Tag Archives: overland offroad adventure

SAM splintted arm

First Aid First

green land rover defender 90We’ve always taken wilderness first aid preparedness seriously as a part of our off-road adventures but it was not until that fateful day in Moab that our training got put into use.

There are two requirements to help produce a successful outcome in a wilderness first aid situation.  First you and preferably everyone in the group, need to have the knowledge on how to treat victims for a wide range of accidents and (b) you need to have the medical resources to treat  the problem.

When you get off the beaten path by bike, hiking, horseback or 4×4 it is important that you have a solid understanding of how to treat accidents of all kinds. This includes: second or third degree burns, deep cuts, sprains, broken bones,  heat exhaustion, hypothermia, animal bites and more.

In order to learn how to treat accident victims, start by taking a basic first aid and CPR class taught through the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, local community college, outdoor club or private company. These courses will provide you with a basic understanding of first aid and how to work with victims in an emergency situation.

woman taking injured man pulseIn addition to the course materials print off, read and keep with you on your adventure:

If you are the leader of an off-road adventure you have an increased level of responsibility and leadership role as medical support for the group.  You may want to take a more intense wilderness first aid training course or assign the medic role to one of the other member of the group who has additional training.  In extreme off-road adventures where first aid is the only aid you can expect, you may want a paramedic, ER nurse or doctor to join the team.

wilderness first aid splinting injured man armWhen it comes to medical supplies we recommend braking it down into two categories, personal first aid kit and group trauma pack.  The group trauma pack should contain a wide list of supplies  such as: scalpels, scissors, tweezers, forceps, nitrile gloves, splints, burn creams, eye wash, ice packs, heat packs,  space blanket, ACE bandages, blood clotter, antibiotic ointments, antiseptic creams, alcohol swabs, hydrogen peroxide, aspirin, non-aspirin pain relievers, mole skin, butterfly wound closures, large sterile gauze pads, triangle bandages, non-stick pads, sterile gauze rolls, adhesive tape and lots of various sized band-aids and sterile gauze pads.  The group should carry a  trauma pack with enough supplies to support several team members being involved in an accident.

Each person in the group should carry a personal first aid kit that is kept with them.  The individual first aid kits are a combination of simple basics as well as personalized medical needs.  At a minimum we recommend each personal kit include: antacid tablets, Pepto-Bismol tablets, aspirin/non-aspirin, antihistamine, insect sting relief, insect repellant, lip balm, sunblock, Moleskin, antiseptic cream, large and medium sized band-aids as well as several 3×3 sterile gauze pads, adhesive tape and tweezers.  Every individual should personalize their kit to support any prescriptions or medical needs they may have such as allergy meds, asthma inhalers, insulin kit or EpiPen.

yellow land rover discoveryMore than likely you’ll never pull out the group trauma pack.  Most little  scraps, blisters and upset stomachaches can be handled by the individual using their personal first aid kit.  More serious needs will utilize both the personal first aid kits, the group trauma pack and other do-dads such as duct tape, Velcro straps, leatherman tools, blankets, water, hi-lift jack bars, hoses, what ever it takes, in order to bring all available resources to bare .

The last piece of the first aid preparedness puzzle on an off-road adventure is to have a pre-departure check-in to assess everyone’s skills, discuss any team members’ special medical needs and drug allergies,  verify individual kits and ensure everyone knows where the group trauma pack is kept as well as what protocol to follow in case of an accident.

Most off-road adventures never encounter a serious injury but without a doubt you have to be prepared to provide medical aid in locations where first aid may be the only aid for a long time.

baja mexico dirt road cactus

Lessons From The Baja

Sometimes you have to travel to the ends of the earth before you can see what is right in front of you.     Our Baja off-road adventure reinforced lessons that apply to more than just off-road adventures.

Explore More – Don’t let yourself get caught up in the ordinariness of life’s daily grind.  Make it your priority to get out, explore and have an adventure.

Push Yourself Further – It can be dangerous to venture where the map shows dragons.  But when you do, the world expands.

Live In The Moment – Whether it’s the ordinary or the extraordinary stay present with it.  Don’t hang onto it, don’t push it aside, just stay with it.

Make Strong Bonds – Let others touch your life.  Relationships are the only thing of real value we carry with us.

Celebrate Everything – Each mile of an adventure holds so much wonder and challenge, celebrate the great, near great and the difficult.  You have earned it.

historical naches wagon trail sign

Wagons Hoe The Naches Trail

defendor 90 naches passThere are times when I want to reconnect with friends, get outdoors and simply enjoy a simple, uncomplicated off-road adventure.  For me the Naches Wagon Trail is just that. This 4×4 trail follows the historic pioneer route over the Cascade Mountains and intersects the Pacific Crest Trail.  Filled with spectacular views, interesting terrain and the occasional historic land mark, it is exactly what the weekend is made for.

For the last five years the Northwest FJ Cruisers Club has put together an overnight on the eastern side of the Cascades in the heart of the Naches Basin.  Besides the historical trail over the pass, the Naches Basin is filled with forest roads and 4×4 trails to explore including routes to Moon Rocks and Funny Rocks. Every year in July the NWFJCC goes out exploring.

But this off-road adventure was planned as a relaxing jaunt over the pass with Other Paul.  He in his legendary Defender 90 and I in the Blue Bunny.  We were not in a hurry.  Our goal was to simply arrive in time for dinner and spend the evening around the fire with old friend.

