http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl ... bB0j3ZKvQj
Posting this early because no computer on the road and in the desert.
Best part starts mid day on th 15th and continues until the 21st. Viewers get the last 7 days. On the 15th I start in SF drive the toll road to Tecate and get the B500 Supplies and Chris. Then back via the Compadre trail to the track on the east side. Then on Monday finish up on east of Valley Trinidad/Mikes then head for the flood damaged west sections. I won't know where the course is until Saturday. Makes it interesting.
What you will see is a bit of race track an a lot of transit miles from place to place. That is if I carry enough batteries.
What you see now is testing at home.
PW
Travels of PW
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SteveG
- Admin
- Posts: 6100
- Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:25 am
- Bronco Info: Wilson: 96, Stretched 17.5", coil-overs / Bypasses, 4-link, a fridge and all the amenities :)
- Location: Arroyo Grande, CA
Re: Travels of PW
Cool!
Do you carry rechargeable batteries? I have an AA/AAA charger with a 12v cigar lighter adapter I carry when I go out of town.
Do you carry rechargeable batteries? I have an AA/AAA charger with a 12v cigar lighter adapter I carry when I go out of town.
Sho nuff,
SteveG
SteveG
Re: Travels of PW
= =====SteveG wrote:Cool!
Do you carry rechargeable batteries? I have an AA/AAA charger with a 12v cigar lighter adapter I carry when I go out of town.
Spot uses Energizer Lithium for long life . Supposedly I will gert 6 days out of fresh ones. I also have some aged alkalines that need to be consumed. 3=AAA
Yes, I have a charger and an inverter for my goodies.
SPOT seems to a good product for people like we are, Julie is a hiker and I and a backcountry person as well. Got a special deal so cost was not an issue. Subscription is still pricy. Push a button and people getr coords. push another button and the service calls 911.
PW
Re: Travels of PW
Final report from the cheeze
Subject: B500 Marking ramblings
Minor changes are expected due to details for the washouts. Download next week after marking notes are digested.
-------
BFG & SCORE did a good job marking most of the washouts and plotting them on the gps track. most washouts have been worked on by the Govt workers. I hope you all have a gps for the prerun.- bikes included.
5/15, 16.Using my stretched Bronco with Chris as the helper
We did the summit to Mikes turnoff on Sat & Sunday. RM 95-222. Very long days. Found a washout at about RM96 thru the meadow. Washout is 4-5' deep & 10' wide. The washout is not passable so we changed the course to the RIGHT. No change in miles and just as fast a last year. Both traditional routes thru the meadow have wrongways and the new route is marked. Follow the marking signs and don't look back.
Up the summit is good to go, but slow. Not much different than last year. Yup, big rocks from the earthquake that we drove around. Govt workers filled the biggest hole that is marked on the GPS track.
At the S end of L Salida and N of the wells the track was reclaimed by mother nature. We loaded up the 09 track and marked a combo of the 09 & 10 track. No issue there following any route. That area is tall bushes and any route you take is acceptable per SCORE. By now there should be tracks to follow. Be sure to exit the wash per the GPS track.
Check 2 is at the highway Marked on the S side. Nothing remarkable up the route to Mikes turnoff.
5/18 Three vehicles. Todd & Brian in Todd's the Bronco with 37" Projects. My Bronco with 35" Bajas with Cordell as my helper. Steve & Mike in the 2wd Blazer with his usual trick 35" BFG muds..
RM 65-285 Issues. Near Rm 2?? washout marked with a go around to the right thru the willows. Easy since the area is flat. After that found an up hill in bad shape with deep holes and loose rocks. The Blazer fell in the hole (RM 258) and needed suspension repair and a strap to proceed - 1.5 hour issue. We had plenty of time to stack rocks so now the area is just a drive up with all the holes filled. See the pic For the life of me I cannot remember the race mile.
Aside: we found out about the bad decision to use a 2wd for prerunning. What happens is to avoid an uphill washout the rear wheels start to slip and then one wheel falls into the trench. Strap required to proceed. Steve uses experimental sticky BFGs and he is an expert driver and used low pressure. It did not help. Bottom line prerunners need 4wd or a leading Bronco with a strap to get up the steeps when the washouts are present.
The gps track shows the location of the missing road in several places and the go arounds present no problem if done slowly. Believe the down arrows - please. If you do not slow down enough you will be upside down in the bottom the creek bed.
We went over the mountain toward MX1 in the dark. The road has washouts ever few feet cutting into the road several feet. Keep right. A major land slide required slow double S turn to pass.. Doable if done slowly. Do not forget about the drop off on the left.
Another very long day.
