As far as the flowers go, we didn’t see 4 Wheeling Fun BY ANGELA COOK
PHOTOS BY BRENDA CISNEROS and KIM SABRE
many. The Ocotillos are starting to bloom, but the other wild flowers and cacti probably had two weeks before they were ready. It’s tough to get out there at just the right time, but the wheelin’ and the great company made it worth the trip. Maybe we will catch the flowers next year. All in all it was a great day wheelin’.
Rattlesnakes are out in force this year Photo by by Kim Sabre
Mark S. “squeezes” his wife’s rig through the Jeep Squeeze without crushing the hard top Photo by Kim Sabre E
very spring my club, Geared 4 Fun 4 Wheel Drive Club, plans a trip out to Borrego Springs and the surrounding area to see the desert flowers in bloom. This year we decided to run Pinyon Mountain on Saturday and Coyote Canyon on Sunday. We split the weekend up so more folks could come out and enjoy our local flora and fauna.
Saturday morning, Brenda C. showed up to be my co-pilot since her Jeep is not quite lifted enough to do some of the obstacles on the Pinyon Mountain Trail. Gary R. met us at my house in Escondido and we all hit the road. Of course, not before they had a bit of fun with me. The last time I had my Jeep out, I didn’t have enough air put back into the tires for a long drive on the pavement, so Gary offered to air me up before we left the house. My Jeep is a “trailer queen,” so I’m not used to driving it on the street. With 35" tires and a 6½” lift, it is definitely a wild ride on the highway! As Gary was airing up the passenger side, I wheeled around to the driver’s side to get my air gauge out of the pocket on the inside of the door. At this point I should explain that I am in a power wheelchair. I am a paraplegic, and I drive my Jeep with hand controls. I should also point out that I have recently moved. Right next to where my Jeep was parked is a layer of rocks over dirt. I didn’t realize that the dirt was wet under the rocks or that the layer of rocks was fairly deep, so, you guessed it, I got stuck! Here I am, in my wheelchair, stuck in the rocks, digging myself in deeper, needing a strap, and we hadn’t even left my driveway! After my dear friends had a good laugh, they got me un-stuck and we were on our way. We met the rest of the group at the trail head, and Blake K., who is our new club Trails Coordinator, took the Trail Boss position with a total of six rigs. I always take the Tail Gunner position so I can keep an eye on everyone. Kinda like a mother hen, I am told!
The first obstacle on this trail is called the Jeep Squeeze because the only way through at this point is between two huge boulders that are just wide enough to get a Jeep through. The problem isn’t with the width of the opening, but with the way the rocks are positioned between them that create carnage. As you enter the obstacle, rocks pitch your rig back and forth between the boulders. Many a side mirror have fallen victim to this spot.
Second to go was Mark S. driving his
wife’s Jeep. He seemed to be taking a long time, and I was wondering if he was afraid of scratching the paint on Kim’s pretty Jeep when I got close enough to realize they had their hard top on. I am used to seeing their Jeep with the soft top which can take more abuse and is far cheaper to replace than a hard top! So the guys stacked a few rocks so Mark’s top didn’t get smashed, and he made it through with no trouble.
On a safety note, after the Squeeze, we went around a corner when we heard the distinct sound of a rattlesnake. The guys had to get out and look, while the ladies viewed it from inside our vehicles. After everyone had a good look, we started moving again, only to find another rattler a few feet away from the first one. It’s going to be a bumper crop year for snakes. Be careful out there. The next major obstacle is Heart Attack Hill. This obstacle has become famous for its ability to cause rigs to roll out of control down its steep terrain. Anyone surfing the web can find video of some poor soul sliding sideways and rolling to the bottom of the Hill, sometimes with tragic results. This Hill is not for folks with stock rigs and little to no experience wheelin’. It also requires good spotting. A spotter who doesn’t know the rig he/she is guiding and does not know the capabilities of the driver is just asking for trouble. I have done this trail at least a dozen times, and Heart Attack Hill still gets my attention.
After the rest of the group got down to the bottom, it was my turn. I guess they
figured that since I had done the trail so many times, I didn’t need a spotter. OK, so now I’m on my own! This was Brenda’s first time out there, but she was a trooper and didn’t scream once! Now she really wants to go back with her Jeep to try the Hill.
Next there is a hillclimb that has the potential for carnage. Mark E. (another pretty Jeep) got both front tires off the ground, so he won the award for the most air of the day. Sometimes I think they do stuff like that just to see if they can give me a heart attack!
When we got down to the wash, we decided to explore Sandstone Canyon. The last time I was in this canyon, we couldn’t go back too far due to the damage from the big Easter earthquake last year. Combine earthquakes with flash floods, and the complexity of the canyons here are constantly changing. This time we were able to go back farther than I had in years. Blake wanted to see how far we could get before we had to turn around, but it was way past lunch time and some of us were getting cranky from hunger. We just kept going, and most of the obstacles had by-passes. Blake went over most of the big rocks, and the “pretty” Jeeps went around, but Crazy Tim, Blake’s dad, will take his Jeep anywhere. Most of the time I followed him, but some stuff even I wouldn’t do! Mark E. tried one really narrow, tippy slot, and he paid the price. He scratched his shiny Jeep and broke his passenger-side mirror. D’Oh! I’m sure he had it all buffed out and polished by the next afternoon. I “taco’ed” my front fender and flare getting too close to the canyon wall, but Gary was able to pop the fender back out so it doesn’t look too bad. My fender flare however is torn in half. I paid my fine at our club meeting. My Jeep is not a “mall” Jeep, so I don’t care about body damage. Good thing!
Mark E. and Mark S. line up in their “shiny” Jeeps Photo by Brenda Cisneros
Mark E. smashes his mirror while trying to follow Tim Photo by Brenda Cisneros
Angela starts her descent of Heart Attack Hill while Blake tries to get back up the hill to spot her. Photo by Kim Sabre
www.SS-OffRoadMagazine.com - MAY 2011 - S&S OFF ROAD MAGAZINE 31
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