The 4×4 trail over the pass can be tight in places but the two of us easily picked our way over the rocks and debris, squeezing past trees and through the narrow gullies.  The easy pace and quiet of the forest provided time to contemplate the journey that must have seemed endless to the pioneers who’s entire life was stuffed into covered wagons that had to be dragged over these mountains.  These days with 250 plus horses under the hood the journey almost seems effortless.govenment meadow pacific crest trail

I enjoy Other Paul’s company on these adventures.  He is a extremely bright, articulate and a truly thoughtful individual.  Always looking out for others and effortlessly sliding into the role of a leader for those less experienced around him.  His philosophical mind constantly challenges me to a mental debate without point out every flaw in my logic.  Easy going and resourceful, Other Paul is the friend I have come to count on.

We arrived at the club’s base camp to find them still out exploring the trails.  Pitching his tent and I, my bivi and prayer flags, we quietly went about our business of setting up and preparing dinner before we spotted the first of the club’s rigs returning.  First one, then a another and before long the group was back and we were exchanging greetings with old friends and introductions to new folks.

Maybe it goes back to our days in the cave or maybe its just in our DNA but it seems to be universal.  A campfire is  for cooking hot dogs and roasting marshmallows.  Its heat draws everyone in close on a cold, clear, star filled night.  Its a beacon back to camp after a trip to the outhouse.  It is the center of the conversation and the focus of silent stares. Its flames keep us safe from the wild and it’s smoke stays off the mosquitoes.  Hissing and popping a campfire speaks volumes and its last glowing embers announce the time turn in. A campfire is magical.defender 90 naches wagon trail trees

As I said good bye to Other Paul in the morning I joined a few others from the club returning back home on the wagon trail heading west in an effort to extend the weekend’s adventure for a few more hours.

A casual off-road adventure, good friends and a campfire.  Turned out to be just what was needed. The Naches Wagon Pass  is one of the must do trails in the northwest that everyone should take the time to enjoy.

Read more about the Naches Basin in our previous Naches wagon trail 4×4 adventures, including runs to Moon Rocks, Funny Rocks and video of the adventure.

toyota diesel bj60

WABDR Off-Road Adventure North part 2

mountain sunriseAs I mentioned earlier, The Young Turk has been bringing his outdoor gourmet game. On this off-road adventure he has busted out all the modern cooking conveniences and created mouth watering meals that Other Paul and I have thoroughly enjoyed. His uber outdoor kitchen contrasts my minimalist ideals. Don’t get me wrong… I did not once turn down his fresh salads, crisp bacon, spicy sausage patties and fluffy eggs, grilled sandwiches, cheeses or meats. But this morning it was time for The Young Turk to see that The Old Bull has culinary skills.

cooking over open fireWith nothing more than a few camp fire coals, hot rocks, tea pot and backpacking grill I set about making my breakfast of cheese and landjäger quesadilla with fresh hot coffee (ok there is a titanium french press involved too). For me the idea of cooking over a simple open fire is as much a meditation as it is about nutrition. The water takes forever to boil instilling patience, tortillas must be continually turned to avoid the flash point that causes them to cross from soft and warm to burnt and chewy. The cheese requires mindful coaxing to evenly melt and hold on tight to thin slices of Bavarian dried meat. Not as simple as igniting propane or as easy as scrambling farm fresh eggs on a griddle while sausage sizzles and home fries brown but this is by far the best tasting quesadilla… ever!

cow woodsComing down from the hills following the dirt roads, the little town of Chelan is in site as we hit civilization. This is our planned fuel up. Diesel for Big Red, premium for the Blue Bunny… and coffee for us. If you have ever stood next to a jet at take off or witnessed a two year old’s full scale meltdown in the Walmart checkout line then you understand the decibel levels of an unlimited hydroplane. The boats, more floating engine than sailing craft, are flying around the lake course in front of us, throwing 100 foot rooster tails into sky as we make our way along the lake into town. Their deafening roar shakes coffee cups at the local Starbucks a block off the water. Normally a sleepy little town, today it is filled with race fans cramming together on any patch of beach they can find.

Torn between watching the races and a desire to get back on the dirt, Other Paul navigates us through town and around the lake, back onto the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route. With Other Paul’s navigation keeping us on the straight and narrow it has has been reassuring to know that he is always two turns ahead of where we are on the route. Joe Merchant once said “The best navigators don’t always know where they are going, until they get there!” Other Paul… always knows.

overgrown 4x4 trailThe backcountry discovery routes usually have a couple of alternatives along the way that are more technical challenging, especially for a fully loaded dual sport rider. Coming up to the alternate, the map indicates “brush covered, expect pin striping but should be passable”. Of course the maps are created by motorcycle riders and for motorcycle riders. Other Paul and The Young Turk are coming off an extremely bad bushwhacking experience earlier this summer but decide to cowboy up and take a chance on the alternate trail.

We’re 5 minutes in and Other Paul is now walking the trail ahead sawing off overgrown branches to clear a path. Another 100 yards and it is clear this is what is meant by “squeezing a camel through the eye of a needle”. Motorcycles may get through with a little pin striping… the Blue Bunny and Big Red… they have reverse gears and we are using them. Backing down the narrow corridor until we can find enough clearing to turn around…. and that maybe a while.

rainy view toyota bj60Back on the main route, making our way along McKenzie Ridge heading to Chumstick Peak the views are spectacular. In 2004 forest fires took down 10,000 acres of trees. Over the years Mother Nature has replace the tall timber with a green carpet of salal and young saplings. Without dense forest growth, the route is wide open, showing off the expansive solitude that make this area so special.

broken fj cruiser mirrorSwitchbacks with the occasional down pours define a big part of the route today. The cooler September temperatures signal the rut is on with a pair of large bucks sporting heavy antlers bounding down the hill as we approach. It wont be long before this section of Washington backcountry discovery route gravel, dirt and rock will be wearing a heavy blanket of white with travel limited to snow machines or cross country skis.

