Big Arizona Strip Adventure

[roger0080]

When you where in the one room school house ... did you look behind the chalk boards for the stash of money? ... like it was in the movie Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (Clint Eastwood & Jeff Bridges) he he he he .... untold riches waiting to be found...

Anyways thanks for the pics, the photo album and SPOT tracking. I thoroughly enjoyed it all. I take the '71 out to Utah and do that too so I can relate. Nothing like seeing the desert in all her glory (ie the summer heat). Hot as heck but there is just something about seeing it in summer.

For navigating using try the Topographic Metric 1:1,000,000 scale maps for the area you are going into. They show all the roads you really want. Then you just measure on the map (after awhile you can eyeball the map and gauge the distance) between crossroads and trails and use your odometer as to when to turn or when the crossroad is coming up and where it all connects. That map shown in the pic looks like a land usage or something.

Glad you had a safe trip. That sheet metal gets don't it !

[DirtyLarry]

Roger0080,

, no we didn’t check behind the chaulk board although we probably should have. If there was any money hidden back there it went up in smoke a few years ago when the original school house burnt down. The current school house was just rebuilt a few years ago after some jackarze arsonist burnt it down.

Thursday continued……

So, after we aired up on the Clayhole trail and rolled into Fredonia on fumes for a fill up we made the 80 mile trek up to Page, AZ to seek lodging for the night at a hotel. We were badly in need of a bath and supplies plus the trucks and trailer needed some attention.

After everybody got a bath we ventured out to see what Page to had to offer in terms of dining. We found a great little local brewery with decent food. After dinner we made a field trip to Wal-Mart to restock on supplies…. and ICE! This is also the night I made post # 4 in this thread.


Friday morning Bill and I ran over to Checker Auto Parts in hopes of finding a set of lock-out hubs for the Dodge. Not only did we find a set of new hubs, Checker had Superwinch ¼ turn hubs on sale for $60! I bought a set for big blue as well since the deal seemed decent.

Bill installing his new hubs in the Marriott Courtyard parking lot while I blew the dust out of our trucks. Prerunner1982, No….we didn’t stick around long enough to enjoy the pool




We also assessed our damages at that point. The Dodge was down one tail light and the K10 was down one exhaust hanger. Both rigs are chock full of scratches! Many of the Lake Powell vacation boaters were very inquisitive as to what we were up to making all that noise on the parking lot at 8 AM with the air compressor running.


After getting the trucks and trailer back in order, restocked on food, beverages and ice we headed North a few hours to Monument Valley.

All I can say about Monument Valley is WOW! Monument Valley is just as beautiful and powerful as the Grand Canyon. I still can’t believe this picture came from my camera.






After tootling around Monument Valley for a while and spending an hour and a half in the Indian gift shop, not to mention spending too much money on souvenirs, we headed out to the “Valley of the Gods” to find a camp spot for the night.

[DirtyLarry]

Friday evening we rolled into the “Valley of the Gods”. Again, WOW! This place is awesome!
We had a magnificent camp spot with the most perfect views of the sunset and sunrise the next morning. The coyotes howled all night long. It was awesome!





Mr. Bill preparing his signature fried potatoes and steak.




Awesome spot!




Mmmm, tater, onions, and green chilies


I’ll stir the taters while Mr. Bill handles the steaks.



The sunset was perfect. Better sunsets than I have seen in Hawaii!

[DirtyLarry]

Saturday morning was just as beautiful as Friday evening.





Mr. Bill cooking again. This time it is bacon and eggs with green chilies.


I’ll just sit here and fiddle around with my camera while trying to nurse a hangover while pretending I don’t have one. Man, the smell of that bacon makes me what to ralph!


After breakfast we broke down camp and headed West up highway 89? Towards the North side of Lake Powell. There was a pretty interesting road we had to take up to the top of the mesa to get there.







Yep, that is where we just came from and camped the night before.


Check out this square body that didn't quite make the first turn. Don't drink and drive kids!


On to the north side of Lake Powell. We need to hit the marina for more ice!

More later…..

[Oilbrnr]

^^ wonder if that front bumper is straight...

Growing up in Flagstaff and touring all over N AZ as a kid, I guess I kinda take all that territory for granted.

Lake Powell is still my favorite destination however.

[dammitmitchell]

i am missing home more and more because of this!
you suck! hahaha but in a good way!
thanks for the dose of home brother!

[DirtyLarry]

There could be worse places to be stuck Mitchell other than Abilene. I was stuck in Detroit for 6 years which was painful. 6 years of my life I can’t get back!

Saturday continued….


So after a few hours ride we rolled into Hall Crossing on the north side of Lake Powell just to see what it was all about plus we needed more fuel and ice.



Halls Crossing Marina


While this picture doesn’t serve any justice, there was a lot of scenery to be looked at while at the marina.


We saw a semi trailer go by on a ferry. It really caught us off guard to see a semi trailer floating by in the water in the middle of the desert.