5/19 RM 285-~334
Erindria. The main road was destroyed and is now being rebuilt. To get from the South hillside to the Tecate sign, cross the wash which has running water. Solid track no issues.
Big issue going up the hill from the new road. 2wd didn't even try. I drove up the 60 deg incline and went left of the track thru the cactus. The gps track is uphill trenchs that are 30-36" deep & 1-2 feet wide. Discussed the problem with SCORE and the Govt will take a front end loader up and fill the trenches with soft dirt. So the deal is after several high power rigs go up the trenches will come back as before due to roost. I recommend just driving up thru the cactus left of the old road and plan on flats or as a minimum slow leaks. 2WD will have issues making the trip up. Don't slow down and never back up on that steep of a hill. Its a one shot deal. go up all the way or find a Bronco with a long strap. Did I say Never back down with 2wd.
Anyway, we walked down the hill and marked it with signs and ribbons. We marked the road gps track - not the cactus route per SCORE instructions.
Horrible gnats ate us up and I still have many welts that still itch.
Easy access to the top of the hill at the microwave tower:
Go to town turn RT and pass along the plowed field. The intersection is at the taco shop on the left. Go N several streets. Pick a street an turn right. The best way which works for pit trailer is around the hill to the north. and it will lead you to mile marker 325 and the VCP 15. The other road up is also ok for a pit trailer and goes just south of the tower. Its a little rough compared to the North road. Great detail on Google Earth to find your way
After that the big hill the route follows last years route and we found another up hill bending left with the deep washout trenches. The Blazer needed a strap and a redo of the tie rod again. Same issue, as he went up the rears started to slip due to steep road and the left rear fell into the trench and he was high centered again..
5/20 RM ~334 to 362.5
Nothing much to report . Same as last year. Graded road. Do not use the right option before RM 340 because it leads to a new lake and under construction spillway. Wrongway is in place.
5/21 RM 362.5-401 No report. Read the course notes and follow the markings.
Marked by Paul Fish. He deals with the ranchers along the way and we do not participate in marking.
Read race-dezert for details on the silt beds after Urapan.
Bottom line Steve Wolcott has been racing or marking for 15+ years and has never see a harder race course. Bring your straps and your extra spare tires and find a Bronco buddy to lead the way if you have a prerun 2wd.
Todd's Bronco pulling the strap on the Blazer at RM 258. My Bronco was at the back of the line at this point. I went up with no problem while Cordell spotted me. See a similar pic on race-dezert -same place.
Not to worry its a careful drive up now because we spent 1.5 hours there and stacked lots of rocks while Steve did his suspension fix.
PW
more
http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showth ... 00-pre-run
Bronco in the pic belongs to Todd. Mine wqas at the back behind the trees. The broken Blazer belongs to Steve W
Subject: B500 Marking ramblings
Minor changes are expected due to details for the washouts. Download next week after marking notes are digested.
-------
BFG & SCORE did a good job marking most of the washouts and plotting them on the gps track. most washouts have been worked on by the Govt workers. I hope you all have a gps for the prerun.- bikes included.
5/15, 16.Using my stretched Bronco with Chris as the helper
We did the summit to Mikes turnoff on Sat & Sunday. RM 95-222. Very long days. Found a washout at about RM96 thru the meadow. Washout is 4-5' deep & 10' wide. The washout is not passable so we changed the course to the RIGHT. No change in miles and just as fast a last year. Both traditional routes thru the meadow have wrongways and the new route is marked. Follow the marking signs and don't look back.
Up the summit is good to go, but slow. Not much different than last year. Yup, big rocks from the earthquake that we drove around. Govt workers filled the biggest hole that is marked on the GPS track.
At the S end of L Salida and N of the wells the track was reclaimed by mother nature. We loaded up the 09 track and marked a combo of the 09 & 10 track. No issue there following any route. That area is tall bushes and any route you take is acceptable per SCORE. By now there should be tracks to follow. Be sure to exit the wash per the GPS track.
Check 2 is at the highway Marked on the S side. Nothing remarkable up the route to Mikes turnoff.
5/18 Three vehicles. Todd & Brian in Todd's the Bronco with 37" Projects. My Bronco with 35" Bajas with Cordell as my helper. Steve & Mike in the 2wd Blazer with his usual trick 35" BFG muds..
RM 65-285 Issues. Near Rm 2?? washout marked with a go around to the right thru the willows. Easy since the area is flat. After that found an up hill in bad shape with deep holes and loose rocks. The Blazer fell in the hole (RM 258) and needed suspension repair and a strap to proceed - 1.5 hour issue. We had plenty of time to stack rocks so now the area is just a drive up with all the holes filled. See the pic For the life of me I cannot remember the race mile.
