Day 12. May 31st.
This was my slower day. I was south of where I needed to be so I took my time.
The town I ended up staying at the night before, Manila, Utah, was
right on the edge of the Flaming Gorge reservoir. I stopped at the
Exxon for fuel and asked the lady at the counter and her husband about
where to get breakfast in this sleepy little town. They said there
wasn't anything other than a lodge about 3 miles away down towards the
lake in the 'park'. That didn't sound that fun but I headed that way.
Not 3 blocks down the road was the Villa Cafe. I guess the owners of
the Exxon own the Lodge so they send everyone there. The owners of the
Villa Cafe where not amused! You have to love small town politics!
After a great breakfast I headed south over the mountains toward Vernal, Utah.
I took the side trip down off the mountain down to the dam in the
bottom of the canyon. Highway 191 actually crosses the top of the dam
wall! I stopped off at the visitors center but was sadly informed that
the damn dam tours didn't start until tomorrow! ARG! I wasn't the only
unhappy person. A group of kids from local schools on a camping trip
didn't know that either. I did get to read all the stuff in the
vistors center and look at a lot of old pictures of the construction.
I will have to go back some day for the damn dam tour! The engineering
was pretty amazing. They diverted the entire river through an 1100
foot long tunnel that was 25' or so in diameter when they where
building the dam. Neat stuff.
Off over the mountains I went.
Vernal had fuel and I checked the levels on the transmission and
transfer case again just to make sure since it was getting hotter out
and I was pushing it a little harder on the highways. All was good.
I made a stop at the Dinosaur National monument. Neat stuff! The main
quarry is pretty dang amazing.
Shortly after getting into Colorado I found another section of road I
just flat didn't like. Highway 139 from Rangely to Fruita, Colorado
was just terrible. Its like the highway had 30 years of patches on top
of a road base that was the profile of a 'W'. The deep ruts tossed the
Willys around. The wheelbase didn't match up with anything. Neither
did the track width. Douglass Pass was tight, steep, and 3rd gear all
the way. I did find a HUGE boulder that had caved off the side of the
mountain in the road. Luckily there was a route around on the
shoulder. I think some of the motorhomes and semi's I passed on the
other side where going to have a hard time getting through...
I ended up camping up in the Colorado National Monument just outside
Fruita, Colorado after finding some great Mexican food. The road up
into the park is really cool. I tried to shoot a video of the drive
up. I will have to see if I can get it posted soon.
The camp spots where large but a little expensive. They did have
running water in the bathrooms with flush toilets. It was still WAY
cheaper than a hotel for the night! The weather was great. A clear
starry night. I couldn't complain. I even had cell service!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Day 11...the long story.
Day 11. May 30th.
Back on the road!
I ended up driving a LONG ways this day. I made it all the way to the
Wyoming border and it wasn't even late yet. Somewhere along the way I
ended up getting REALLY rained on. So much so that at the next town I
found a laundrymat and dried all my clothes out while I ate lunch!
Warm dry clothes are the best thing ever!
The morning was pretty dang cold. I ended up changing jets in the carb
while I drank some hot chocolate. I think this was the coldest morning
by far. I think going over the pass it was something like 28F! I don't
care who you are or how many layers you area wearing. In an open top
Willys that is plenty cold at 52mph!
I had thought I would end up around the Wyoming border that night but
ended up making it much much further south. Part of it was just
because it was a good road day. Part of it was because I was trying to
get south of the random rain storms. The last part was because I
couldn't find anywhere to freaking camp in southwest wyoming. I ate
dinner and grabbed fuel in Kemmerer, Wyoming. I think just before that
town is where I saw the derailed train. You don't see that every day.
It was just grain, no aliens, toxic waste, or railcars full of crate
jeeps.....
The wind really does blow in Wyoming if there aren't mountains! I
started looking for a place to camp but didn't have any luck. It was
windy enough I was thinking that I needed the lee side of a hill or
something. The sun was still up so I just kept going!
I ended up finding a not-so-cheap but nice enough hotel in Manila,
Utah just across the border at just about dark. I had spent about 12
hours on the road and covered about 500+ miles I think? I was done. I
was WAY south of where I needed to be.
This route down the western edge of Wyoming was REALLY great minus the
last 50 miles of wind and no-tress!
Back on the road!
I ended up driving a LONG ways this day. I made it all the way to the
Wyoming border and it wasn't even late yet. Somewhere along the way I
ended up getting REALLY rained on. So much so that at the next town I
found a laundrymat and dried all my clothes out while I ate lunch!
Warm dry clothes are the best thing ever!
The morning was pretty dang cold. I ended up changing jets in the carb
while I drank some hot chocolate. I think this was the coldest morning
by far. I think going over the pass it was something like 28F! I don't
care who you are or how many layers you area wearing. In an open top
Willys that is plenty cold at 52mph!
I had thought I would end up around the Wyoming border that night but
ended up making it much much further south. Part of it was just
because it was a good road day. Part of it was because I was trying to
get south of the random rain storms. The last part was because I
couldn't find anywhere to freaking camp in southwest wyoming. I ate
dinner and grabbed fuel in Kemmerer, Wyoming. I think just before that
town is where I saw the derailed train. You don't see that every day.
