Hi, I am in Blanding Utah. I left Taylorsville Thursday morning at 6AM and arrived in Oklahoma City at 11PM after driving 882 miles and stayed overnight with my Sister and Brother-in-law. I left there Friday at 6AM and arrived in Blanding Utah at 9PM after 882.6 miles of driving. Calvin and Lucille held supper for me and we ate. Saturday, today, we are just knocking around and having fun. The trail rides will start Monday. I'll post photo's and commentary as we go along. I hope everyone will enjoy reading about the trip. I know I will sure enjoy doing all the trails with Calvin and friends. Ya'll can still come here for a day or tow if you want to. There are motels and camping areas and lots of nice trails.

At this point the BLM is considering closing all the trails on their lands. They consider the BLM lands theirs and NOT the property of the public. In 2008 they put out a directive that all roads on BLM land without a number marker are closed and very few have markers. Because of their past performance we're afraid they will pull a marker while your on a trail and say we are in violation and be fined and put in jail. I hope they put off the trail closings for the month I am here at least.

Yes, I would have never believed Oklahoma City was half way.


Here's a shot of it loaded Wednesday night ready to go.



Here's a shot of the rig at Calvins Saturday morning before we unloaded.



Here we are on private land about 2 miles from Calvin's home that is wilderness on a trail.




We decided to cut a new trail to form a loop and will go back and mark it for others to use and trim some trees so they don't get slapped around like we did.

Carl,  glad to hear you had a good trip.  Curious about your tow rig...I have a Ranger too which has a max. combined weight (GCWR) of 6,000 lbs.  The truck with fluids weighs about 4100 lbs so I have about 2,000 lbs I can devote to my jeep , tow dolly, camping gear, etc.  Clearly I am over my limits but I drive pretty slow and take it easy.  Can I ask where your rig lines up as pertaining to the towing weight specs for your truck?    And, how does your truck handle hills?  Mine is pretty slow going up grades with the jeep behind it. 

Also, would you have less tongue weight if you backed your jeep on the trailer, or would that mess with the handling of your truck?

Thanks, Carl.  Have a great week!

Today we finished up marking the loop and driving it in the morning. In the afternoon we went to Lower Recapture Canyon. We had 5 Jeeps and 2 Samurai's in the convoy.



The trail was long with several very rough spots but the roughest was near the end of the trail. The road had washed out and left large rocks that shifted around as you climbed the hill.





After everyone had climbed through the wash out we lined up on the hill to climb toward the top out of the Canyon across the flats toward Hwy 191 toward Blanding.



At the gate to enter the highway we ended the trail and ended the evening.

Carls_jeep wrote on 09/04/12 at 04:37:36:


I'll add a few pics to our afternoon trail ride:


A couple of different approaches into the snare.




Carl and I then the CJ-5s.  The Samurais are not far behind.




Into and back out of the dry wash.  Normally it has a running stream but it has been a very dry year.




Here comes Carl.




Time for a rest stop.




A few sprinkles brought a rainbow and some welcome shade.

The following discussion is from the CJ2A site Blalnding trip thread http://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/sept-trip-to-utah_topic25507_post223727.html#2....

Oilleaker1 posted;

The Forest Service is closing trails also. No input from the public either. They own them, not the public that pays their wages. They put up brown fiberglass stakes that say "closed for administative use only".  If you stay on the trails, I don't see any harm. If they want to fine and arrest people, why don't they do it to the offenders and not the correct type of use.  BLM too! Where I live, they now want you to purchase a annual sticker for trails that are marked off road use. The Black Hills National Forest encompasses SD and Wyo. The sticker in SD costs 25.00. The one in Wyo. costs 15.00 . Neither is good on the other side of the state line. You have to buy one for each vehicle and it's not transferable.  They threaten to confiscate your vehicle, and the fines start at 500.00, then 1000.00, then 1500.00 and then confiscation. For firewood, you used to be able to cut dead or downed trees. Now only in marked adjoining road areas. We have a beetle infestation that is projected to destroy 78% of the total forest. They have a mess on their hands and fire danger that is out of control. Sorry, you got me started talking about the BLM down there. Glad you were able to drive on private land and not worry about the Black suited , gun toting Tree Cops!  John

I posted;


Calvin, Lucille and I and several other Jeep drivers went to a Blanding City Council meeting to which they invited the two top persons from the BLM Monticello office for a question and answer session. Two of the Councilmen tore into them with a vengeance. They wanted to know why all the roads on BLM lands are closed UNLESS posted otherwise. At first they said they aren't and when Joe Lyman pointed out in THEIR OWN PRINT OUT that they said that ALL the roads are closed they started backtracking. Then they said the roads are open unless otherwise marked closed.

