. In the end, nothing was broken, everyone was able to safely climb to the top, and I'm sure each of the drivers completed that task with a sense of accomplishment and pride.

I participated in the Ed4 Safety Clinic a couple of years ago, and I've spent time at Hollister SVRA on my own and with others. Nevertheless, I learned some things I will be able to use when negotiating obstacles like the stair step. Dick's mantra, "It's about momentum", will stick with me forever.

Saturday evening was the dinner for the participants. I sat with three guys I've never met before and we talked about the day. Both the food and the conversation were good. It seemed to me that everyone enjoyed themselves. Once it got dark, I dropped back to my camp site and turned in early.

Sunday morning I broke camp, loaded my car, checked out, and headed for home at about 8:30 AM. I was impressed with the respect everyone has for the sport, and the genuine effort being made to share it with newbies'. I found the Ed4 Safety Clinic very organized as a participant a couple of years ago, and I found it just as organized while working the event this year.

I appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the event this year, and I am looking forward to future trips and events.

Neale Wade
Prospective member


[ED4] Trip Report - Applegate Trail (10/3/2017)

On Friday morning I arrived at the rendezvous location in Pleasanton at about 7:30 AM, and met Arline in the Safeway. She was wearing an Ed4 club shirt so I introduced myself. It turns out that both of us can't stand to be late, which means we're usually too early. It gave me time to purchase a couple of last minute items, like ice. We met up with our guides just prior to the official meeting time.

Originally there were nine cars signed up for this trip, but one was unable to come and others were traveling on their own. Eventually we lined up and our little caravan of four cars headed north. It didn't take long for me to discover that my new CB antenna was not cooperating with my primary radio, so I switched to my hand held CB unit.

We made a comfort stop just after reaching I-5, and after a gas stop just south of Redding we left I-5 and headed north east on Hwy 299. We topped up with gas again at the Chimney Rock gas station, where we met up with two more cars.

One of the cars was coming to Plumb Valley camp ground with us and one was staying in a nearby motel, and another couple was rumored to be at the motel already. The camp ground was deserted when we arrived, and because it was almost dark everyone quickly set up camp. We must have been hungry too since we all focused on eating dinner.

After dark we all gathered at one of the fire pits and talked for a couple of hours. It was cold, and the fire was not producing enough heat, so we headed to our tents fairly early. Later, Peter showed up and found a spot with the group, and sometime after he arrived another car came into the camp ground. They were not with our group.

I didn't sleep well for some reason, but I did get eight hours of sleep even though I was awake and restless part of the time. I got up about 7:00 AM, packed everything back into my car and ate a hot breakfast. I also met a big dog which was not part of our group, that came in with the late night arrivals.

On Saturday morning we all gathered at the Davis Creek church, at 8:30 AM, for photos and a drivers meeting. It was decided to use FRS radios for communication and Detlef loaned me one of his spares with a fresh set of batteries. I've been interested in purchasing a pair of FRS radios, so it was an opportunity to learn something about them.

The day was spent following the lead car, which alternated between Detlef and Vidas, and locating the Applegate Trail markers. Not being as hardy as the immigrants, we spent the day with the transfer case in high range, although mine was locked to split the power 50/50 front and rear. It was interesting to get a hint of what the immigrants experienced as they traveled west into Oregon.

We had some fun in the afternoon. Detlef was leading with me behind him, and the route passed through a wet meadow. He decided to give it a try and I said "I'll wait here to see how this turns out". Even though it was pretty marshy he made it almost half way across, but when he fell into a soft hole it was all over. I used the radio to notify everyone that we "were going to need a jeep and lots of tow straps".

Team work, five tow straps, and two jeeps made short work of recovering the sunk FJ Cruizer. Once back on dry land Detlef surveyed his car while the rest of us tried to clean up ourselves and our gear. I used a lot of hand sanitizer but my straps may never be the same, which is Ok. We kidded Detlef about the apperance of his car since it looked like something from a swamp monster movie, but it was a great opportunity to practice recovery tasks.

We back tracked a bit and took a longer route to the next trail marker. Late in the afternoon we desended past Mud Lake which is dry, towards Clear Lake where we chose a camping area that seemed flat enough to accomodate eight cars and plenty of camping equipment. It was fairly open though, and a cold wind was blowing so setting up the tents etc was a bit tricky. After dark we gathered without a camp fire, covered in blankets and comforters, to hear some stories related to Peter's recent volunteer stretch with the Red Cross in Florida.

