aw12345 Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Rapporteren Share Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Tabletop Mesa AZ Headed out Thursday for some fun in AZ. Got to Table Mesa around 4 in the afternoon was a hot drive through the desert. Met up with our buddy leadfoot Curtis, our other bud/ trail guide Sergio showed up a bit later. Setup camp then shot the bull around the campfire. Last friend and his wife showed up around midnight. Friday early Fred and me did some roaming around and enjoyed the country side. Sonora desert is so different from the Mohave desert. Loved all the saguaro cacti. Those things are awesome, lots of Cholla, Ocotillo, Palo verde and Prickly pears blooming. After that on to the trails, didn't disappoint tight windy canyons with lots of waterfalls. I really like the AZ wheelin, not as technical as Hammer wheelin, but lots of fun. Sergio's YJ pretty much crapped out and stalled all morning, but we did run 2 trails with him and got it back to camp. After that we drove to the tip top mine and the ruins of the lil town that supported it. Saturday rocked and we knocked it out the park ran all the rest of the trails. Collateral damage and Anaconda rocked. We got stuck behind a group on Collateral damage that had a hell of a time with both waterfalls. Second waterfall is a real doozy 3 lines on it. The one on the left a WE rock buggy and a really nice other rear steer buggy on red labels could get up that to save their life. I aced the middle line, Fred had to work on that one a lil but got it. Curtis aced the scary but easier right line. Mike we had to winch up the darn thing. Anaconda was a hoot only trail with a fair amount of loose big rocks. Got Mike all riled up when he had a fight with one. Was funny to watch, he ended up kicking and cussing the thing till he pushed it out of the way, had me rolling with laughter. After that he managed to rip of a fender and cut a sidewall. He recovered from that, was a good sport about it and we ran another trail after that and headed to the Indian fort. Some people did a lot of rock stacking there made for a great defensible position. Anybody know if it was an actual Apache fort? Then we did some scouting for an unnamed buggy trail, scouted and hiked a few canyons, but couldn't find it. Mike's wife Sharon shot a bunch of awesome video, will post links for that later this week. I took mostly landscape shots, but here goes tabletop mesa (32) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (31) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (29) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (28) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (27) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (25) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (24) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (23) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (22) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (21) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (20) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (19) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr Citeren Link naar opmerking Deel via andere websites More sharing options...
aw12345 Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Auteur Rapporteren Share Geplaatst August 31, 2014 tabletop mesa (15) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr My favorite rock crawler climbed a 90 degree wall. Pretty Gila Monster tabletop mesa (14) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (13) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (12) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (11) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (8) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (7) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr tabletop mesa (4) by aartjestaartje, on Flickr Citeren Link naar opmerking Deel via andere websites More sharing options...
aw12345 Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Auteur Rapporteren Share Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Well Sergio (50yj) talked me into another adventure in the great state of Arizona. This time it was an Easter Safari in the Table Mesa area. I asked several folks to join us on the adventure and a small number were able to make the trek to the area. Curtis and his wife, Art (aw12345), and Fred (flatout) made the total to five rigs to hit the trails. Everyone headed out to the trails on Thursday night with Sharon and I being the very last to show up. Friday morning, we followed our fearless leader Sergio out to the trails. The day was overcast: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1110_zpsb839cfff.jpg.html'> The first trail that we hit was Lower Terminator: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1117_zpse1edd677.jpg.html'> http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1123_zpsd0199c82.jpg.html'> http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1126_zpse28bc4d9.jpg.html'> The obstacle called White Stripe is a tilty drop that the right line is to follow a white stripe in the dark rock: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1134_zps0fcead94.jpg.html'> http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1140_zps78c87d01.jpg.html'> The Z-Turn has several options: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1160_zps834fed6b.jpg.html'> http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1162_zps2273b35f.jpg.html'> Regardless of the lines that we took, the audience on the trail was just not impressed: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1177_zpsf6d9a133.jpg.html'> The cool thing about the trails that we took on Friday was that there many optional lines to play on. Art, who rarely had any trouble on any line all weekend, found the one spot the was his nemesis: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1180_zpsc5db6bb5.jpg.html'> But a little tire kiss from Mr. Green put his Jeep back on track: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1182_zps8ac31479.jpg.html'> After that, pretty much nothing slowed him down: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1185_zpsaf20209d.jpg.html'> Unfortunately, Sergio had a fuel feed issue that slowed him down: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6240_zpsfd0f6c20.jpg.html'> On a different note, Spring has sprung in the sonoran