Labor Day Weekend '99

Sorry, no pictures from this trip.

My plans were up in the air until Tuesday when I saw a note from Phil Smith saying he'd be on the Rubicon Labor Day weekend. I had specifically planned on NOT being on the Rubicon on the long holiday weekend - too crowded. Until I saw that posting, I was debating driving to Moab to hook up with Bart. Long drive, but would have been worth it.

Phil was planning on entering the trail Thursday morning at Tahoe and heading to Loon Lake with about 4 other trucks. I was to meet Phil around noon on Friday at Loon. Some of the trucks would be leaving the trail and heading back to Utah while Phil, whoever was left and I would drive back the trail and exit at Tahoe Sat evening.

I couldn't get anyone to make the drive up there Friday morning (had to work or something), so I left town around 8:30. While driving up, I decided that I was definitely going to Moab. I would finish the trail and then caravan with them back to Utah. I'd be there Sunday afternoon, hang out with Bart, wheel on Monday and head home. I even had the phone call to work played out in my head ("stuck in Nevada - long story"). The time alone would be nice, and it's been awhile since I've done a long road trip.

Well, I had a couple of delays and didn't get to the trail until around 12:30. I heard someone say "Phil" on the CB, but couldn't make contact. I figured they had a delay or two and hadn't made it in to Loon yet. So I hung out, re-spooled my winch, got some sun and relaxed. Around 1:45 it occurred to me that I may have heard them leaving Loon on their way back. Five minutes of debate (with myself) and I decided that the best thing to do would be to head down the trail. If I met them, no big deal. If not, at least I'd catch them at Buck Island and hang out.

It was a fairly uneventful drive in. Very little traffic on the trail. One group from Clovis was stopped just before Ellis Creek with a broken D35c and no spare. Nice group and they were under control. They were able to tell me that Phil was close to an hour ahead of me on trail...

The only other group I met were a bunch of Land Rovers covered in stickers. They were just starting up Walker Hill when I caught them and were filming everyone. I got to talking to them - very cool people. Here's who they are - http://www.bordertoborder.com/adventures/TA99/TA99index.html They had been on the road for a while and had battled flash floods, desert heat and forest fires. Hadn't even gotten out of CA yet.... They let me pass at the top of the Hill and I was off.

I was following the distinct tracks of Phil's SSRs. When they went into the Little Sluice, so did I. No trucks, but a couple of spectators. I took a line high on the wall and managed to squeak through pretty cleanly (not my shorts). It was nice to hit it (again) without traffic.

Pushed on towards Buck Island, and started hearing them on the CB. From what I could tell, they were about 1/4 mile in front of me. Just before I got to the Old/True (whatever) Sluice I met up with some quad drivers who said they just saw Phil's TJ 5 minutes ago just before entering the Sluice. So I followed. Still couldn't get them on the CB...

Made it down through the Sluice without catching them. There's only so fast you can go, and I think they were doing it too. No damage, lots of fun, yada yada.

As I approached Buck Island I could here them again, but didn't make visual contact. They weren't in any of the campsites before the dam so I kept going. Just before climbing up to the Big Sluice there were some SSR tracks heading down into the campgrounds. Yippee!! So down I went. And drove around. And around. Talked to an older guy there and he hadn't seen them. Huh! I decided the best thing to do would be to head on to Rubicon Springs and hope to see them there. If not, I'd camp and figure out what to do next.

Shortly after leaving Buck, I saw the fresh SSR tracks again. I made it down the Sluice, calling out on the CB the whole time. When I got to the bridge into the Springs, I stopped and called out again. Phil answered. They were in the main camp. 5 minutes later I was too.

Nice group of people. It was Phil with his trick TJ, a well built Suzuki, and an EB with 39" Boggers and on jacks.

Turns out the combination of the 401 and the 39" tires spun the flange off the 9" axle at the top of the Big Sluice the night before. They had welded it back together and got it to the Springs, but didn't trust it for the drive out. Dave (the owner of the Bronco) had caught a ride out to go look for an axle. He left behind his passenger Rich to keep on eye on the truck and gear.

Phil and company decided to press on to Tahoe and go get rooms in Carson City. So I only hung out with him for 20 minutes - I stayed and camped with Rich. Fun night. Cool guy.

Next day (Saturday), I didn't know what to do. About 10:00 I decided that the best thing would be to head back to Loon. :) I needed to hurry though, as I didn't want to go against traffic up the Big Sluice. By 10:30 I was rolling. Saw three Jeeps coming down the Sluice, and then no one until Buck Island.

I sat on the side of the trail while the Land Rovers came through and chatted with the older guy from the night before and his son.

I didn't really want to go up the slabs that bypass the Old Sluice, and since I hadn't seen anyone on trail... I went up the Old Sluice. Made it even!!! Very cool. A lot harder than down, but not impossible. Didn't have to stack rocks or unspool the winch so I was happy.

Then I started to meet people. Passed about 20 people between the top of the Sluice and the entrance to the Spider Lake area. I decided to go around the Little Sluice on the bypass and see if I could run it again. No way. The reason the trail was so empty was because they were all at Heckler's Rock! There must have been 75 trucks parked up there, and all the occupants were down ridiculing the those attempting the Sluice.

That kept me entertained for about 30 minutes, and then I continued on.

The traffic out to Loon was heavy. I was pulling over about every 1/4 mile (longest interval) and letting others pass. Funny thing about wheeling alone for a couple days was I started wanting to stop and chat with people. I offered help where I thought I could (gave one guy the last of a fifth of rum - he'd been playing with his carb for 3 hours). Met up with the group from Clovis in the same spot I left them. While I was there a guy walked into camp carrying a new axle shaft. There were set to start out. Again.

I left trail about 3:00 and decided to head to Tahoe, and then down to the top of the Deer Valley trail. Because of traffic and a hunt for gas, I didn't hit the trail until dark. On went the lights, and in I went. About 9:00 I made camp next to the river and started a fire - it was cold! I ate a little food, drank a few beers and stared at the fire or the stars. Went to bed around 11:30.

I didn't put the tarp on the tent, as it always makes me too hot. Woke up in the morning to lots of frost. Even in the tent. I did something I almost never do - re-lit the fire. Looking for wood warmed me up a bit.

Don and George were planning on being at the southern trail head about 11:30. I decided not to wait for them, but instead to head out and say hi before heading home. Which I did.

The Valley was over 95 degrees. Then back to 60 in San Francisco. My body hates me right about now…

So I'm home, and done wheeling for a couple weeks. I could use the break - it's been too many straight weeks of bad food, trail dust and smoke.