Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:47:18 -0600
Reply-To: Richard A Jones <Jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Richard A Jones <Jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Subject: Fruita/Moab trip photos--another Syncro Bro adventure
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Well, Bob and I cooked up a trip to Fruita and Moab. Dave
Vickery joined us for most of it. He has a 2wd Westy with
a Peloquin TBD in his tranny. He sure proved that he can
get most anywhere with that--by going out past the end
of Rabbit Valley--and coming back in the muck after some
rain. Pretty impressive--the TBD and Dave's driving!
Bob and I met at 18 Road in Fruita and had a nice ride--
other than my end-over tumble. Two plus week and I'm
still sore in places; getting old sucks.
Dave showed up that evening and the next day we went to
Loma and rode Mary's Loop. Beautiful weather! On to
Rabbit Valley, and out the Kokopelli Trail road across
the Utah line to the end-o-mesa camp spot where the
Great Western Rim trail starts. Same place Jeff Simpson
and some of us camped a year ago
The next day we rode the Great Western Rim trail. It was
a perfect day! A storm was coming and the next morning it
was close. A beautiful sunrise, but then showers moved in.
We headed out and were surprised at how the clay sections
had turned to muck so quickly. Absolutely no steering
capability--the van went where it wanted--or the muck wanted!
We got down the 2-3 tricky spots and onto sand which was
firm and solid. Back to I-70 and on west to see the indian
pictographs 3 miles N of Thompson Springs.
Then Moab to the carwash! We camped at Williams Bottom--it
was very chilly and windy. The next day, we drove up the
Shafer Trail and intended to bike the Intrepid Trail at
Dead Horse Point State Park. Too cold and windy still, so
we drove over to the Willow Springs road and found a nice
camp spot. Well, after we were set up, we realized it was
rat territory--they were running around under the rocks in
broad daylight! Luckily, no problems that night.
The next day was getting back to "Moab-perfect," but still a
little cool, so we decided on a hike--Hidden Valley, which
start at the S end of Moab. A beautiful little hike. Maybe
not so good on a hot day....
Dave had to head back to the Front Range. Bob and I went
to Milt's to celebrate. April 5, 2001, I purchased my
Syncro Westy in St Louis and headed back to Boulder--where
it had lived all its life. A perfect 10th anniversary celebration.
After Milt's we decided to drive down to Mineral Bottom--
the road had just been reopened 6 days before after the
reconstruction from last fall's big washout. It is
pretty amazing what the road crew did in about one month!
We had a nice camp spot near the mouth of Mineral Canyon
that got us down and out of the chilly wind that was still
blowing.
The next morning, it was STILL too chilly and windy to ride
the Intrepid Trail, so we decided to head home--Bob to SLC
and me to Glenwood Springs. All in all, we found great things
to do that fitted into the variable weather.
Oh, yes, the pictures: http://tinyurl.com/6yworea
(Picasaweb) I apologize for what Bob and I do, but somebody
has to do it. ;-)
Richard