On Sunday morning we broke camp and got underway at 9:00 AM, after another drivers meeting. Everyone was in good spirits, even though this was an improvised camp site: Possibly the best example of primitive camping at its worst. Not everyone enjoys this kind of camping and some tolerated it more than others. We were all glad to be back on the trail in our dusty and dirty but warm and comfy cars. It was another opportunity to "experience" the kind of travel wagon trains provided.

Throughout the trip I was constantly amazed that the immigrants kept moving, thinking to myself, "This looks wonderful. It has water and game and plenty of wide open space". I often wondered what kept people from just dropping out of the trip and settling right there? The trip could not have been fun, or comfortable, or even safe at times. Everyone must have been tired of rough trails, broken equipment, tired animals, poor food, crabby travel companions, cold, hot, wind, long days, going up using multi-teams and then having to go down with locked wheels and rope drags. Everyday was hard and advancing eight to ten miles was a good day.

I was tired just thinking about it, so I was pleased when Sunday evening morphed into a spa night. We were down to three cars with five people and we decided to stay in a motel at Klamath Falls, take a hot shower, and eat at a restaurant. It was nice ... I'm not sure that I would have made it to Oregon by wagon train ...

On Monday morning we met in the parking lot at 8:00 AM, intending to get an early start on another day hunting for trail markers. The cars were covered in ice and as we started to leave the parking lot we discovered that Vidas' car had a low tire. Detlef pumped it up and we drove to a nearby Les Schwab Tire center to have it fixed. It was done in a jiffy, at no charge, and as we were preparing to leave Vidas double-checked their work. Evidently it was written up as the front left (drivers side) tire and it should have been the front right (passenger) tire. So it had to be done again.

At this point I decided to leave the group and head home instead of spending another day on the trail. It was hard for me to leave them as I knew what I would be missing, but I had promised to visit my Mom and I was already a day late. I left Klamath Falls at about 9:15 AM and headed south, where I was constanly impressed by how beautiful this part of California is.

I was super glad I could go on this trip and happy to meet some new people. It wasn't a difficult trip, and except for a couple of spots where we used low range for finess and control it was a simple trail ride. It was slightly rough do to the small-ish sized rocks, and we probably should have aired down earlier as a couple of us ended up with minor sidewall cuts. I believe the most difficult part was matching GPS coordinates to routes, to get us where we needed to be, and I would like to thank our guides for an excellent, safe, and fun trip.

Neale Wade

P.S. I forgot to return the FRS radio to Detlef, so I'll bring it to the next Ed4 club meeting.

Safety Clinic Trip Report: 9/16/2017

Friday evening:
I headed down to Area 5 at Hollister Hills a little later than planned after being tied up with work. Fortunately, I made it in time to catch the tail end of the potluck. After filling my belly, I "set up camp", which was mostly just rearranging some stuff since I planned to sleep in the back of my Jeep. Meanwhile, some club members had set up a campfire and a temporary movie screen to watch some shows, and I eventually joined. After some entertainment, I headed back to my Jeep for the night. It got a bit chilly overnight, and I was glad I had a warm sleeping bag. 

Saturday morning:
I was up with the sun, and before I knew it, students started showing up with their rigs. I shadowed vehicle inspections as students arrived and got checked in. A little before 9am, I got in line with my Jeep to help shuttle students over to the classroom. 

Upon returning to Area 5, it was time for me to meet up with Joe K. to set up the tire placement course, which I had been assigned to work in the afternoon. Joe explained to me the whys and the hows of running the tire placement exercise. Then he started placing the "boulders" and "trees" while having me test drive the course to check that it wasn't too easy nor impossible. Once done with setup, we had a little bit of downtime before the classroom instruction finished and it was time for us to shuttle the students back to Area 5. 

In the afternoon, Joe and I guided the students through the tire placement course as they rotated through. The first three groups came back to back to back, with little time for breaks for us. We finally got quite a long break before the last group arrived. Throughout the afternoon, I observed that the drivers ranged from timid to experienced. And, I was pleased to see roughly 12 ladies driving, including a 17-year-old, quite a few more compared to last year when I took the clinic. 