It began and now ends at the Milepost III Brewing Company. It is hard to fit everything you want into a weekend adventure but the northern legs of the Washington backcountry discovery route did not disappoint. Miles of dirt, solitude, amazing scenery, good friends, camp meals to die for and discovering the Hipsters of the Woods tribe. The Washington Backcountry Discovery Route does not disappoint.

man with funny face

WABDR Off-Road Adventure North Part 1

fj cruiser seattle ferryWe started the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route (WABDR) more than a year ago with a plan to drive south to north. In 2012 we completed the southern Washington Backcountry Discovery Route legs after an initial attempt was thwarted by heavy wet snow that blocked the passes. Fast forward and today we are reversing directions looking to knock out the remaining northern legs starting at the Canadian boarder and heading south.

Our plan is to leave Seattle early enough Friday to arrive at the Nighthawk border crossing in time to establish camp and cook dinner before the sun goes down. Nighthawk to Lake Chelan Saturday, down to Cashmere on Sunday then scoot home.

Other Paul and The Young Turk will be driving together in Big Red, The Young Turk’s Toyota BJ60 that he has been building as an overlanding rig for a while now. Long travel suspension, fridge, tons of room for everything you could imagine packed in back, Big Red’s diesel plant rumbles up I5 from Portland on its way to pick up Other Paul in Seattle before heading east for our meetup.sleeping under a tarp

I start the day optimistic as ever. Run into the office for a few short hours until the guys start heading east at which time I’ll take off and meet them in Wenachee so we can fuel up and caravan north to the boarder. The office clock now reads 5:00 p.m. and the dream of a setting camp before sunset is just a faded memory as I get the text: “On the Road heading east!”. Blasting out of the office, I make a quick mental check of the gear in back before running headlong into rush hour traffic. This may take a while.

Cresting the Snoqualmie Pass that divides Washington’s east from west, the radio station choices shift from Seattle’s alternative music scene to country western and Friday night high school football games. Hula Betty and I follow the two lane winding country roads down into Cashmere and the Milepost III Brewing Company as darkness descends.

Some of the best decisions are made over burgers and beers. When the guys arrive 20 minutes later, the three of us pour over the maps, talk about options and decide to drive into the dark as far as we can north, find a camp site and catch the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route headinglake alta morning south in the morning. We may be well behind schedule but we’re living well, breaking bread together and starting another off-road adventure as our waitress brings check, announcing closing time.

A 100 or so miles north sometime around 1:00 a.m. Lake Alta calls to us with an unlocked gate and available camp sites. Headlights and lanterns give off just enough illumination to fumble around as we set up camp in a drizzle that has been moving in on us. After the traditional raising of the prayer flags we each head to our shelter and drift off to sleep… some sleeping harder and snoring louder than others.

Somehow The Young Turk has found a way to stay in his warm sleeping bag as Other Paul and I explore the lake and surrounding cabins in the clear chilly morning air. But with youth comes an exuberance that is unmatched and The Young Turk finally pops out of his tent announcing he’s got breakfast. Out of the back of Big Red comes a shinny new stove followed by eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and fresh ground coffee. Like an artist applying oils to canvas The Young Turk masterfully arb fridgepaints steaming cups of gourmet coffee to go with our freshly prepared meal.

We may not be going where we planned but we’re having a time getting there. Since Other Paul left his Land Rover D90 at home, he is focused on navigation and working to get us back on track traveling down our own version of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route. Between sleeping in and feasting like a king we are starting a little (ok a lot) latter then originally planned. Weaving along back roads, turning left, turning right, going down the little known access roads, Other Paul has us on the main Washington backcountry discovery route route in no time.

breakfast camp stoveThe southern half of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route is very familiar to anyone who has spent time off-road in the Pacific Northwest. In the south logging roads carried us through dense forests with peekaboo views of Mt Adams, St. Hellen’s and Rainier. That was the southern half… We are well north and seeing another of Washington’s personalities. The northern legs of the Washington backcountry discovery route is were many folks go to get lost. Hills of scrub brush, stands of hardwoods, Ponderosa Pines and free range cattle, reminiscent of the old west. This is the part of the country where the land is still open and managed by the BLM. For us this is the perfect off-road adventure, exposing a side of Washington that is unlike any other we’ve explored in the state.

toyota bj60 fj cruiserExploring means finding… and sometimes finding what you never expect. After driving off-road most of the day in complete solitude we come around a bend in the two track only to find we’re no longer along. Several all-wheel drive vehicles pulled off to the side, a permanent looking yurt staged off the ground on a wooden deck and a dozen or so urban tribal members gathered 100 yards ahead on the trail. The tribe of Subaru driving, urban outfitted, Patagonia wearing, hipster subclass bohemians turn and look down their noses at our muddy 4x4s which are now at a dead stop on the trail. The glutton free, whole foods shopping, effortlessly cool urban hipster tribe members appear to see us as only a momentary concern, possibly a slight intrusion on their outdoor purest experience.

