SoCal Jeep Meetup - Trona & Spangler Hills OHV

[MEinSoCal]

Greetings all. Just wanted to invite the MJR members to our upcoming wheeling event next month. This will be our 2nd event, after a successful first event a couple weeks ago at Jawbone near Mojave. So far, we have 7 Jeeps confirmed including myself.

For more info/details of this day trip and to RSVP, please click on the link below:
http://jeep.meetup.com/233/
(while you're on that site, check out the pics/videos from our last event)

In case you're wondering where Trona & Spangler Hills is, see map below (1= Trona, 2= Spangler Hills)

[JJsKJ]

I have been wanting to get out there to check out that area for along time. I am down as a maybe right now.

[MEinSoCal]

I have been wanting to get out there to check out that area for along time. I am down as a maybe right now.

hopefully you can make it. it'll definitely be a good time.

[SAR Jeeper]

I believe I'll be on vacation...if not, I'll see about the weekend off. I'm probably about 80% going.

[Geebo]

Just checkin in to see if this run is still a GO?? Have,nt heard anything lately..SarJeeper (Steve) are you still planning this one? Well I,m in if anyone else wants to go ..Let,s Do It.. Geeb

[SAR Jeeper]

Geebo, I'm still in. I wrote myself off for Sat. and Sun. at work today, and the boss is ok with it.

They are having a pre-run meeting at a mexican resturant on Wed. the 12th. I'll probably run out there after work (I work until 8pm.)

I know we'll caravan out. It'll take me like 3 hours to get to Ridgecrest. So, we're looking at a 6am start (ugghh, I hate mornings!) I'm planning on camping out SOMEWHERE on Saturday night with a little more wheeling Sunday morning.

[MEinSoCal]

Just checkin in to see if this run is still a GO?? Have,nt heard anything lately..SarJeeper (Steve) are you still planning this one? Well I,m in if anyone else wants to go ..Let,s Do It.. Geeb

this event is absolutely still on -- only ONE WEEK AWAY!!! yup SarJeeper is confirmed on the Meetup site (him plus 2 other jeepers). should be a nice turn out, looks like about 15 jeeps going out to play. some (including SAR Jeeper) are staying overnight. if you haven't already done so, join the SoCal Jeep Meetup group so you've be on the list for future events and so that you can also participate on our discussion forums regard this and other events.

everyone else, its still not too late to RSVP.

[MEinSoCal]

Geebo, I'm still in. I wrote myself off for Sat. and Sun. at work today, and the boss is ok with it.

They are having a pre-run meeting at a mexican resturant on Wed. the 12th. I'll probably run out there after work (I work until 8pm.)

I know we'll caravan out. It'll take me like 3 hours to get to Ridgecrest. So, we're looking at a 6am start (ugghh, I hate mornings!) I'm planning on camping out SOMEWHERE on Saturday night with a little more wheeling Sunday morning.

hey i might be interested in caravaning with you guys since i'm also in the valley (northridge). let me know, or better yet, i'll start a thread on the meetup board. still haven't decided if i'm gonna stay overnight Saturday.

[SAR Jeeper]

hey i might be interested in caravaning with you guys since i'm also in the valley (northridge). let me know, or better yet, i'll start a thread on the meetup board. still haven't decided if i'm gonna stay overnight Saturday.

Let me tell ya...I am slow. Damn slow. Crazy slow. I'm running 35" tires with my stock gearing. Going over the hill, I'm usually playing around in 4th gear (going over the 14). It sucks having fully loaded 18 wheelers pass me and give me the finger.

If you can deal with it...lets caravan!

I'm planning on leaving North Hollywood around 6am. We can perhaps meet at Denny's on Roxford, just north of the 405 off of the 5 freeway.

[SAR Jeeper]

Let me tell ya...I am slow. Damn slow. Crazy slow. I'm running 35" tires with my stock gearing. Going over the hill, I'm usually playing around in 4th gear (going over the 14). It sucks having fully loaded 18 wheelers pass me and give me the finger.

If you can deal with it...lets caravan!

I'm planning on leaving North Hollywood around 6am. We can perhaps meet at Denny's on Roxford, just north of the 405 off of the 5 freeway.

No caravan happening. 1 friend and myself are meeting in Sun Valley and driving out at 5:30am.

[JJsKJ]

How did the run go? I messed up on my calendar and set a run for my club that day so I ended up at Last Chance Cyn instead. Though I had a good time at LCC, I am Sorry I missed this.