At the end of the afternoon, we picked up the course, and pretty soon it was time for dinner. Mmmmm...BBQ, hot dogs, and sides, as well as ice cream for dessert. It was also a great opportunity to chat with club members, other prospectives, and even a student who might be interested in showing up to a future newbie run. 

Overall, I had a great time even though I was pretty tired by the end of it. It seemed like a great event from my little corner of it. 

-Joanna (prospective)

2018 Winter Fun Festival Trip Report (1/28/2018)

On Friday Jan. 12, 2018:
I headed up to Grass Valley for the Cal4Wheel Winter Fun Fest. I arrived mid-afternoon, checked in to the hotel, got some food and gas for the next day, and then headed to the Nevada County Fairgrounds for the event. When I got there, I found a few ED4 members, including Connie, Arline, Ole, and Dick, already gathered at the end of a table. The group would grow quite a bit throughout the evening as more people arrived. We got in line early for dinner, as recommended by club members who had been to Winter Fun Fest before. After dinner and some conversation, I left the fairgrounds relatively early since Saturday would be an early start (at least by my standards). 

Saturday morning:
The Blizzard Brigade group met at the KMart parking lot for staging. There was a little bit of a shuffle as everyone was lining up and ED4 was trying to stay together. Then we found out the trail leader and crew was splitting the the group into A, B, and C groups based on rig capability. Since I do not have lockers, I had to be in group C. Connie was nice enough to stay with me in group C. Most (all?) of the rest of the ED4 people on this run ended up trying to stay together in group B. The trail leader said he would put more crew with group C to help us out and we should have our tow straps handy. At this point, I became a little worried because we were not expecting a lot of snow. What kind of trails were we going to go on that would cause the leader and crew to think we might get stuck or need help if we didn't have lockers? Were there going to be significant obstacles to get over? Was I getting myself in over my head?

When we got underway, we took the freeway northeast a little ways and then continued on a combination of small paved and unpaved roads, passing through the historic town of North Bloomfield and some other settlements. At some point, we stopped to air down. The higher we went, the more mud we were seeing on the trail. Finally, we started to see traces of snow, which became more frequent and larger patches. Just before our lunch stop, there was a significant amount of snow where we made a left hand turn. As I was making the turn, I felt the rear end of my Jeep slide out. Wheeee/Eeeeek! (depending on your perspective. You might guess which one mine was, given I had never driven in snow before.) Fortunately, it was rather wide there, and I was fine once I regained control. 

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We enjoyed lunch at the top of snow covered Pinoli Ridge, which had a nice view as well. As we continued downhill, we got to enjoy driving in the snow for a while. Then it turned into the damp stuff that threw mud all over the side of my Jeep again. When the dirt trail turned into paved road, we aired up, and that seemed to be the end of the run as far as the leaders were concerned. However, not being familiar with the area, to me it seemed like we were still in the middle of the woods. I would have appreciated it if they at least led us back to highway 49. Overall, I had a good day on the trail and was happy we found snow. I did not have any trouble on the trail despite the concern in the morning. 

When I arrived back at the fairgrounds, the dinner line was already forming. I got in line, and the family in front of me looked familiar. I had seen them that morning at the hotel! We got to talking, and I find out that the dad already knew about ED4 and was thinking about attending the Safety Clinic and meeting the group. I invited them to join the ED4 table at dinner and meet some people there. They also told me about the SUV run they had gone on and how informative their trail leader was about the areas they passed through, and convinced me that I wanted to go on the SUV run on Sunday. I lucked out and was able to get a spot on the run from someone (you can reveal yourself if you choose) who decided not to go due to a check engine light. I stayed at the fairgrounds after dinner for the raffle, but did not win anything. Then, I was off to get ready for the next day. 

Sunday morning:
I was back at the fairgrounds for staging for the SUV run. Before we left, the trail leader told us a little about the history of the area we would be driving through. Then, we headed out to Alleghany and dropped onto a dirt trail from there. The pace on this run was much more leisurely than Saturday's, and I soon found myself riding the brakes more than I liked in 4Hi. 4Lo turned out to be perfect for the speed. I was able to enjoy the scenery more on Sunday as well. There were portions of the trail that I thought was actually more technical than Saturday's - some steep climbs and descents, looser rocks in places, occasional streams of water that cut across and/or through the trail, and at least one hairpin turn where most of the group needed to make a 3 point turn. I had not been expecting all of this from an SUV run. 