Aside: we found out about the bad decision to use a 2wd for prerunning. What happens is to avoid an uphill washout the rear wheels start to slip and then one wheel falls into the trench. Strap required to proceed. Steve uses experimental sticky BFGs and he is an expert driver and used low pressure. It did not help. Bottom line prerunners need 4wd or a leading Bronco with a strap to get up the steeps when the washouts are present.
The gps track shows the location of the missing road in several places and the go arounds present no problem if done slowly. Believe the down arrows - please. If you do not slow down enough you will be upside down in the bottom the creek bed.
We went over the mountain toward MX1 in the dark. The road has washouts ever few feet cutting into the road several feet. Keep right. A major land slide required slow double S turn to pass.. Doable if done slowly. Do not forget about the drop off on the left.
Another very long day.
5/19 RM 285-~334
Erindria. The main road was destroyed and is now being rebuilt. To get from the South hillside to the Tecate sign, cross the wash which has running water. Solid track no issues.
Big issue going up the hill from the new road. 2wd didn't even try. I drove up the 60 deg incline and went left of the track thru the cactus. The gps track is uphill trenchs that are 30-36" deep & 1-2 feet wide. Discussed the problem with SCORE and the Govt will take a front end loader up and fill the trenches with soft dirt. So the deal is after several high power rigs go up the trenches will come back as before due to roost. I recommend just driving up thru the cactus left of the old road and plan on flats or as a minimum slow leaks. 2WD will have issues making the trip up. Don't slow down and never back up on that steep of a hill. Its a one shot deal. go up all the way or find a Bronco with a long strap. Did I say Never back down with 2wd.
Anyway, we walked down the hill and marked it with signs and ribbons. We marked the road gps track - not the cactus route per SCORE instructions.
Horrible gnats ate us up and I still have many welts that still itch.
Easy access to the top of the hill at the microwave tower:
Go to town turn RT and pass along the plowed field. The intersection is at the taco shop on the left. Go N several streets. Pick a street an turn right. The best way which works for pit trailer is around the hill to the north. and it will lead you to mile marker 325 and the VCP 15. The other road up is also ok for a pit trailer and goes just south of the tower. Its a little rough compared to the North road. Great detail on Google Earth to find your way
After that the big hill the route follows last years route and we found another up hill bending left with the deep washout trenches. The Blazer needed a strap and a redo of the tie rod again. Same issue, as he went up the rears started to slip due to steep road and the left rear fell into the trench and he was high centered again..
5/20 RM ~334 to 362.5
Nothing much to report . Same as last year. Graded road. Do not use the right option before RM 340 because it leads to a new lake and under construction spillway. Wrongway is in place.
5/21 RM 362.5-401 No report. Read the course notes and follow the markings.
Marked by Paul Fish. He deals with the ranchers along the way and we do not participate in marking.
Read race-dezert for details on the silt beds after Urapan.
Bottom line Steve Wolcott has been racing or marking for 15+ years and has never see a harder race course. Bring your straps and your extra spare tires and find a Bronco buddy to lead the way if you have a prerun 2wd.
Todd's Bronco pulling the strap on the Blazer at RM 258. My Bronco was at the back of the line at this point. I went up with no problem while Cordell spotted me. See a similar pic on race-dezert -same place.
Not to worry its a careful drive up now because we spent 1.5 hours there and stacked lots of rocks while Steve did his suspension fix.
PW
more
http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showth ... 00-pre-run
Bronco in the pic belongs to Todd. Mine wqas at the back behind the trees. The broken Blazer belongs to Steve W
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tcm glx
- Peanut Butter
- Posts: 7303
- Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:19 am
- Bronco Info: 93 Ford Bronco 5.8
- Location: Riverside Ca
- Contact:
Re: Travels of PW
Example... no brakes on this Jeep ended up in a bad ending.PaulW wrote:Believe the down arrows - please. If you do not slow down enough you will be upside down in the bottom the creek bed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg8Hh79p ... r_embedded
Re: Travels of PW
=====tcm glx wrote:Example... no brakes on this Jeep ended up in a bad ending.PaulW wrote:Believe the down arrows - please. If you do not slow down enough you will be upside down in the bottom the creek bed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg8Hh79p ... r_embedded
This thread is a mystery to me? No brakes bad lights and no SCORE signs??
At the start of prerun there were plenty of signs and no yellow tape. Not likely a place for spectators like the moved and missing signs at the 250.
Memory is fading and I do not recognize any of the descriptions of the problem area. Next chance I get I will dirve to that section and try to figure out what the discussion is about.
PW