Trail Ettiquette

Shhh... Whisper it... Molly doesn't know the actual reason... I think she suspects it, though...
 

National Park Service has a definite problem with pets off road.

I have gotten some comments on trail. I just attributed it to people that are not fond of dogs.

And yes, I do use a harness and seat belt connector for her! Even though I do not do extreme off-roading or rack crawling!
 
Pets are considered "Unnatural predators" in areas where all of the natural wildlife is protected. In most national Parks, pets are NOT aloowed in off-road areas. They may also be subject to being prey for large natural predators such as Mountain Lions, wolves, etc.

http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/pets.htm

I understand where they are coming from but I don't necessarily endorse the policy. I do respect it, though. It means that the shafer trail and Elephant Hill are off-limits to pets.
 

But do you really want to do a trail that mini-vans can navigate? (Shaffer)
As to Elephant hill it isn't that much of a miss any way.
You still planning late April Cewtwo? We just threw on a set of Boomerangs on our friends Cherokee and he says he ready to do Pritchet canyon again.
 
I am so looking forward to Moab again.

I have the Ford 8.8 axle on now. I received the ordered ARB locker late, so I am debating whether to throw it in before I go. I have the annual "Ol' Farts' run through Chinaman's Gulch near Buena Vista this weekend but that is on Saturday and I think I could install the Back axle ARB on Sunday. After all, I installed the front one not that long ago.

Chinamans Gulch is a challenging trail and I am looking forward to see how the new rear axle can do.

MYJCrack-2.jpg

From last year, at the High Crack near the end of the trail.

I'll be arriving in Moab Saturday, April 14th (my humble date of Birth). Got several things planned and I hope that I can get it all done.

I look forward to meeting you!
 

I agree. I have done both Schafer's and Elephant Hill BM (before Molly).

There is a lot to see on both trails. I used to Mountain Bike to the convergence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. Great area to see.

I just finished the book, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place," by Aron Ralston. I would love to see the Barrier Creek Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon again. Not this trip, though...
 
Geez - Sorry for so many posts... I must be addlebrained and addlepated.

I remember taking the Potash Road from the Moab side up to the Island in the Sky visitor center. Passed a Lexus SUV going up. Oh that Lexus smelled of burning brake pad!
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And yes, I am sure that poodles make great coyote food.

I was driving back from a mall near my house one weekend when a cat, followed very closely by a large fox, ran across the road. I don't know what that cat was thinking by doing that, but he had little or nothing to lose. I missed 'em both, but the guy behind me nailed the fox. I was able to watch the cat make a getaway, though!
 

Amazing what a total fear for one's life can lead one to do...
 
Quit talking about all these awesome Moab trails. You're making me jealous.
I didn't used to avoid broken rigs on the trail, but have learned that many times you end up missing out on your own adventure to rescue others who don't have a clue. Most of the time I do at least ask if they are ok.
What really gets me is guys that take a half a$$ put together rig out on the trail knowing that the rig is not up to par. We had a guy come on a ride one time that revealed to me early in the ride that his steering box was held on with what was left of the cracked frame and two large HOSE CLAMPS. Yes, Hose Clamps. Guess what, we had to stop and wait for him to rig it back together, several times. Not to mention steering is a critical area you don't want to neglect.
We can't possibly carry everything we ever need in a Jeep, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.
My packing list contains a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, hi lift jack, tool kit (inclusive of special items such as hub nut socket, snap ring pliers for the hubs, pick set, etc), tow strap, tree saver, ratchet straps, oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, spare brake line, spare u-joint, spare hub, spare ignition coil (chevy 5.3 has 8), radiator hose mender union, few feet of fuel line hose, funnel and a small tackle box with all kinds of brake line fittings, c-clips, valve stems, electrical connectors, wire, bolts, heim hoints and some other random things that would suck to have break.
It seems like a lot, but the tool bag fits snugly under the seat and the rest is packed in a medium sized softsided cooler strapped behind the seat. The straps and fire extinguisher stay handily mounted to the roll cage in close proximity to the driver's seat. I am also fortunate enough to have a registered nurse that travels with me from time to time.
 
Yeah. The extinguisher is a big one for me. I never used to have one until about 1 year ago. We were up in the mountains running down this old logging trail. Pretty nasty. Slow going. The trees/ground/bushes were absolutely bone dry. Would have gone up in an instant. The guy ahead of me in a little toyota pickup stopped for a second, and then suddenly went up. We scrambled because he had taken his extinguisher out the day before and hadn't put it back in. Luckily we were able to grab milk jugs of water out of another truck and were able to splash the flames out a couple of times. Finally the fire died out and we were able to see what happened. Turns out that the guy was a mechanic and he had been storing his brake fluid and power sterring and everything in his engine compartment. A bottle broke open and flared. Almost set the entire forest on fire. From then on, I haven't gone anywhere without a fire extinguisher. And never will.
 

