Mojave Road Feb 16-18 2008

[Seanz0rz]

well, just got in, uploading pictures.

Everyone did great, thanks to chris for leading us through the desert, couldn't have done it with out you, and you're father is a pretty awesome guy, nice to have him along! Lance, nice to see you have the 4runner mostly together, and i have your bumpstop for you, but i couldnt find your coil, i think you must have dragged it onto the paved road (the land rover guys said they all saw it on the side of the road) let me know when you want it back. Jenn, it was a pleasure, as always, and thanks for the nets, those are going to be a life saver!

so far carnage includes: a whole lot of california pin stripes, screws for my alarm siren stripped out and fell off, and the gas tank skid hits the d-shaft now.

pictures to come. it was one AWESOME trip!!!

[Seanz0rz]

here is the link to all the pictures:
http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/Mojave%20Road/

and some highlights

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/Mojave%20Road/DSC02305.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/Mojave%20Road/DSC02358.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/Mojave%20Road/DSC02355.jpg

[Marc P]

I am sure that was a fun trip. Good to see Chaos Edition back in the dirt.

So when do you guys want to do that run again??

[Seanz0rz]

i say tomorrow, my back says at least a month.

its a pretty big trip, lots of gas. if we want to do it again this year, we need to do it within the next 2 months or after summer. i know im broke. maybe a october or november run?

[YotaFun]

I would be down for a trip around then.
I can come out and meet some of you west coasters :-D

[RobG]

Great Pictures can't wait to see the rest. The ice at the spring is wild, never would have thought that would freeze.

Curious how sticky Soda Dry Lake was? I've heard of people getting quite stuck in the rainy season and it looked wet when I passed it off the 15 a few weeks ago.

[reggie 00]

I would be down for a trip around then.
I can come out and meet some of you west coasters :-D


Do the June Lake Trip.

Im sure we'll pull something together this year too.

[YotaFun]

I would be down for a trip around then.
I can come out and meet some of you west coasters :-D


Do the June Lake Trip.

Im sure we'll pull something together this year too.

This summer is booked for me.
I have SE4RJ, then Takeover and EC4RJ in the north at Rausch Creek, then Whipper Snapper in August, It will have to be next year.

[slosurfer]

I'm home now, got in at 8:45pm. Great trip! PIcs and report to follow later. :thumbup:

[Marc P]

I laugh at Mohave Rd........ :flipoff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_reXl5ZMy0

If a 9 year old can do it, so can I.

[slosurfer]

I laugh at Mohave Rd........ :flipoff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_reXl5ZMy0

If a 9 year old can do it, so can I.


A 9 year old could spell Mojave better than you. :flipoff:

[cplvc]

Looks like you guys had a great time!

[YotaGirl]

This was such an awesome trip. I'll post up the pictures I have tomorrow.

Thanks, Sean for organizing another great trip. Chris...excellent trail leading. Lance it was great to finally see your truck.

[Good Times]

It was good to see all of ya again! I had a blast and sorry for bailing on ya guys a bit early.

Chris, thanks for the gps coordinates to the campsite! without those coordinates there's no way I would have found the site.

My pics are up. Didn't take as many as I thought I would (sorry!) This trip definitely was not an intensive offroading event but we did get to check out some cool places! I will say that we did get a chance to witness Chris attempt to do a soft roll ;) I know Jenn has some evidences of his "o crap" moment :)

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/index.asp (click on Mojave Trail -> 2008-02-15)

Some images

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5209.jpg

Kids do the darnest things! O wait I think these were the natives leaving their historic marks!

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5211.jpg

A view from the top with all 4 gens!

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5213.jpg

Forget which building this is but I'm sure Sean, Chris or Jenn would be able to fill us in. Apparently this site was invested with the Hata virus or something like that as it had all of the "warning labels" still on the door. I didn't bother to go in as I saw plenty of rat poo through the windows. eek!

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5214.jpg

Day two camp site @ Government Hole.

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5219.jpg

Hole in the wall. Not much of a hole but definitely one of many!

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5222.jpg

This is the trail that ya'll missed. Two sections had these "rings" attached so that you can use it to leverage yourself to get up and down. Cool stuff! I think the trail was called rings of something...

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5226.jpg

And this is where you end up at the base of the trail. Definitely the "Hole in the wall" worthy area.

http://www.chaosedition.com/photogallery/images/Mojave%20Trail/2008-02-15/DSC_5229.jpg

A remote decommissioned mine with two 15' shafts where we had our lunch.