Then the subject of the environmentalists making signs and putting them up or moving BLM signs was broached. The Councilmen suggested the BLM pursue and prosecute those violators just as they have the innocent Jeepers and ATV drivers for using the trails and trying to repair them and keep them clean. They said they are aware of those violators and are trying to do something. To which they were asked when will they do something besides providing signs to the environmentalists to use. They had no answer for that.

Because the public was not allowed to speak during the meeting, at the end of the meeting while most were still there I confronted the two BLM officials and told them loud enough for everyone to hear that I drove about 1700 miles in two days to spend a month on the Jeep trails and I resented that they have closed all the trails to me and others. The woman leader said that the trails are open unless otherwise marked to which I replied, you just stated that all the trails are CLOSED unless other wise marked so which is it. She said to get the maps and you will find only 316 miles of trails are closed. This is a statement contrary to what they just said and then counter-stated at the meeting and which was argued back and forth during the meeting to no ones complete satisfaction. 

With what was recorded at the meeting of their statements we WILL drive the trails we want to and if confronted will refer the officer to his commander. This is the first time I have been able to attend a meeting involving the BLM and I think we made our point BUT, they are just employees doing a job with little control over the policies of the BLM.

Tomorrow I will visit their office and get their alleged maps and see what is closed and what is open. The fight is not over and I sure as hell wish I lived here to fight them face to face.

Oilleaker1 posted;

Your trails looked like fun. You weren't doing any harm. Frankly, erosion will eventually close the trail for the BLM, or only a rock crawler could drive them. That's unless the BLM grades them which is out of the question. I was pleased you had a chance to voice your opinion with them. That's what they need to hear from all special interests not just environmentalists. I worked two years for the Forest Service in Montana and got to see them from the inside. It's gone crazy since then. Policys handed down to the districts from higher up------Washington and the Dept. of Agriculture, are from all the special interest groups with organised pressure for them to do whatever the group wants. Department heads and District Rangers are always looking over their shoulders trying to keep their record clean so they can advance and get higher pay. The old stabbed in the back thing. I've been to State Game Fish and Parks meetings over them trading land to developers for land that adjoins one of THEIR ventures to have a wild mustang horse ranch. The land being traded was next to my house. I picked it because the state land gave me a curtain of protection from development. The room was full of home owners. The state people got educated about doing only what they wanted with state land. Unless you do what you did and speak your piece, you get regulated. A few bad apples out on the trails are spoiling our fun for us. Those bad apples are what the Tree Cops need to focus on. Closing it to all is not management of public use. Now, if you need a guide in the SDFFC, stop by! John

Join or donate to the BlueRibbon Coalition. http://www.sharetrails.org/

Where does Tread Lightly figure in this battle?
What does it really do?
Is it just advice to off-roaders like us or do they actually work with the Federal agancies?

Today we went to a trail Calvin found this spring while flying over it. In June he and four other Jeeps drove the trail. Today when we went through the trail we could hardly find trace of the trip they took 3 months ago. It had rained since their trip and today. That proves a good rain will wash out traces of Jeep travels. We also noticed that most the water crossed the roads rather than ran the length of them. That makes the BLM statements that Jeeps leaves tracks for centuries. In one place near the end of the trail Calvin was driving my Jeep and it went up to the wheel hubs in wet sand but he forged on through. We both thought we were going to have to winch it out. The CJ5 behind us went so fast he got air three times crossing the sand trap.

The first photo is a very rocky spot with some twisting turns. Look out rocks, here I come.



Geez, stuck again. Well, at least it's not a water filled trench. I decided not to dig out or winch out. The three boys and Calvin and Kerry pushed me back and I took another try and blasted by way across.



This is the remains of two watch towers and a stone wall on the top of two large boulders. There is a stairway and trap door in the crack between the two boulders. The towers seem to be protecting a large spring below them and possibly some dwelling behind the towers on the ridge above. We will look for dwelling remains when we fly over next week.