desert!: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1194_zpsab6e3cac.jpg.html'> http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1200_zps0ffce6ee.jpg.html'> http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1202_zpsfbc8e628.jpg.html'> http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6233_zps357790fd.jpg.html'> On Upper Terminator, the nastiest obstacle that most people bypass was mastered by Art. His first attempt failed: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1209_zpsa4d606e0.jpg.html'> But his second attempt was spectacular: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1211_zpsd08c657d.jpg.html'> It wasn't perfect, but is was amazing. Video will be forthcoming soon... All of the trails are surrounded by Saguaro cactus. You can't help but notice them, but some are quite interesting: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1240_zps5cdba2c7.jpg.html'> The crew at the top of Upper Terminator: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1270_zps05ead162.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1270_zps05ead162.jpg Sergio headed back to camp due to the fuel feed issues and Curtis went with him to make sure that he made it. The rest of us ran the short trail called Predator: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1276_zps6a456862.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1276_zps6a456862.jpg http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1282_zps2399b0af.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1282_zps2399b0af.jpg After that we headed out to the Tip Top Mine. Along the way we met some of the locals. Large gopher snake: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1288_zps7d07afa2.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1288_zps7d07afa2.jpg Cool colored Gila Monster: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1293_zps6c7c9b25.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1293_zps6c7c9b25.jpg We started at the Tip Top Mine itself: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1298_zps7e0b111c.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1298_zps7e0b111c.jpg There's not a lot left, besides the headframe over the shaft and this boiler: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1306_zpse75d09cf.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_1306_zpse75d09cf.jpg The trail to the mine is rough and steep. This is a shot of us coming back down: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6246_zps0ccd1845.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6246_zps0ccd1845.jpg Back in the remains of the ghost town, Art and I climbed the foundations of the mill. Looking back down at Fred and Sharon and the remains of the brewery: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6251_zps5bf8bf9b.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6251_zps5bf8bf9b.jpg The Tip Top Brewery was the first brewery in Arizona: http://s40.photobucket.com/user/taisiya8/media/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6253_zps1b8ca94f.jpg.html'>http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/taisiya8/Jeeping/Table%20Mesa%20April%202014/IMG_6253_zps1b8ca94f.jpg Citeren Link naar opmerking Deel via andere websites More sharing options...
aw12345 Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Auteur Rapporteren Share Geplaatst August 31, 2014 On Saturday, Sergio decided to ride along with Art since his Jeep was not cooperating. Our first trail of the day was Collateral Damage. This is a 5 out of 5 rated trail and it lives up to its rating. The entrance from the easy road has a man-made obstacle that is supposed to be a "gatekeeper" for the trail. It is the easiest obstacle that you will encounter on this trail! Collateral Damage is now added to one of my favorite trails! It starts out like this: All of these shots are within the first 100 feet of the trail! Besides waterfalls and tilty challenges, there are plenty of articulation tests: But the Pie'ce de Re'sistance is a monster water fall that doesn't seem to have an obvious access at first. Buggies struggle on most lines. This one needs a highly modified, high clearance vehicle to make it up. Then that vehicle needs to be an anchor point for the folks behind to winch off of. Of course, Art and Fred make it up: Which is a testament to their driving because there were many capable vehicles in front of our group that had to winch to get up, I chose to winch when my front started to unload: But the best climb was Curtis. He walked right up the cliff with his Jeep. Buggies had to follow his line afterwards! Video proof is forthcoming.... Funny enough, we all had issues with the next ledge that we came to: After Collateral Damage, we had lunch. Mr Green celebrated Easter while we dined: Anaconda was the next trail. The big (as in tire-sized) boulders that kept rolling around under my tires frustrated me, but the trail is quite fun: Afterwards, we found the Indian Fort where lava rock has been stacked around the edge of a small mesa as a defense. I could imagine Geronimo flipping a bird to the US Cavalry from the top of these rocks: We went looking for other trails in the area without much luck, but I did spot the Easter Bunny before we headed back to camp: It was a great weekend with friends. Collateral Damage is on my favorite trails list! I need to build up Mr. Green to run this again without having to winch. Great area. A big thanks goes out to Sergio for dragging us out to this amazing area. I hope that your Easter was as fun as ours! Citeren Link naar opmerking Deel via andere websites More sharing options...
aw12345 Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Auteur Rapporteren Share Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Thanks Sergio,Mike,and Sharon, GREAT TIME!!! Citeren Link naar opmerking Deel via andere websites More sharing options...
aw12345 Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Auteur Rapporteren Share Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Video or our wheelin adventure, day 1 Citeren Link naar opmerking Deel via andere websites More sharing options...
aw12345 Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Auteur Rapporteren Share Geplaatst August 31, 2014 Here is some more fun (day 2). Citeren Link naar opmerking Deel via andere websites More sharing options...
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