Holidays Wheelin?

[Sean K.]

Just to clarify: I'm a (founding) member of the SheetMetal Gang, over at the K5 site . Our mission is to 'wheel and keep the truck looking like the factory intended it - well, at least to some degree .

Seeing that you're riding a boatsided buggy with lexan side panels on 39 IROKs, I'm not sure I fit on the trails that are to your liking...

I've learned from my buggy-driving friends to be careful when they recommend a trail...

Soooorrrry.....I ran L. Woodpecker and U. Ajax in my full bodied Toy. It can easily be done by any vehicle with the proper spotting and some basic 4 wheeling equipment.

Here's about the only old scanned pic I have access to on this computer:

Lower Woodpecker:

I only have stills (and no scanner) of the truck on trails like Axle Alley, Upper Woodpecker, Jawbreaker, Martinez, both Terminators, Predator, etc.

Maybe I'm not understanding what you're trying to say above (a message board is a difficult medium in which to communicate) but it sure sounds as if you think I was intending to have you destroy your rig. If that was your intention, I can assure you nothing is further from the truth. Personally, I don't want to damage my pristine new buggy any more than you want to damage your pristine sheetmetal.

If I am not welcome here due to my wheeling vehicle of choice, so be it. Just say so. I was invited here by your club president....I didn't just barge in.

Sean

 

[ChaseTruck]

... The run from Log Corral to Sunflower is nice, with some scary off-camber-on-ball-bearings-over-a-cliff stuff. The two trails make for a nice day, starting with Log Corral.

Say a nice Sunday?

-Spike

Sounds good to me. Is my fullsize going to fit?

 

[DSRTRDR]

On my Tonto map Log Corral is FR3456, I have also seen it referred to as FR98, must have been changed? FR393 I have seen referred to as Power Line trail intersects with Log Corral close to the lake, if we cant cross the river, we could make it a loop coming out at Sunflower.

The river is running 2.32' today at the gauge close to the dam. Where we cross down stream at Riverside camp ground, the river is wider and shallower, still iffy.

IIRC Log Corral starts in Sycamore Creek, trees and rocky, climbs in a small canyon to the Corral on the ridge, then descends to the lake in a big sand wash, rated 3.5?

Power Line is a decomposed granite type road with washouts, cross axle stuff like FR42, rated at 3.0?

Someone who has been there in the last decade would probably be a better source of info?

River crossing is not advised - as far as I know, the entire east bank of the Verde is subject to eagle closures - I would not want to violate that

 

[DSRTRDR]

Powerline? Same thing as Hackberry? If so, it's not difficult and the hardest part can be bypassed. It's a fairly boring road with some decent grades and slightly bigger than soft ball sized rocks except for the one section near the Powerlines. That section has a decent ledge, an optional v notch and some basketball and larger sized rocks. I haven't been in probably 5 years now, so take it for what it's worth.

HTH,
Sean

no, 393 is off Beeline Highway - Hackberry is east of Superior somewhere

completely different trails

 

[-Spike-]

If I am not welcome here due to my wheeling vehicle of choice, so be it. Just say so. I was invited here by your club president....I didn't just barge in.

Sean

Whoa, I really didn't get that message from his post- I think he's just saying what he said, that 'buggies' usually run stuff that us mere mortals shouldn't attempt. Upper Ajax is quite a handful for a full-sized Chevy, and I'm sure you had moments with your Toy when you thought you might kiss rock. I ran it in my 80... and kissed rock.

As far as I'm concerned, you're more than welcome here, and to suggest any trails you like. Don't be suprised if people are a bit nervous about following you though!

-Spike

 

[DSRTRDR]

If I am not welcome here due to my wheeling vehicle of choice, so be it. Just say so. I was invited here by your club president....I didn't just barge in.