[SAR Jeeper]

How did the run go? I messed up on my calendar and set a run for my club that day so I ended up at Last Chance Cyn instead. Though I had a good time at LCC, I am Sorry I missed this.

Trail Report...
OVERALL, my weekend was a great one. The Trona Pinnacles portion of the trip was not too good. Except for a little playing in the side hills, the entire trip was done in 2wd. It started poor when my buddy's sway bar sheared his passenger brake line. Fortunately, I carry a spare brake line. BUT, his bango bolt was too long, and would contact the knuckle before it was cleared! So we attempted to remove the entire caliper. I was unfamiliar with this design, and couldn't figure out how to remove the caliper (nor did anyone else). I'm now looking at the Haynes manual....A homer simpson moment...dduuuuuhhh. Anyhow, we ended up attaching my new brake line to his hardline, pinching and clamping the brake line so he could still wheel with 1 front brake.
It was several hours of driving desert dirt roads until after lunch. Then we took off to do some playing (yeah..4wd!) 1/2 the people did not have a CB. Of those CB's, I think a lot are not set up correctly. I was following a Rubi and TJ in a wash, when they decided to turn around, because it was getting too narrow. A guy behind me, Mark (I believe he reads here, but doesn't post..shame shame) headed up a hill out of the wash, so I followed. His Jeep was very well set up, and I'm unlocked front and rear. He ended up strapping me twice. We finally reached the group, only to discover the group leader was missing...along with my buddy. I tried reaching both on CB, with no luck, so I climbed a hill. I was able to reach my buddy, whom had NO IDEA WHERE he was. Fortunately, I have 2 Garmin RINO's, and instructed my friend to send me his coordinates (The radio's transmits the others positions). I got his location, 6.5 miles north of us. I got a hold of the group leader, who was at Trona Rd and the Hwy (395?). I went to fetch my buddy, and I guess the group leader decided to just go home.
When we returned to the group, there were only 5 of us left. So we headed over to Government Peak near Ransburg. The trail book lists it as a 5 rating, making it moderate, but it was a fun trail. Very well marked trails in the area. The five of us had a great time.
Four Jeeps returned to Ricardo Campground at 7pm. That was 13.5 hours of driving for Dale and myself.
Sunday morning we woke up and headed out to Mesquite Cyn (One canyon EAST of Last Chance Cyn). We took Mesquite Cyn (very easy) to Burro Schmidt Tunnel. After traveling the 2000 feet or so through the tunnel, we found a nice lunch spot out in the desert (and sheltered from the cold a$$ wind!) From there we traveled easy roads to Bonanza Trail, Post Office, Bickle Camp, and the Talc Mine. After the Talc Mine, we went searching for the Old Dutch Cleanser Mine...and with luck, we found it 1st try. We arrived back at camp at 4pm.
Two days, 430 miles in my ol CJ, and no running issues for me! I'm glad.
The nicest people I met with the original group were all READERS from MJR. They don't post!?!? The two couples we were camping with were great. Both groups fairly new to Jeeping, and very enthusiastic about the hobby (sport?) I'm looking forward to wheeling with them in the near future.
I've caught wind that the SoCal Jeep Meetup group might have bitten dirt due to this last trip. The group had some potential...2nd outing, and 27 RSVP's. I don't know the actual count of Jeeps though (not 27).

Sorry for the long wind
Trona Pinnacles shot through a dirty windshield


On top of Government Peak


Mesquite Cyn

[MEinSoCal]

hey SAR Jeeper, good meeting you and glad you were able to make the Trona event. although the Pinnacles were a site worth seeing, i was somewhat disappointed in all the flat dirt road driving we did (then again, the SoCal Jeep Meetup group is targeted for easy to moderate trail ratings). it did get fun after lunch where it seemed like some people ended up goin out on their own, unfortunately losing our leader in the process. i did enjoy going through that really tight area where we all got our share of "pinstriping." once again, my STOCK grand cherokee laredo w/ A/T's made me proud, not getting stuck whatsoever. i really wish i could have stayed longer and go on more trails wih you folks, but i did have some passengers i had to bring back and promised a friend i'd visit them late afternoon. anyhow, as a beginner, i definitely had fun and even more so because of the company i was with.

from what i counted, we had 17 Jeeps! pics from this event can be found here:
http://jeep.meetup.com/233/photos/?photoAlbumId=316904

by the way, does this look familiar... LOL

[SAR Jeeper]

Funny, I remember more like this:

[smack2020]

thats a neat place, went a month ago and had fun.