People & Jeeps
Bud Boren - 84 CJ7, 6" National, Detroit rear, LA locker front
Jeff "Jefe" Reynolds & Brother Jim - 82 CJ8, SOA, Lockright rear, stiff PowerLock front
Mark Alligood, wife Misako & duaghter Kimi - 95 YJ, 4" Procomp, Detroit rear, Lockright front
Matt Osburn & wife Vicky - 95 YJ, 4" Procomp, ARB rear, ARB front

Geez.  We go to Ocotillo for New Years, and what does Bud call it?  Oh yeah, Split Mountain.  We tell everyone, we'll make a trip while we're there to where?  Bud says, "Badlands!"  He means Truck Haven.

Ok, for those of you who've read Bud's recent posts and said, "Hey, I was out at Ocotillo, I didn't see Bud?" Well, we weren't there.  We did however, make it to Pinion Mountain.  Or at least that's what the sign at the trailhead said.  Of course the other sign said "Fee Area".  It mentioned some valley where we were supposed to square up with the government.  Lord only knows how much effort they've gone through to maintain this beautiful area for mother nature and it's a good thing they're getting paid for their efforts now.

Well, to start from the beginning, Bud tells my wife last Thursday, there's a run on Monday.  Monday!  Why not Friday, or Saturday or Sunday Bud?  Well, turns out this is Jefe's run, not Bud's run!  And, Jefe being a musician and all, doesn't really keep normal hours like the rest of us working folk.  Bud, hell he's got two businesses taking care of him so, what the hell is wrong with Monday?  Mark, be'n in the Navy and all, can't exactly just call off.  So he decides Saturday night over at Bud's birthday party for his grandson, that he's gonna get creative once he hears about the run.  Me, I'm start'n to feel a little bit of a scratchy throat.  I'm sure by Monday I'm gonna be feel'n real bad.  Till about 8:00am anyway.

Ok, now we know who's go'n, Bud knows where (sorta anyway) and we know we have to meet Jefe (Jeff Reynolds for the record) at 8:00am.  Bud says to meet him at CircleK at 6:00am sharp.  Of course Bud has made it clear on several occasions, if you're not there on time, he's leave'n without you!  So, Vicky and I pack up.  Mark's across the street with his wife madly throwing things (and his lil'girl) into the Jeep.  I start off ahead cause I know I ain't gonna make it at exactly 6 and I don't want Bud to sit there by himself too long.  Mark says, "Go!"  I get to CircleK at about 6:05. No Bud.  Hmmmmm.  Round about 6:15, Mark shows.  No Bud.  Hmmmm.  Ahhhh, suddenly over channel 5, "Matt, you there?"

Ok off we go!  We take the drive up 67 through Ramona, then Santa Isabel, through Julian then on down into the desert.  For those who don't know this route, it's pure mountain roads.  I only tell you this so you can imagine all the hoop'n and holler'n we're listening to from Bud about National.  One thing for sure, on the pavement, he ain't Pokey no more! Well, when Bud told me about the trip, he told me we were going to Split Mountain.  And I know where Split Mountain is.  Bud likes me to lead cause generally I know the way, so as I'm passing the cross roads heading for Split Mountain road, Bud says, "Matt, you passed the turnoff, I'll turn and you catch up!"---- "DOH!"  Now Bud leads us first, passed the trailhead...then back.  Yup, this is it, Pinion Mountain the marker says.  Ok, I press the "I believe button" and we get out, tell a few lies and wait for Jefe.  It finally occurs to Bud, he may have told Jefe he'd meet him at the crossroads.  We load up, and head back a bit to the crossroads.  Get out, tell some more lies, and make excuses for Jefe not being here yet.  Man, with the rain supposedly coming in, he could be stopped in traffic.  Yup, probably still an hour away or so.  We'll wait.  Then a faint voice over channel 5.  "Bud Boren, Bud Boren, are ya there?"  Within seconds the voice was no longer faint and a CJ-8 was in sight doing approximately 85mph!  This CJ-8 skids to a stop (behind my Jeep I might add) and Jefe and his brother Jim hop out and introductions begin.  Jefe puts his arm around Bud gives him a shake!  Ain't that sweet (frig'n old farts)?  The rest of the introductions continue, there's me, my wife Vicky, Mark, his wife Misako and his lil'girl Kimi.

All that done we get on with it back to the trailhead.  Air down, take some pictures, do some oooooing and ahhhhhhing then Bud leads with Jefe in the rear.  Now Bud, you know him, not a talkative guy.  Well, Jefe's not much different.  The two manage to thoroughly tie up the channel and Mark and I squeeze in a "uh huh" now and then to feel like we're participating.  The two ol'farts are covering transmissions, tcases, books and trails.  They keep bringing mention to "The Drop Off" we're going down today!  Stories of rolled trucks finally moved out of the way are brought up and their own experiences on this particularly tough part of the trail.  Honestly, I'm get'n a little bit nervous.  We continue on through some of the best scenery the desert has to offer.  The trail has a couple of rocks to get over now and then but mostly just stuff a van could do.