[Good Times]

Some carnage from my vehicle:

* Fender didn't do so well after a lot of the rattling. One side had to be held together by zip ties. A must have item for all! It's just as good as duct tape.
* Hood pin failed so they're getting replaced w/ some other kinds thats meant for the abuse.
* Lost a rear driver coil again but this time it definitely did a number as I was flying through a section of the trail in the dark (left early so I was on my own). Realized something was wrong immediately as I bottomed out hard and stopped. Saw the damage done and kinda gave myself the "you dumba**" look and smacked myself in the head. The damage looks to be bad as it appears my abs sensor is damaged (xmas tree on the dash) along with physical damages to the line so it looks like that's not gonna be fun fixing it (more of the cost to replace rather than the actual physical replacing). This is what happens when you don't resolve your old pending issues and still take it out and have fun :D
* Front passenger cv was spittin grease but not sure if it's a busted cv or just the boot (will inspect later)
* Power steering is making that infamous squealing sound so I'm not sure if it's the "lack of oil" which it appears not to be but rather a bad power steering pump. I've added a bit more oil on the limp back home from Baker and the sound has subsided but it's still there so I'm guestimating the pump is bad now.
* Tranny had some issues and I suspect I didn't throw enough oil in or it's just burning quite a bit. Either way I've added significantly more and the problem has subsided. I've checked the oil and it's still nice and red so I've got no clue. Since I've upped the tranny cooler size I've added more oil to compensate for the added volume but still weird.

The limp home was no fun. Took all of the exits to make sure everything was ok. The normal 2 hour and change drive back took well over 4 hours I think so that was no fun. I think all of the stops to add oil here and there definitely held me up but it did keep me up as attempting to drive home in the whee hours was prob not the safest thing to do alone.

I definitely want to redo this trail as it's a great trail (2wd friendly for the most part 99% of it actually). Not hard to do and super fun with a lot of great sites to explore. There's a few places I'd like to go back and see so I can't wait to get my 4runner back up and running! :clap:

[cooldry]

Sorry to hear about all your misshaps Lance. Glad to see you made it back home. You should hurry and fix it up so you can go on the Death Valley trip.

[slosurfer]

We had a blast on this trip! Sean, thanks for setting it up, and dang that bumper is nice! Jen, I'm glad you were able to come out even though you were a solo parent for the trip :confused:. Lance, it was great to see your rig out on the trail again, I'm bummed we couldn't find your coil (I think you drug it a little bit and we must have took a slightly different route to kelsebaker rd, because all the rover guys saw it). Your bumpstop even had the big ziptie on it although the tie was broken. We didn't catch up with the rover guys till the end of the trail so we were a little far to backtrack. :( My dad thought everyone was great and he had a great time.

Friday we were the first ones to arrive and the original camp area was crowded so we headed up to a spot I had used before and set up in the dark. Luckily I still had cell service and was able to help guide Jen and Sean in and I was able to email Lance the coordinates to site. I think Lance got there about the time we were getting up Sat. morning.

Saturday, we headed out and hit up Piute Gorge and Piute Fort and then went around to the top of the gorge for lunch. Next we hit the petroglyphs where we crawled around the rocks awhile, and from there we hit up the penny can. Our next stop was Rock Spring, where we found the bottom part of the spring completely frozen solid, some parts were atleast 5" thick! By that time it was getting late and we wanted to look for a campspot, so we headed to gov't holes and set up camp there. It was really cold as soon as the sun went down, I realized later when I was going to bed that we were at 5,000 ft. which explained why it was so cold.

Sunday, we headed off the trail down to "Hole in the Wall" which was pretty cool. From there we headed back up towards the road and then took a side trip down another canyon rd. The problem was that the map didn't say that there was a low RR bridge to go under, so we had to drive the RR access road for quite a few miles to get back to the road. Then we headed up past Cima dome and checked out a mine we saw on the map and ate lunch there. Then we headed back down to the Mojave Trail and hit up Marl Springs and then the "mailbox" where we made UY known to those traveling the road. From there we went down to the lava fields to try to find a camp. We took Indian springs trail which was to take us up and through the fields and back down to where we wanted to camp. I proceeded to try a hard line through a rut and nearly flopped, I think I scared the people who were watching more than I was :D, then we were on the trail and ended up at a 25ft. straight drop waterfall with no way down. Lance actually found the trail to get us back down and we got to camp and still had a touch of daylight. This was the first spot that wasn't cold as we were setting up camp and the kids were pretty happy about that. We topped off our tanks and I had to buy some extra gas from Lance since I only brought one can and we had done a ton of extra side trips (thanks Lance :thumbup: ). Lance left us rather late after we had a "who's is bigger" contest with our Lightforce lights (His XGT's won, but my HID's were pretty close though :)) Not too much later, he called me and told me about his misfortunes :(

Monday we headed out and hit Soda lake and the rock pile, stopped under the trestle at the beginning of Afton Cyn. and then finished the trail with the last water crossing not being bad at all. We all ate in Barstow and then went our own ways. We ended up getting in a traffic jam that was at least 7 miles long waiting for the light at Kramer's Jct. (58 and 395), well after about 3 miles and 45 minutes and seeing how much farther I had to go to hit the light, I saw a way out. I cut over to the RR access road and bombed down the road at prerunner speeds and was able to pull through a gas station and onto the road just as the light turned green. I probably shaved another 45min. off out wait. :hillbill: The rest of the drive home was easy peazy. PIcs next.