I just found this thread, and I have to say it is very interesting!

OK, so for my thoughts about repairs on the trail and experience:

This is a very interesting discussion. I've seen some of it before. Basically, the question I hear in various forms is whether people with little or no mechanical ability should be allowed to off-road. If you think that increasing the popularity of the sport is a good thing, then the answer, I would think, has to be yes.

I completely agree that rules of etiquette should be followed. This means getting off the trail when you're broken down, if at all possible, and if it's not, fixing what's wrong as quickly as possible. Those who don't have much mechanical skill should try to travel with those who do. However, let's not make the trails a hostile environment for those who are trying to enjoy our sport, but simply don't have the know-how that years of experience can bring.

David, I agree. We all (or at least most) start at the bottom and learn from those that already have knowledge (either passed to them from somebody else or learned by their own experiences). Whenever possible, you should travel with people that do have some mechanical skills (I, for example, do not know any other offroaders here in Miami, but would not go on a trail if I do not go as part of a larger group). But if I do get into a situation, I would try my best to learn from it, so that I can get myself out of a similar situation the next time something happens.

Generally, these things are resolved amicably. People listen, participate and cooperate to resolve any trail problems.

Bad feelings can be created during situations on the trail. But if cool heads prevail and listen to logic, situations can be resolved quickly and easily without blocking others. One stubborn person can sometimes be compelled to listen to a larger group without necessarily causing bad feelings, but it does take two people to tango!

I could not agree more! Ussually there are others in the trail that will have more experience than you. Especially us rookies need to listen!

I think we all agree on this but what cewtwo was saying that this vehicle owner had the knowledge to fix it but refused to move over making those behind him wait while they fixed it. And that is just plain rude.
Now if they couldn't move that is a different situation here...there are some places on the Rubicon trail if you break...your holding a lot of people up because there is no where to move to.

Again, I agree... If you can move and let people through, then you should. Unless, that is, if you are part of a group, and you are all doing an over-nighter (or longer trip). Especially when you go offroading in places other than off road parks and well known trails (when you are heading into areas where very few other people will go by other than your group), if a vehicle brakes down, it should be repaired as quick as possible by everyone in the group to keep the group moving together and avoid possible dangerous situations caused by being left alone on the trail.

Now to those who don't know how to work on their jeep and you offer to help...well there more than likely to pay you for the trail repair, for getting them out of a hard situation. And yes they will learn from this experience and carry that part or the required things to get themselves out of that situation in the future.

And yet again.... I agree. I dont know about the rest of you, but I only started doing mechanical work when I started working on my offroad rig. I am not a great mechanic by any means (maybe not even a decent one), but I do try to do as much work as I can on my rig so that when I do need to do the job on the trail (where it is much more difficult to work), at least I will have a vague idea as to what I am doing! It's all about trying to learn as much as you can, at least for me!

Its not a question if your going to break down...but when. Be prepared and if you don't have the parts with you and a passer by does, be gracious and offer to pay for the parts, heck it cost that person the same amount of money he most likely will charge you to buy that part in the first place.

But sometimes, lack of experience will prevent a newbe (like myself) from carrying the correct parts. So, in order to avoid having you guys help a fellow Jeeper get unstuck, what would you recommed to take along? I mean, other than what Redrooster mentioned before:

fire extinguisher
first aid kit
hi lift jack
tool kit (inclusive of special items such as hub nut socket, snap ring pliers for the hubs, pick set, etc)
tow strap
tree saver
ratchet straps
Fluids (oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid)
spare brake line
spare u-joint
spare hub
spare ignition coil
radiator hose mender union,
few feet of fuel line hose
funnel
all kinds of brake line fittings, c-clips, valve stems, electrical connectors, wire, bolts, heim hoints and some other random things that would suck to have break.

I am thinking water, food, warm clothing, maybe some spark plugs and wires, epoxy (glue will also get you out of many situations!), and, of course, a full sized spare!

From then on, I haven't gone anywhere without a fire extinguisher. And never will.

By the way, how big of a fire extinguisher is enough? I have a small one in my rig (1 lb) strapped to the roll cage (very handy!), but I think it is too small for any practical purpuse, and now I am thinking of getting a larger 2.5lb on to supplement it...

Quit talking about all these awesome Moab trails. You're making me jealous.

Redrooster, I live in MIAMI! Here it is flat, moist and hot! The only trails anywhere near (that I know of, anyway!) are only mud pits (which are OK for a little fun, but cannot compete with the trails in the West or North Carolina!), so believe me when I say I GET EVEN MORE JEALOUS!!!
 
I have to agree with a lot that has been said... Unfortunately, from what I have noticed, a lot of the whole, sit in the middle of the trail and be broken down/get yourself horribly stuck because you didn't want to go around stems from an attention ***** complex... Such and such broke a U-joint, lost 4X4, so they sit there for hours spinning tires, while everyone circles around... Naturally, this is not everyone, or every time, but it is pretty obvious sometimes...