It was just grain, no aliens, toxic waste, or railcars full of crate
jeeps.....
The wind really does blow in Wyoming if there aren't mountains! I
started looking for a place to camp but didn't have any luck. It was
windy enough I was thinking that I needed the lee side of a hill or
something. The sun was still up so I just kept going!
I ended up finding a not-so-cheap but nice enough hotel in Manila,
Utah just across the border at just about dark. I had spent about 12
hours on the road and covered about 500+ miles I think? I was done. I
was WAY south of where I needed to be.
This route down the western edge of Wyoming was REALLY great minus the
last 50 miles of wind and no-tress!
Day 10...the long story
Day 10. May 29th.
This was a day of rest, repack, and refit at my parents house.
I didn't do much. I found a cool stash of old cars that I didn't know
about before. I had some homecooked food which is always good if mom
makes it! Played with my parents new puppies. Did a load of laundry.
Slept in a real bed. Took a LONG shower.
This was a day of rest, repack, and refit at my parents house.
I didn't do much. I found a cool stash of old cars that I didn't know
about before. I had some homecooked food which is always good if mom
makes it! Played with my parents new puppies. Did a load of laundry.
Slept in a real bed. Took a LONG shower.
Day 9...the long story.
Day 9. May 28th.
I headed back towards Idaho and my parents ranch this day.
I ended up getting rained more than enough this day. Maybe this was
mothers natures way of telling me I needed a shower? I ended up
getting wet enough that I needed to find some better rain pants. My
lightweight ones where just not cutting it any more. The water would
kinda get thrown up inside the bowl of the seat and soak through my
light rain gear into my pants. Having a soggy cold back end is no fun
at all.
At some point I pulled over in Hamilton, Montana at a Bob Wards
sporting goods store. The girls there got me fixed up with some nice
WATERPROOF pants and didn't even seem put off by my lack of bathing.
Maybe those road showers really do help?
The best thing ever is the weather underground mobile site for your
smart phone. It lets you see current radar and track trail on your
journey. I used this more than once to time a shoot between a pair of
storms that where moving across the highway.
I stopped and visited with some old friends on the way. Got some great
food. Basically I had a great time even though the weather was being a
pain in my rear.
With an open old flat fender jeep with tires that stick WAY outside of
the body you have interesting inventive thoughts on the road. Have you
ever seen wipers on the INSIDE of a windshield? How do you keep the
water from ending up on the underside of the bikini top and dripping
on your head? What kind of seats would be the most waterproof? Do they
make seat heaters that would work in the rain?
Fun times.....
I headed back towards Idaho and my parents ranch this day.
I ended up getting rained more than enough this day. Maybe this was
mothers natures way of telling me I needed a shower? I ended up
getting wet enough that I needed to find some better rain pants. My
lightweight ones where just not cutting it any more. The water would
kinda get thrown up inside the bowl of the seat and soak through my
light rain gear into my pants. Having a soggy cold back end is no fun
at all.
At some point I pulled over in Hamilton, Montana at a Bob Wards
sporting goods store. The girls there got me fixed up with some nice
WATERPROOF pants and didn't even seem put off by my lack of bathing.
Maybe those road showers really do help?
The best thing ever is the weather underground mobile site for your
smart phone. It lets you see current radar and track trail on your
journey. I used this more than once to time a shoot between a pair of
storms that where moving across the highway.
I stopped and visited with some old friends on the way. Got some great
food. Basically I had a great time even though the weather was being a
pain in my rear.
With an open old flat fender jeep with tires that stick WAY outside of
the body you have interesting inventive thoughts on the road. Have you
ever seen wipers on the INSIDE of a windshield? How do you keep the
water from ending up on the underside of the bikini top and dripping
on your head? What kind of seats would be the most waterproof? Do they
make seat heaters that would work in the rain?
Fun times.....
Day 8...the long story.
Day 8, May 27th
The last day on the trail. I didn't take many pics. Hopefully I will
get some from friends in the near future.
We made it up a ways towards a high mountain lake but got stopped in
one area with some VERY bad exposure below a sidehill section of road.
It was only about 500 feet down to the bottom! EEEEKKKKK! He ended up
using the winch to get turned around an we all headed out for the last
night of camping....well, camping in the woods....or rather 'wheeling
camping. I had another 3-4 days to go.
I need to find some pictures. Maybe they didn't upload. I will check tonight....
The last day on the trail. I didn't take many pics. Hopefully I will
get some from friends in the near future.
We made it up a ways towards a high mountain lake but got stopped in
one area with some VERY bad exposure below a sidehill section of road.
It was only about 500 feet down to the bottom! EEEEKKKKK! He ended up
using the winch to get turned around an we all headed out for the last
night of camping....well, camping in the woods....or rather 'wheeling
camping. I had another 3-4 days to go.
I need to find some pictures. Maybe they didn't upload. I will check tonight....
Day 7...the long story.
Day Seven? May 26th
This day was freaking perfect. We covered a lot of miles and
everything was really clicking.
