Survived the Rubicon!

[GJarrett]

Pics are up. This is most all that I have. I could have spent another day just shooting photos. But this trail is way too technical and keeps you way too busy to allow for the luxury of using a camera very often. And this place is a prime example of the fact that a photo just doesn't do justice to the experience.

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/showgallery.php?cat=3182&ppuser=101&thumb=1

 

[Paul B.]

My only suggestion on doing the Con is -- HAVE SOME ROCK CRAWLING EXPERIENCE BEFORE DOING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have said this over and over again that this trail is not the trail to learn how to rock crawl and all though I have done the trail many time's with 33" Mud Terrain's, 35"-37" Mud Terrain's are better. Also All-Terrain tire's are not the best tire for this trail. They do not grip the rock's as well. Also a Safety Seal Tire repair kit would of repaired that punchure in Ray's tire. I had one like that the first year I did the trail and we stuff 5 plug's into the hole and it held 500 miles before it blew out again. A must for any off-road trip. You guy's did it without much mechanical damage and that's say's alot about you. Good job!!!!


Gerald great picture's!!! If we ever get back up their again, I been wanting to bring my two Kayak's along for the lake's. No one has ever done that before. But like Brian K. said we need to spend at least 5 day's doing it and not 3. Much more relaxing that way.

Matt, as far as I know, I have been the only 4 door Explorer to ever do the Little Sluice. I have it on video. One of the Currie guy's did it with a two door also. But this was a few year's back for both of us.

 

[RockRanger]

Did tom go through the little sluice? The pics dont do the trail and the scienery justice. Any one that ever has a chance to run this trail should do it. Just make sure you are ready for it. So who is up for doing the Dusy trail next summer. 33 miles long and there is about 6 miles all up hill just like the gate keeper. Very fun trail

Matt

 

[RangerX]

Here's one pic I borrowed from Gerald's page.

I think this was near the top of Cadillac Hill.

 

[RockRanger]

I remember when I went through in 1999 the two rocks in this pic only stuck out of the ground about a food and owuldnt even come close to hitting them. what a difference a few years can make.

Matt

 

[tdavis]

Originally posted by RockRanger
Did tom go through the little sluice?

No, not yet. I did do Old Sluice on Saturday - THAT was fun! Not too hard, till you get to that big rock. Did the hard right line, almost rolled it to the left.

We started back up it later that day, and there was a big fullsize broken in there.. So we had to bypass that section.

Let me know when your got time Matt to run it, I'll go.. I maybe out there again several more times this year.

 

[JoshC]

Looks awesome guys!

Gerald, how were these trails compared to some that you've seen at Tellico?

 

[BKennedy]

Paul, I looked at Ray's tire and is had two slices in the sidewall about 2-3" long. No way a tire repair kit could have fixed that one. I have a tire repair kit in my truck, always have.

Good Pictures Gerald.


When we were at Rubicon Springs we talked to some dudes in Scouts who said it was the roughest they had seen the trail in a long time.

Ordered my Detroit locker today, gonna get rid of the Powertrax No-slip. It doesn't get along with the 5:13 gears.

 

[Rick]

Pictures look great

 

[mrboyle]

Glad to hear everyone made it out in one peice. I still can't believe Gerald drove all the way out there and back Anyone that hasn't put it together yet, the weekend he spent here in Colorado and his jaunt to Moab were done on his way to the Rubicon.

 

[RockRanger]

Originally posted by tdavis


Let me know when your got time Matt to run it, I'll go.. I maybe out there again several more times this year.

Not sure when it will be. If I go it will be a quick 2 day fast run through. Ill keep you posted

Matt

 

[kiadog]

hey ray! i have a couple of 33bfg at kos if you want one for a spare,pm me if intrested and we can work out a way to deliver it.nice pics garret

 

[GJarrett]

Paul, I have a Safety Seal kit and Brian is right. The big hole in Ray's sidewall went all the way to the bead and sliced it apart too - I don't think that was repairable. Your presence was sorely missed - I was hoping to run with you. Maybe next time. (Yeah, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll do this one again).

Josh, this was a lot tougher than the trails I usually run in Tellico, and it never gave up a chance to rest -- every section of trail demanded attention. It was much more technical than the climb up Trail 6 that we did together. Triple and quadruple the size of the rocks on Trail 6 and throw a whole lot more of them on the trail and you might get a feel for what the Rubicon was like. I haven't seen the rockgarden on Tellico's Trail 2 yet but now I want to go look at trying that now that I've done the Rubicon Schoolbus (Trail 12) takes consistent effort to climb and that would be a near comparison. The closest Tellico comparison I can think of is the rockgarden that approaches the base of Slickrock. The Rubicon is several miles of that rockgarden. It is 7 3/4 miles from the Gatekeeper to Rubicon Springs, and it took us two whole days to get there.

 

[taxx]

That is just absolutely beautiful out there. One question:

How was the camping?

 

[GJarrett]

The 'skeeters were pretty bad - we lathered on the repellent pretty thick until they went away after dark. The campsites were gorgeous and the camping was the among the best I've ever enjoyed. The sky was cloudless under a nearly full moon. The blue moonlight reflected off of the granite so brightly that flashlights weren't needed to see the awesome scenery we were in, and the nightime weather was dry humidity and 50- 60 degrees.

I wanna go back already.

 

[TravisC]

That looks AWESOME. I wanna go, well after I get a hell of a lot more experience and add a lot to my rig. Glad to hear there wasn't major damage besides a foot

 

[JoshC]

How long did it take you from SC Gerald? Did you come across 64 through WV?

I too would love to make a nice long vacation out of a few wheelin trips out west. But i'd have to have every bug worked out of my truck before i'd think about that.

Maybe in a couple of years or so we can get a group of east coast guys to come out and stay for a while.

 

[BKennedy]

I just want to say this about Tom Rios...that guy is one tough mother! He never whinned, complained or lost his cool while he was lying in the dirt with his right foot at a 45 degree angle to his leg. Even with me going "does this hurt" as I was poking around to ensure proper circulation to his foot after I splinted it in place. I could feel the broken bone jutting out just under the skin right at his ankle. I kept telling him it was just dislocated, but I knew it was bad.

And..no one ran away, there was some running around when it happened, but things calmed down in a few minutes and everyone did what was needed to get him safely out of there. There is always a few minutes of wigging out when something happens that most people do not know how to deal with before the brain kicks in and you start thinking. Even I could not remember how to treat that type of injury until my brain started working again and my EMT skills popped to the front of my feeble melon.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Brian what set up you running? You running 35's??? How did you fit them???

 

[BKennedy]

I have the Superlift 5.5" in the rear with custom shock mounts. Have Skyjacker 6" coils, assorted drop brackets and the superrunner steering system up front. Locked front and rear. Fit the 35X12.5X15" MTR's with a little (well, more than a little) trimming of the fenders. Don't be afraid of the cut-off wheel, its your friend.

I would also like to add that Paul B. is a very good friend. He dropped everything to help Tom, drove his wife up to Roseville and drove Tom's Navajo back. Thanks Paul, for being there when needed.