Well... it was a very eventful trip (for a moderate exploration trip)!
Vince, Fred, and I met on Means Dry Lake at about 0845. We waited until about 0910 and Wilson had not arrived yet. We decided to have Fred go to Soggy via the highway and hopefully run into Wilson, as Vince and I took the dirt roads to Soggy.
Fred did find Wilson and they headed for Soggy.
Vince and I found a great dirt road route from Means to Soggy. It is about 13 miles and took us 30 minutes. The speeds varied from 10 mph on the whoops to 55 mph on a few very nice smooth sections.
I will post up a map soon.
Fred and Wilson were amazed at how quickly we got to Soggy. They had only been there about 10 minutes.
We first went to Crowbar and checked out Ballerina Rock (the waterfall entrance). It was dug out some at the bottom, but did not really look any different (no skid marks or gouges in the rock).
We walked up the canyon a ways and it is obvious that the trail has seen some traffic. I think that several parties have been up it.
There was some broken glass (obviously from someone's back window) at Crowbar rock and signs that people have already been taking some harder alternate lines!
Next we headed to Green Rock Mine and explored that area. Fred and I went down a very steep section into a valley that had an off camber obstacle on it.
Vince didn't want to take a chance on body damage on his daily driver (can't blame him) so I came back up (easier going up) and as Fred was about to come back up his tie rod broke where it connects to the pitman arm! #-o
So, as Fred waited below we headed off to find a easier way into the valley.
I started down a single track that lead the right direction and ended up in a very bad position on a loose side hill, very close to a roll which could have ended several hunded feet below!
uch:
While I [-o< Vince and Wilson hooked up a strap and helped me back out of danger.
We decided to take the long way around the mountain to the west and find a way up into the valley.
Near Green Rock Mine (the rock really is green) Wilson had a rock sheer off one of his valve stems (the metal bolt on type) so we stopped and helped him put on his spare.
Since Wilson's spare was much smaller than his other tires he was done for the day and limped off down Green Rock Mine road to Hwy 247 and Lucerne Valley for tire repair.
Vince and I worked our way around the mountain and found a good route up to Fred. Fred was apparently very glad to see us by this time because he started jumping up and down, waving his jacket like a man signaling a rescue plane!
We chained the pitman arm to a stud for the steering stabilizer on the tie rod so that there was
a little control and got Fred down into the valley and open, flat ground.
I towed Fred backwards (so that the front tires would track better) across the valley toward the exit route. I wish we had video... Fred had no control and didn't miss a single creosote bush in his path! :clap: #-o
We did learn that a short tow strap worked much better and that by braking Fred could force the pull of the strap to straighten his truck out.
By the time we got down to the nice wide dirt road we were pretty good at it! Fred had discovered that by using the ebrake the front tires tracked better and we put Vince at the rear with a strap on Fred's truck and he was able to correct the direction a little also.
With our technique down and a nice wide road to travel we disconnected Vince and made good speed, about 15 mph out to Green Rock Mine road, which was even wider and smoother.
Vince took over the towing to give my truck a break and we had Fred at the pavement after a total of about 2 hours of work.
Another sucessful Spinnin' 4's extraction! \:D/
Fred called AAA who said they would be there in 30 minutes (yeah right) and Fred told Vince and I to go on as he waited.
Vince left and then as I went to start my truck... nothing ](*,) not even a click from the starter! #-o
Luckily there were 2 of us and I started checking fuses and connections as Fred tried the starter and monitored the dash lights... We soon found the problem. The main fuse (80 amp) had a crack in it and had become an intermittent connection. We shoved a piece of wire in the crack and it started and got me home!
Fred got home by 7:30 pm and the day was over...
:chug:
Boy I feel really bad, before I ended up not being able to go I had called Paul Acosta to let him know we were going out to Johnson Valley. He said he would love to go but had other plans but if he could make it he'd give me a call. Well he started calling on Friday that he was out there and couldn't find where to go. The phone # I gave him was off since he said he would give me a call if he could make it. Well he didn't call until Friday after I had decided on Thursday that I wouldn't be able to go or I would have still went since I invited him.
#-o
Too bad about Paul... he should have been contacting the trip leader, me, instead of you...
Here is the route from Means Dry Lake to Soggy Dry Lake: 13.5 miles and 30 minutes driving time with speeds varying from 10 mph on the worst whoops to 55 mph on the smooth sections. Your driving time may vary, but I think most rigs could make the trip in 30 minutes (or less!). The trails are another 10 minutes past the lakebed.
Click
here for a larger version of this map (782k), suitable for printing.
I have updated the announcement posts on all boards with this new map.
TurtleTruck wrote:
Too bad about Paul... he should have been contacting the trip leader, me, instead of you...
I actually called and let him know we were going on I think Tues., when he said he had plans and would call me if he could change it. Well when my situation changed on Thurs. I was running around on Friday getting a few things and didn't turn my phone on. Well Paul started calling as he was driving out to JV. I would have still went if he had called on Thurs. since I told him I'd be there.
