Six pics of Southern Utah

[calvinhunt]

Looking back through some old photo files caused me to post of few pics of my 49 CJ-3A just after I got it. �To get it "trailworthy" I had to overhaul the carb, starter, and tranny. �I drove it on a few local trails hoping to find out that I just needed to do a little body work and then spray on some paint. �Wish it would have worked out that way. �I learned that everything else from the engine to the steering box, to the steering linkage, to the generator, to the radiator, to the brakes (master cylinder, wheel cylinders, lines, hoses and shoes), etc., etc., needed to be overhauled. �I probably should have accepted it the was it was but I just couldn't leave well enough alone. �Don't get me wrong, I like the fully restored Jeep I now have, but I liked the one I first had, too.

First trail ride after getting it running.


Heading up the bottom of a canyon.


Stopping for lunch.


I was afraid that my wife might not like to hit the trails, but she loves to drive.


This is a photo of my wife, Lucille. �She is a Native American (Navajo). �This photo was taken just after she had completed one of her routine presentations. �She travels around the state for Utah Humanities and presents her native culture and traditions to various audiences. �


If you look closely in the shadows under the ledges of the cliff you will see a set of ancient cliff dwellings. �The photo is taken from the rim of the opposite side of the canyon. �These dwellings exist in every canyon (where there is a source of water) in Southeast Utah. �My wife is actually a descendant of the ancient ones who lived in such dwellings. �

[Carls_jeep]

 :oCalvin, your Jeep was in better condition than mine is body wise. There are times when I wish mine looks new but then I would tend to baby it. Your wife LOOKS like she enjoys driving the Jeep, you can see it in her face.

[redcj3a]

Nice pictures.  I hope to get my 3A out there some time.

John

[jamesr]

We'll get up there one of these days Calvin.  You have some beautiful country to look at. Jim

[calvinhunt]

Nice pictures. �I hope to get my 3A out there some time.
John

We'll get up there one of these days Calvin.  You have some beautiful country to look at. Jim

Would be great to have both of you come at the same time.  Actually, it was carlsjeep that first "threatened" to bring his Jeep and come out to drive "my" trails.  I certainly hope he keeps his threat.  The best time for him is next Fall.  We are talking the last week of September or the first week of October.  As the plan gels a little more, maybe others could join us as well.  There is a lot of diversity in the terrain and lots of sights to see.  

[Doug]

Wonderful jeep, wonderful wife and wonderful countryside.  Calvin, you have a lot to be proud of!!!!!!    I think everyone who sees your pictures of you in your jeep in your location, dreams of being out there with you in their own jeep.   Me included.   I would love to get to drive my jeep out their with you some time.   Doug.

[calvinhunt]

Doug,

Lets make it happen.  You see that a few of us are tentatively working on next Fall.  Join us.  Or if there is a better time for you lets do it then too.

[Doug]

Calvin, �the folks that are planning to go out there next fall, from how far away will they be traveling. �Mapquest says its 1 day and 15 hours to Utah from Florida. �That 24 plus 15 hours driving time pulling a trailer I would suppose. �Would that take three days or more? �(each way)

I suppose if someone came out in the summertime it would be hot enough to fry an egg on sidewalk out there or not.  What is the climate like out there summer vs fall.  

[Doug]

Calvin, Willys in action last week pulling an 8 pointer out of the woods.  Mid Georgia  

[calvinhunt(Guest)]

Doug,
Great photo of the successful deer hunt.  Your dad is looking well.  I remember he gave you quite a scare not too long ago.  

On the earlier post you asked about the trip to Utah from Florida.  Yes, it would be a long trip.  One would almost need to be retired with more dollars than "sense" to make such a trip.  I wish you could do it, though.  Would be great to have you come out.  Just save up your dollars and vacation time.  

The others who have seriously talked of coming with their Jeeps are carlsjeep from TN and jamesr from southern AZ.

