Take a ride in the way back machine.

TimB

Homesick
Location
Weatherford, Tx
I got this new printer that I set up on my home network. It is also a flat bed scanner. I got to fooling with it to see what everything does, and dug some old pictures out to scan. They scan pretty good. These are some old wheeling pictures, thought you might find them amusing.

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The first two pics - top one is of a bran spanking new 1985 chevy 3/4 ton 4x4. I drove Pritchet in as it sets the day of this picture - zero body damage. Pritchet Canyon has got a lot worse. The rock pile was the toughest part for me, the plastic skids on the dual tanks slid pretty hard on the edge. I thought sure I was hearing the rockers scrape but they were not even scratched.

Next one is when I first started towing my junk instead of driving it. I'd pull the rear DS and flat tow at warp speed. That Bronco was sweet. I had to sell both of these vehicles after my divorce due to financial issues.

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These two are of my old CJ - 1977 CJ7. Was originally a colorado forest service jeep. I wheeled it a lot as it was the Jeep I owned the longest when I lived in Moab.
The top is butt scratcher on Golden Spike, the next is rock chucker on Metal Masher. On Butt Scratcher I was even still running re-treads, 235 85 r 16. On Rock Chucker I had moved up to BFG MT's, 255 85 r 16s. The factory limited slip in the back, and a power lock limited slip in the front.

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Two more on Rock Chucker. Notice there used to be rocks at the bottom - that's where the name rock chucker came from. We would chuck rocks until we could get the old stockers up it.

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The very first year Golden Spike was ran, the very first roll over at double whammy. This was actually the year before it became an official Jeep Safari Trail. This trip was taken the day after Dan Mick and Texas Bob had connected the trail.

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More roll over pictures. This scout was pretty nice - had been featured in magazines. He took the tailgate off, duck taped it to the front windshield, and drove it home to Denver.

In the last pic - the guy in the green shirt on the left side of the scout is me - younger by about 17 - 18 years.
 

Jeremy

total tacoma points: 162
i have a bunch of old slides of my grandfather in his suburban on many trails in moab. usually with a group of blazers and wagoneers. i will have to see if i can get some of them on to my computer some how. most of these photos are from 30+ years ago.

its kind of cool to see how things have changed and stayed the same over the years.
 

RockMonkey

Suddenly Enthusiastic
Wow! Those are awesome pictures! That's really the first (of many) rollover at Double Whammy? Wow, history! Thanks for sharing. :)
 

TimB

Homesick
Location
Weatherford, Tx
That was the first. There's also a lot of other wheeling history in those pictures. For example: Dan Mick before he broke 300, Lou Levron, Jim Dordaller, Brad Morrison, Brad's cousin Jim, Denny (can't remember his last name but he managed the Maverick back when there was only one), and most amazing of all, no YJ's or TJ's to be seen. Or maybe the most amazing thing is the 255's on my jeep are the tallest tires at 33.4". ;)
 

Rick B

S.E. Utah Native
Location
Moab
I have a few from back in the late 70's that I might try to find a way to scan. We were working our way from Gold Bar to try to connect with another group coming from Poison Spider.

I also remember when stacking rocks was not only acceptable but required more often than not. Most of the trails currently in existence around Moab wouldn't be there if we hadn't stacked rocks when/where needed. I helped stack rocks for hours in a washout in Kane Creek Canyon so we could get our group of 78 vehicles through for the 1977 Jeep Safari. I miss the days when you actually had to work to get through & didn't get bitched at by the newcomers in overbuilt junk for doing so.
 

TimB

Homesick
Location
Weatherford, Tx
I love my lockers, my 4 to1 t-case, and my 35" tires.... it makes a day of wheeling pretty relaxing. But I sure had a lot of fun in those old "almost stock" rigs. I still remember the thrill of climbing double whammy in a jeep with home-made springs, open diffs, and re-treaded tires off my work truck. It was one of the nicest jeeps on the trail with a total investment of about $4,000.

I have a hard time getting that same thrill now - with the gear I have I SHOULD be able to climb stuff, and should have done it easier than I did. That's OK though - I used to be all about what obstacle I could conquer, now I'm more about where I can go and what I can see that I have not seen before.
 