All of the sudden things change!  There's a sign; it says "Danger! Severe drop off 1 mile ahead."  I have yet to ever be offroading and see a sign of an upcoming "Danger".  Now I get a little more nervous.  Why do I have to be friends with Bud?  Just behind this sign, is a squeeze.  The question is, do we remove our mirrors or not?  Bud's first, with mirrors in place.  Very very tight squeeze with a substantial sum of rocks and a big drop step all at once.  Bud gets through with two inches to spare on the passenger side, and none on the driver's side.  Yikes, me next!  No problem.  'Cept maybe for just a bit of clutch quiver.  Mark goes, uneventful.  Now it's time for the Titanic...ooops, I mean CJ-8.  Just a bit of scrape'n on the rear driver's side.  Which now brings Jefe to point out several similar scrapes, dents and the trail names that go with.

On now to some easy to mild wheel'n.  We come to a nice little stretch with a lot of rocks, turns and deep holes.  Nope, no tires off the ground yet Bud!  All the while, about the only thing on my mind is the upcoming "Danger! Drop off".  Finally Bud stops at a crown, "Is this it Bud?"  Bud replies "Boy, it sure did seem a lot worse 15 years ago."  Me, I'm look'n!  Whew, we can do that, no problem.  And, there's two different side by side routes to take.  None easy, but both doable!  Jefe comes to the front and points out a few of the details of the descent.  Oh, I see.  Jefe asks if we'd like his recommendation, I respond "Absolutely!"  Ewwwww, I don't like it or the alternative.  Well Bud goes first, but warns us, "Don't start down, I'm coming right back up." I'm think'n, "why?"

The problem with this obstacle is that it is (as the sign warned) a drop off.  I'm no good at judging distances, but I'd say it's about 200 feet top to bottom.  Not enough?  Well throughout the descent there's extremely deep holes which point one corner of your Jeep straight down as you drop a tire into them (and no spring-over or National lift is gonna prevent the opposite tire from coming off the ground).  Bud heads down.  On the first dip the right rear comes about 6 inches of the ground.  Other than that, uneventful.  Bud heads up.  At the top, in the other lane, front right off the ground about 6 inches.  Other than Bud's colorful hoop'n and holler'n, uneventful.  Bud descends again and sets up at the bottom for some heckle'n.  My turn.  4" Procomp ain't gonna flex like that National 6" did.  Ok, I'm take'n Jefe's recommended line.  Down I go.  Vicky is at the bottom get'n pics by the way.  Several things in the back of the Jeep re-situate themselves but other than that, no problem!  I turn at the bottm to pull behind Bud's Jeep.  Bud begins heckle'n.  Something about be'n a queer and tell'n the list.  I'm now in reverse to climb and descend again.  I'm think'n....(well nevermind).  Ok, up I go.  At the top where Bud's tire lifted 6", I think I came off the ground about 2 feet.  Still not too bad, been there before.  Now, down the other lane.  I'm in first and low.  I'm pressing the brake so hard I can't believe the engine is run'n and the Jeep is moving.  Past the worst of it and I'm back safe on the bottom.  Mark's turn!  Mark descends.  Nothing significant to report.  Mark ascends.  Now here's where I should fill you in a bit.  Mark has a 2.5 95 YJ with a 4" Procomp.  Very very stiff on his machine.  So stiff, Mark would be lucky to score 100 on the ramp, he knows it and the SOA is imminent.  When he gets to the top, where I came off 2 feet, Mark's Jeep's front end is so high, we can hear his wife scream and Jefe does an inspection of the under carriage.  Whew, Bud remarks he ain't never before gotten butterflies from just watch'n!  Mark hollers over the radio, "I don't think I have an asshole anymore!"  Marks final descent, and Jefe's two descents and one climb unfolded nothing colorful enough to report.  Sorry Jefe, take away some performance I guess if you want something worthwhile in the reports!  Oh nevermind, we do get to you later don't we?