After our jaunt through the marina we back tracked to a trail we saw called “Hole in the Wall”. Bill had studied that location for us to scope out and camp. However, by the time we got on the trail, aired down tires, etc and got 20 some miles deep into the trail (about 9 miles short of the end) we were running out of daylight so we set up camp before we reached the water.

Here is a neat old military relic that apparently was washed into this ravine at some point we passed on the way down the Hole in the Wall trail.






Then this dude popped out of nowhere wanting to know what I was doing crawling all over his truck.

[DirtyLarry]

The Hole in the Rock (whoops, I previously said Hole in the Wall….my bad) trail probably offered the most obstacles of any trail we ran into on this trip. Not that it was difficult, it just has more ravines and washouts to navigate. It would have been much more fun if those rain clouds would have opened up! Fun trail. We actually have more video of this trail than actual photos.









Much of the trail seems to disappear as it crossed over the large slick rock areas that do not have obvious black tire marks as they do in Moab. Luckily, every once and a while there would be a sign to help keep you on track.


Home sweet home for the night.




You guessed it, Bill cooking again. Burgers and fried taters with onions, green chilies plus CORN. We finally found the corn rolling around in the bottom of the dry goods container on the 6 day.


The rain that never hits the ground. Common in the desert.


Another beautiful sunset

[DirtyLarry]

The night on the Hole in the Rock trail was also the creepiest of camping nights. I woke up around 3 am to the sound of something raising cane very close by. It wasn’t a coyote but it sounded like it was getting close to our tent. I have heard there are wild donkeys out there. For all I know it could have been a Chupacabra.

This night I also spent some time uploading pictures from all of the cameras to my laptop. I was amazed as I had just enough cell signal to use my Blackberry as a modem but the internet would time out as the service was so slow.


Over breakfast we discussed the idea of continuing on the trail to the end then heading back and camping one night in Colorado or just turn back now and be home before midnight. Against, my wishes it was decided we were headed back home from this point.

On the way out back to highway 95.






Once we reached the highway it was time to air the tires up again and begin our 10 hour journey back home.









This is one trail I definitely want to go back and check out again sometime soon. There are also off shoot trails all over the place that seemed to go on forever.

More later…

[dammitmitchell]

HEY that military "relic" is an old half track!
that's freaking awesome sooooo cool to find.. hahha
just my two cents

[Oilbrnr]

So had you gotten to Hole in the Rock were you going to winch the rigs down in the canyon like the Mormons did?

There 'used' to be a road that would go to the Crossing of the Fathers, aka Padre Bay near Gunsight. I'm not sure if the lake level has blocked access to it or not. I don't think there are many points to actually access the lake via 4x4.

Seeing that picture of the semi-trailer on the barge made me think back to the old Chevron barge that would take fuel and supplies up to Rainbow Bridge and later to Dangling Rope. You did NOT want to meet that sucker coming through the main channels. Same went for the tour boats. Inevitably though, one would be coming our way while trying to head back to Wahweep in a storm. Never pleasant.

Oh the Lake Powell memories!

[DirtyLarry]

Oilbrnr,

No, we weren’t planning on that but we would to have liked to have said we went to the end of the trail plus Terence and I would have like to do some hiking. You were very fortunate to spend a lot of time in that area.

A neat section of highway somewhere between Monticello, UT and the Colorado boarder.


Almost home…





Couple more hours yet to go to get to Pueblo.


Spanish Peaks near La Veta, CO


The funny thing about the entire trip is we saw zero snakes, spiders, scorpions, etc as it was too hot. I am sure they were out at night when we were hiding in beds though. My buddy from work so badly wanted to see a rattle snake like portrayed in all the old western movies that he saw as a kid growing up in South Africa. Jokingly, I told him just wait until we get back to my house as there could be one in his bed! Well, Monday we cleaned up trucks and just relaxed. Tuesday the wife and I took him up to Pikes Peak then once we got home he started in on wanting to find a rattle snake again before he got on the plane to head home on Wednesday. Well, we walked all through the fields and bluffs next to my house for an hour or so on a snake hunt and came up empty handed. Then when we got back to the house I opened the BBQ grill to turn on the gas to grill dinner I found this little dude who was pretty hissed off that I disturbed him. Ya, he died a short time later and his rattle is now in Indiana on my buddy’s desk.

[jrdv]

Larry,
What a great adventure! Thanks for taking the time to post pictures and the story to go with them. Those kind of trips are my favorite ways to vacation.

I think Bill spoiled you guys with the food. Nothing better than beef and potatoes!

I'm glad you had a good trip--it will be one you will always remember ( at least untill "oldtimers" hits you!).

I liked all your pictures except the last one! I have killed nine rattlesnakes this year. My dad got me one of those Taurus pistols that shoots a 45 colt or 410. I haven't seen a snake since I got it!