We stopped for lunch at a bridge crossing the Middle Yuba River. It was another beautiful location for lunch. However, the trail leader got word that the trail was washed out ahead, so we did not continue on the originally planned route. Instead, we turned around and went back the way we came. The trail was interesting enough that I wasn't too bummed we had to do that. As we were almost at the top of a climb on our return, the line stopped and we got word over the radio that a CJ had gotten vapor lock. That resulted in about a half an hour wait while they tried to remedy the issue. In the end, the CJ was towed a little ways to keep the group moving, and they were eventually able to get it started again. I had another enjoyable day on the trail and was glad I made the last minute decision to do this run. I ended the day by having dinner in Grass Valley with some newly made friends, and then driving almost 3 hours straight to get home. 

Wow, that turned out a bit longer than expected. Thank you for reading all the way through. I've attached a few pictures from Sunday. 

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Joanna (prospective)

Death Valley Trip Report, April 5-8 2019

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What an awesome first four-wheeling trip for me to Death Valley with Vidas, Greg, Neale, Dennis, Mike, Yifang, Scott also Greg’s two friends, Lucky and Daniel. It was a ton of fun and improved my confidence in what I can do in my JL, which now has its first battle scars.

The trip for me was the 3 core days and I added the last day too. The first day was about getting into Death Valley from Ballarat by going up Goler Wash and over Mengel Pass. The second day was about visiting the Chloride Cliffs and going through Titus Canyon. The third day was sight-seeing at the Ubehebe Crater, Teakettle junction the Racetrack with the moving rocks as well as wheeling down Lippincott Road. The last day was going over the South Pass of Saline Valley and then over Cerro Gordo Peak, visiting the ghost town of Cerro Gordo and the mine, followed by the long drive home.

Day 1:
Vidas led us out of Ballarat to Goler Wash. Lots of nice wild-flowers which everybody enjoyed. After a short time, we came up to some stone steps, which were wet and slippery. We watched Vidas try several different routes, with his 2-door Jeep jumping around as he tried to get over the obstacle. Once he was up, he winched one of the team up and after a little ramp building with rocks, everybody else drove up with spotter help from Vidas and Greg. It was a nice demonstration of leadership, sometimes it’s just harder to be first and find the best route for everybody else to follow. We stopped in at Baker Ranch where Charles Manson was captured. On the way down from Mengel Pass, there were some very narrow rocky sections, where I was on 3 wheels for a while and then needed spotter help from Vidas. I scraped my front diff on of the rocks there. As we got to the highway in Death Valley, Daniel had a wheel break off his vehicle. That could have been so much worse way up in the hills, he was lucky to find a fellow jeeper who had an on-board welder, but the repair was incomplete and so his trip was over.

Day 2:
Mike led us out and over towards Chloride City and Chloride Cliffs. We stopped at an abandoned mine at Chloride City and then drove on to Chloride Cliffs. As I looked up the road to the top, I was quite sure I could not drive up it, but after watching Mike drive up as if the road were flat, I realized it would be simple. The view from the top of the Cliff was fantastic and I have used that as the photo to represent the trip. From there we went into Nevada and back down the highway to Titus Canyon, which is a one-way Canyon. The rock formations there were fabulous, and I enjoyed the story of Leadville, yet another abandoned mining ghost town. We did have to rescue a very dehydrated motor-cyclist in the narrow section of the canyon. Mike administered first-aid and Yifang loaded the guy into his truck and drove him to the highway for onwards transportation by ambulance. We were late to camp because of the rescue and because the expected (near to Titus Canyon) camp site was closed.

Day 3:
We started the day seeing some of the famous Death Valley sites. The huge volcanic Ubehebe Crater was our first stop and is very impressive. From there, after 20 miles of washboard roads and huge dust clouds, we got to Teakettle Junction and then on to the Racetrack. From there we continued South and went down Lippincott Road. Most of that was shelf road, but some parts were off camber, some were narrow, and some were rocky enough to need spotter help from Vidas. I like the sign at the top of Lippincott Road; “Lippincott Pass - No tow service”. We stayed in Saline Valley Warm Springs camp site, which had hot springs running into the showers and hot tubs, a nice change after some of the dry camp sites we had previously stayed at.

