First genuine scratch on my Slee...

[Hayes]

....on the Devil's Racetrack in Ootah.

Very fun drive. Pretty tame in the spectrum of terrain driven around here, but exciting enough to take a little thought. Even dragged my arse a little.

Drove it with a buddy (he rode shotgun) who really had never seen/been on anything rough and rocky. At the first small rock ledge he aked, "can we go over that?" By the end he was spotting me up the largest stuff and scoffing at most of the obstacles. Once again, the 80 made the experience casual and comfortable.

Great time, great scenery, highly recommended.

Didn't get enough photos--none of the most exciting obstacles--but here are a few:

Hayes

 

[gearguywb]

Nice Pics!

 

[Atticus]

I like your rig. When my red '94 dies (which seems like it may be any day now), I'm going on the market for a white cruiser.

Looks like fun, though the little one appears sullen.

 

[TiredIronGRB]

Great pics,

BTW I'm still enjoying the Hayes Maze video.

 

[Hayes]

Looks like fun, though the little one appears sullen.

Nah. He's just a very serious 3-year old.

Thanks TiredIron.

Hayes

 

[Jason Andrews]

nice roof rack! Is that a J-Moose version?

 

[gearguywb]

looks like it...I built one this past weekend and mounted it using Yakima bars and feet, then mounted a bike tray on each side. Great project. Two thumbs up for the Moose rack!

 

[Hayes]

nice roof rack! Is that a J-Moose version?

Yup.
Here's my writeup.

Hayes

 

[MDarius]

What's your set up? My 80 is stock and I want to do some wheeling this summer down south...Needles area, Elephant Hill, and the "Main Street" trail from St. George to the Grand Canyon. I'd like to know how it will do. I don't have money for the add ons yet, but you guys are sure making good arguments for them.

I'll probably get zinged for this post.

 

[Hayes]

I'm far from the authority on what your stock 80 can and can't do, but I can't think of a reason why you couldn't drive Elephant Hill (the one Moab-area trail I've been on), or the Devil's Racetrack for that matter. I think most of what you "can or can't do" comes down to "yes, you could do it, but how slow and careful do you want to go?"

Not a dumb question. You're in the right place for answers.

Hayes

 

[MDarius]

Thanks. I'll just need to do a little on my own without the fam when I get the new tires and see how it goes. I hate to overdo it in the family cruiser. It's not as dispensable as my Jeep was.

 

[cruiserdan]

What's your set up? My 80 is stock and I want to do some wheeling this summer down south...Needles area, Elephant Hill, and the "Main Street" trail from St. George to the Grand Canyon. I'd like to know how it will do. I don't have money for the add ons yet, but you guys are sure making good arguments for them.

I'll probably get zinged for this post.

A "stock" 80 will do Elephant Hill. You will drag the tail and you may, or may not, spank a rocker but it will do it. Especially now because SOB hill has been "fixed" by the Park Service to get the honeywagon into the Devil's Kitchen campsite easier.

 

[MDarius]

*HIJACK* (SORRY)

A "stock" 80 will do Elephant Hill. You will drag the tail and you may, or may not, spank a rocker but it will do it. Especially now because SOB hill has been "fixed" by the Park Service to get the honeywagon into the Devil's Kitchen campsite easier.

Yeah, I noticed that a couple years ago when I did it. Lots of asphalt going down. Kind of disappointing, but I imagine they get tired of hauling the new generation of SUV's out of there on a regular basis.

 

[cruiserdan]

There have been vehicles hauled out of there for at least 30 years. SOB was just done within the last year. It was not "improved" during CM05. Elephant Hill it's self has been stabilized in spots with concrete or asphalt for many years. I think more to keep it from being torn up than to make it "easy".

 

[ed97fzj80]

Hayes, I've checked out your pictures -- very nice by the way, your rig looks like what mine wants to be -- and I can't spot this alleged scratch.