Shiloh's First Moab Adventure - Part 1

WLDRIDE

WLDRIDE
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SouthCentral Colorado
[fyi, Shiloh is the name of my Jeep.]

February, 2020

For me, where and why I go wheeling is all about the views (which is why I have to have a soft top I can put down on the trail). So, that's what these photos and videos are about. You won't see any technical rock crawling here. I can't do that anyway because, except for my 31 X 10.5 tires, my TJ is totally stock.

My primary goal on this trip was to not bang or scrape... not even once. Given that, then, I wanted to explore what my TJ is really capable of. I went with a buddy who has a modified FJ40 with a winch, a high lift jack, and onboard air, so that did give me a little more margin for pushing the edge of the envelope. However, we are both pretty risk averse and have no tolerance for damage. Still, I gotta say, I was shocked, thrilled, over-joyed, and ecstatic - all those words - over what my TJ could do. We traversed stuff that I would have never dreamed of doing in a rental Jeep all those years ago. Shiloh and I would confer on our line, and then he'd climb right up it without even breathing hard. And then he'd smile at me at the top. My buddy in the FJ would literally throw his hands in the air in amazement.

With one brief exception, late on Friday afternoon, we never saw another vehicle out on the trails the entire time. It was fantastic!

We did these trails, and they're listed here in order of difficulty according to the Moab book: 55 Potash Road & Shafer Switchbacks, 32 Hurrah Pass, 22 Gemini Bridges, 40 Picture Frame Arch, 14 Willow Springs Road, 25 Long Canyon, 58 Chicken Corners, 18 Dellenbaugh Tunnel & Secret Spire, 56 White Rim Road, 48 Dome Plateau, and 5 Tower Arch. I have to say, though, that both Gemini Bridges and Long Canyon had long stretches of ice that ramped-up their difficulty level a lot. Those stretches of ice were my only pucker moments.

(Please forgive the volume of photos, just pick and choose what you like.)

It was a little chilly going through Gunnison:
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Who knew Mater lived in Moab?!?
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Sunset at the campground the first night:
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Best breakfast anywhere:
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The desperadoes who joined me. My buddy with the FJ is on the left. My son, Ryan, is on the right. Ryan's buddy Sam is in the middle:
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First day of wheeling:
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Had to put the top down right away:
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This is a happy guy right here:
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Loved this:
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There's really only one "chicken corner":
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Not a bad lunch spot:
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I took this next photo from Dead Horse Point a couple days later. That yellow arrow points to the lunch spot in the photo above... just to give you some perspective of where we were.
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Yes, that's my son standing out there:
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Going back out around Chicken Corner:


"Birthing Rock" petroglyphs:
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A little more obvious:
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My favorite color mud, "Moab Red":
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I might need a tailpipe extension:
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Awesome pictures and video!
Dunno if anyone else has this issue, but the last 4 images after the video are "broken" for me.
 
Awesome pictures and video!
Dunno if anyone else has this issue, but the last 4 images after the video are "broken" for me.
That happened for me as well. I think that it has to do with the amount of photos/videos in this post. But it would always fix itself if I just refreshed the page. Hope that helps.
 
Holy cow... those photos do not disappoint. You must have had a hell of a good time, huh?

Also, whoever took these photos (you?) is a great photographer!
 
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Holy cow... those photos do not disappoint. You must have had a hell of a good time, huh?

Also, whoever took these photos (you?) is a great photographer!
Yes, it was a fantastic time, even beyond my wildest hopes. The really fabulous part was that my buddy and I were the only ones out there the entire time. And the town was virtually dead. I am a person who hates crowds and loves the absolute quiet of the wilderness, so this was a dream trip as far as Moab goes.

And, yes, I took all the photos. A very amateurish hobby, but I enjoy it.
 
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Yes, it was a fantastic time, even beyond my wildest hopes. The really fabulous part was that my buddy and I were the only ones out there the entire time. And the town was virtually dead. I am a person who hates crowds and loves the absolute quiet of the wilderness, so this was a dream trip as far as Moab goes.

And, yes, I took all the photos. A very amateurish hobby, but I enjoy it.

Looks like I’ll definitely be going in February as well, as I too can’t stand crowds and like the peace and quiet as much as possible.
 
Just saw your stuff. Wonderful content! I've been in and out of Moab since 1953! We've seen a lot of common ground. Just got an '05 Rubi to replace my stolen 280k mile '87 XJ bought new. I also did all trails with 31s + ARBs. Only trails I didn't do in that XJ were Pritchett, Helldorado, and Rusty Nail. Don't plan to do those in the Rubi, either. It's really about the scenery. I'll be comin' back to see all your pics. May be gettin' to Moab before Safari and a weeks pay for a night's stay Moab rates. Back in the '90s you could bed there for 30 bucks a night.....and I was making more money then. Thanks again for sharing your adventures. BTW, You got that Moab dirt right there and there didn't you. ;-)

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What a fantastic adventure with your Son and friends. Having had several FJ40 and FJ60s, that made it even cooler for me!
 
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