Sean

nah, it's all good you somehow didn't pick up on the irony in that post

it's just that Michael and I ran with a bunch of K5s and Toyota minitrucks on lower woodpecker last year - didn't get all that far - the Toyotas seemed to need to wedge their trucks right into any obstacle available there broken spring pack, some other beakage I can't remember (more of the typical K5 stuff), and I ever slow slightly dented the diamond plate on the rear quarter panel (not the panel itself) (that happens when you let a buggy guy spot a cruiser ;p) - now it comes to mind: the Miata-motor-powered buggy itself broke the middle drive shaft on the dirt road on the way in

 

[Sean K.]

Maybe I'm just not getting your humor.

Sean

 

[ChaseTruck]

Soooorrrry.....I ran L. Woodpecker and U. Ajax in my full bodied Toy.

Here's about the only old scanned pic I have access to on this computer:

Lower Woodpecker:

I only have stills (and no scanner) of the truck on trails like Axle Alley, Upper Woodpecker, Jawbreaker, Martinez, both Terminators, Predator, etc.

Maybe I'm not understanding what you're trying to say above (a message board is a difficult medium in which to communicate) but it sure sounds as if you think I was intending to have you destroy your rig. If that was your intention, I can assure you nothing is further from the truth. Personally, I don't want to damage my pristine new buggy any more than you want to damage your pristine sheetmetal.

If I am not welcome here due to my wheeling vehicle of choice, so be it. Just say so. I was invited here by your club president....I didn't just barge in.

Sean

Hold your horses, I'm not sure where you read all that in my post!

First off, the "... not welcome due to my wheeling vehicle of choice..." is nonsense. Heck, they even let me run with'em, and the only Toyota part on my truck is an FJ40 bezel that's velcroed to my bumper . Actually, I think they let me run with'em because they like Claudia, and I bribed'em with some BBQ ribs at the last picnic...

All I'm saying in my previous post is that I don't know the trails you've mentioned; my truck's a foot wider than y'all, and I know from my buggy-driving friends that driving a buggy can skew perspectives to the point that they perceive something as really easy where I'm having a really hard time with 3 tons of iron and 35's. So I tend not to run with them, and I don't hold anybody up all day, and we're still good friends. Simply put, trails that are fun to a buggy ain't that much fun in a full body truck. The other side of that coin is that trails where I have fun are probably not challenging to a well-designed buggy. I'm aware of all that, and I find nothing wrong with it.

Second, "...you think I was intending to have you destroy your rig...". I only make that kind of judgement after someone tries that on the trail . I'm the one responsible for my truck, and just as simply, I'm not driving what I don't want to drive. I trust my spotters, but I take responsibility for what happens to my vehicle while I'm at the wheel.
Third, "...I didn't just barge in." In fact, I actually did... . My only excuse was that Claudia is driving the FJ40 that's registered in AZ under my name; she holds TLCA and CSC memberships.

And last "...pristine sheetmetal..." - that one ought to be worth a good laugh to the CSC people who've seen my truck

 

[Sean K.]

And all I was saying is I don't now (in a buggy) and didn't then (in a full bodied Toyota) consider any of those trails to be "extreme".

Are they difficult? Ya. I think they both deserve the 4 to 4.5 rating that ASA4WDC gives them.

Are they doable by a good driver in a vehicle with 35" tires and lockers f/r (sounded like you had the required equipment)? Yes.

Do you personally not want to do that type of trail? I didn't know......that's why I asked.

That's it in a nutshell....nothing more, nothing less. I just wanna go wheeling and right now with my vehicle being brand new, I don't want to take it out on really extreme trails until it is proven.

Sorry for intruding.

Sean

 

[ChaseTruck]

...Sorry for intruding...

There's no need to apologize, and I'm just a guest here anyways.

 

[Tools R Us]

River crossing is not advised - as far as I know, the entire east bank of the Verde is subject to eagle closures - I would not want to violate that

My understanding is that the first crossing south of the dam, near riverside camp ground is year around.

