Moab Memorial Day Weekend Pics

[MarkCO]

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Tzumalt and I headed over to Moab for a weekend of wheeling, and to get my rig debugged prior to Grandslam. Just a few days before leaving, I upgraded the tires on my WJ, so the days before the trip were a little hectic adjusting control arms and trimming of the front bumper.

Golden Spike
http://www.productioninsight.com/pho.../goldenSpike-1
http://www.productioninsight.com/pho.../goldenSpike-2

Metal Masher
http://www.productioninsight.com/pho.../metalMasher-1
http://www.productioninsight.com/pho.../metalMasher-2

[MarkCO]

Golden Spike

Overall the day went very well, I tried really hard to see if I could pop a spring, but happily everything is adjusted nicely















Once I got to the crack, I had a little "oops" moment. I picked a bad line, and my front tire fell into one of the holes, which put my rear bumper into the rock.





I got over, but it wasn't pretty.



Afterwards, we got Tom over, but it took a little more work (and some rocks and tree branches). Look ma! no strap





Tom did ding his bumper a little bit, but nothing like mine. Besides when your grand is rental car white nobody notices the scratches anyway


I did spend about 20 mins making double whammy attempts, but I never got both of my rear wheels up on the first ledge, I did get one up but I got to bouncing bad and better sense took over. Sadly, the whammy pics aren't very good.



On the way out on Gold Bar, I found a few places to play (including Mike's magic tailgate rock)



I didn't make it up this line, close but no cigar....maybe with some lockers. Happily since I'm free of TerraFlex stickers, my tailgate stayed shut

After we made it down gold bar rim, I noticed that my streering was off a little bit, so I put it up on repair rock and surveyed the damage:



I played pretty hard, so it's little surprise that I bent my tie rod and track bar a little bit. It tracks fine, and I'll replace them with a set from Kevin's. Happily he is bringing a set for me to Grandslam.

Metal Masher highlights to follow...................

[AgitatedPancake]

nice clearancing of the rear bumper =P Good pics though man, looks like you guys had loads of fun

[MarkCO]

Metal Masher!!!!

I love Golden Spike, I've only been on it twice but it's clearly my favorite. I'm a big wimp when it comes to tippy and cliffs, and tippy+cliffs makes me a basket case so my choices are a little limited. Neither TZumalt or I had ever run Metal Masher before, but we were feeling adventurous armed with a wells book so we figured why not, what's the worst case....we get lost a little?

We did get lost a bit, Metal Masher is a very confusing trail that isn't marked very well. But I really love this trail, I'm not sure if I love it more than spike, but it's a very very close second. There are some really fun obstacles, and some that are really tough challenges.

Unfortunately, the day did not start out very well. On the way to the trail, Tom had to stop and investigate some grinding noises on his ZJ. The source of the noise was found, but sadly it was a broken upper control arm mount:




So we parked his ZJ, consolidated the coolers and moved the kids over to my WJ to continue for the day.







I love ledges! I actually got up this one



When we stopped for lunch, we came across this rubi trying to get up this ledge. My favorite part is the infant in the back.







One I didn't try to climb, have to be more careful with only one jeep, besides once you are up top its a really tippy turn.



Mirror Gulch









Nice climb, the line on the left is a lot harder than the picture appears



Here is another climb I attempted, without lockers this dog don't hunt.








I headed up to widowmaker, and walked up for a look-see. But my better judgement (and having only one jeep in the group) took hold of me. The perfered line is on the left, according to the locals the line to the right isn't viable.



On my way back to the bypass, I met a couple of locals Clay and Darren I think. I'm terrible with names, my appologies if I'm remembering wrong. We got to talking, and Clay has a shop and agreed to weld up Tom's ZJ on Monday (Memorial Day). Darren owns the Napa, and talked me into doing widowmaker with a spot Really nice guys, and it was a kickass thing to take the time to spot me up.







java.lang.wheelbase.too.long.exception



Trailer hitch is digging to china, so I had to get a little winch tug to get off the hitch.





I drove up under my own power, but it was a little spooky and it felt really good to have that safety line. It sure was nice of those guys to help us up. They also helped up a family of ATV riders.