TimB

Homesick
Location
Weatherford, Tx
Since you seemed to enjoy those, here are a few more from the archives.:D



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First is the scout not knowing what it has coming - lunch stop I think.
Second is CyClone Canyon. To see how many other "Old Fart Locals" there are on here...
Can you identify the guy getting into the brown Jeep? I can;) ;)

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These four are all from one trip on Strike Ravine. This is about the first year the trail used this route (most of this is now in Area BFE). In years prior to this the trail was called Slaughter Springs, and actually used roads higher up the mountain near where Slaughter Springs is located. Due to uppredictable weather that early in the year and leftover snow some years, I had to make some changes to stay in lower elevations. In the second pic of the four there is a big dead tree - we moved that to make that spot do-able for most Safari participants. My original path was around the tree off to the right towards where the old powerline road is. It was all rocks and a little too challenging for the Safari crowd of that day. I actually intended to follow the wash all the way up to where the the road crosses by the mines..... but encountered a 30' cliff that I decided was too big to do. Little did I know... that part is now called Upper Helldorado.:)
 

OldGeezer

Registered User
Location
Salt Lake
Boy, oh boy do I remember that year. It was the last time I spent a full week for the safari. The excitement when word reached town that Mick & Texas Bob was able to connect Gold Bar Rim with Poison Spider. Helping Gary on Moab Rim, I was stationed at the Z turn to help. Chauffering the guys from the BFG tire truck on Moab Rim. Camping in Hunter Canyon before it became part of the Pritchet Canyon/Behind the Rocks trail. I've forgotten the name of the "old fart" but I recognize his Jeep. I had talked to him and Lou up on top of Moab Rim. Yep, good memories.
 

aRedRocker

Designated Texican
Location
N. Texas
Brown Jeep, Barney Phelps!!!

My first trip out there with my Jeep was Moab Rim about 87, following Ber and Lou. I was in a bone stock 86 CJ and my only previous exp. was the white rim trail in 77 in a GMC Jimmy. It was exciting to say the least and one of my fondest memories. Still driving the Jeep, it's not stock anymore though.
 
Last edited:

Milner

formerly "rckcrlr"
OldGeezer said:
Boy, oh boy do I remember that year. It was the last time I spent a full week for the safari. The excitement when word reached town that Mick & Texas Bob was able to connect Gold Bar Rim with Poison Spider. Helping Gary on Moab Rim, I was stationed at the Z turn to help. Chauffering the guys from the BFG tire truck on Moab Rim. Camping in Hunter Canyon before it became part of the Pritchet Canyon/Behind the Rocks trail. I've forgotten the name of the "old fart" but I recognize his Jeep. I had talked to him and Lou up on top of Moab Rim. Yep, good memories.

I remeber being at registration and hearing about that too.:rofl: Damm I miss EJS's like that....
 

TimB

Homesick
Location
Weatherford, Tx
aRedRocker said:
Brown Jeep, Barney Phelps!!!

My first trip out there with my Jeep was Moab Rim about 87, following Ber and Lou. I was in a bone stock 86 CJ and my only previous exp. was the white rim trail in 77 in a GMC Jimmy. It was exciting to say the least and one of my fondest memories. Still driving the Jeep, it's not stock anymore though.

Yup, that's Barney. If you look off in the distance you can see John Sensenbrennerburgerburner driving away in the puke green jeep of his. That was a great trip.
 

TimB

Homesick
Location
Weatherford, Tx
OldGeezer said:
Agreed. They're not as fun as they used to be.
Not to be a pessimist, but nothing is.

There are a few exceptions - the jeep I have now is a lot more capable than my old one, and my three kids are really making me proud...... but other than that the world continues to follow the laws of the universe, and slowly decline.

Don't mind me, I'm home with the flu today. ;) :-\
 

aRedRocker

Designated Texican
Location
N. Texas
Flu sucks, sorry to hear that. I've got Safari papers back to 90, I was looking through them the other day, Tim you look snazzy with the goatee, LOL.
 
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