My wife and I just returned from our annual fall Moab trip where we wheeled with the same group of friends that we did in Spearfish, SD last month. It was great to see them again, especially so soon after the last trip but unfortunately we won't see most of them again until next season.
Our parking spot for the week after arriving and getting set up. Weather was great with the exception of the last day which rained pretty hard after a night of high winds.
As we were airing down we joked about having the first day's trail mostly to ourselves. We decided to run a trail that is about 30 miles east of town and as we were driving out to the trailhead we saw absolutely no one on the highway nor the trail head as all was quiet. Well that changed within the first mile of Dome Plateau when we came upon 16 of the new Bronco's.
They were led by some Ford exec's and all were driven by fairly new to the off-road scene drivers. No worries as we were all newbies at one point in time, however, trying to get around 16 vehicles was a bit more of a task than we bargained for. Over every obstacle, small or large, the leader would get out and spot the new drivers over them which took a LOT of time getting 16 vehicles over them. We finally got around them after a couple of miles when they pulled to the edge in various spots and let our smaller group past.
Here we are at our overlook lunch spot on Dome Plateau. We were just finishing up lunch when the group of Bronco's pulled in behind us. We figured they were going to be along so we parked pointing back out of the lunch spot near the top but leaving a lot of room for the group to still be able to park. Here is my Jeep trying to make those Bronco's look good, trying being the key word.
One thing I noticed as they were pulling in that gave the indication that they were new to off-roading was the fact that they all pulled up very close and tight to one another. Barely enough room to walk between the vehicles and then it was obvious to some the error in their choice as they attempted to get into the rear cargo areas to retrieve drinks and/or jackets. Their tailgates would not clear the vehicle behind them. Watching them try to hold the rear tailgates while the other person tried to squeeze into the cargo area to retrieve their belongings was notable as most instantly saw the flaw in their parking choices. Like I said though, we were all new at one point and I'm certain they didn't make that mistake at the next stop. The Ford personnel quickly pulled out tables with drinks, sandwiches, chips and cookies for the drivers to partake of while enjoying the breathtaking view of the overlook.
We hung around for a bit as we were approached by several drivers from the group and discussed the area, the terrain, the weather and more importantly, what it was that drew us to off-roading in the first place. Several were interested in just how long we have been off-roading and what areas across the country we have visited to enjoy the off-road possibilities, especially when they learned that we were all RV'ers that traveled around together yet were from all different locations across the country. It was kind of cool talking to many of the drivers who were also from all across the country yet getting off the pavement to enjoy the outdoors is what brought us all together at this point in time and location.
Evidently the Bronco training course is a service offered by Ford for those who have already purchased or ordered a new Bronco. They were responsible to cover transportation getting to and from Moab but once there and signed up they were taken out for a 10-hour crash course in off-roading and more specifically, how to operate all of the electronics on the new Bronco as well as basic driving techniques when driving off road.
After we left the group we were headed over to Boca Arch when we ran across an older (late-80's) Bronco that pulled in beside us. The gentleman got out and walked over to us when I noticed he also had the Ford logo on his shirt and was dressed similar to the other guys leading the 16 newbies. I jokingly said he must have made a wrong turn from the group. He asked if we had encountered the group of 16 new Broncos and how they were doing. He was following along behind them to ensure they "left no trace". Most of you know my personal feeling on the "blue oval" brand but I have to admit, I was extremely impressed after talking to this gentleman about how they wanted to ensure they were being respectful of the environment and other drivers. We talked to the guy for about 20-minutes and he told us that teaching them the intricacies of their new Bronco was only part of the equation. He said that while they were on the trails they were also teaching proper trail etiquette, tire placement and other driving techniques and more importantly how to treat the trails with respect so that we all can enjoy them together and for a long time. This is something that I think needs to be taught much more with those new to the off-road community, especially with the side by side owners that we have encountered over the past couple of years. I think more dealerships, rental agencies and clubs/groups should do a better job of educating new off-road drivers because trail etiquette and respect for the outdoors has dramatically slipped over the last while. The fact the Ford was taking this responsibility seriously is in fact, impressive.
We arrived home from Moab on Wednesday afternoon and I gave the coach a bath before backing it back into the shop's RV bay but finally got around to washing and detailing the Jeep yesterday afternoon/evening.
The trails weren't nearly as dusty in Moab this past week which means the Jeep wasn't nearly as dusty as past trips which was kind of nice but I did blow out the engine bay and give it a wipe down before blowing out the interior and wiping and vacuuming it. Lastly after running a chamois over the paint to dry the exterior I removed the Sunrider top and reinstalled the fiberglass freedom tops for the cooler months approaching here in northern Utah.
I think the Jeep still looks great considering it now has 133k miles on the clock. Both interior and exterior are in fantastic condition. I didn't even get any pinstriping on the Jeep between South Dakota and Moab this year. Last year I got a few large scratches between those two trips and had to buff the paint out earlier this spring. I did have to grab my small hand shears that I keep readily available under my seat and trim a few small branches in South Dakota last month on two of the trails and only once did I have to get them out this past week in Moab to prevent any contact of foliage with my paint.
If anyone didn't know any different they would assume this thing never leaves the pavement.
I received a call from my tire shop while on vacation that my new tires have arrived so next time you see the Jeep it will have new shoes.
Thanks for looking.
Mike
