What can I say... yet another fun run under our belt!!!
We met Vern and his friend Tom, at the trailhead, at 0800 sharp. Roll out was scheduled for 0830, but since nobody else signed on for the run, we got on the trail about 0820.
About 15 minutes into the trail, I see a shiney red 'Silver Diesel' closing in on us from behind!!! It was none other than our friend Rowland, who chased us down just to say hello and wish us Bon Voyage. He couldn't make the run with us because he had to work. He thought about calling in 'DEAD' so he could go with us, but said his boss would kill him for real come Monday morning. So Vern, Tom, Beth and I continued on our way while Rowland reluctantly turned around for home with his newly acquired 'got groceries?' decal.
The Crown King trail, which is rated difficult in the Wells book, lived up to it's rating, at least for my stock height KJ. We had done this trail several times over the years, the last time being three or four years ago and that was in the TJ.
Well, let me be the first to tell you, our stock height KJ was finally pushed to it's limit on the Crown King trail. I had a tough time not ripping something off from out under the KJ. I tried to pick the best lines to get through some tough spots, but in the end I got high centered and had to take the strap not once, but TWICE!!! Vern had to gently tug me up and over two ledges. Sorry, no pics, we had our hands full trying to get me up and over.
The trail had deteriorated a lot since the last time Beth and I were on it. Vern even said it had gotten a littler worse since he was on it last fall.
So, for future reference... a stock height KJ with good A/T tires, full skids and tow hooks can do the Crown King trail, but expect a few scraps and dents here and there.
The trail was 34 miles of slow going. It took us 8 1/2 hours to run it. We stopped twice for a total of about one hour. Once for lunch and another time, just to get out and stretch.
As I said at the begining of the post... it was a fun trip and Beth's daily driver was pushed to it's limits. We only wish more folks could of made the trip... maybe next time.
Here are a few pics I took along the way. Didn't have time to take many of the tough spots as the going was pretty rough and it was all I could do to stay behind Vern in his Rubicon Unlimited Wrangler....
The group portrait including Rowland, who chased us down just to see us off and wish us a Bon Voyage...
Vern and Tom taking the lead...
Beth and I playing 'tail gunner' in a two ship formation...
I picked a bad line, here I am scraping the bottom...
Vern had to make a few tries to get through this sinkhole. I got lucky and took a different line, making it through in one try...
1KOOLKJ showing off it's new and more aggressive Toyo 'Open Country' A/T tires...
A close up of the new Toyo A/T tires...
Vern picking his way through a rough part of the trail...
It was worse than what it looks like in the pictures...
Trails end at the Crown King Saloon. Beth and Tom look on as Vern 'hoists a frosty beverage' for Kevin, as he promised to do...
A proud symbol of Arizona, watching over the trail back down the mountain on the way home...
Thanks for a nice run Vern... hope to see you on the trail again soon!
AJ and Beth
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Looks like it was a blast