Recognizing us as peaceful visitors, the hipsters of the woods shift their attention back to one of their own cradling a raptor (in this case a red tailed hawk) in her arms as the rest snap pictures and shoot videos with their iPhones. Being charitable and cautious, well hell, we approach them to learn more about the strange goings on and to ask how long they will need the road.

red tailed hawk womanAs we cautiously approach on foot, one of tribal leaders steps forward to parlay with us. The silver haired bohemian explains that this is a research project studying the raptors’ migration through the eastern Cascade Mountains of Washington within the Pacific Coast Flyway. Their goal is to better understand the ecology and conservation needs of raptors in the area. He goes on to explain that he and the other hipsters have been drawn to the project for “a high-quality experience with on-site environmental education and interpretation conducted by a full-time, on-site educator”. The project has caught, tagged and released several raptors throughout the day and are preparing to free the last of the day.red tailed hawk

As we watch the raptor release ceremony, the hipster’s tribal chief suggests a couple of locations that would make excellent camp sites several miles down the trail. Climbing back into our rigs we slowly move forward bidding Namaste to the hipster tribe and leaving them to their kombucha, organic sonoma spelt bread and authentic outdoor experience.

cool weather exploringThere is a chill in the air and the wind is whipping around. One camp site (a wide spot with a fire ring) after another appears but they lack flat ground and provide no shelter from the force of the storms that are rumbling in on us. Running out of daylight we settle on a patch of flat ground along a ridge line straddling two scrub brush valleys that stretch out forever around us. Just enough room between a few trees for two tents and a bivy sack, we maneuver the rigs so they form a break between our camp kitchen and the winds being driving up from the valley below.

sunset tree silhouetteThis is bear country, in fall, when the black bears are looking for every opportunity to fatten up before the winter snows set in. We need to put distance between the cook stove and our bed rolls. While The Young Turk prepares fresh chicken and beef (not dehydrated, not freeze dried, not jerked but tender moist meat, thanks to the fridge in the back of Big Red), Other Paul and I go about pitching tents well away from the smell of grilling flesh that is being carried on the wind into the valleys below. Grilled onions, peppers, sizzling meat, grated cheese, fresh salsa all wrapped in a warm tortilla blanket of love reminds us that eating well on the trail is always a treat. The ambiance from the camp fire and head lamp glow adds to the culinary delight of the meal.

sunset silhouetteNights around a camp fire on the trail are the best. Even though the wind is howling and clouds hide most of the stars, we have a small fire glowing brilliant yellow, orange and red. I don’t know that I could ask for better company on this adventure. A philosopher, a financial wizard and an entrepreneur, the three of us bring very different backgrounds to the adventure. Yet around the fire we eagerly discuss politics, religion and the zen art of road trip management learning from each others’ perspective and strengthening our bond. I’m convinced world leaders could escape the trapping of politic and solve most problems if they would abandon their mahogany desks and discuss issues openly with their colleagues around a camp fire.

night time camp fireI love the wild… and nothing says wild more than knowing I’m not at the top of the food chain in bear county. I’ve camped among the grizzly bears of Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, I’ve watch black bear cross the trail a 100 feet ahead when hiking the Olympic mountains and I’ve woken to the site of steaming bear scat not more than 50 feet from where I laid my head the night before. Nothing makes me feel more alive or terrifies me more than being in bear county. At night when only a paper thin layer of laminated nylon separates me from four inch long razor sharp claws designed to open a log with one swipe, sleep does not come easy. In my bivy sack I can hear clouds being pushed around overhead as wind rubs the branches together next to me… at least I tell myself it’s the wind. It is this heightened awareness that reminds me how easy it is to be lulled into a false sense of security in our lives. Life is delicate. Life is precious. Life is fleeting. Each and every moment is to be savored fully. One day, it will be gone.

I finally drift off to sleep listening to mother nature’s lullaby of rain drops and wind dancing across my little shelter.  In the morning I wake to Washington Backcountry Discovery Route off-road adventure north day 2.

metal tech 4x4 fj cruiser little sluice rubicon trail

Rubithon, The Off-Road Video

camo fj cruiser climbing rock shelf rubicon trailSurely you read the stories from our 2013 Rubicon Trail off-road adventure… If the pictures that went along with the story were worth a thousand words than this video is priceless.

This was our second Rubicon Trail off-road adventure.  We can honestly say the Rubicon Trail should be on everyone’s bucket list.  If you wheel a Toyota than the Toyota Land Cruiser Association’s (TLCA) Rubithon is one of the best way to experience all the Rubicon Trail has to… ah, Offer??!!

voodoo blue and metal tech 4x4 orange fj cruisers on rubicon trail

Sharing The Off-Road Adventure

Efj cruiser coming up rubicon trailvery phone is a camera… every Instagram user an artist… and every adventure is an opportunity to share a unique experience with the world.

The tools available through Instagram, GIMP (our personal favorite), Photoshop and others lets anyone take their digital images and craft them into a shower of color that brings out the true magic of their off-road adventure.

Some may say that these altered images are fake. We disagree! We’re not recording history here. We’re telling stories and the images shared on this site help tell the story, conveying the emotional experience of individuals who took the pictures on their adventure.

fj cruisers on rubicon trailThe off-road adventures we go on, put us in places of amazing beauty. These are often locations with rugged landscapes that can be extremely difficult to reach and only a lucky few will ever see.  Our website’s goal is to share these experiences and inspire others to embark on their own adventures in hopes that they will in turn share their stories and images encouraging even more people to step out of their comfort zone.

The images here that Mike captured of the Rubicon Trail scream adventure.  Mike gives everyone a peak into the emotional experience and raw energy of the trail.  Through Mike’s images the description of calm green serenity fills the  mind.  Other times its the expansive blues that reminds us all how small we are in the universe.

fj cruisers lined up on rubicon trailEach of us will see something different in the images we view.  The feelings that an image evokes depends on our own experiences and where we are in our own journey.

