TeraFlex Moab Trip - 1-/11/08

[scrogg]

This ride was an organized by TeraFlex PLUS. The schedule for Saturday was to run Metal Masher at 9:00 am and Cliff Hanger sometime that evening.

We pulled into Moab, Utah on Friday night at about 8:30 pm. Stopped by the Portal RV Resort were the mojority of people were staying to see how the days ride went and when they were planning to go out for the nigth ride. As it turns out, they hadn't returned yet from the early ride. So we headed off to check in to our cabin for the night.

The last time we were in Moab we had the stock 32” tires and a TeraFlex 4” short arm kit and did pretty well. This time, with 37” tires and the recent addition of a TeraFlex 6” long arm kit, we had high expectations to do well. The morning just couldn’t come soon enough.

We got up and met up with the caravan at the Portal RV Resort at about 8:45 am, chatted for a bit then it was off to the staging area.



At the staging area, everyone did the usual, unloaded trailered rigs, check tire pressure, checked their gear, and so on and so forth. We tried our best to count all of the rigs but they kept moving around and gathering in different locations. We believe there were about 25 rigs going on the run. It was a pretty good turn out. We all worked our way to the road and eventually began the trip to the trail head.



Along the way to the trail head we reach a fork in the road and as we approach we can see a bunch that took the right turn to head up towards Metal Masher. But then about 5 to 6 rigs that were in front of us kept to the left. As we pulled up we were pretty confused. We knew that Metal Masher was up the hill to the right but didn’t realize that we had combined with another group by chance. After it was decided that they weren’t with us we the pursued the approximate 12 rigs that kept right and caught up to them by the time we reached the trail head. Now our count was all screwed up.



Our trail run has begun, yeah.



Not too far into the trail we reach a little spot that has an optional climb off to the right. As far as I know Dennis was the only one who went up this or even attempted for that matter. If someone else attempted it then they were well in front of us and we missed it. This rig of Dennis’ is pretty awesome. I have only been on a handful of rides with him and I haven’t seen anything that he couldn’t get over or up.



A little further down the trail we come across another location that has some optional obstacles. Three options at this location, the far right is just a simple drive up onto the rock. The middle has a bit of an undercut and a reasonable climb to get on top of the rock. The far left also has a bit of an undercut but the climb is a bit more substantial. After seeing several other rigs take the various avenues available. I thought I would be a bit daring and go for the left.



My lack of experience shined through here with not knowing when to give up. I tried again and again. I lost track of how many attempts I made but it had to be at least 6 or 7 if not more. Each time, getting just that much more daring with the skinny pedal until… yep you guessed it, SNAP!!! There went the passenger side rear axle. It was a very profound “snap” and not so much loud as what I would have expected. I have never heard one break before.

I backed down off the hill and was looked over by several of the guys that work for TeraFlex PLUS. After the damage was determined I backed up and whimpered over to the far right and up onto the rock in dismay. Not yet fully realizing what was still to come.

Once on the rock I had a chance to watch other rigs and chat with a few of the people that came. Someone brought this cool little RC that kept the younger boys entertained.





After everyone made it up, it was noticed on one of the rigs (an orange CJ with a fuel injected 401) had destroyed a heim joint on his traction bar while going over that same obstacle. Someone (Dennis I think) happen to be carrying a spare. Him and a couple other of the TeraFlex guys quickly went to work. Several of the other rigs had moved on ahead while the repairs were taking place. We chose to hang out and witness the on-the-trail repair. It didn’t take too long, maybe about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes and they had the CJ back together and we were on the road again.

Here’s a couple of pics of the orange CJ (not on the same obstacle though):