The Native Americans must have had some free time. They gave us some excellent pictographs to look at and admire. The horse is excellent.



This is a cave with one entrance and two exits leading to the land above. You can crawl through but we didn't do it. Calvin and Lucille did it in June.



It was a long trail with several very rough spots that tested the articulation ability of Jeeps and the ability to go through deep dry sand and deep wet sand. It was a good overall test of the Jeeps ability to go anywhere within reason.

We went back and acted like two teenagers making a find. Other than getting slapped around by tree limbs the trip in was easy. Here we are climbing out of a wash.



So, you think there is a road ahead huh!

We made it through Annabel's sand box at the end of the trail this time. She felt sorry for us, we had a long climb ahead.



The next ten photo's will be links because I want you to see what we did and it was a great feeling when we got our breath back from the long steep climb. Calvin is much better at climbing than I am but we made it. We felt like two kids in a magic world. You could see where the campfire smoke was on the ceiling. Some of the South wall had fallen down and left a wide opening that we figured they would have a wall over. There is a little port hole in the wall they could peep out of. They would cover the openings with hides or blankets. There was a space at the top of the wall to let the smoke out. Someone had been there in 1983 and put his name and date in crayon on one of the stones. There was nothing remaining of the Indians in the ruin.

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Annabel sure likes to play in the sand so we had to drag her out so we could go home. She wanted to stay and play awhile but we were getting hungry. I have been through here three times before and she never wanted to stop until now.



No Annabel, I'm not pulling you out, the winch and a large bush will do it so quit complaining.



We went home to eat lunch after a good fun morning ride.

Yep, I'm a bit troubled that with just over 3000 miles since the overhauled engine, transmission (including a new pilot bushing), etc., were installed the pilot bushing started squealing and dragging on the main drive gear.  Was it my bad mechanic skills or a not-so-good pilot bushing? In any case it was good to have Carl here with his years of diesel mechanic experience as well as having recently installed a CJ-3A engine and tranny himself to help me out with the task.  

My Jeep back where it went through its restoration 5 years ago--the airplane maintenance shop at the airport.




Yep, bad pilot bushing alright.




Carl's final inspection before re-installation.

Here are a few more pics of the same trip as my camera saw it:

Nice mountain trail.




Steeper and rougher.




Becoming quite a climb.




Our destination was the cliff dwelling ruins posted above by Carl. 
Here is a group shot just before departing.




Heading back down.




Stopping for the CJ-5 that broke a front drive shaft universal just BEFORE we got to the rough stuff. 




View of the landscape from the road back to civilization.

Today Calvin and I visited a ruin by Bluff called 17 room ruin and it did have 17 rooms.



This is a view out from the ruin looking toward San Juan River and where a cable walking bridge crossed the river years ago.



This shows the rooms in the ruin. See the darker lower wall in the distance, it was the first rooms and later the lighter mud walls and second floor were added to it. There was another room at the far end with posts and holes drilled into the stone floor.



This is one of the post holes and a possible miss start for one. There were three holes for posts and the wall may have been thatched but there was some evidence of mud mortar on the floor. It was a narrow long wedge shaped room.

It has not been commercialized so not many know about what is here. Only the hikers, horse riders, ATV and Jeep drivers know about the beauty of the area. There are a few ATV tours available but that's all. I think Calvin and some of those that know the area well could do tours for a living if the BLM were not closing all the trails to anything but hiking.

It's a shame we will no longer be able to drive the trails and visit the sites. Some of the sites would take several days to hike to.

It was good to have Mac (Macgraham) and his wife, Robyn, come all the way from Western Arizona with his newly restored CJ-3A to join us on some trails.  So this week Carl, Mac, and I will be cruising the trails in our vintage Jeeps.

Above, in Carlsjeep post you see Mac and his Jeep in action.  I have added a few pics of this trail ride, the very first one for Mac and his Jeep since the completion of his Jeep restoration.  




Both Jeep and Driver are doing well.




Still coming.




Trail break.

The two top BLM managers for the San Juan and Grand Counties told us at the meeting the first week I was here that all the BLM trails are closed unless marked with a sign saying they are open in San Juan and Grand Counties. When the Blanding City Councilmen, Calvin and I complained they gave us permission to drive on them for now. The problem is, we don't know how long "for now" will be. There is a directive from Washington D.C. that tells them to close all the BLM roads in San Juan and Grand Counties.

