Wow, hard to believe another year has gone by, and it’s time to really start thinking about Rubithon 2019. I trust your 2018 was great and your plans for your trucks are coming together nicely. As always we are really looking forward to both the challenge of the trail and to spending time with good friends, old and new.
I'm not sure who coined the term "Pryor Clan", but it's kinda stuck. The Wagon Run has definitely been a family affair for us. My truck (Hi, I'm Steve) is an '87 FJ60 with my wife Andrea as either copilot or piloting her own ’97 FZJ80, my son Justin (@justintpryor ) drives his '97 FZJ80, whereas my other son Johnathan (@JohnnyOshow22 ) drives his '97 FZJ80, and it's not unusual for more family and friends to come along. Sadly, this year Johnathan will not be joining us as life/work/school dictates he sits this one out (but he’s promising to be there next year with a large contingent of Wagons from his local TLCA club 406 Cruisers out of Bozeman, MT!). So on behalf of all of us, we are looking forward to wheeling with you! Because the Wagon Run often sees a lot of new people, I will probably over communicate here, but you veterans please chime in when I miss the inevitable.
Let's tackle logistics. The Wagon Run will begin at 7 am WednesdayJune 19th August 14th from the staging area at Loon Lake. If you've never been there before, it's at the end of Ice House Road, which heads north from Hwy 50 between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Just follow Ice House Road to the end, go around Loon Lake, cross the dam, and pull in line where you see all the wagons 
. Because of the 7 am start time most people elect to camp in the vicinity of Loon Lake the night before. From 7-8 am we will be conducting safety checks, distributing packets, and after a drivers meeting we will hit the trail. We wagons aren't known for being the fastest rigs over trail, so it is crucial that we are rolling out by 8 am. Day 1 will see us into Buck Island lake. Day 2, Thursday, will see another early start for the same reason, and we will tackle the second part of the trail into Rubicon Springs. Friday and Saturday are complete R&R days at the springs. Swimming, hiking, swapping lies, keeping the chair from getting airborne - you name it. Sunday is departure day up Cadillac Hill. There can be some tough obstacles on Cadillac Hill but there is always a local crew stationed along the trail to help out, keep people in their trucks, and keep the whole procession moving. Technically the Wagon Run is over when we get into Rubicon Springs, but often there are a lot of us leaving at about 6:30 am Sunday morning if you want to join us.
Minimum Wagon Run vehicle requirements:
2.5" lift and 33's
Lockers front and rear
Front, rear, side and under belly armor (see post #35 here 2018 Rubithon Wagon Run for more info)
Winch
2m HAM communication capable*
Recovery Gear: Heavy Strap (no hooks on the ends), shackles, snatch block (The Rubithon signup page will also list mandatory safety and recovery gear). Make sure these items are handy, along with your fire extinguisher.
Note that if you are only sporting 33's and a 2.5" lift, expect to spend a lot of time testing your sliders and rear bumper, and stacking rocks. Ask me how I know.
Miscellaneous:
Pre-made lunches for Wednesday and Thursday are a great idea because we will not be stopping for a formal lunch break either day. Have some food ready to grab on the trail at the inevitable stops while we push through obstacles.
It is HIGHLY recommended that you have a copilot that can aid in spotting you or stacking rocks if needed. If you're coming with another rig and can help each other out that's great. While myself, Justin and Johnathan, and others will be there to assist, it's tough for us to be everywhere at once. Often all that's needed to keep moving is a strategically placed rock to lift your hung up diff up and over said hang up.
Get signed up soon!
REGISTRATION - Rubithon
We will limit the run to 20 trucks total, and it's first come, first served. If the interest is overwhelming we will consider how to handle the additional requests. When registering, only select the Wagon Run if you plan to begin the run with us from Loon Lake.
Is it possible to drive the trail clean and not even scratch your truck? Yep. Just like it's possible to win the lottery. If you can't look at your truck, envision the rear quarter panel caved in, and say, "I'm okay with that!", then that isn't the truck to bring to the trail. (Full disclosure: I caved in my rear Pside quarter panel my first time through, and last year added a nice crease in my Dside rear door).
Spare Parts: One of the reasons for going with a group of like vehicles is the higher probability of finding spare parts if needed (be sure to bring some yourself!). So if you're a 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, or 100 series, etc., be sure to bring whatever spare parts you think you might need.
Water: There's plenty of it on the trail but you will need to filter it or boil it to ensure it is potable. The air is dry, and it can be very, very hot, so whatever you decide make sure you have plenty of water.
Readiness: It goes without saying that your truck should be in top working order. Get your repairs done well ahead of time so that they can be tested. Rubicon is also not the place to bring a truck that you are unfamiliar with, haven't had much off road time with, and it's definitely not the place to learn to drive a manual transmission.
*Let's talk about communications. We will be using 2m Ham for our communications, most likely 146.400, and it is essential that everyone is set up for this. We will not have a CB channel. Ham requires a license to talk. This can seem a bit daunting, but honestly it's not that bad. There are a number of inexpensive online courses to help you study, and it doesn't require a huge time commitment. Also, your local club may host a study session and test, which is how Johnny just got his license. Handheld units manufactured by Baofeng are very cheap these days and will do the job - particularly with a $14 ancillary mag-mount roof antennae. I can't stress enough how important having this communication channel is. If you're planning to go and have ANY concerns about this, please PM me and we can discuss some more.
On a final note the emergency helicopter evac insurance has changed this year. Rather than repeat what's already been stated, make sure you look at the first couple of posts in the main Rubition 2019 thread (31st Annual Rubithon - 2019 Registration Now Open) to review this important information.