Aftewards, they went down backwards...look ma no hands!




Nice play area called mother in law hill



One last set of ledges before we headed out, when I was coming down these I got some nasty looks from a pair of retired people in a rental liberty.



Did I mention that I love Metal Masher? Anyway, it was a great day and it was a lot of fun to get out and play a little bit before grandslam. See y'all next weekend!

[Colorado 5.9]

Both John & I couldn't make it up Double Whammy last year with 33's either . John even tried it with his 34's a couple months ago & couldn't do it. I guess it just takes 35's. Matt & Stan walked right up with 35's. I'm still going to try again this year.

I can't believe I haven't seen you araund Lakewood yet.

[BigDaveZJ]

Both John & I couldn't make it up Double Whammy last year with 33's either . John even tried it with his 34's a couple months ago & couldn't do it. I guess it just takes 35's. Matt & Stan walked right up with 35's. I'm still going to try again this year.

I can't believe I haven't seen you araund Lakewood yet.

What, no comment about my attempt on Double Whammy???

[MarkCO]

What, no comment about my attempt on Double Whammy???

Was it the go-for-broke, leave lots of parts on ledge variety?

[JohnBoulderCO]

I think Dave said, "Hey, watch this!"

Scott, I siped the 34's and I added a truss to the top of the D30, for a center limiting strap. Yep, I'm gonna give Double Whammy another try.

[nate]

I just drove up Double Whammy. Swampers work awesome on the rocks.

Those shots don't do Widow Maker justice!

[XLSLC]

Damn Mark your rig's lookin good. Metal masher looks awesome, gotta give it a try some time!

[JohnBoulderCO]

I just drove up Double Whammy. Swampers work awesome on the rocks.

Yeah, but you are on 35.5's !

[SuRf 092]

It might just be the angle, but there's no way you're clearing this with an ARB bumper on a WJ.

[Cody]

I just drove up Double Whammy. Swampers work awesome on the rocks.

Those shots don't do Widow Maker justice!

Which is why there are so many professional/competitive rock crawlers that run swampers.

The best tire I've found for Moab wheelin is the BFG AT. I'll take that over any swamper any day on Moab rock. Swampers have their place, but Moab isn't it....although anything made of rubber tends to stick to slick rock to some degree.

FWIW, widow maker has grown over the past 5 years. I remember doing it open front and rear on 33's.....

[MarkCO]

It might just be the angle, but there's no way you're clearing this with an ARB bumper on a WJ.

It's the angle, the left front is actually up on the rock. And sadly it's not an ARB, that's a trimmed stock bumper. This picture is a little better view of my trim job. I just cut out the corners so my 33's wouldn't rub. The only downside is that now under a limited set of circumstances the front wheel will pop out the fluid level sensor plug out of the window washer tank, and it will gush out. I turned the plug 90 degrees sideways and it hasn't happened again yet, but it's pretty funny when it does.

[JohnBoulderCO]

Got to relocate that wash bottle up top, in the engine compartment, like a ZJ.

[SuRf 092]

I know that's not an ARB, I was referring to that situation being more difficult if you had an ARB on there.

[MarkCO]

They hang down more than what I have? That surprises me a bit. I have my heart set on a Trailready once they resume manufactuing WJ bumpers. But I always thought that the ARB's had a really good approach angle.

[zjmike4]

On the way out on Gold Bar, I found a few places to play (including Mike's magic tailgate rock)



I didn't make it up this line, close but no cigar....maybe with some lockers. Happily since I'm free of TerraFlex stickers, my tailgate stayed shut

hahaha... I'm free of that stupid sticker now too... I made it, AFTER putting everything back into the Jeep.

[AgitatedPancake]

They hang down more than what I have? That surprises me a bit. I have my heart set on a Trailready once they resume manufactuing WJ bumpers. But I always thought that the ARB's had a really good approach angle.

Heh, no it sticks out a ridiculous amount actually. Im searching for a good side pic, but htis is the best ive come across.

[nate]

Yeah but you can just push it into the rocks and it will slide over them... not bust off like the Tuperware stock bumpers

[SuRf 092]

It's like adding a snout to a pug, here's mine...