[slosurfer]

Near the begining of the trail
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6958.jpg

Jack and Granpa at Piute Fort
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6962.jpg

Cacti
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6968.jpg

Hole in the Wall
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6976.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6983.jpg

Ummm.. not going to fit!
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6985.jpg

Four generations of 4runner at the mine
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6986.jpg

[slosurfer]

Joshua trees
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6989.jpg

Mailbox:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6993.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_6999.jpg

4 gens at the mailbox and 3 generations of Stovers in one 4runner
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_7000.jpg

Coming down the lava beds to camp
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_7003.jpg

Soda Lake rock pile
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_7012.jpg

Afton Cyn trestle
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_7017.jpg

Jen water crossing
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_7022.jpg

Sean water crossing
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_7025.jpg

Airing up
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/IMG_7026.jpg

[slosurfer]

Click the smiley for the rest of the pics :D (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/Mojave%20Road%20Feb%2008/?albumview=slideshow)

Not very many of any action since I was in the front but let me know if you want any high res ones.

[YotaFun]

Def Jealous,
Def Gonna Have to get out there some time and join you all.

[Seanz0rz]

that was the worst water crossing ever for me! sooo lame. but due to an exposed intake in the fender, i wasnt going to take any chances and hydrolock the motor.

[YotaFun]

that was the worst water crossing ever for me! sooo lame. but due to an exposed intake in the fender, i wasnt going to take any chances and hydrolock the motor.


How exposed was it?
What kinda of intake do you have?
I see stuff like that I let everyone go first so see where all the hidden rocks are an all and then pick my like and gun it!
Splash water 10 feet into the air and scream while doing it.
Camera man wont be to happy about that though...

[YotaGirl]

OK... I finally got my pictures uploaded. I didn't take as many pictures as I thought I would.

Here's where Chris almost flopped his runner. I don't think the picture does the situation justice...all of us spectators we're scared (well at least I was haha).
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z288/jnjhargrove/UY%20Mojave%20Rd%20Feb%202008/DSC01442.jpg

Here's all the rest of my pictures...

http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z288/jnjhargrove/UY%20Mojave%20Rd%20Feb%202008/

[Seanz0rz]

avy, if you remove that plastic liner from your right wheel well, that the intake. i had to remove that plastic as it was hitting my tires something aweful. i didnt have time to replace it with something else, so i ended up taping off the intake from the inside of the box and then leaving the box open. i found a lot of rocks and chunks of mud in the bottom of the box from the previous days, so i didnt want to take any chances of hydrolocking the motor.

as for chris nearly flopping it, i was scared myself, esp when his tire started slipping down. i thought for sure we were going to have to right him with a come along or a tow strap.

[YotaFun]

Ah that's right.
I forgot you took out that plastic piece.
Cause on my first trip to Paragon I had water practically 2 inches under the door handle. But I made it through with just a little water in the bottom of the box.
I regrwt that decision everyday though since it was all I've water and the teruck had been running all day. Supercooling a metal baring is not smart.
Suprised the heeps I was with made it through, both had cone k&n filters...

[elripster]

Awesome pictures! I can't wait to meet everyone on the trail again. I'll be out of town from March 2nd until the 19th but will be back for a few weeks thereafter. If something pops up we'll try to make it.

Claire and I are going to take the new Vue on a road trip the 20th or so to break it in and have some fun for her birthday but that will be a no-wheeling trip. I am dying to test the new tires and gear on the trail.

An aside, it was kinda funny today. Claire pulled up next to a Vue in the 4runner and asked if her Vue (we haven't actually got it yet, they are installing some options) was all low to the ground like this one. I reminded her were in the 4runner and the F150 next to us didn't look big. When the Vue pulled away she realized it was all good, she just had a different perspective from the 'yota.

Frank

[slosurfer]

Nice pics Jen! Haha, too bad that pic doesn't show when I got both driverside wheels off the ground. You can see in your pic that the angle of the sun made that gulley look not nearly as deep as it was, oh well my dad put good use to both "oh crap" handles in the passenger seat. I can't believe I forgot to get a pic of the "waterfall" in the lava fields.

Frank, I really hope we get to wheel with you guys before you leave Cali.