MOAB 2014 – HIDDEN CANYON AND 3D May 9, 2014

 

On Friday I caught a ride with Doug and Peggy Bogart in their Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon model, duly tricked out by Doug. The road was rated a 3 and the only obstacle making it a 3 was about 100 yards of climbing over rough terrain .Doug thought that I could take the hill in our Grand Cherokee. I had not been on this road before.

There were 13 vehicles on this run, all Jeep Wranglers

It is a good idea to arrive at the gathering place at least 15 minutes before scheduled departure time for socializing (above) and the drivers meeting (below). Our trail leader is at the far left and did a great job. All of the Jeeps had CB radios for communication on the trail.

 

Ritual “airing down” takes place as some wide spot on the trail before the 4 wd needs to be engaged.

The  first stop was at Tusher Tunnel, a natural opening through the rock wall so one can see the valley on the other side.

On the trail to Tusher Tunnel.

 

Our road was the access to some named trails rated 4 and higher. One was Pickle, only a half mile long which takes an hour! Above is the last of several obstacles on Pickle, a near vertical climb.

 

This is just  the approach to the climb in the foregoing picture.

 

For drivers who want to go around obstacles, sometimes there are easier routes or bypasses, as here.

 

Jeepers sometimes go out of their way to find obstacles. Here the crack above can be straddled to make crossing it exciting

 

This lunch spot overlooks Hidden Canyon. We watched other groups of vehicles passing on the roads below.

 

An unobstructed view of Hidden Canyon.

MOAB 2014 – GEMINI CLIFFS RUN WITH THE FMCA 4 WHEELERS May 7, 2014

 

With the delay in Flagstaff, we arrived three days late for the FMCA 4 Wheelers rally in Moab. Our Jeep is suitable for the trails rated 2 and 2 1/2. Fortunately, Gemini Cliffs (2 1/2) was available to run with a group on Wednesday. We had not been on  it before so it was a treat for us.

 

The white Jeep behind us is about to drop over the rock outcropping at the top. That one was typical of many of the obstacles on this run. The trail leader on a pre-run had stacked rocks to make going up over an obstacle like this one easier. We did that one without a hitch.

Gemini Cliffs is also called Hook and Ladder in the guide books of the Moab area. It is southeast of Moab and has its own fine scenic views of the LaSal mountains.

 

We just climbed from the highway below to the plateau here, with a good view of Wilson Arch below.

 

Here was a steep spot with some rocks to climb on the way up. This road is very difficult do drive after a rain.

 

 

The trail leaders usually find very picturesque places to pause for lunch.

 

There were only five vehicles in our run, a nice number.

At the end of the run we dropped down a steep “slick rock” hill about 200 ft. long to go from the plateau down to the highway in the valley. Maybe the next time in the area I can drive up it!

At the end of all runs in the area, it is time to “air up” the tires. Many with tires larger than ours reduce air pressure to 10 lbs. I am not that brave and drop mine to 17 lbs.

FLAGSTAFF’S SUNSET CRATER VOLCANO AND WUPATKI PUEBLO May 4, 2014

 

On the first day of our five month summer trip the “check trans” light came on periodically in the motor home. Attempts to make it stop failed, so we took it to a Freightliner shop in Flagstaff for professional checking out at 5:00 PM Sat. We parked in their service drive for two nights, and after hours of computer analysis on Monday, the conclusion was that there was an intermittently defective sensor in the transmission. It has not come on again since leaving Flagstaff Monday afternoon.

Making lemonade out of lemons, on Saturday we explored Sunset Crater and Wupatki Pueblo.

At  Sunset Crater we learned that one volcanic hot spot created the Bill Williams Mountain farther west at Williams AZ, After many many years the surface of the earth shifted west over the hot spot and more volcanic activity created the San Francisco Peaks.   The same process repeated and volcanic mountains northeast of Flagstaff were created, with the Sunset Crater area being the last, between 1040 and 1100. The actual eruptions there continued over a few years.

 

Paved foot trails wind around the lava flows. Sunset Crater is in the background in the lower shot

Ponderosa pines growing in the harsh conditions of the cinder areas take grotesque forms when they die.

 

 

Here is a large trench resulting from a lava flow.

Sunset Crater is in the background. Years ago visitors were permitted to take a trail to the top. Lucy and I walked part way up it in the early 1960s. The trail became deepened with use, and the trail was closed in the 1970s. Nature has not yet filled in the old trail visible from upper left to higher right.

The San Francisco Peaks still were snow-capped in early May.

 

The reddish cinders deposited at the top of the volcano similar to those shown here caused it to be called Sunset.

 

North of Sunset Crater is an area of several pueblos or villages of the natives who farmed in the area.This one is named Wukoki Pueblo and is unusual for its being visible from miles around.

 

The walls have been stabilized.

While this pueblo is not fortified as much as some others, its being built on a large rock gives it some defenses.

 

These pots are on display at the Visitors Center and are said to have been made (left) around 700 and (right) around 1100. It is amazing that they have survived intact.

 

This is the largest structure at the Wupatki Pueblo. It had about 100 rooms on its four levels.

 

 

Nearby structures with a ball court at the lower right. It is too large to be a Kiva.

Part of the nearby structures. They also were quite high.

ROADRUNNERS APRIL 28 CAMPOUT AT VERDE VALLEY

 

We were  scheduled to park at the Jerome Elks Club lodge in Clarkdale, but when we arrived on Thursday three of the four spots were taken, so we went to plan B and located at the old Thousand Trails park  near Cottonwood. It was quite nice.

Friday we drove to Sedona to look around, then up 89A to the lookout at the top of Oak Creek Canyon. Yes, the gray patches way down there are the highway we just drove up.

 

Native vendors had their wares on display on the picnic tables along the walk to the overlook.

 

And here is our group (minus Mike and the photographer) at the overlook. It was a nice sunny day.

I am modeling a hat I just bought. It has a flap in the back to avoid sunburn to ones neck.

Friday night a front came through and left a dusting of snow on Mingus mountain. The day was cool and rainy, but we made the most of it and drove up to Jerome for lunch at the old hospital repurposed into a hotel with  dining room. Tom Holz and the photographer are missing.

Here is our whole group in the quaint dining room.

 

This view is from the hotel parking lot looking over the Verde Valley.

JEEPERS CREEPERS RUN TO CROWN KING April 10, 2014

 

Twenty four members and friends in 7 vehicles had a great run led by Austin and Mary Ellen Hulcher to Bumblebee for coffee break, Cleator  and Crown King for lunch at the historic bar.

Chatting during the coffee break.

People gathered around  the goodies. Basha’s donuts were popular.

We stopped at Cleator to check out the bar and to see if the general store was open. It was not.

 

But across the road was a sign proclaiming “Garage Sale Today”. My guess is that the sale as going on every day. Most of the inventory was rusty but few sales were made.

After inspecting the wares, we headed back to the vehicles. .

We had some great views along the upper part of the Crown King road.

No, that is not our road down there.

Over the mountains on the horizon is Bloody Basin.

A waitress greeted us upon arrival at he Crown King Bar to take orders before we even sat down. The Hulchers warned them in advance that our group would be there for lunch, so they added an extra waitress.

Bill, Jo and our guests,Rosa and Lindsey Ashby in front of the Crown King  general store/ post office.