Day 4:
We left the camp site and went South and out of Saline Valley via the South Pass. We travelled through forests of Joshua trees, many in bloom. Some of the best scenery. By this time, we were travelling well as a pack, with everybody leaving lots of space for dust to settle between vehicles. After some difficulty finding the correct road – was it the road, was it a wash – both are very similar, we found the correct route up to Cerro Gordo mine. I must conclude that my Jeep nav. system has a software feature that it moves the “arrow” to be on the nearest road. Which sounds reasonable unless you want to know if you’re actually on the road or just close. We went above the snow line and up to about 8400 feet going over the pass. We then dropped into a small ghost town, where amazingly 2100 people used to live and work the mine. From there we dropped down the mine road through rocky canyons and shelf roads back to the highway and the end of the trip for me.

What a great adventure. Next time maybe we can do Steel Pass Road or Echo Canyon into Nevada. I’m already looking forward to it.

Bruce
2019 JL Rubicon

[ED4] September Clinic Pre-run Trip Report (9/2/17)

Despite the weather forecast with it being 100+, even at 9am it was rather warm, but nonetheless the group meet-up at the Oak tree spot as planned with about 9 rigs (Mike D. had to drop out due to some shock trouble). I was a few minutes late and had just enough time to air-down before the group headed out. We ran through several loops, most of all the trails we pre-ran were in good condition with a few noted spots for the clinic. Some spots where turns were a bit tight and/or off-camber; so, for some folks may need to spot/coach but overall in my opinion the trails we pre-ran where exceptionally good with the clinic in-mind.  This is us getting started first thing in the morning.      

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Mid-way through our morning, I noticed some folks trying to wave the group down from below the side ridge Garner Gulch trail we were traversing along the trees which is above the Adventure Track area, I got on the CB to inform the group that we were being summoned for help, and the group made our way to the Adventure Track to find this.

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After a survey by the ED4 group, Joe & I went to task to get our rigs ready for winching duty, and with Big Mike taking lead with being our winching conductor we were able to get the WJ back on its own 4 tires. Truly a team effort, with Big Mike pitching in his nice hitching rope (Need to get one in my tool bag) and orchestrating the winching for us and Dennis preparing to anchor my TJ to his 4-Runner as I was starting to slide towards the end. Below is a photo of the mid-point of getting the WJ back up and out of the hole; as, it was a tug upward out of this hole/cup while it was on its side. I’ve been meaning to upgrade my alternator, I have spec’d out  & order one with Wrangler NW just last week, and looking forward to swapping it in soon. For those of wondering about the LED light bar, the LED light bar didn’t get a scratch. ;-)

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Soon after this operation was complete, the group headed back onto the trail for a final loop with a little bit of frolicking in the old obstacle course of the pre-run, and by this time it was well over 110-degrees. We wrapped up near noon time. Quickly took a break and aired up and disbanded as it was truly one of the hotter Hollister Hill wheeling trips I’ve experience with my years wheeling there. Up there with Baja California where it can be >120-Degrees. Anyway, it was a good run, and I was glad that I was able to get out with the group on a day-trip being a prospective member. Looking forward to more runs and soon some overnights too!

-Victor

2006 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (TJ)

[ED4] 4Wheel Parts Truck & Jeep Fest Trip Report (3/19/17)

        I volunteered for a shift on Sunday during this event, I particularly like opportunities like this with interacting with folks, answering questions, and helping the club get folks excited about the clinic. Magnus had a great idea with making candy being plentifully available. It helped draw in folks with small children that otherwise would of glanced and kept on moving along. I recall that we had a nice list of names that filled out the sign-up sheet. There were quite a few good deals being made available at the event. I managed to pick up a couple things during my booth break and recall Arline’s contentment with scoring a deal on her Cell phone holder mount she score there too. :-)

        There were a number of folks who stated that they had participated in the event years prior and mentioned how they really enjoyed it. I am curious to know if the group keeps track of folks who have taken it more than once over the years? Anyway, if you haven’t done a volunteering event like this I highly recommend it; so that, you can get direct questions/concerns/feedback about the clinic.

-Victor
2006 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (TJ)
Prospective Member