For me these images speak of camaraderie and the friendships found in a shared struggle as you overcome adversity together in order to achieve a goal that alone is unattainable. On this off-road adventure that shared struggle was the Rubicon Trail.

man standing next to hanson rock

I Hope This Goes Somewhere

overgrown 4x4 trailI’ve never regretted a day on the trail. Until today. Now, I haven’t been wheeling all of my life. I haven’t even been doing it for a full decade. But as with any set of complex skills that require learning by doing, I’ve had my share of “bad days” on the trails. There are many things I would have done differently. Different lines. Different execution. Different attitude. But not once did I seriously wish I’d been somewhere else.

That’s all changed. I made the trip from Seattle to Portland to spend some time with an old friend in my favorite offroad area, the Tillamook State Forest. I was hoping too, also make some new club friends as I joined them in exploring an area of the forest in which I’d never been.

The day started out promising with a short, middling 4×4 trail to get warmed up, followed by some forest roads — including crossing a few of the sizable snow fields that remained. The rest of the day was spent engaged in serious, nearly non-stop vehicular bushwhacking through massive overgrowth down The Road (much) Less Traveled.

I can see the eyeballs rolling. Pinstripes. Big deal. This is just part of the bargain, wheeling forest trails in the Pacific Northwest. But this was different. This was not (now) a trail so much as a glint of a promise of an opening through birch and fir groves. Neither was this a matter of the occasional stripe. Imagine, instead, an automated car-wash in which the brushes have been replaced by (say) blackberry — or angry wolverines. Or maybe, think of polishing your truck with a line trimmer. You get the idea. And then there are the ragged stalactite limbs of blow-down triangulating on the trail, threatening to tear through the soft top. Ten hours of driving (round trip) to take a beating like this on a mostly unmaintained trail? I don’t think so.

Well, so, why? Why continue? That’s a terrific question, for which I don’t think there’s a single answer. Part of it, I think, is the lemming-like inertia associated with finding oneself in the middle of all of this, in the middle of a pack, with no easy way out. But more on this later.

Another part of it has to do with trust, or better, with charity: with the idea that, however bleak things seem at the moment, it can’t go on like this. And, further: there must be some fantastic trail or vista or other compensating good not otherwise obtained.

These expectations were soundly thwarted on all fronts. It could go on like this — and did. There was no other trail; this was the trail. Happily, the trail did lead to a quite spectacular view, which but for the marine layer, would have afforded a view of the Pacific, as well as Mounts Hood and Rainier and St. Helens. But this very view could have been easily obtained, minus the risk, by a mere 13 or so miles of forest road capped by a few hundred yards of significantly less overgrown and clearly much more frequently traveled trail.

And so the path taken was unnecessary for attaining the splendid vista, and along the way presented but one or two brief sections that posed much technical challenge. (Whatever else it might be, the challenge of separating paint from body by navigating through heavy brush is not itself a test of driving skill. Avoiding obstacles lining the narrow trail while tending to the distraction posed by overgrowth is another thing entirely.) But then the certain risk of even cosmetic damage was wholly disproportionate to attaining that wonderful view. And of course there are many other trails in the Tillamook State Forest OHV system that offer vastly more technical bang for the buck (and across all skill and experience levels) as well as providing spectacular vistas.

Certainly the journey is at least as important as the destination. And some destinations are very fine indeed. But not just any route is warranted by the destination, however fine. And some routes, perhaps, are less traveled for good reason.

OK. Deep breath. Now, exhale….

Venting has its place (and not just with brake rotors), but one of the things that’s always appealed to me about wheeling is the pace. And it’s a pace that — or me, anyway — lends itself well to reflection. And both in, and after, this experience, I’ve reflected a bit on the relationship between trail leader and participant.

Of course, the role of the trail leader is not one but many. (These many roles can effectively be distributed across multiple individuals in a group, as it’s a rare individual indeed who can do them all well. But that’s a story for another day.) And these roles involve trip preparation as well as situational thinking at run time. Among the former are to ensure, so far as reasonable, that prospective participants have (among other things):

  • suitable equipment
  • desired experience
  • appropriate expectations

for the trail(s) to be run.

Tuning expectations could be as simple as noting in a pre-run email — or at least in a drivers meeting before hitting the trail — that the route to the run’s destination hasn’t been maintained since Land Rover stopped producing Series trucks, and consequently that on a pinstripe scale from 0-5 (5 being the worst), this one goes to 11.

This sort of informative, relevant pre-run communication is simple, cheap and relatively painless. Leaders can use follow up email (as needed) to further probe prospective participant’s level of preparation and experience. Prospective participants can use the information to gauge interest, self-assess their own preparedness — following up with the run leader as needed — and, perhaps, to opt out.

On this run, alas, the information that would have been most salient for me went without saying. No content rich pre-run emails. No real drivers meeting. Nothing of note communicated over the radio during the run. I do remember, however, before we launched into the warm-up trail (which was completely bereft of pinstripe opportunities), the trail leader strolling past the truck and saying something about enjoying pinstripes half under his breath. I didn’t know then what was to come.

Salient for me. For me. That’s it, isn’t it? Where am I in all of this, as a participant? I’m not at all shy, really, of the realities of wheeling in the forest. And yet on this run my expectations were dashed, with all of the side effects that ensued — not the least of which was a thoroughly unenjoyable day.

So what’s my role in this unhappy chain of events, or, at least, what should it be? Well, pretty clearly the right model of the leader/participant relationship here isn’t an active – passive one. This is sometimes easy to forget; it’s can be seductive to leave the “work” to others and just settle in and cruise. Ultimately we are responsible for ourselves on the trail (as elsewhere): picking a line, recovery, trail repair, food and water and shelter — and speaking up when things seem sideways.

