ORTB 5yr Anniversary Event Planning

[NC_IslandRunner]

In a heart beat with this notice.

Classic too far for many though. Too many Too's. Too bad. Running out of time for this group/platform.

What a chance though, slim.

A real optimist in our group I see...

I wouldn't say time is running out for this platform, or this group, we seem to be growing as a whole.

[bgwolfpack]

Sorry.

Rory,

I will be there. Let me know how I can help.

Randy

[Trail X]

Dang... this is such a difficult decision. Wife and I had discussed Bermuda during this time frame next year... urghhh. If I take this trip, I'd certainly owe her a trip like that... hmmm... maybe I can have my cake, and my ice cream.

[The Roadie]

During one of my expeditions, Mrs Roadie and two sisters went to Ireland. I took zero static from going on my trip. Silence can be bought. As Ron White said about using jewelry as a gift: "Diamonds.... That'll shut 'er up!"

[Trail X]

Well Bill... does that mean you are gonna be able to make it?

[The Roadie]

Work seems to be calming down, so I'd give it a high probability. I got rained out of my planned side trip to Grand Escalante last time in Moab. So it's a bucket list obsession now.

[NC_IslandRunner]

Just to keep this from completely dying, I was thinking Sept. 22th-27th could be a good week to do this. Meet up on the 22nd in Moab, camp 5 nights and head home on the 27th.

Been looking at some area maps I might order to figure out where to go and the best views to try for, anyone who has been is more than welcome to chime in with itinerary ideas.

Is 5 nights too much? Wouldn't want it to get boring, driving this far we would need to do at least 4 nights to make the trip worth it.

[The Roadie]

I have all the guide books and maps and trail recommendations. Returning to base camp every night only means you have to do the White Rim trail in one LONG day instead of breaking it up with a camp along the way. But the campsites are nothing to write home about, being on flat rock for the most part. It's the views that are the attraction, and running the trail in one day means you only get one set of sun angles in your pictures instead of the variety and change you get by staying in one place for sunset and sunrise the next day. In my opinion, 4 days of out and back loop trail riding is sufficient, sandwiched in five nights of camping without moving base camp. I'll post some suggestions in the next few weeks after I locate my trip planning files again.

[Trail X]

I'd plan on doing beef basin to butler flat through to elephant hill as one route.

I hate base camps.

[Trail X]

Looking like I will conveniently be in Phoenix either 14-16 or 21-23 of September. There's a possibility that I could drive out there, and detour on the way back (or the way out), and get work to cover a good chunk of the travel expenses. So, what I'm saying is, how does the week of the 8th, 15th, or 22nd sound? I should know the solid date for my work trip by the end of this week, hopefully. It would be really nice to build that into this trip.

I spoke a little with the wife about it too. Not sure if she's interested in joining or not at this point. I didn't introduce her to the topic very well.

[The Roadie]

"Say honey.... The guys and I are going to be camping? Want to be a follower?"

[fishsticks]

If we don't have a base camp, then anyone who tows is kind of SOL. For me that means the crawler is out.

The Taco is still my "pretty" vehicle and has a payment attached to it. I'm not sure that I'm prepared to wheel it yet, unless this trip is mostly just a sightseeing/expedition venture.

My gas mileage would increase drastically though. I drop to about 10-11 MPG towing the crawler over anything but flat ground.

[Trail X]

I guess it depends on what you want to do. Ultimately, we don't have to stick together every night or every day. I know I'll be likely to venture off on my own at some point, mainly because that's half of the fun. Shoot, after two days, I'll probably be tired of you all anyways!

Personally, I'm not planning to go out of my way looking for big trail challenges and obstacles. I'll be hoping to hit some remote wonders, and some remote campsites, see some beautiful sights, but I'm not trying to damage the truck too bad - since I won't be trailering it - and its quite a long drive.

But that doesn't mean that you can't tow your crawler down, run some stuff with that and anyone else who wants to run something like steelbender. Then you can park the crawler and we can run some other scenic stuff. Or whatever.

[NC_IslandRunner]

I could do the week of the 22nd, not sure if I could get there before the 22nd but I could do anything from the 22nd-28th.

[v7guy]

I bid for vacation in a few weeks, so I'm pretty flexible, but the date needs nailed down soon and it can't change, otherwise there's a high probability I won't make it. I'm not trying to tear the truck up being 3/4s of the way across the country and I'll be riding on a fairly untested suspension setup... which makes me a lil shy to try anything too crazy. But I'd like to see some terrain more like Badlands out in Indiana with maybe a mixture of the hardest TECORE stuff thrown in.

I've done the whole base camp route and the traveling to different camp sites, I'm not opposed to either, or a mixture. But I'd want some real good mileage on the trails either way. Regardless I'd prefer the campsite to be just us if possible, don't really care for big groups of people.


The late September (22nd-28th) Rory is talking about would be fine by me. I don't suppose I'd have any trouble getting it off.

[Trail X]

So Rory, if they choose the week of the 15th, you wouldn't be able to go at that time?

Well if that scenario plays out, I could likely meet you guys over the weekend of the 20th somewhere for a couple nights.

I should know my dates on the 27th of this month.

[fishsticks]

I guess it depends on what you want to do. Ultimately, we don't have to stick together every night or every day. I know I'll be likely to venture off on my own at some point, mainly because that's half of the fun. Shoot, after two days, I'll probably be tired of you all anyways!

Personally, I'm not planning to go out of my way looking for big trail challenges and obstacles. I'll be hoping to hit some remote wonders, and some remote campsites, see some beautiful sights, but I'm not trying to damage the truck too bad - since I won't be trailering it - and its quite a long drive.

But that doesn't mean that you can't tow your crawler down, run some stuff with that and anyone else who wants to run something like steelbender. Then you can park the crawler and we can run some other scenic stuff. Or whatever.

I'm there for the social aspect. I'd rather roll as a group for most of the time. Plus there are security issues with leaving the crawler somewhere. I'm not married to the idea of towing it out there, just thinking aloud on the logistics.

From a physical/capability standpoint, my Taco is closer to most of you guys anyway: 128" wheelbase, 32" tires, rear locker etc. I'll likely hit Johnny from Wheelers up for a small lift early this year as well.

Dates are petty open for me as long as we firm it up soon.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Trying to find finances. That's my biggest holdup/concern

[fishsticks]

Trying to find finances. That's my biggest holdup/concern

I feel you. I have so many irons in the fire this year already and work is busy but not super profitable right now. I'm having a fire sale locally on all the extra junk I have. Just finally sold the body/frame of that 4Runner I was building.

I haven't told the wife about this trip yet. I wanted to make sure it was a definite go before I started lobbying her.

[NC_IslandRunner]

Back home and looking at my schedule again, the earliest I could be there is late on the 16th. What days/nights are we actually looking to wheel/camp? 17th-20/21st or I could do 20th-23/24th, You guys start before I can get there just let me know the coordinates of camp and I can meet up.