Take Care

john

[DirtyLarry]

John,

Ah, man, the vacation was great and you’re right, Bill did spoil us. We ate better on the trail than we would have had we been home.

That gun of yours sounds handy to have around. This guy was lying by the garage door a few weeks ago. Luckily, I saw him as I was going into the garage instead of step on him coming out of the garage. Usually we don’t see rattlers this big around here. He died too. Got him with a .22 rifle and CB snake shot shells. The problem was he went into a bush to the left of that door after I saw him and I had to shot the hell out of the bush trying to get to him.

I would imagine the rattlers in your area are much bigger than up this way.

[monolith]

Man, reading this thread really brought back some memories.

Valley of the Gods is one of my absolute favorite places on earth. Just made a special trip there again 2 years ago.

Spending my teen years in Phoenix and Flag really gave me an appreciation for that country. I still miss it terribly.

I used to have a little "snake charmer," cut down 410 shotty pistol, left it with my best buddy when I moved back to California.

Thanks again for sharing this adventure with us, Now I'm gonna have to find an old blazer or burb to build up and take a similar trip!

[Prerunner1982]

Awesome... thanks for the pics and notes about most of them. I am surprised that halftrack was out there...

[Billhilly]

Great pic's Larry.
Thanks for putting them up with the stories. Certainly no country like that down this aways. Just amazing. Funny you mentioned about getting lost and if anyone was watching SPOT they would wonder what was going one.... there was one day I checked it out a couple times and really did wonder if you hadn't tied it to the back of some critter!
I know it wasn't a 'road' trip as such, but how many miles did you do?
Anyway sure looks like it was good times.

Bill.

[Oilbrnr]

Had this guy in my shop last year. I had wandered to the back garage door area to get another cold one out of my beer fridge, lights out, and he let me know he was back there. (I was about 10' away) I about pooped my Depends!

He is now mounted on the wall in my office.

I've killed four since moving out to BFE Scottsdale. Snake shot is the ticket in my little snub-nosed .38. First two rounds are the shot, then then next three are hollow point, for the bigger 'snakes' out there.

[DirtyLarry]

Billhilly,

We ran a little less than 2,200 miles although SPOT tallied 1,642 miles. The problem with the SPOT mileage is it only counts between straight lines of each ping and if a ping fails it gets even more inaccurate. Around 600 of the 2,200 miles were in the dirt. We didn’t bother checking fuel mileage on either truck and have been too scared to add up the fuel receipts

Funny you should mention strapping SPOT to a critter as my wife joked about the same thing. When I talked with her Thursday she said, “Were you guys lost last night or did a coyote pick up your SPOT?”

Oilbrnr,

WOW, he looks rather comfy making himself at right home on that bucket. He has got some serious colors on that tail of his! I probably would have shot up the garage trying to kill him

I have been busy the last few nights going over the truck greasing everything, packing the front wheel bearings, added new seals, pads, etc and have the rear axle apart now in order to get ready for another trip the mountains in a few weeks. For years I have had two sets of new GMSPO bearings lying around left over from my FedEx fleet mechanic days while in college. As it turned out these bearings and races fit a 14 bolt full floater so my rear axle got new bearings while it was apart. The rear shoes were also pretty ugly as one axle seal had been leaking so new shoes were in order. Also decided to throw two new wheel cylinders back there in there since I am there. Now I need to start saving my lunch money for the PCM32 engine controller swap and a NV4500 swap. Need overdrive for these long trips!

[vtblazer]

Great trip, thanks for posting and keeping us all up on your progress.

Good timing too, especially cause all I could do last week was sit around due to the hernia operation I just had, thanks again for the entertainment!

[70rs/ss]

Larry,

Glad the trip went well, and kinda glad but sad you didn't "need me"?! That whole area around Page, Monument Valley etc etc is my "back yard" so to speak as I am only a few hours from all of the above. I watched the SPOT for the first 4-5 days and wondered what the rim looked like from there, thanks for the picts, i need to hit that area as it is a short drive for me to get there.

I passed over a rattler the other night, I just got out and kicked sand at him till he got out of the "road" (I use that term lightly as it is a dirt trail between two points on the rez, not really a "road"!)

Would've loved to have met up w/ya but that might have meant catastrophic failure, so I am glad we didn't have to meet up under those circumstances. BTW was Powell full of um.....LADIES?! 4th of July is a happening time there?! One other BTW, when you take said pictures of "ladies" and HOT PARK RANGERS stand closer!! I had my nose to the screen trying to "see" her!!


PS the rain that falls but never hits the ground is Virga, yeah happens too much here in SUNNY AZ!

[Oilbrnr]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

Oilbrnr,

WOW, he looks rather comfy making himself at right home on that bucket. He has got some serious colors on that tail of his! I probably would have shot up the garage trying to kill him

Nah, no OK Corral action in my shop. That particular Diamondback was introduced to the sharp end of a shovel, once I got him outside. That was the tricky part.

I have zero tolerance for those guys. Any other snakes I let be.