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View Full Version : Golden Spike March 10, 2007



PassRunnerZJ
03-14-2007, 05:06 PM
I co-lead with one of the other Gand Mesa Jeep Club guys with the help of a couple of Red Rock 4-Wheelers and we did Golden Spike. There were eight rigs and I was the only Grand there and on the smallest tires, 31's. There was one standard Rubi with 33 ProComp ATs (they sucked on the slickrock) and the rest of the rigs were on 35 to 39.5s. Overall it was a good trip one broken motor mount on a YJ that slowed him down, but that was after the Golden Steps. The broken mount and it was getting late lead us to skip Double Whammy for this trip, but we will be back.

The only real trouble I had was getting hung up on the stupid factory t/c skid twice and we had to stack a couple or rocks, and on the second time I slid off my line on the ledge. Oh well. There was a D90 there that took the bi-pass on the Crack, I thought it was a joke and we were waiting for him to roll off the off-camber edge, but he didn't and after about 10 minutes and a twenty-point turn he got it done, see the pictures.

By the end those that were concerned about a Grand on 31's doing the Spike were impressed, wheelbase is helpful in a lot of places on that trail as were the sliders, best $60 I've ever spent. On the first ledge that is after the Pad I made it up the same line the Rubi guys were having to take three of four attempts at on my first try, Moab bump experiance!

More pictures as they come in from others so check back after next weekend for posts and additional links.

Video of my ZJ: http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/pictures

Link to pics from another member: http://picasaweb.google.com/SueAndArchieMagee/GMJCInMoabMarch2007?authkey=m9tiNHztMjk

A few quick pics, especially of the D90 very impressive.

PassRunnerZJ
03-14-2007, 05:09 PM
D90 cont.

Mtn WJ
03-14-2007, 05:32 PM
Interesting line the D90 took over the crack. For some reason I do not recall that rock on the left. Is that new? Did the LR have to make a K turn after crossing?

PassRunnerZJ
03-14-2007, 05:56 PM
I'll bump John over so he can look at the rock since it was my first time on the Spike, he would know. A K turn, that would be a good description. You can see Greg in front of the 90 taking pictures and we started wondering if he was going to be in the way... It was a good thing he had a selctable (ARB) locker in the front otherwise he wouldn't have been able to do it.

The rock did have bypass painted on it, and again, we thougth it was a joke until we saw him do it. Honestly the crack is easier.

Mtn WJ
03-14-2007, 05:59 PM
I have seen people take the left line before and recall the words bypass. But do not recall the rock. I also do not feel it is a better or even safer line to try.

I prefer just going at a slight angle to the crack and let the lockers to walking.

JohnBoulderCO
03-14-2007, 08:56 PM
Every time I have run the Crack there have been things stacked in the Crack and stuff stacked on that far left line. One year there were big pieces of wood on that far left line. That rock showed up a while ago, not sure when. I thought the stacking on the left was done by mountain bikers.

I don't think that far left line is safe and would rather strap someone through the Crack then let them attempt that bypass.

I like to clean my Crack before crossing it. So when I'm with a group, we have a "Cleaning the Crack" ritual. If there is stuff (rocks, wood....) we clean it out. See those rocks in the second pic, those come out. That's not too bad, but I have seen tons of rocks and wood in the Crack. It's no fun trying it when your Crack is stuffed so full it's almost flat.:eek:

PassRunnerZJ
03-15-2007, 12:53 AM
We too had to clean wood and rocks out of the Crack before we crossed, it kind of sucks. You can see it in some of the pictures.

More videos: http://picasaweb.google.com/glpalmer00/GoldenSpikeVideo

More pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/glpalmer00/GoldenSpikePhotos

PassRunnerZJ
03-19-2007, 07:54 PM
Some more pictures: http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/pictures?userid={1E2759D3-C523-4677-B47B-4948258615E1} hopefully the link works. If not this one should: http://www.fototime.com/inv/3AFE1CF42889D68 (http://www.fototime.com/inv/3AFE1CF42889D68)


This Rubicon on Procomp 33's struggled way too much, it looked like the Procomp tire compound was too hard.
First try in the ZJ, begging to impress the TJ crowd. No I didn't use the rock.
Human locker(s), kind of for the TJ on 35's open/open.
A little flex for the ZJ, still need more droop on the fronts with longer shocks.