Rubicon Trail Run

[rusty_tlc]

BBCNN TRAIL RUN

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Trail: Rubicon

The most famous 4WD trail of all. Most of us are going up to Wentworth Springs campground on Friday to camp.

Date: Saturday, July 21-22nd 2007

Meeting Time:N/A
Leave Time: 8:00 am

Meeting Location: Wentworth Springs campground

Trail Difficulty: Mostly 4

Additional Equipment needed: Extra food, gas, and water. This is an overnight trip so be prepared with your camping gear.

Duration of Run: Two days.

Tread Lightly / CB Channel 3​

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BBCNN

 

[rusty_tlc]

I'm not sure who the trail leader is on this run usually it's Shawn.

 

[chicago]

Im gonna have to say Im out with that date. Prior engagements got me tied up!
BUMMER! I was really itchin to go on that!
Oh well!

Chicago

 

[krokarthecrooked]

Im gonna have to say i prolly wont be ready for that one either will have to wait till next year for Rubicon kinda Bummed about it but all thing will happen in time so i just have to be patiente

Btw was just giving you guys a hard time about Pyramid lake i know most of you had to work or had prior commitments so no worries guys

Dan

 

[rusty_tlc]

Tap Tap Tap.
5 freakin days.
Tap Tap Tap

 

[chicago]

SOOOOOO!
How was it?
Pics...write up...;p
Chicago

 

[rusty_tlc]

It was awful, good thing you stayed home.

I was to busy to take very many pics, same for everyone else I'd imagine.

I met up with Shawn, Zack and Brian in Carson around noon Friday and we caravaned to Wentworth Springs. We made it to camp fairly early and were discussing trying to make it to Ellis Creek before dark but decided to wait in case anybody else showed up. Good thing we did because Mark rolled into camp later then afternoon. We had the whole camp ground to ourselves. The weather was great, and I think everyone got a good nights sleep.

Since anybody that expressed any interest in going along was already in camp we decided to leave at 7:30 rather than wait around till the official leave time. The general feeling among the Rubicon Veterans in the group, that would be everybody except me, was that the trail from Wentworth Springs to Ellis Creek in is more fun than from Loon Lake.

Good thing we got an early start because we passed two big groups that were camped at Ellis Creek. They were almost ready to move when we passed them. We made good time until I got hung up on Walker Hill. I managed to get both diff's on top of rocks and for some reason my rear locker wasn't engaging. We winched my rig over the obstacle and continued on.

There was very little traffic on the trail and we continued to motor. Since my rear diff was open we took the left bypass around Little Sluice and slabs rather than Old Sluice down to Buck Island. We stopped at Buck Island for Lunch and a rest, I think we had already decided to push on to Rubicon Springs rather than camp there. BE AWARE!! the Eldorado Sheriff's department is monitoring the trail!!! We strayed off the trail less than 20 yards to find some shade an officer popped out of the bushes within minutes. It's a good thing Shawn had seen the spotters sitting on the top of the dam and suggested we move. By the time the officer got there we were already heading back to the trail. He explained the rules to us and lets us go with no ticket.

After lunch I took a look at my rear ARB air line. It was pinched between the frame and the point where my rear cross member bolts to the frame. I loosened the bolts and freed the line. Huzzah! I had a rear locker!!!! It must have gotten in there last time I had the Orion box out.

By this time I was feeling pretty comfortable with driving the trail. Pretty much just watch the rigs in front of me and follow the same line they did and everything worked out. One of the guys would usually come back and spot me through the tougher places. Did I mention I was at the end of the line? Typical.

Starting down Big Sluice I was a little worried, long periods under back pressure had caused me problems with the Orion Case popping out of gear in the past. If that happened on Big Sluice it could get interesting very fast. Thanks to Randy over at Advanced there were no issues with the Orion. We did find a Bronco driving solo with his front wheels wedged between a rock and a tree. Nobody knew exactly what he was thinking trying that line with full width axles. Brian strapped him off the obstacle and we tried to get him running but he had mechanical problems as well. Eventually we got him a little more level in the trail, actually blocking it, and made our way on to the Rubicon Springs.

The Springs were pretty crowded but we found a spot on top of a granite slab and made camp. We all played around in the water for a while before we ate. There are some nice pools where the water slows down long enough to warm up a bit and you can wade or paddle around. It feels great after a day filled with heat, dust and adrenaline. Later we saw the Bronco drive through the area, I was glad he made it out okay. I think we all hate leaving somebody stuck like that but sometimes there is only so much you can do. Since Mark had commitments on Sunday he headed out after things had cooled down a bit and he had a nice rest.

The next morning we got another early start. But not early enough. Somewhere near the bottom of Cadillac hill we found ourselves in the middle of a group of mixed rigs. with one broken blocking trail. A couple of FJ40's from their group fell in with us for a while . Eventually they got the broken truck off the trail with a strap, we saw them later at the staging area and the guy had been towed all the way out. That had to be fun taking a tow on Cadillac Hill . Somehow this part of the trail bothered me more than the rest, could be the drop off and the fact that every obstacle puts your rig off camber toward the drop, or maybe it was just overload from the day before. At any rate we made it to the staging area early enough that nobody even stopped to eat lunch before we headed out for home. We split up at Tahoe City, Shawn and Zack heading out via Truckee, Brian and I going South to take Mt Rose Highway back to Reno.

