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Archived Newsletter |
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APRIL 2000
Also, please VOTE YES IN THIS POLE
29th Annual Hi-Desert Round Up
SCHEDULED EVENTS
For more trip information, see TRIPS. |
CONTENTS |
CALICO WINS AGAIN
by Wayne "Never buy a tire again" Beggs
Saturday morning at 9:00 am nine (9) vehicles were lined up ready to take on the challenge of the Calico Mountains. I must admit that I had some anxiety over driving the same canyons once again for another year. I was concerned that it would be nothing but "old hat" for the repeat drivers. Well, that soon proved not to be the case.
As we completed the drive through "Taylor's wild ride", and after we caught some air in Midnight Canyon, the excitement began. We completed the crawl up this rock face and rested on top of this little mountain when Steve Frank's Wrangler decided to experience a failure of its emergency brake while Steve was outside the vehicle. It began to roll back towards a small canyon behind it while one of it's passengers tried the pretzel twist in an effort to push on the brake pedal. As you can imagine, this effort was to no avail. When behold, out of nowhere I hear the roar of the black Wrangler of Russ Chersky which he used to act as a barrier to prevent it from rolling down into the canyon below. Russ to the rescue. Who is that masked man? I thought the good guys drove white Jeeps!
Steve's Jeep and guest were very lucky. While the crew used Bay's winch and a claw hammer to get Steve's rear 1/4 panel away from the tires, his guests were busy airing out their shorts! A big thanks to Russ! This is the 2nd time he as intervened in a situation like this.
We then proceeded with little excitement until we entered Odessa Canyon. Any doubts, which I had about the same old boring trip were removed the moment we passed through the tall part of the canyon.
The recent rainstorms and the earthquakes over the past year have significantly changed the terrain. We had to pass over a short rock garden with boulders at least 3 feet in diameter. A real test for the suspension.
The next waterfall was one that seems to become easier each time we challenge it , as long as you follow the right line, and everyone did. The same can not be said for the next waterfall. All did not follow the same line. Taylor and I were the first up it and as we placed our right wheel upon the remnants of pavement and our left wheels in the deep rut we started up. As you are approximately half way up you will find that you are leaning over to your left wondering if you will remain upright. Just then your left wheel encounters a large rock which has a tendency to set your vehicle upright and lift your left side away from the rock face, which is about 10 inches from your face. If you go up and stop you will roll back into the face or if you go to the left of the rock you will go into the face of the canyon, which will result in damage to your vehicle. This waterfall was quite a challenge for all. Regretfully 4 or 5 soft tops got ripped. Steve Frank's (Mr. Lucky) driver side rear window fell prey for the wall and promptly broke into a million pieces ($275 used). Of course the Kellys, Trices and the Dyes were not to be outdone, so they left their mark upon the canyon wall as well.
We broke for lunch (I guess I shouldn't say broke at this point) and discussed the events of the last waterfall.
After lunch we headed down Doran Scenic Drive with little or no incidents. I will have to say that usually Doran is the killer of equipment, but not this year, it was Odessa. I wish to thank the following people for joining me once again at Calico. Bays (CJ5), Russ "Saint" Chersky (YJ), James Dye (YJ), Steve Frank (YJ), Jerry MacDonald (YJ), Rick Schaffer (YJ), Dave Trice (YJ), Kellys (Land Chrusher) and all their guests.
Everyone had a good attitude from the beginning and a good time was enjoyed by all, including Steve.
In the future I will be changing the name from Calico Quest to the Rock Concert. (Maybe Rockin' and Rolling would be better ed.). So next year's trip may be in some other challenging area.
BAN SOUGHT ON OFF-ROAD VEHICLES
Environ-"mental" groups launched campaigns in December to ban ATV,
motorcycle and other off-road vehicles in national parks and in one-third of the
nation's national forests. "Our public lands have essentially become
sacrifice zones for motorized cowboys to get their kicks," said Russell
Long executive director of Bluewater Network.
Bluewater and 66 other groups asked the National Park Service to ban recreational use of the off-road vehicles in 23 national parks where they are currently allowed. They also asked for tougher enforcement in about 40 large national parks where bans are already in force.
In a separate effort, The Wilderness Society joined 100 other groups in asking the Forest Service to ban the vehicles in roughly 64 MILLION acres of "roadless" areas in the 192 MILLION acre national forest system.