As with trail leadership, this can start well before ever setting rubber to dirt — e.g., by asking questions when relevant bits of information haven’t been explicitly provided:

  • What trails will we be running?
  • What specific challenges and/or risks should I plan for?
  • What can I expect more generally?

If something comes up on the trail, stop and say something. Don’t let it pass over in silence and just hope it works itself out.

The bottom line is, participating on a run is no more passive than leading one. (And leading one responsibly isn’t at all passive, and it’s certainly more than providing an opportunity to play Follow the Leader.) Really, we are all collaborating on a successful run, even as we play different roles.Jeeps and land rovers

I wrote above that I find the pace of offroading to lend itself nicely to reflection. This reflection, in turn, can lead to self-discovery. For myself, on this trip I learned that sometimes there are limits to what I’m willing to endure; and that sometimes (as in other areas of my life) I can be too passive and less than sufficiently assertive (which of course isn’t a license to be a tool ;). Perhaps this doesn’t resonate for you. Good. But if it does, then as Gibbs once told DiNozzo, “Don’t be like me. Learn from it.”

Note about the Author: Paul Martin, often referred to as Other Paul on this website contributed this story.  Other Paul has years of experience wheeling Toyota FJCs and 80 series and these days pilots a Land Rover Defender 90.  He has been a key part of many of our adventures including the Utah Backcountry Discovery Route, Washington Backcountry Discovery Route and many local trail runs. Every opportunity to wheel with Other Paul is an opportunity to learn.

fj cruisers lined up on rubicon trail

Dog Days of Rubithon

mark hawley in camp rubiconThe last two days we battled, clawing tooth and nail against the Rubicon Trail to get here. Today we are growing roots below our camp chairs. The sun beats down and we move our chairs into the shade, the breeze blows and we move a little back into the sun. Regulating our temperature as if we were lizards basking on the rocks we are recharging our Qi. The sun is on its downward slop and we haven’t moved more than a few feet all day. The dog days of Rubithon are here and like an old hound dog resting comfortably on a rickety cabin porch, we are aren’t going anywhere.

brad at camp rubiconLate in the afternoon, prodigal son ( Woody ) returned. No, we don’t kill the fatted calf but we do smile, make room for an extra camp chair and consider our next move… maybe dinner… maybe not. We’ll just sit here and think about it while Woody sets up his tent and we listen to his stories from the wagon run.

I can rehash the three days of Rubithon (or you could read The Rubithon Experience) but like summer camp, the experience you take home is completely different than the brochure. Until you’re here, having earned your place at the table, I can’t begin to tell you how it will change your life and you wouldn’t believe me anyway. Everyone I talk with is taking away something special from Rubithon, adding new stories to their mental catalog that they will pull out years from now around some distant campfire. Stories I hope to hear them tell when I wheel with them again somewhere down the road.brian "woody" swearinger in camp rubicon

Three days and four nights, the Rubicon Soda Springs has been our home. Early Sunday morning a parade of Toyota trucks is lining up to leave. The only thing that stands between us and flushing toilets is Cadillac Hill.

The advice you get for Cadillac Hill… stay left. Cadillac Hill, named for the old wreck that rests there, is a long series of narrow switchbacks starting out as a rutted section filled with tree roots and exposed rock followed by a hairpin turn that becomes very off camber and contains a series of boulders to maneuver over. Finally a steep waterfall of large loose rocks to climb. Oh yeah, on the way up, a cliff to the right. The stories of rigs going over the side, tumbling to the bottom and ending with heroic rescues of the victims fill TV reports, the news papers and Internet websites. Stay left, don’t hit anything and hang on.FJ cruiser on rubicon trail

Leaving at 7:00 a.m. means I’m up at five tearing down camp with Brad, making last minute checks of the rig and ensuring everything is strapped down tight. God I hate early mornings and damp fog isn’t making this morning any better as we roll up in line. As we wait, watching well built FJ 40s and 80s ahead pull cable to get past the obstacles of Cadillac Hill puts a knot in my stomach as my turn approaches.

On an off-road adventure I try to live by five simple rules:

  1. Get out of your comfort zone
  2. Let go of the past, don’t worry about the future, live in the presentFJ cruiser on rubicon trail
  3. You are in charge of your adventure, own it
  4. Embrace change, flow with it
  5. Smile, relax, enjoy…  this is suppose to be fun

At this point I’m all over rule #1 but having a real hard time with #5.  Spinning tires on wet granite the rigs ahead slide into rocks as they try to grab hold of the slick surface and pull themselves out of deep holes does not look fun. Crunching of metal, squealing tires and the roar of horse power echos up and down the hill.  Now it’s my turn.

FJ cruiser damaged on rubicon trailWith no room to negotiate, other rigs on my heals and the thought of tumbling down the hill buried deep within my subconscious, pictures are a bit scarce of Cadillac Hill.  In fact I’m still blocking the whole experience. You’ll just have to take my word for it that the Blue Bunny made it. And made it cleanly. Unfortunately there was a large rock that took out its aggression on the door panels on one of the FJCs in our group. An approach that was a little high, a little fast on a rock that was a little too wet combined to make for a big bang. Another in our group caught a bit of door as they tried to squeeze between two chunks of granite, leaving a dab of paint behind. A third gave up a small ding to a rock that reached up from below in an effort to stop their forward progress.

We were so close to all making it a clean run… But this is the Rubicon Trail and as I said in the beginning of the adventure, trail damage is a real possibility. It is part of what makes this trail so special. Not that any of us want damage but the challenge of pushing yourself and your rig to their limits is only possible when you are forced to overcome obstacles bigger and more complex than before. Rubicon is that challenge and it comes with risk.

