Harquahala Observatory

[Locked and Loaded]

I will be going to the Harquahala Observatory this Saturday April 7th. It's the third highest point in Arizona. It's an EASY scenic trail. Almost 360 view at the top. I will post more details if anyone is interested.

Going
Locked & Loaded-Jeff-J10
ehall
Rogue XJ-Tim-XJ
rinkrat76
the_dude-Adam-JK
ROXINMUD
dmfnj-24601-JK

[FSJunkie]

Sounds fun, but too far away for me. I'm trying to keep the miles down.

[Locked and Loaded]

Thats understandable Matt.

[CJ the noisemaker]

Sounds fun, but too far away for me. I'm trying to keep the miles down.

Matt, have you thought about a beater rig? something that you can take out and not worry about the miles.
I see that your trying to keep your Wag cherry (I wish I had a rig that started like that ) and looking original.

[jaber]

I wish I had a rig that started like that

You did at one time...

[Locked and Loaded]

I will wave to you guys from the top.

[FSJunkie]

Matt, have you thought about a beater rig? something that you can take out and not worry about the miles.
I see that your trying to keep your Wag cherry (I wish I had a rig that started like that ) and looking original.

She was a beater when I first got her. Ran on 6 cylinders, paint shot, rusted through quarter panel, split out seats, etc. The reason I got it in the first place was because I wanted an offroad beater because my parents wouldn't let me use the family Jeep.


But I have this horrible urge to restore anything old to like-new condition. Old stereo systems, two chairs off the Ocean liner "Queen Mary", it's a disease, and this vehicle was no exception. One reason for not wanting another vehicle is because I would be tempted to restore it. I couldn't just let it be a beater.

I still offroad my Wagoneer once or twice a month, sometimes more in the summertime. Other times it takes me to school 3 or so days a week rain or shine, sleet or snow. it travels to car shows, sometimes driving several hundred miles across open desert to get there. It gets used. I average 3000-6000 miles a year, and given that it's exactly 40 years old this month with 130,000 miles, that's about right. Happy Birthday, baby!

Don't get me wrong, I still take on some serious trails, usually the thousands of miles of unamed forest trails around my house. They're scenic, they're fun, and easy to get to. Some are simple graded gravel roads, and others are full on washed out bonified drainage ditches. I for the most part go wherever I want and turn around when the going gets tough so I don't break anything or damage something. I don't push any harder than this:


It's enough to flex the suspension and work the low range. This is about the vehicle limit for ground clearance, acording to my gas tank. I have never found the articulation limit, the traction limit, or any capability limit with the exception of ground clearance, nor do I want to find it. I'm a different kind of offroader. I don't run trails to see what my Jeep can do. I run trails to see beautiful or interesting places in a virtual time machine loaded with family history. Something about taking this family relic and running trails with it like it has for 40 years brings me immense joy.

This summer I will be taking the 86 year old original owner, my grandfather, on some of the exact trails he did with this car 40 years ago when it was new. There is nothing i would rather do with this car than that.

A beater Jeep can't give me that. All it can do is drive me down a trail. This Jeep can take me back in time and relive family memories, and nothing can replace that. As the vehicle is now, it is mostly original, but someday when I do a complete frame up restoration, I will still offroad it.

It may get 6000 miles a year of pleasure driving and offroad miles, but when I am not driving it I am polishing, repainting, cleaning, etc. to keep it in its current condition if not better. In a way, I am reversing the miles faster than I am am putting them on.

Offroading doesn't have to damage your vehicle so long as you know when to back off and turn around.

[Locked and Loaded]

Matt, you my friend are going down the right road. I couldn't have said what you said better. You don't need all the fancy stuff to have a good time. Just being outside is good enough. Take that time machine back to a time when it was new. And while you are there. Bring me back some Twinkies. The ones they make today suck.

[FSJunkie]

Bring me back some Twinkies. The ones they make today suck.

Thank you so much Jeff.

And about the Twinkies:

If you guys can get your butts up here in the highlads some time I can give you the grand tour. I know a 30 mile horribly washboarded road that leads to a 200 foot waterfall on the Little Colorado River, you can even ford the river to see the other side if you like (I did it and I was a nervous wreck!). Just a warning though: You will need to tighten up some bolts on your Jeep when you get home.

[CJ the noisemaker]

I'm a different kind of offroader. I don't run trails to see what my Jeep can do. I run trails to see beautiful or interesting places in a virtual time machine loaded with family history. Something about taking this family relic and running trails with it like it has for 40 years brings me immense joy.

Offroading doesn't have to damage your vehicle so long as you know when to back off and turn around.

I see where you're coming from, and to be honest I'd like to have a rig like that. It's just that I never had a wheeler that could go where Nodoka goes now in her current form. The stuff that all-out rock crawlers take she can take, I sometimes get too cocky and rush through an obstacle because I want to finish it faster than anyone. Lately I have smashed Nodoka and regretted it because I don't want to just drive away and wonder what could have been.

I'm like that I now realize, I want to find out how hard it is and won't give up until this pain in my chest is gone. The pain comes from not completing an obstacle and becoming worried that I had to back out, it's as though my ego is on the line. Most of the time it isn't and everyone is there to have fun.

[rstep]

Jeff any trip reports how was it.

[Locked and Loaded]

I lead this group up to Harquahala Observatory. It was alittle warm at the bottom. But on top it was beautiful. I was the only FSj. The other Jeepers liked seeing an old J10 on the trail. Enjoy.

[fulsizjeep]

Looks like fun! Thanks for sharing pix.

[rstep]

Look's like a great run thanks for the pic's. Jeff it's good to see someone getting out.

[Locked and Loaded]

The pictures don't do it justice. At 5681ft in elevation. It's the third highest point in Arizona. The other two you can't drive up to the top. You gain almost 4000 feet in a little over 10 miles. The view at the top is almost 360 degrees. It ain't Colorado but its home.