HUMMER BUMMER
I just read where the new Hummer II will be in the $45,000 range. That's out of
my range! Oh, well! I knew it was too good to be true.
YUPPIES SOON TO BE DRIVING FORDS
Ford has announced that they are buying the Range Rover and Land Rover product
line from BMW (who is loosing money on it), and moving it's headquarters to
Irvine, CA. Now all "real" off-road vehicles will be US owned!
ARE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES POPULAR?
There are currently 43 models to choose from, with what seems like, a new one
coming out weekly. (Jeep's still the best).
UNITED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ASSOCIATION FORCES U.S.
FOREST SERVICE TO SETTLE OUT OF COURT
United Four Wheel Drive Association, the nation's leading representative of four
wheel drive enthusiasts, has compelled the Federal Government to sign a
settlement agreement prohibiting the US Forest Service from categorically
closing roads or using the term "unroaded" in establishing roadless
areas for Wilderness for Wilderness designation. (The word roadless is not in my
spelling dictionary. -JJ)
"Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the Forest Service is banned from using the Road Moratorium to close a single mile of road", stated Carla Boucher, author of the agreement and nationally recognized attorney for United. "United obtained evidence that many, if not all, of the national forests were using the Temporary Road Moratorium to create de facto wilderness areas as part of forest planning", stated Boucher, who predicted in early 1998 that this was the plan of the Forest Service all along. "This agreement prevents the creation of de facto wilderness, protecting nearly 347,000 miles of access for motorized recreationists", remarked Boucher.
EXPLORING THE PIUTES
by Rick Schaffer
After leaving the rain and hail in L.A. on Friday, we woke up Saturday morning to bright sunshine at Jawbone Canyon. Already there were the F.I.T.S. Retirement Club (read: Jim & Betty Bays, Jon & Dale Rice and Dennis & Joan Sullivan). Shortly before 9, John Uhern (sans wife) arrived with all the kids. It seems that Lisa just wanted a day of peace since she works out of the house. We waited until 9:15 for Fearless Felando, but left without him. Taking Jawbone Canyon Road to Blue Point, we took a detour onto SC251 which short cut us back onto Jawbone just before Butterbredt Springs. After viewing the springs we began to hear a familiar voice on the CB. Dave Felando along with Zal Tepper and lady friend. They were coming into Butterbredt directly at us. We all joined up and continued on into Kelso Valley.
Continuing on Jawbone Canyon Road, we headed down to Sageland. Just above the preserve we encountered a young man who said his truck was stuck off the side of the road, and could we pull him out? He and another guy were in a 2wd full size Chevy, and were stuck off the side of the first muddy switchback that had snow. They were trying to turn around but slid off the side and were stuck.. Bays snatched them from the rear and we hung around until they were safely turned around and on their way.
As we continued on our way, patchy snow became solid and about 14 to 18 inches thick. Cool! We're going to make a snow trip out of this! Well, breaking trail is fun, but without chains, is futile. We turned around (a feat in it's self) and headed back down. But before continuing , we decided to have lunch since the weather was so nice.
Back down to Kelso Valley, we headed for Sageland the easy way. From there we headed towards Dove Springs Well via SC103. After passing the well, we paid a visit to the Bishop's grave site then back tracked to the San Antonio mine site. From there we dropped down into Alpine Canyon on SC176 which put us back at Blue Point and Jawbone Canyon Road.
Everyone aired up back at camp (white pipe). The Uherns, Felando and Tepper headed home and the rest of us Happy Houred until dinner time.
Once the pot luck was over (right at sunset), Mother Nature checked back in with wind, so we had dessert inside the Rice's party mobile. The rain came in about 11 and continued until early morning. Not too hard where we were, but in Lancaster there was a lot of standing water and mud holes.
Suzy and I left around 9 am and had rain from Palmdale all the way home. The Bays stayed until Monday and may have had snow. The Sullivans came home after us, and the Rices headed up to Georgetown to visit with the Divide 4 Wheelers to return the tires that were on the trailer they won, then head to Tahoe. (Isn't retirement fun?!)
SPARE TIME
If you are in the area near Daggett (east of Barstow) and have some time on you
hands, Wayne recommends exploring Daggett. He took some time and looked through
the streets and buildings of this little mining town. He visited a museum, a
non-operational power plant with 3 boilers, a solar power plant and visited with
the City Clerk. It was a well spent day, learning about some of the past
residents, including the daughter of John Muir.
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