 

[-Spike-]

My understanding is that the first crossing south of the dam, near riverside camp ground is year around.

That's not my understanding, although I could be wrong. I believe they close the east side completely south of the lake during certain times of the year. My info is heresay though, I don't have any official word.

-Spike

 

[ChaseTruck]

Copied from the AZ G&F website re eagle closures:
"...
Verde River below Bartlett Dam is closed to foot and vehicle entry from Dec. 1 to June 30. Boating through is allowed. Contact Tonto National Forest, Cave Creek Ranger District, (480) 595-3300..."

I didn't see a map, though...

 

[offroader5]

Hey Sean, I think alot of this is like you said...it's an internet forum and is hard to tell how something is supposed to be taken unless you litter the post with numerous smilies

For all of you that have never met Sean or at least spoken with him in detail to find out what kind of humor he uses ;p or his opinions on subjects...just plain NEED TO

I met and wheeled with Sean for the first time back when I was rollin' in an almost stock S-10...and I would have never known what that truck could accomplish in terms of terrain without him cheering me on. I almost had instant trust in his ability to spot me through areas that I thought I had no business being.

He'll wheel with anyone with any vehicle...from stock to extreme, and will honestly tell you (once he sees your rig) that you will be able to or not be able to do said trail. Once on the trail, he won't force you to do an obstacle you don't feel comfortable doing, or at any point make fun of you if you don't...he understands not everyone wheels in a purpose built buggy, but because he has owned rigs that weren't buggies...understands what other vehicles can do and plans accordingly.

I would wheel with Sean any time and almost any trail (after all, he does roll in a moon buggy now ;p )

Just wheel with him once...you'll know where I am comin' from

 

[GeoRoss]

You guys are going to far north. I have a f'ing Christmas party on 12/24 that I have to be at ~5pm.

 

[Tools R Us]

Copied from the AZ G&F website re eagle closures:
"...
Verde River below Bartlett Dam is closed to foot and vehicle entry from Dec. 1 to June 30. Boating through is allowed. Contact Tonto National Forest, Cave Creek Ranger District, (480) 595-3300..."

I didn't see a map, though...

Just talked to the Ranger Station, they denied that there ever was a crossing near Riverside. According to them the only one is at FR160, closed for eagle nesting and she said that it probably will never reopen. Her take was if you come in from Beeline side you must exit that way.

 

[Tools R Us]

I don't see anyone dogging Sean, just pointing out that unless he's willing to go on trails that are way less than his truck is capable of we probably wont be on the same class of trails. In my opinion he is totally welcome here or on the trail with us and I am looking forward to meeting him and checking out his way rig! No, I wont be challenging him to a game of follow the leader in my rig!

 

[ChaseTruck]

...unless you litter the post with numerous smilies ...

How many more was I supposed to use?

What may have created some confusion is that I'm NOT talking about a full-body Toyota PU. My ride's a full-size Blazer, and there are many places where it doesn't go because it doesn't fit. And I'm not gonna make it fit, either . I wasn't questioning anyone's character, nor was I insinuating that someone wouldn't be welcome. As stated above, I'm just a guest here with CSC.

...Her take was if you come in from Beeline side you must exit that way.

That sounds like a decision has been made for us already. In thru Log Corral (if possible...), out on 393?

 

[Tools R Us]

...
That sounds like a decision has been made for us already. In thru Log Corral (if possible...), out on 393?

I was leaning that way, but without the river crossing the 160 loop sounds better? They are the same meet spot, so the decision doesn't "need" to be made 'till we pull out in the morning.

Somewhere in the FJ/Superior area for Sunday?

Give a call when you know the status of the K5? Are you going to have phone/net service this visit?

 

[Tools R Us]

You guys are going to far north. I have a f'ing Christmas party on 12/24 that I have to be at ~5pm.

Sycamore isn't much if any further than Superior area? Making it back to Tucson by 5pm would be a challenge.