Well, all the excitement is over.  With a lunch stop in between we continue on to another canyon.  On the way, Jefe takes a turn at drive'n Pokey and Bud takes a cruise in the Titanic.  Both are tie'n up the radio with praise to the other's Jeep.  With detail discussions on ratios etc.  We get to a nice little spot where Jefe tells Bud, "Come back here and look at your Jeep."  Jefe found a nice little spot where we could stop and inspect Bud's articulation.  Very cool.  Bud decides to back up and drive into it on a little more difficult line.  Rubbbbbbbbb.  Bud has now decided longer bumpstops and fender trimming are in order.  One, he'll have more room and two, it'll get rid of that nasty body damage he's just done.  My turn to drive Jefe's CJ-8 and Jefe takes the wheel of mine.  Now I know why the Titanic comment from Jefe earlier.  When you're used to driving very short wheelbases and stiff springs, this feels like a huge boat.  I felt no bumps.  Lots of flex.  So I navigated in the lead till Jefe recommends a quick little 10-minute diversion into a canyon.  I don't know how many hours we spent in there.  Bud has the same problem with time.  The canyon closes to another very tight squeeze.  Of course this one has added bonus.  A rock that nearly comes over to hit your top has a compadre on the opposite side on the ground to lift you into it.  We all manage to get barely by.  This is a box canyon by the way and this rock is way more exciting (or maybe irritating) on the way back.  Now we're mosy'n along and Jefe takes the obnoxious route on one turn and Bud goes around (tsk tsk).  Mark however follows Jefe's route.  Hmmm, let's see, Jefe = 6" SOA, 35" tires.  Mark = 4" SUA, 32" tires.  Mark makes his attempt.  No way!  Different line.  Still, no way.  Mark sees still another line.  No Frig'n Way!  In fact, all four tires are spinning.  Bud yells, stop him!  Mark gets out to see what the ruckuss is about.  Uh oh!  A very big rock has managed to get in between his springs and his oil pan.  The starter ain't exacty sit'n pretty either.  Bud panics!  He sees a sticker very closely resembling the sticker he has on his drive shaft rubbed into the rocks on Mark's first line.  Oh, no sweat, its Marks!  After using 2 of the 4 jacks Jefe has brought with him and some big rocks under Mark's tire, Mark is freed.  We of course gave Mark lots of consoling during and after his stuck.  NOT!

The rest of the trip into the canyon was downright uneventful and after a short trip on foot decided, let's turn around.  Most of you know, no trail is the same both ways!  Jefe's brother is at the helm, and Jefe is (navigating) not watching.  His brother heads down a rocky step and clunk dead stop and head into the.... (what Jefe? windshield?).  Quick inspection reveals tires not on rock, drag link and tie rod, into rock!  Nothing broken, but well bent (did I say "well"?  I meant that in a bad way).  "Jefe, I think you're gonna need a front end alignment."

Now without much to say in between (except for a clicking or was it klunking sound out of Mark's front axle), we get to the squeeze with the two compadres.  Jefe is first.  Not good.  A little bit of rubbing and his top suffers a small tear in the rear driverside corner.  I'd swear I saw the compadre rock on the ground stretch.  Hmmmm...I decide, loosen up my rear hoop and push it forward just in case.  Waste of time, the YJs and Bud's CJ-7 weren't long enough for the compadres to do their thing.  We decide as soon as we get out of this canyon we're gonna take a sec to do an alignment on Jefe and take a look into Mark's diff.  Inspections begin and tools whir about.  Vicky says, "What's that fluid?" pointing underneath the Titanic.  Hmmm, Jefe hops underneath to discover his tcase transmission adapter is leaking.  A quick fluid check and on to the front end.  The front-end alignment tools are broke out (hydraulic jack, hi-lift and a winch) and Jefe's front end is as good as...driveable.  In the meanwhile, Mark has removed his front diff cover.  No indications of any sort of problem (per the ol'farts, so you know it's ok).  It's dark now and we need to get fluid back into the diff.  Marks pump fails.  No funnel.  Jefe remembers a trick from way back when.  Mark pulls up way high on the bank of the wash and now with Jefe's homemade (I mean trailmade) funnel and Bud's lunch box, the fluid makes its way into Mark's diff.  Roughly 6:30pm.

We load up the tools and off we head in high down the wash for civilization.  Still in a canyon, on down the wash we come across a movie set.  Not a lot of people, but a lot of props.  Looks like either some sort of Conan the Barbarian type setup or maybe something Native American.

At the end of the wash we all quickly aired up (thanks to Bud's and my, super duper throw me down, lick me kick me, bite me (did I get that right?) onboard air setups).  Once on the pavement it is revealed over the radio that only the YJs put their swaybars back on.  Some sort of CJ rhetoric goes on, I don't exactly remember, hardly important anyway.  We decide in route to make a quick stop in Julian so Jefe can check his fluids.  We pull into the Julian Post Office parking lot and climb under Jefe's Jeep (mindful to stay out of the gear oil puddle).  Looks like the skid plate is coming off.  Tools whir again.  We all realize it would have been a much better idea to do this job down in the warm desert vice the cold mountains but continue with lots of laughing, kidding and someone had gas!

We got the tools put away, got our hands a bit clean and said our good-byes figuring the next parting would be over the radio.  Wrong!  In our venture from the desert to Santa Isabel where Jefe was to turn north, there wasn't one single open gas station.  We knew Jefe's route wasn't going to produce any fuel for sometime (another story but we all knew).  At Santa Isabel Jefe pulled into Mark and Matt's full service portable fuel stop and Jefe's back in business.  Another goodbye and we were all sleepily on our way home.

To sum it up, first I had a great time and met one more terrific, knowledgeable, friendly and bitch'n Jeep guy.  We had every tool we needed in duplicate, all the fluids known to Jeepkind and I don't think anything could have stopped this group.  Really truly a fabulous day with my Jeep and the friends it has lead me to.