If no one complains then they will probably close all the trails in all the BLM lands in all 5 BLM States. The environmentalists and preservationists have more money for lawyers and lobbyists than the OHV people do. They also complain louder and are more organized than the OHV people are. Almost everyone here in San Juan County I have talked to that does off road with motor cycles, ATV's and Jeeps think this is the last year they will be driving on BLM land in San Juan and Grand Counties.

One problem is, most if not all the land the OHV people in Moab drive on is BLM or Forrest Service land and this directive may close Moab down completely. I don't believe those people are aware about what is happening to their tourist and trail riding trade.

49willyz, I believe if you come here any time this year you may be permitted to drive on the trails but I can't guarantee it. At that meeting Shelley Smith gave Calvin and me permission to drive on the trails for now and I assume they meant anyone else. We suspect when the new local manager comes here this November the trails will be closed.

I think when the people in Moab wake up and people start getting arrested and fined things will start happening. Republicans mind their own business and Democrats mind everyone else's business so the Republicans haven't become aware of the changes yet.

We had dinner with a man that knows what is going on in Moab and he said Moab has a special arrangement with the BLM to keep the trails they use open. It will be interesting to see how well that works with a new director with a Federal mandate to close the trails.

Time will tell.

Once again, I'll add my 2 bits worth to Carl's post of the day's events.

Heading for Arch Canyon.  Our second attempt last year proved very rewarding.




But finding an 80 foot stretch of mud and water where the road used to be told us we would not be going up Arch Canyon this fall.  




So, back to the main canyon road in Comb to seek a different destination, but the main road doesn't look much better at the creek crossing!




I walked across to check it out.




"If you're going to try it you'd better day clear of the wet spots."




Then Carl said, "Get out of the way."  (See video above)


Mac said, "If Carl can do it so can I." And I followed.




All Jeeps across.




Last of the drainage crossings as we head for higher ground.




A little Solex trouble on Comb Dugway.




Drivers! Return to your Jeeps.




I paused at a fallen tree in the road.




Carl just went by and showed me how its done.  He pushed it out of the way with his Jeep.




Now that we're all home safely, what's to eat?

Unfortunately the month has ended and so the trip to Blanding has also. Today was the last day of trail riding so we took a scenic tour across the mountains. We went from the Blue Mountains to Elk Mountain and over to the Bears Ears Mountains and then to Calvin and Lucille's home. This is a shot along the drive.



This is a deep Canyon we passed along the Mountain trail.



This is a Causeway or Saddle between a Mountain I can't remember the name of and Elk Mountain.



I think this switch back is called the Big Notch.



Annabel is loaded for the trip home. Neither of us wants to leave but everything has an ending. The photo's a little fuzzy because it was dusk, the shutter speed was slow and I must have moved.

Yes, there's a firearm museum in Oklahoma I want to visit.

We left Blanding at about 10:30 AM Sunday and just got to Tucumcari Nm and that's about 550 miles in 11.5 hours. I didn't drive as hard as I did going to Blanding. We went straight down Hwy 191 to I-40 and there was some nice scenery to look at along the way. On the way the Harvest Moon rose directly in front of us and that was nice to look at. It was really hard to leave Blandng and Calvin and Lucille and all the friends I made there. I hope we can keep the trails open for next year.

Well, the wife and I are finally home. Going to Blanding took me two days but coming home I took my time and spent four days getting home. The visit to the J. M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum in Claremore Ok was well worth the time. If you like guns you will love this museum.

I four weeks of trail riding I put 751 miles on my Jeep. There were few days that Annabel and I weren't riding a trail somewhere. As best I can tell I was on the trail about 22 days averaging about 34 miles a day. Some of the time I was on county gravel roads going to or from the dirt trails in the wilds. Most the time Calvin was with me but sometimes he was busy and I explored on my own.

This was the best month I have ever spent. I met many great people and saw many wonderful sites. I only hope I can do the same next year without interference from our controlling government bureaucrats.

These photo's are a few out of several hundred that I took on the trip. I hope that everyone was able to enjoy them as much as I did taking them and exploring the trails and ruins.