Rosser Roundup
Back to Trail Reports Main Page

ROCKCRAWLER
Back to the Features Page

Story by, Coach George
Photos by, Steve Maguire
Spell-checked by, Jake the dog.

Rubicon Media Run '99
Sponsored by the California Association of 4WD Clubs

RubiconNext, over the Little Sluice, was Dave Gray from Off-Road.com. Nice YJ with all the techno-rockcrawling features. After several attempts, he snapped his front drive line. TA-DA! It's ROCKCRAWLER.COM to the rescue!

After they removed the shaft and repositioned the YJ with a Hi-Lift, we pulled him back out toward the beginning of the Sluice so his partner in crime, Chad Crowell, (also of Off-Road.com) could winch him up and start welding with the YJ's Premier Power Welder. Unfortunately, everyone else had moved on, and since the Little Sluice was blocked and we did not know the trail too well, we backed up and headed out to find the bypass.

Unfortunately, the bypass is on slab rock and you can not see the trail at all. Everyone else had scooted on, so we guessed our way along. Thanks guys! So much for group traveling etiquette! The designated camp spot at Spider Lake should be here just any time soon. Well, without a guide we ended up hal- way to Buck Island Lake. Oops. Wrong lake? Traversing thru what seemed like Break-It Alley. There were several rigs off to the side chatting with friends posing as pit crews. None of these folks were with our run.

RubiconOne thing that caught our eye as odd, was a brand new Toyota Tacoma with dealer plates and TRD rear-end traversing the terrain. We also witnessed several nice-sized scrapes on it's sides. Boy I'd like to see him trying to explain this one off as damage covered by warranty.

Anyway, feeling like a lost tourist, I finally asked one of those in Break-It Alley if the next lake up was Spider. They pointed back in the other direction and said to follow them. We did. Sat there forever as she chatted with a long-lost buddy while showing off her air-powered drink mixer attached to her spare tire. We finally arrived back at Spider Lake and set up camp. It was around 7:00pm and we were exhausted.

Dinner was fabulous and prestigiously cooked. The head cook and chief bottle washer; Jim Bramham is now a CA OHV Rep. and the past President of the CA4WDC. My hats off to the Association and this great chef and his family. The steak was awesome, the salad fresh, and the potatoes scrumptuous.

Rubicon Not much later a rumor began spreading of a downed ATV'r. About the same time, a young boy ran into camp looking for a way to call for a Hellivac. Apparently, there was really a problem! Luckily, the boy was the son of an EMT who was in our group. The injured rider was being well taken care of. Several folks jumped onto their CB's while others scrambled up the rocks to get better cell phone reception. About thirty minutes later, the call got thru from several of our folks. The chopper was on the way. From what I gather, if you do a perfect front one and a quarter flips on an ATV while going down a steep hill you get a score of a perfect ten... "IF" you land safely. Otherwise, you get an $8,000 ride in a chopper to the hospital with a broken ankle and more. This champ was real lucky. The chopper ride could have been for much worse injuries.

RubiconEach volunteer's club and their media passengers had circled their wagons into their own little spots and sat happily, telling stories around their mosquito-chasing bon-fires. Feeling a little like the odd men out, as Steve and I were not members of any of these clubs, we went and offered our help to the folks who took charge of the ATV mishap. Being of no assistance there, we went gawking at vehicles. We stopped to admire Dave Gray's YJ and Chad Crowell's TJ; both of Off-Road.com. Nice rigs. They had easily welded up the front drive shaft and planned to fully participate in the adventures of the next day. We also checked out the Speed Buggy.

Rubicon Rubicon

MOVING ON...






©1997-2010 ROCKCRAWLER 4x4 and Off-Road Magazine. All Rights Reserved.