That's about it for now, but check back frequently for updates and additional information. If you've got questions that you don't want to throw up here, just PM me and give me a day or two to respond.
Thank you,
The Pryor Clan
Steve, Andrea, Justin and Johnny
I'm not sure who coined the term "Pryor Clan", but it's kinda stuck. The Wagon Run has definitely been a family affair for us. My truck (Hi, I'm Steve) is an '87 FJ60 with my wife Andrea as either copilot or piloting her own ’97 FZJ80, my son Justin (@justintpryor ) drives his '97 FZJ80, whereas my other son Johnathan (@JohnnyOshow22 ) drives his '97 FZJ80, and it's not unusual for more family and friends to come along. Sadly, this year Johnathan will not be joining us as life/work/school dictates he sits this one out (but he’s promising to be there next year with a large contingent of Wagons from his local TLCA club 406 Cruisers out of Bozeman, MT!). So on behalf of all of us, we are looking forward to wheeling with you! Because the Wagon Run often sees a lot of new people, I will probably over communicate here, but you veterans please chime in when I miss the inevitable.
Let's tackle logistics. The Wagon Run will begin at 7 am Wednesday
. Because of the 7 am start time most people elect to camp in the vicinity of Loon Lake the night before. From 7-8 am we will be conducting safety checks, distributing packets, and after a drivers meeting we will hit the trail. We wagons aren't known for being the fastest rigs over trail, so it is crucial that we are rolling out by 8 am. Day 1 will see us into Buck Island lake. Day 2, Thursday, will see another early start for the same reason, and we will tackle the second part of the trail into Rubicon Springs. Friday and Saturday are complete R&R days at the springs. Swimming, hiking, swapping lies, keeping the chair from getting airborne - you name it. Sunday is departure day up Cadillac Hill. There can be some tough obstacles on Cadillac Hill but there is always a local crew stationed along the trail to help out, keep people in their trucks, and keep the whole procession moving. Technically the Wagon Run is over when we get into Rubicon Springs, but often there are a lot of us leaving at about 6:30 am Sunday morning if you want to join us.Minimum Wagon Run vehicle requirements:
2.5" lift and 33's
Lockers front and rear
Front, rear, side and under belly armor (see post #35 here 2018 Rubithon Wagon Run for more info)
Winch
2m HAM communication capable*
Recovery Gear: Heavy Strap (no hooks on the ends), shackles, snatch block (The Rubithon signup page will also list mandatory safety and recovery gear). Make sure these items are handy, along with your fire extinguisher.
Note that if you are only sporting 33's and a 2.5" lift, expect to spend a lot of time testing your sliders and rear bumper, and stacking rocks. Ask me how I know
.Miscellaneous:
Pre-made lunches for Wednesday and Thursday are a great idea because we will not be stopping for a formal lunch break either day. Have some food ready to grab on the trail at the inevitable stops while we push through obstacles.
It is HIGHLY recommended that you have a copilot that can aid in spotting you or stacking rocks if needed. If you're coming with another rig and can help each other out that's great. While myself, Justin and Johnathan, and others will be there to assist, it's tough for us to be everywhere at once. Often all that's needed to keep moving is a strategically placed rock to lift your hung up diff up and over said hang up.
Get signed up soon!
REGISTRATION - Rubithon
We will limit the run to 20 trucks total, and it's first come, first served. If the interest is overwhelming we will consider how to handle the additional requests. When registering, only select the Wagon Run if you plan to begin the run with us from Loon Lake.
Is it possible to drive the trail clean and not even scratch your truck? Yep. Just like it's possible to win the lottery. If you can't look at your truck, envision the rear quarter panel caved in, and say, "I'm okay with that!", then that isn't the truck to bring to the trail. (Full disclosure: I caved in my rear Pside quarter panel my first time through, and last year added a nice crease in my Dside rear door).
Spare Parts: One of the reasons for going with a group of like vehicles is the higher probability of finding spare parts if needed (be sure to bring some yourself!). So if you're a 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, or 100 series, etc., be sure to bring whatever spare parts you think you might need.
Water: There's plenty of it on the trail but you will need to filter it or boil it to ensure it is potable. The air is dry, and it can be very, very hot, so whatever you decide make sure you have plenty of water.
Readiness: It goes without saying that your truck should be in top working order. Get your repairs done well ahead of time so that they can be tested. Rubicon is also not the place to bring a truck that you are unfamiliar with, haven't had much off road time with, and it's definitely not the place to learn to drive a manual transmission.
*Let's talk about communications. We will be using 2m Ham for our communications, most likely 146.400, and it is essential that everyone is set up for this. We will not have a CB channel. Ham requires a license to talk. This can seem a bit daunting, but honestly it's not that bad. There are a number of inexpensive online courses to help you study, and it doesn't require a huge time commitment. Also, your local club may host a study session and test, which is how Johnny just got his license. Handheld units manufactured by Baofeng are very cheap these days and will do the job - particularly with a $14 ancillary mag-mount roof antennae. I can't stress enough how important having this communication channel is. If you're planning to go and have ANY concerns about this, please PM me and we can discuss some more.
On a final note the emergency helicopter evac insurance has changed this year. Rather than repeat what's already been stated, make sure you look at the first couple of posts in the main Rubition 2019 thread (31st Annual Rubithon - 2019 Registration Now Open) to review this important information.
That's about it for now, but check back frequently for updates and additional information. If you've got questions that you don't want to throw up here, just PM me and give me a day or two to respond.
Thank you,
The Pryor Clan
Steve, Andrea, Justin and Johnny
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! But, at least one driver in each vehicle needs to be a TLCA member 
ha, ha.
