First Annual MDA
Off-Road for Hope Event
Superstition Mountain Run
(Ocotillo Wells OHVRA)
First Annual MDA Off-Road for Hope Event
Superstition Mountain Run
(Ocotillo Wells OHVRA)
I participated in the inaugural MDA Off-Road for Hope event, sponsored by the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs (of which I am now a member), the California Off Road Vehicles Association, and the San Diego Off-Road Coalition. There were several runs to choose from, from hardcore extreme to mild. I chose the Medium-Rough run hosted by the San Diego 4 Wheelers, a great club. I later found out that the run was rated a Double-Red by the club according to their own rating system (see their web site for details).
At 7:45 AM we began to line up for the run. I had done my vehicle inspection the night before, and was all set to go. We headed out for the trail by 8:45 AM. I later heard that there were over 80 vehicles on that run! Mine was the ONLY Full-Size Jeep to attend the event, although there was a nice Early 50's Willys truck there, radically modified. Just before we hit the turn-off to the trail, we encountered dense fog. Everything took on a very eerie effect, and this seemed to be an omen for the upcoming day (If only I had known then...). It definitely set the proper tone for a run to "Superstition" Mountain. :-)
After about a 15 minute break to air down, we hit the trail. We headed down Pole Line Road, which, surprisingly enough, parallels a line of telephone poles. Go figure. The road is very easy to travel, and is mostly clay and sand. Since it had rained the night before, there was plenty of mud (when I got home on Sunday, I knocked about 100 pounds of clay off the insides of my wheel wells)! The road traveled along for about 11 miles, and then it started to get rough. At one point they were supposed to split off the group into the extra-rough crowd and the rest of us chickens, but I must have missed the bypass signal, 'cause I wound up with the extra-rough crowd. I was only the second of two full-size rigs to go on it, and the Suburban (see picture above) bowed out after the first moderately rough rock climb. I stayed 'till the bitter end (for me, at least).
I made it up the first obstacle with my heart pounding. I had *never* been on anything this rough before, and it was quite an experience. This little ravine was an Z-curve right up the rocks, with a sharp right in the middle and a sharp left at the top. On the first line I picked, I got stuck. I tried twice to get unstuck, but no luck. Then, just as one of the trail guides was backing down to tow-strap me up the rest of the way, I found traction and was able to find a different line up the hill. I got a thumbs-up from the trail guide (Dale, of the SD 4 Wheelers) when I made it to the top, and that set my tone for the rest of the trip (I felt great). At the top of the obstacle, we stopped to let the rest of the line catch up. At that point, I shut down the engine and took a walk around to view the scenery.
After a while, we all mounted up again. I got in Gumby, turned the key and...nothing. Bzzzzzzz. I could hear the starter motor turning, but the solenoid wasn't engaging. Bummer. I radioed that my starter was out, and then gave them the rest of the bad news: I have an automatic. I scratched my head for a minute, and then I remembered that it was a solenoid, and when a solenoid sticks, the best thing to do is tap it with a hammer. So, I grabbed my trusty hammer and crawled under the truck (I spent a lot of time under there that day). You shoulda seen the looks on peoples' faces when they saw me going under there with nothing but a hammer! A few taps, and Gumby started right up! I had no problems with the starter for the rest of the day. Good thing, too.The very next obstacle was another off-camber rock climb with a sharp right at the very top.