We where back in the middle of nowhere for sure. We backtracked over a
pass we had already gone over to get back into another area. Sadly we
where not able to connect out the other side of much stuff, but it was
still fun none the less!
I got to break trail over a small pass this day. It was REALLY nice to
lead through some stuff. It made me feel like my driving was catching
up with the other guys ( yeah right! ).
This was the day we finally had to use our auxiliary fuel. I put in 10
gallons, I think one of the TJs squeezed in 14 gallons. I seemed to be
using about the same amount of fuel as the larger jeeps. That wasn't
too bad for my carbureted old engine I don't think. Both TJs are
running 5.3 GM engines. The super siphon worked GREAT for transferring
fuel. No mess, no sore arms from holding up the can, etc. My friend
REALLY liked it after I let him try it on one of his cans!
Off we went in another direction. This day was my favorite by far. I
got to break some trail effectively, we covered a lot of ground, no
problems at all really.
This day was freaking perfect. We covered a lot of miles and
everything was really clicking.
We where back in the middle of nowhere for sure. We backtracked over a
pass we had already gone over to get back into another area. Sadly we
where not able to connect out the other side of much stuff, but it was
still fun none the less!
I got to break trail over a small pass this day. It was REALLY nice to
lead through some stuff. It made me feel like my driving was catching
up with the other guys ( yeah right! ).
This was the day we finally had to use our auxiliary fuel. I put in 10
gallons, I think one of the TJs squeezed in 14 gallons. I seemed to be
using about the same amount of fuel as the larger jeeps. That wasn't
too bad for my carbureted old engine I don't think. Both TJs are
running 5.3 GM engines. The super siphon worked GREAT for transferring
fuel. No mess, no sore arms from holding up the can, etc. My friend
REALLY liked it after I let him try it on one of his cans!
Off we went in another direction. This day was my favorite by far. I
got to break some trail effectively, we covered a lot of ground, no
problems at all really.
Day 6...the long story.
Day six! May 26th...
I was pretty nervous this day after my lack luster performance the 1st day.
Finding a stuck Subaru down the road from the camp site cheered me up
a bit! He had tried to come up our tracks and got stuck....go figure.
We gave him a tug and sent him down the road. He didn't make it more
than 20 feet into the snow on the road bed, at least I had made it
about 2 miles. Go Willys!
We headed down into some really great backcountry along some fat snow
fed rivers. We looped back over the mountains on a random pass road
that was paved?!?!?! It was snow free...boring.....and topped up with
fuel again.
After that we headed back up into the mountains.
Somewhere in there I decided to try 1psi instead of 2psi. What a
difference it made! It made a LOT of difference. I think my driving
was also catching up with the other guys and I was getting the 'feel'
for this 'new' vehicle I had. My Krawlers are pretty rock worn and
have rounded edges on the tread blocks. This really hurts you in my
opinion in the snow. I just didn't have the 'traction' that the new
MTR/K's or custom grooved Swamper Radials had. In my opinion those
MTR/K goodyear tires are among some of the best I have seen all
around. They did VERY well in the deep snow, I know they work well in
the rocks, and they even go down the road pretty well.
After the change to 1psi things started to work for me. Don't forget
that we probably aired up and down about 10+ times on this trip since
we where going in and out of the snow so much.
Everyone eventually got sidehilled out again this day but we made it
over one pass and WAY into the back country. It was more a combination
of huge tree wells, sidehill, uphill, and crappy snow conditions in
some light rain. The Willys was working pretty well at this point and
I actually did some things that amazed even my friends. Yeah Willys!
I was pretty nervous this day after my lack luster performance the 1st day.
Finding a stuck Subaru down the road from the camp site cheered me up
a bit! He had tried to come up our tracks and got stuck....go figure.
We gave him a tug and sent him down the road. He didn't make it more
than 20 feet into the snow on the road bed, at least I had made it
about 2 miles. Go Willys!
We headed down into some really great backcountry along some fat snow
fed rivers. We looped back over the mountains on a random pass road
that was paved?!?!?! It was snow free...boring.....and topped up with
fuel again.
After that we headed back up into the mountains.
Somewhere in there I decided to try 1psi instead of 2psi. What a
difference it made! It made a LOT of difference. I think my driving
was also catching up with the other guys and I was getting the 'feel'
for this 'new' vehicle I had. My Krawlers are pretty rock worn and
have rounded edges on the tread blocks. This really hurts you in my
opinion in the snow. I just didn't have the 'traction' that the new
MTR/K's or custom grooved Swamper Radials had. In my opinion those
MTR/K goodyear tires are among some of the best I have seen all
around. They did VERY well in the deep snow, I know they work well in
the rocks, and they even go down the road pretty well.
After the change to 1psi things started to work for me. Don't forget
that we probably aired up and down about 10+ times on this trip since
we where going in and out of the snow so much.
Everyone eventually got sidehilled out again this day but we made it
over one pass and WAY into the back country. It was more a combination
of huge tree wells, sidehill, uphill, and crappy snow conditions in
some light rain. The Willys was working pretty well at this point and
I actually did some things that amazed even my friends. Yeah Willys!
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