The ORV park which I go wheeling at is within easy driving distance of an auto parts store, this is a helpful thing, but I still prefer to carry, at the very least, some spare fluids, and my tool set. I also need to put BACK in my Jeep my big bin of stuff... Just random odds and ends from the garage, and various repair projects, that have saved several people... One person took on a whole bunch of water in the engine, Jeep ended up floating in the water. While one crew went out to the gas station to get oil for it, someone else had tools for an in-field oil change. I had a spare air filter, a length of hose for someone to suck the water out of the throttle body/intake manifold, and my stuff-tub became a very good oil-catcher. We were able to get that Jeep up and running within a half-hour... Another time, a Jeep got stuck, we needed a shovel to remove some mud, and an axe to break up some ice... I had a shovel and axe... On the Thanksgiving Day run, a Jeeper did a water crossing, and got their feet soaked... They had spare shoes, but no socks... Would you believe that I had a pair of clean, dry socks...

I have been very lucky as far as people having the courtesy to offer me money for my materials, which I refuse, as a rule, because, well, it's just that Jeeper thing... The person to whom I gave the socks insisted on giving me 5 bucks, and would not take no for an answer. The fact that they all offered speaks very highly, as it is something that I would do... Heck, when my steering knuckle got toasted, the Jeep was stuck in the garage, because I could not reassemble everything with it in the condition that it was, a Jeeper out in Waterford had a spare lying around, and just gave it to me... Of course, I offered to pay him, I mean, this is a part that the Dealership was talking 'round 100 bucks, and would have to be ordered in. He refused, again, that Jeeper thing, helping one another, all in it together...

It's things like that that help bolster my faith in mankind, you know... For every 10 people out there who are totally selfish, into themselves, walk all over you, in it for the food and drink and not the friendship, there's one person who's worth a damn.

I dunno, rambling thoughts, still getting used to this weekends off thing :D
 
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Quit talking about all these awesome Moab trails. You're making me jealous.
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Well Red, when ever you guys talk about the those beautiful forest roads and deep mud pits I am jealous....but when your ready for the hard rocks..let me know and I will happy meet you down there.
 
Sounds good to me. The Jeep is ready right now, but I am going to wait a few years until my son is old enough to go. Two of my friends are headed that way right now for EJS. I was talking to one of them the other day and he said they were riding 4 days: one with the Chrysler Jeep crew, one with the Posion Spyder Bruiser run and one with Superlift TV. I don't remember what the 4th was. If you see a blue with white racing striped, Hemi powered Bruiser, wave to the Alabama boys. There will probably also be a group of guys from the Blue Torch shop.
Whenever you want to hit the southern trails, let me know. Tellico is an afternoon away. Gray Rock, Wooly's, Wheelin in the Country, Morris Mtn and several new parks are all within 2 hours of me. Also we are planning on making Labor Day weekend our annual trip to Superlift Park in Hot Springs, AR. The top 3 if you come this way would be Tellico, Gray Rock and Hot Springs.
I think I just completely hi-jacked this thread. Oh well.
 
I never accept money either. We're all in it for the fun of the trail.

I got business cards a few time - Call me! I'll help you out when you need it!

If I am offered money, I tell them to contribute to the club that works with the FS to maintain the trail. Money is always needed.

BUT...

I always tell 'em "Pay It Forward!" As that is what really counts.

I don't often tell people of the STUPID MOMENTS of my life, but one is called for here.

Off of Mosquito Pass (near Leadville in Colorado) there is a little side trail called Bird's Eye Gulch. It has bogs. I took that once and got stuck in the big bog near the top. This was in my earlier years of 4 Wheelin'. I was out with a friend and without a winch. I was stuck real good! A guy on an ATV tried to help but was unable to. He was able to head the trail for help. He brought back a large SUV. The driver looked us over and told us that we were on our own. He didn't see how his rig could get us out and he left. He was harsh, abrupt and very surly.
We had some choice thoughts about him after he left. It was getting late and dark, so we got ready for a night in the Jeep. No problem as we always take food, water and bedding supplies. Just after dark, We saw two ATVs heading from the top toward us. It was the local fire and rescue group. We told 'em that we were alright, but they insisted that we accompany them.

They dropped us off at a local hotel and gave us the number of the contact for the local Jeep club. We called him the next morning. He was expecting our call. He said that the group was ready to head up the mountain that morning to snatch The Mighty YJ back out. He was surprised that they brought us down. We went up with the group and were out in mere moments.

Our original plan was to hike up the hill in the morning and get someone to help.

The guy left us behind, but went down and reported the situation to the Sheriff office. I would have preferred that he would have abandoned us completely. He must have thought about what had happened as he headed down the hill. It would have been nice to ask us if he could tell someone when he got down but he didn't.

Since that one time, I will not leave anybody on the trail.
 
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