As far as the temps in Summer: Not really bad.  The elevation of Blanding, Utah, is 6000 feet.  That keeps it from getting too hot.  Around 90 degrees is usually the hottest.  Occasionally we can get up to 100 but that is just for two or three days at most.  And, it is very dry so the heat is more tolerable.  However, the worst part of mid-summer camping/jeeping is the knats.  That too is tolerable with inspect repellent.  We do Jeep all summer long, it's just if you have guest you want them to have the best experience possible.

You also asked about my tires.  My Jeep came stock with the optional 700-15 tires.  I'm running NDCC because I couldn't get the NDC in that size.  They do not rub on the frame rails but they have marked up the rear fender wells a little (caused by real off-roading), but that's not a problem.  I answered this question (one of your last posts on the previous forum) but I guess it went into cyberspace.  

[Carls_jeep]

From Taylorsville Ky to Blanding Utah is 1571 miles by Mapquest and I plan to make it in two days, maybe three days. I want to get there quick and spend time driving in the Wild West High Desert.  

I am hoping that we can get several of us together for some interesting trips and maybe an overnighter. I want to spend a week or two doing trails since I may not get a chance to do it again or at least it may be a few years between trips.

BTW Doug, that's a nice looking deer and should be some good eating.

[Doug]

Carls, that sounds like a wonderful trip. � I would have to add about 15 additional hours for the same trip. �Florida is the longest darn State there is. � Seems like you yave to drive most of a day, just to reach the state line. �

Having only limited vacation time, I would probably only be able to make a trip out west if I were to ship my jeep out ahead of time and fly. �Then that gets probably too expensive. �

My dad got that deer. � �We hunted hard for a week watching does, yearlings and fawns before we saw that one nice buck. � It was really odd weather in Georgia, 39 degrees at night, 89 degrees during the day, full moon, and not a drop of moisture anywhere. �It did not make for great hunting. � I was literally getting sunburn during the day and freezing in the morning on the deer stand. � I always have fun though, even if I do not get a deer, especially now that I have the jeep. � �If I am not hunting, I am constantly driving the jeep. � It is a lot more fun to drive the jeep in the rural countryside of Mid Georgia than in the suburban/city areas of Florida. � Last year my little jeep amazed everone. � We had 10 inches of rain in October. �Everything got stuck in the clay, my dad's two wheel drive, my 4x4 F-150, our mid size John Deere tractor, everything except for my jeep. � In fact, that whole week, we parked every other vehicle we owned and the 60 year old jeep was our only means of transportation for that hunting trip. � Even my dad was impressed and believe me, he is hard to impress.

Calvin, those photos of Utah and your family are so great, I swear they could be postcards!!!

[Bob W]

I was lucky enough to visit Calvin for a day when I was in Utah. It's great to have your own personal tour guide that really know the area    Got to ride in his excellent 3A also!!!

Doug, you could always fly out and rent a Jeep in Moab. It won't be a flatty but it's a Jeep.

[jamesr]

Calvin, I am lucky to be about 6 hours away..  Maybe 8, trailering and lunching.  Will see you when its set up.  Let me know. Jim

[calvinhunt]

Sorry to be so long in answering!  I've been down in Doug's area to watch the space shuttle launch (next time I'm going to have to get Doug to persuade his friends at NASA to be a little more cooperative in launching--it's a long way to go for a scrub).  I had a good time in the Orlando area anyway.  I had never been to FL before.  Tried to make it to the other side of the state to meet Doug in person, but didn't pull that off either.  

Jim, you're right.  You're less than a day's drive away.  Really looking forward to having you and the others that can make it join up on some Utah trails.  Since this idea pretty much started with carlsjeep in KY I would like to allow Carl to suggest the most workable date.  So far he has said fall would be best for him, and I have suggested the best fall driving here is that last week of Sept or the first week of Oct.  Again, as this gels a little more we'll see who else can join us.  We could set up a base camp and work out of there if you would like to camp or just check in to one of the local motels.