FJ cruiser on rubicon trailTwo days down, two days back and six days on the trail. Sitting in my office, looking back and writing this story I have time to reflect on it all. For me Rubithon is ranked as an adventure of a lifetime but where in that ranking? Each adventure holds different memories, Rubithon: Brad’s trial by fire, Woody’s stories, Mark’s encouraging words, new friendships and Little Sluice. There were some camera problems, a new coat of rattle can will need to be applied to the sliders, a plastic bumper wing looks tired, and there were some restless nights but none of that takes away from the experiences or the soul baring I’ve exposed here to the Internet.

Will I take on the Rubicon Trail for a third time… I don’t know. There are so many other off-road adventures to plan as we continue to explore the road less traveled. But the Rubicon Trail definitely qualifies as one of the last great road trips left on earth that everyone should check off of their bucket list.

Next: The Rubithon Video and the Rubicon Trail

fj cruisers and fj40 rubicon trail loon lake

The Die Is Cast, Crossing Rubicon

fj 40 on Rubicon trail“Alea iacta est!” – by crossing the Rubicon, you are at the point of no return… for the second time in my short off-roading career I find myself halfway across the Rubicon Trail driving over the dam at Buck Island Lake heading deeper into the Eldorado.

fj cruiser rubicon 3After a night on the trail, morning is all about the coffee.  To say I’m not a morning person is a gross understatement. Crawling out of a perfectly warm sleeping bag into the cold morning holds no entertainment value for me.  But by now Brad has been up for hours and nature calls.

fj 80 on Rubicon trail When I finally wander down to where everyone is fixing breakfast, I can see in Brad’s eyes that I’m late with making the morning coffee.  On our adventures, cooking duties fall to me and I’ve tried any number of methods for making a good cup of coffee.  Stove top percolator, various forms of instant, drip contraptions, little coffee bags on a string and even cowboy coffee (throw grounds into a cup filled with hot water).  But nothing has achieved the balance between the roaster’s aromatic signature and full bodied piquant taste Brad desires… Until now.

Dave on rubiconThis morning I fire up the stove, more of a back packing blast furnace really, and the sound of white gas and air forced through the igniter, exiting in a blaze of blue flame breaks the silence of the still mountains.  A pot of water is at a rolling boil within minutes, steam rising high into the cool air as the pot is pulled from the inferno. Several scoops of dark roast Indonesian Komodo Dragon blend are poured in and begin to swim as the caffeinated goodness seeps for several minutes.  fj cruiser rubiconPlunging the french press down separates grounds from beautiful dark caramel colored elixir. I pour it into Brad’s cup, releasing a deep earthy aroma that fills the senses. He sips and the distinctive bold notes linger on his tongue as his lips form a smile that tells me, this time I got it right.  Note to self, fj 40 on Rubicon trailadd the french press to the must pack list.

Heading back to Loon in order to join the wagon run, Woody leaves our group in hopes of capturing more pictures and catching up with old friends.  We begin the day crawling over the dam leaving Buck Island behind. Immediately we are back into complex obstacles with a number of steep granite shelf climbs exiting the basin.  Loose rock, shelves with the occasional massive boulder to drive up reignites the anxiety and exhilaration of the Rubicon Trail.

The “co” in co-pilot has had Brad in charge of navigation, camp mark on rubiconsetup and tear down, video taping as well as being the eye behind many of the great pictures of our adventures. But I’ve always owned the driver’s seat.  As the climb from Buck Island ends, the trail flattens out, not easy but no longer the big obstacles that can have you flopping your rig.  Now it is time to remove the “co” from Brad’s job title.

Brad driving rubiconHanding off the keys is not as difficult as I thought it would be…  it’s harder!  I trust Brad with my life…  I’ve known him for more than 30 years, best man at my wedding, god father to my oldest, through thick and thin… but driving my rig is another thing.  Brad has never driven off-road before so this is his baptism of fire. Taking his place in FJ 80 peaking over rockthe driver’s seat I explain the four speed transfer case, the basics of putting a wheel on rocks the diff can’t clear, how to approach a shelf climb, when to go around rather then over, how the rig will lift away from what you turn into and the off camber limits of the truck.

Starting out cautiously, I am fj 40 on Rubicon trailspoting from the passenger’s seat.  “Approach by putting the driver’s wheel on that rock”, “the passenger wheel is going to drop now” , “come around and let your slider keep you off the big rock”, “hug the wall on your side close, really close”…  Brad’s driving is smooth as we move along the trail keeping pace with the other rigs following their lead through the obstacles.  Getting comfortable with my new roll, I’m spending more time bill and virgina on rubicontaking in the views and focused less on where we are going, Brad has this under control.

Watching Brad drive off-road for the first time, I’m remembering what it was like on my first trail: hands holding onto the steering wheel so tight I almost ripped it off, worried about every noise, not sure how the rig is suppose to react and having no idea what to expect next.  Seeing the sense of accomplishment in Brad’s eyes when he finally pulled off made my day, hell my year…  But now we are sitting at the top of Big Sluice.

fj cruiser rubicon big sluiceWithout Woody to help out, spotting duty falls on each of us to help one another.  Mark is focused on getting each of the rigs through the big problems while the rest of us are jumping in and out of our rigs to spot the next truck through the “easier” stuff. About half way down Big Sluice is the tree.  The tree divides the trail in half. On the right, a huge boulder falling down to piles of large rock that could eat 35″ tires for lunch. To the left a huge boulder with rocks half buried into the up hill side of the trail.  And below it all a third bus size boulder holding it all in place with a three foot drop beyond its down hill boundary.

