Moab Jeep Jamboree Report

[Desert Fox]

It was all I expected and more. The weather was perfect, the food was great and the trails were interesting. My group did Hell's Revenge on Friday and Poison Spider and the back half of Golden Spike on Saturday. Our trail guide on Saturday was Kevin, who was the spotter for "She J" at the ARCA nationals this year. He said he knew Mr. Blaine. The "She J" vehicle was also there, being driven by "She J's" husband, who was just out for a Saturday's drive. We stayed at the Big Horn Lodge, which is located in the center of Moab, close to everything. I even ate lunch at Milt's Diner, an experience that should not be missed if you are in Moab. Try the chile cheeseburger. Make sure you have a roll of Tums with you. I really enjoyed Moab and intend to return as often as I can. However, it is a killer of a drive in a TJ. I departed Moab about 4am on Sunday and arrived back in Escondido at 6pm that evening. That's 15 hours of hard driving on a Sunday. There was a big traffic jam on both sides of Barstow. All-in-all, probably the best Jeeping experience I have had to date. I highly recommend it!

Fred

[William]

Moab sure is awesome!

I knew you'd love it. What was your favorite trail Fred?


I've never been to the Rubicon, but I'm wondering how it compares?

R/
William
Jeepers are never strangers, just friends you haven't met yet.

[TJRON]

Fred,
Pictures are mandatory. Especially carnage or breakage. If you didn't take any, steal some from someone else's web site.
Ron

[mrblaine]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by William:
Moab sure is awesome!

I knew you'd love it. What was your favorite trail Fred?


I've never been to the Rubicon, but I'm wondering how it compares?

R/
William
Jeepers are never strangers, just friends you haven't met yet.
[/quote]

William- in my opinion they are near equal if you spend the same amount of time at both places. Moab has more trails and the scenery is incredible. The majority of stuff can be done with a good driver, the occasional tug and a small lift. Almost identical in difficulty to the Rubicon. The main difference is that you can find more quantities of harder stuff to do in Moab. I ran Poison Spider and Hell's Revenge. A stock Cherokee on 31's went everywhere I did with a couple of minor exceptions. On the Rubicon, a stock TJ on street tires went everywhere I did with a couple of minor exceptions. At the end of the day, I struggled less and had a lot of fun. Who's to say who had the most fun? I will do both of them again.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.
Which is more important, the degree or education?

[Desert Fox]

I agree with Blain's comments. The Rubicon is a more intense experience at the time, but it's sort of different degrees of the same type of obstacle.
On the other hand, Moab has a varity of obstacles that keep your day interesting. At the Rubicon, after about five hours, I really wasn't looking forward to the next obstacle. At Moab, I looked forward to each and every obstacle and was looking for more at the end of the day. I consider the degree of difficulty to be about the same at both the Rubicon and Moab. We experienced no carnage in my group, however, we did have some breakage. One gent snapped his left rear axle (D35) on Friday and his right rear axle on Saturday. Had a hard time clearing ledges. Would get the front wheels up okay and would then "gun it." The rear wheels would spin and start to hop and after five or so seconds the axle would snap.
A real sickening sound if you've never heard it.
I will return to both the Rubicon and Moab, but if I could only choose one, it would be Moab. BTW, a guy in a stock rental TJ ran with us on both days. He nailed everything. Really set my jaw.

Fred

[William]

Interesting!

I'm up for the Rubicon though. Because I haven't done it, #1, and #2, I'll be able to go on more of a "vacation" with the not cooking and all I have to do is get up, pack the tent and go type of deal.

R/
William
Insert witty statement here.
Ask me about my feelings about squirells.

[TJRON]

"........My group did Hell's Revenge on Friday and Poison Spider and the back half of Golden Spike on Saturday......."
These are really fun runs and considered the obligatory trails for the first time at Moab. Usually a run up Moab Rim and back with out doing the rest of the trail is also a must.
Pritchett Canyon and Lower Helldorado will not accept the "milder built" 4 wheelers. Upper Helldorado is for the crazys (JimB?)
I understand the Rubicon has the same type of stuff on the "alternative routes" for the harder core individuals.
When on Hell's Revenge, did you check out or do Hells Gate or Escalator? The hot tubs? There is something for the nuts just about everywhere.
Darn, it's all fun!
I'm really wanting to go on that Rubicon trip Blaine and Kat are doing next year.
Ron
Ro

[Stu Olson]

I'll toss in my two cents.....I too love both of them, but for me, Moab is more my style of fun. I didn't object to the Rubicon (if I had, I would have turned around at the end of the first day and went back home....NOT!)

For the most part, Moab's obstacles (on most of the trails) are fruther apart with just enough
"stuff" between them to keep you on your toes. Then, you can take a break for 5 minutes because the trail smooths out....that kind of thing. The Rubicon....well, you started in the morning and when you pulled the plug at 5:00 PM, you realized you really only drove one obstacle....THE TRAIL.

Scenery....you can't beat those beautiful lakes on the Rubicon....and all of that while granite. However, the arches and red slickrock is pretty cool too.

For the Rubicon, I drove 100 miles of highway for every mile of trail. My ratio for Moab is better than that.


http://www.stu-offroad.com

[Wumpy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stu Olson:
For the Rubicon, I drove 100 miles of highway for every mile of trail. My ratio for Moab is better than that. [/quote]
yeah,

But you live in a place that people have been known to shoot other drivers over shaded parking spots!

I guess I'll have to go to the Rubicon and see for my own self!

I didn't mean to get a "which is better" idea going along. I just wanted to see on a comparison bases how people felt the difficult factor was. Moab offered nothing to hard, I think tip over challenge and launch pad were the "hardest" spots. Although, Moab rim trail definately had the pucker.

I'm eager to put the new toys I'll have by then to the test, as well as learned skills.

R/
William

[Desert Fox]

TJRON,

I didn't run Hell's Gate or Escalator. Of my group of 20 Jeeps, eight vehicles ran Hell's Gate. They were led by our trail guide, Kevin, in his ARCA vehicle, the rest were highly modified CJs with big tires and V8s. A highly modified XJ with 35s also ran it. Only one vehicle made it up the Escalator - Kevin and his ARCA "Jeep." I don't know why he calls it a Jeep -I didn'd see one Jeep part on it. Most of the Moab "pot holes" (hot tubs) had water in them so we had to stay out. However, one was dry and we all ran it. A good time. I do plan to run the Rubicon JJ next year too. Should be a really good time with with a group of folks you you know and respect.

Fred

[TJRON]

Hells gate is fun if you take the right line.
Escalator is hard for a TJ wheel base. On the second water fall you have to get it lined up just right to keep the right wheel from falling in the hole. You use both side walls. After getting over the fall the left front wheel goes up the side of the cliff for some very exciting tire lifting!
I've done it twice but probably never again!
Escalator


Hells Gate

Some Fun
Ro