Photos from Moab

MJR · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:09 pm

Check back often as I add photos as the wheeling continues.

http://www.gotgroceries.net/naxjaMoabFallFling1006/index.html

The first day (Friday) "The Road To Moab" is along the drive from Las Vegas. Two years ago I took the first part of this route which is along an old Spanish Trail. I traveled on it exiting the I-15 at Paragonah, UT to highway 20 then up to Richfield, UT, then exiting at Salina, then driving on an old section where a narrow gauge railroad once was along the Salina Creek, and finally back on the highway to Moab. The fall colors are incredible as can be seen in some of the photos.

The next day (Saturday) we spent working a little on Andy's rear brakes that came apart on the right side damaging the internal parts/drum. Once apart we found that the design of the alloy shaft uses threaded studs in the flange so when the lug nuts were tightened the stud screwed in and contacted the brake parts. We ordered the parts and waited. A Suburban guy was here and had two transmissions torn apart to make a good one. Their trailer even carried a spare complete Dana 60 front axle, wow. After it was fixed the next day I understood why, it was a Suburban on something like 47's.

Sunday we put Andy's brakes back together. The rest of the group went and did Hell's Revenge while I went wandering out to Hurrah Pass/Chicken Corners. It was a nice day and the rock formations and views where impressive.

Today (Monday) Me and one other Jeep went and did the La Sal loop. This is a nice scenic ride through the La Sal mountains with lots of fall color right now. It was a mostly uneventful run with the exception of me finding a large mudhole right in the middle of the road. It was pretty big since it easily swallowed my 35” tires leaving me to get strapped out.

Hangin with turkeys.

Fall color in the La Sal mountains.

Enjoy the photos.

MJR · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:13 pm

Yesterday (Tuesday) I got a late start and Andy went back home since he wasn’t feeling good. Went to have breakfast and it was raining hard out. I thought the guys out on Flat Iron Mesa and Steelbender must be having fun in the wet stuff. I decided to head in the back way on Steelbender and catch up with the group. The road was slick and I stopped a few times from photos of the waterfalls coming off the slickrock. The rain stopped in about an hour and I caught up with them at the big waterfall. There was a open top blue YJ backed down from the waterfall off the trail. It had been there at least a day and in the rain no less. Well there were empty Pabst Blue Ribbon cans in it and it was missing the left front/right rear wheels. Looking at the shredded spare tire hanging off the back it wasn’t any wonder why it didn’t make it off the trail. As the group pressed on some noticed that someone was leaking oil. We stopped to find out a TJ was leaking oil from the rear diff cover. Closer inspection revealed the leak was from a hole inside/out in the diff cover. They pulled it off to find 3 broken teeth off the spider gears. So they removed them, sealed it back up with the hole, added oil, and we went back to camp. Later that night they got another carrier and swapped the side/spider gears out.

Today (Wednesday) I kinda slept late and then had the brilliant idea of doing a full day trail starting at 3pm. I was trying to find the Yellow Cat trail and ended up on the Dome Plateau one. Ran across some old cabins I have before that are made from railroad ties/spikes. Well around 5pm I was at the Cowboy (Spring) Caves and thought I might want to cut this short so I did. Just a few photos from wandering around.

MJR · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:16 pm

Today I ran the Strike Ravine trail, well sort of. Our leader hadn’t been on it before and neither had anyone else. We ran up/down and around with a good day all in all. There was some light rain which made it nice/different. The trail ends at Area BFE. A short day was kinda nice giving some time to rest from all the 4 wheeling we have been doing. Nothing to report yet as the other groups aren’t back yet.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:26 pm

Awesome pics as always! BTW, You Suck! :wink:

Hope you keep having a great time! :roll:

MJR · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:28 pm

Fun as always. It's nice to see waterfalls on the trails but it can make some interesting. Kane Creek is washed out.

hoku5 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:36 pm

As always you take great pictures Mike. Thanks for sharing. Yea that mud hole ate you up.

Burchie · **Posted:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:41 am

Unbelievable.

Stupid mud hole

tskalil · **Posted:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:04 am

Great pics again, Mike. You put the extra effort into taking them and it shows.

MJR · **Posted:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:05 pm

Thanks. Not doing much today. Last night they had flash flood warnings as the rain came down. I am sure all the trails are a little more interesting now. Sadly I'll be heading back tomorrow but you can count on me taking a few side trips along the way.

MJR · **Posted:** Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:19 am

Today (Friday) Derek and I went waterfall hunting since it was raining. We headed up highway 128 and found all along the highway waterfalls everywhere. As we drove along we ran into lots of people stopping to look and photograph them too. It is really neat to see this side of Moab. We kept driving up the highway until Onion Creek where we turned off to see how the road was doing. The first creek crossing was swollen with rain run off but it didn’t look too deep so I decided to try crossing it. As I turned at an angle upstream and headed in I came to a point where the front end dropped into a deep spot just as the creek pushed the whole Jeep sideways about three feet downstream. As this happened I jumped on the gas and made it across. Ok so I made it but I knew I couldn’t continue up the road as I would have to cross the creek a few more times and take on Rose Garden Hill in the rain. I turned around and starting out as far up on the road as I could dropped back into the creek heading downstream back across gripping the steering wheel tightly. As I proceeded in everything went better this time as I entered a little slower and was steady on the gas. Derek got a video of me coming back across which isn’t as exciting as it was the first time crossing but I made it.

We pressed on up the highway and headed out to see what the water crossing would be like on the way to Top of the World. When we got to it the road was covered for a stretch of about 75 feet long but the water was moving slower than Onion Creek. Derek headed in slowly to feel it out. As he kept going things looked good and were since he made it all the way across. So then I dropped in and it was fine with one section the right front dropped a little and in another the right side leaned in the areas where the water was flowing faster. We crossed back and went up a small part toward Dome Plateau which was pretty standard. The day was getting late and we needed to get back for the dinner/raffle so we turned back toward Moab. The rain had stopped falling and most of the waterfalls disappeared or became small on the return trip.

Once back in Moab I changed clothes and went over to the New Senior Center for the dinner/raffle and when it was over headed back to camp. Here I sit creating albums and posting. Tomorrow I will leave bound for Las Vegas but via off the beaten path so I should have some photos to show after I get home. As always Moab is great in any kinda of weather and fun wheeling with a great bunch of folk.

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:03 am

Nice Pics Mike!

Wish I had seen this last week, I would have had you ask Derek if he had gotten the video from the older guy in the Toyota truck that watched us go up escalator...

MJR · **Posted:** Mon Oct 16, 2006 10:40 pm

USAFCOP wrote:

Nice Pics Mike!

Wish I had seen this last week, I would have had you ask Derek if he had gotten the video from the older guy in the Toyota truck that watched us go up escalator...

Yes but he said your e-mail wasn't working.

Photos from Moab

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