In general there was a total lack of drama that was great. It was fantastic to just enjoy the experience and not have any breakdowns or long delays waiting for the trail to clear.

Shawn, Brian and Mark are all excellent spotters, drivers, and all around great guys to hang around camp with. I can't thank them enough for making my first trip through the Rubicon a fantastic experience.

 

[spressomon]

Sounds like a good time...glad to hear you didn't have more trouble with your locker than a pinched air line!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Wow Dan-I didn't realize you had never done it before. I thought you were a seasoned Rubicon vet. Thanks for posting the trail report. You should go with us in September.

For the other Dan--there is a guy talking about bringing his 100- since yours scored those phat dents recently, you could give it a shot. The terrain is similar to the Oyster beach parking lot.

 

[spressomon]

Wow Dan-I didn't realize you had never done it before. I thought you were a seasoned Rubicon vet. Thanks for posting the trail report. You should go with us in September.

For the other Dan--there is a guy talking about bringing his 100- since yours scored those phat dents recently, you could give it a shot. The terrain is similar to the Oyster beach parking lot.

Yeah...except I'd make the Nevada pinstriping I've acquired down the sides of my hundy look like chump change compared to the rock dents I'd get from trying to stuff it along the Rube...

That little 'asleep at the wheel' I did is going to be just south of $3k to fix The most expensive oysters I have ever eaten .

 

[alvarorb]

OUCH!!!!

Man that's worth a trip to TJ and have it fixed there...

Rusty, great trail report. For a few minutes, I was out of the office and back on the trail.

Alvaro

 

[locrwln1]

Glad to hear you guys had a great run, makes it much more enjoyable, especially for you first time driving. Great trail isn't it?

Jack

 

[spressomon]

OUCH!!!!

Man that's worth a trip to TJ and have it fixed there...

Rusty, great trail report. For a few minutes, I was out of the office and back on the trail.

Alvaro

The tailgate and lift hatch are special high tensile steel that is thinner, lighter in weight but not tolerant of reshaping!

 

[krokarthecrooked]

Glad to hear you guys had a good trip and no breaks on the trail and Gratz Green 40 Dan for a good first run on the Rub with no breakage and just a minor repair

Red 40 Dan

 

[chicago]

X2...
For some reason I thought that you had done the Rubicon before at the helm!
I was thinking about you guyz...It was a GREAT weekend even down here, I could only envision what it would have been up there!
I was really looking forward to hearing how it was!

I SOOOO want to do that run, but Im as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs about it! The off camber stuff makes me pucker just sitting and thinking about it!

My sliders are ALMOST done and installed, then Ill get back to the x member and traction bar...I should be set to go...theoretically!

Glad all was well with the ARB and you had it for the rest of the trip!

K

 

[chicago]

Yeah...except I'd make the Nevada pinstriping I've acquired down the sides of my hundy look like chump change compared to the rock dents I'd get from trying to stuff it along the Rube...

That little 'asleep at the wheel' I did is going to be just south of $3k to fix The most expensive oysters I have ever eaten .

What happened?

K

 

[rusty_tlc]

Wow Dan-I didn't realize you had never done it before. I thought you were a seasoned Rubicon vet. Thanks for posting the trail report. You should go with us in September.

For the other Dan--there is a guy talking about bringing his 100- since yours scored those phat dents recently, you could give it a shot. The terrain is similar to the Oyster beach parking lot.

I think this was my fourth or fifth Rubicon trip, so at times I'm sure it may sound like I have driven the trail many times. One thing I think made the trip more enjoyable was I have ridden along so many times and didn't have the "Unknown" looming over me. However this is one case where familiarity did not breed contempt.

RE September trip: I'm sucking up to Mrs. Rusty at the speed of light already Chicago has first call on my open seat.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Glad to hear you guys had a great run, makes it much more enjoyable, especially for you first time driving. Great trail isn't it?

Jack

I love the trail enough that it is worth tolerating the carney freak show you sometimes see trail side. Every aspect of the human condition can be seen on the Rubicon from the best to the worst.

OUCH!!!!

Man that's worth a trip to TJ and have it fixed there...

Rusty, great trail report. For a few minutes, I was out of the office and back on the trail.

Alvaro

Thanks for the props, glad I could get you out of the office for a few minutes.

What happened?

K

He pulled a Crawford. Backed up without checking the rear view mirror. The 100 made the acquaintance of a rather large tree.

 

[spressomon]

What happened?

K

I bought some expensive oysters

 

[chicago]

I bought some expensive oysters

DRRRAAAG!
Should have gone fishing with me!
Dry flies from 5 PM till dark!
Caught some decent size fish too and not just dinkers, which was nice!

Chicago