fj cruiser rubicon big sluiceTheir are two options that appear to offer  an escape. Crawl along the hill side of the boulder on the left picking through the big rocks just far enough to pivot onto the bus size boulder where you drive to the edge of the three foot abyss, backup, come around  and descend onto the more gentle drop on the opposite side of the trail without rolling over the edge and finally point the rig back down the trail, driving to the next set of obstacles.

fj cruiser rubicon big sluiceThe other option is to squeeze between the boulder on the left and tree in the center.  Both the tree and the rock are covered with swatches of color. Bits of glass rest at their base as a testimony to their ability to extract revenge on a quarter panel or tail lights of rigs that miss judge distance as they tilt back and forth on the roots exposed between.  Neither choice is easy and there is no by pass.

fj cruiser rubicon big sluiceMark spots our crew through the perils, half taking the left track and half squeezing between the middle. All our skill is brought to bear as each driver tries to establish a foothold on terra firma working their way down.  There is no fast or easy way here and rigs are stacking up, wanting to run up Big Sluice. And they are getting impatient.  Half the crew above the obstacle, half below, our group yields the trail.  Once the other rigs pass, Mark goes back to work, bringing the rest of us down without incident.

mike on rubiconJust because we are off Big Sluice doesn’t mean we are done. Even after we cross the bridge into The Springs, obstacles still stand in our way…  to the point where I just want to be done.  My brain hurts, my feet stink, I can’t focus any more, I am so done. But the Rubicon Trail doesn’t care! The trail keeps throwing all it has at us. Finally…  camp.

Erin on rubiconDriving through camp we motor past sites filled with tents and trucks.  Even though we are here a day ahead of schedule, lots of folks have been here working hard to ready The Springs for Rubithon.  Past PMC camp and by the helipads the option is to continue down to the slabs by the river where the parties will go late into the night, or stop and take a couple of the big sites along the road where we can watch all the rigs parade by over the next few days. Several flat spots, our own outhouses and a shortcut down to the main event area. We will call this piece of ground home for the next four nights.

tahoe this wayOn the trail we all chatted with one another but most of time, focus was on driving and avoiding catastrophe. Now that we are staying put we can let our guard down and really get to know each other. Camp set up, check.  Dinner dishes washed, check. Camp chairs in a circle, check.  Beer cooler open, check.  White gas, dry wood, roaring camp fire, check. It’s official, FJ Cruiser Corner is a party.

As the fire blazes and the beer pours, stories start to flow. All of us are coming forward with our own tales… The trails back home.  What drives us to take a perfectly good rig and attempt to thread it through the eye of a needle.  What we do back in the mark Hawley on rubiconworld and why we left it to be here.

As I listen to everyone I can’t help but notice how we are all so different yet the same. We come from across the country but are here together and share a common bond.

All tatted up, Dave is one of the cool kids…  with a heart of gold.  He shares his feeling about being on this adventure with his dad and what it means to spend time with his father (reminds me of my Arctic adventure with my own dad). David and Brad have hit it off, sharing stories about their lives as well as a bottle of Kentucky’s best between them.

fj cruiser rubiconMarcus and Laura are the youngsters in our group (remember this is my mid-life crisis so put youngster in perspective).  Watching the two of them together reminds me of what is important in life.  They have figured out what it means to work together and seem to laugh and smile in unison.  Together they set up camp always think about the other’s need before their own.  This generosity is not limited to each other.  Marcus and Laura offer to share burgers, dogs, snacks, what ever they cook to anyone who wants. If you need a camp chair, barrow theirs. Their generosity never ends and inspires me.

todd on rubiconLook up hard working, honest, good people on Webster and you’ll find a picture Bill and Virgina.  I’ve wheeled with them before and I’m always impressed at how genuine they are. If you’re stuck, Bill is the first to start digging you out.  Need a tug, he’ll strap you up. Ask Bill how it is and he’ll give it to you straight.  Virgina seems to always have a good word and warm smile.  Virgina walked much of the Rubicon Trail taking pictures. I knew if I saw her hiking ahead she would have a smile for us and wave as we passed.

marcus and laura rubicon signAs I mentioned previously (you did read that story right) Todd won the right to drive Metal Tech’s FJ Cruiser in a charity bidding war back in Tennessee. Todd is no stranger to wheeling. From the Great Smokey Mountains to the Alaska Cruiser Trek, Todd has wheeled his Toyota across it all.  The epitome of a southern gentleman I’m pretty sure if cut he bleeds sweet tea.  Todd always took lead through the toughest obstacles so we could all learn from the lines he drove and avoid problems that he encountered.  More then once I looked to Todd for spotting help through an obstacle and he never steered me wrong.

fj 80 on Rubicon trailMike is a calming influence.  Sit next to him around a fire and you immediately start to relax.  Always a kind word and smile, Mike is the guy you count on in a pinch…  and he comes through for you.  He is the perfect Ying to Erin’s Yang. Erin is a trouble maker. She leans in and coaxes each of us to talk about ourselves without ever giving up her secrets. Like Satan in the Garden of Eden, each of us succumbed to her charms and spilled our guts.  But as I came to know later, she can use her super power for good too.

Mark Hawley has taught me most of what I know about driving off-road.  A teacher at heart (check is family tree), I dare you to chat with him and not learn something. campfire rubicon springsWhile everyone wheeled like they owned the trail, we owe Mark a big thank you for getting us all to The Springs unscathed. And now he can finally relax, he is off the clock.

Up until the late hours of the night (early hours of the morning), the fire burns with all of us laughing, chatting and happy to be here at Rubithon.

Next: Rubicon Springs driving out Cadillac Hill