August 2008 |
Impromptu run to The Gap!!!! I tried my hand at steeper sections of the granite wall. After making it steeper than I had the last time, and watching the others conquer similarly huge spots I decided I had to go for the steepest possible line. It was a lot more than the front could clear. I had to take it at an angle, and grind the front end up the wall.
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Susan and I packed up the bikes (we're not cool enough to bike to where we want to bike yet) and drove over to Saguaro National Park East to ride the scenic Cactus Forest Loop Drive, known to locals as the 'East Loop.' The ride has an interesting profile. It's about eight miles, almost all of which are downhill save for a massive one-mile hill climb in the middle. It was a blast! I'm a bit... uhm.. larger than most people pictured in such situations.
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There are few trails called Chiva (also Chivo) Falls and this time out we ran the 'lower loop' which circles far to the south. On the USGS topo maps there is a trail that continues West and leads back to Tucson, but unfortunately it blocked with massive objects and very obvious signs. As I am still crazy behind on updating my blog, I will again sort of barf a bunch of pictures at you with brief descriptive phrases. ;) Flex shots...
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My first run to The Gap! Finally! Well, not really the first... I wheeled up the 'The Unsurvivable' alone one night when I was totally stock. I didn't notice the bypass and didn't feel like flopping the FJ over by myself in the dark with no recovery gear. So, I turned around. That was about ten months ago! A lot has changed since then and I was glad to be back... It was a great run with lots of fairly ridiculous optional obstacles to play around on. I am crazy behind on writing these blog entries (more real life than internet? wha?!?!) so I will just briefly narrate a barrage of pics. Big granite wall of doom thing...
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With a few Italians joining up on AZFJ.org, it was time to have a cooking battle! The event was dubbed 'Sauce on Sunday,' was to be held at homedad's house (pool!), and feature a few suspension installs. Because homedad lives in Phoenix it was very hot in contrast to the perpetually perfect and beautiful weather we have here in Tucson. ;) The first order of business was to erect a gigantic shade by nailing a tarp to the house and tying it to some trucks!
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I stayed what was left of the night at hotel homedad in the special couch suite. Once up we head back to Table Mesa to do some wheeling and because we were curious had happened to the Jeep. It was still there, as were the people. No one pic does the stupidity of this justice, but here a few to give you an idea...
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A bunch of AZFJ'rs met at Table Mesa for the usual Friday night Gillette ruins campfire gig. On this night, the turnout was quite large!
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