Anyone go Jeeping Alone?

[Old Jeeper]

Understood, and agree with that, we are just looking to start out stock, and work our way up, and the only way you'll catch me on anything like that is if I made a wrong turn, lol. Appreciate the advice.

As for Easter Jeep Safari EJS, I only attend twice in my 12+ trips. The crowds back in the TJ days were 7000+ Jeerps the 2 times I was there.

I can assure you it was NOT fun. Trails were packed, 100 jeeps lined up for a trail and you will be there from Dawn to dusk. The 2 times I was there I stayed a few days and went back home

I do believe ALL real Jeeprs should attend EJS at least once. Moab is to Jeepers what Meca is to a Muslim.

If you go: The Moab Police Dept and The Country Sheriff Dept MAKES there annual budget over EJS.!!! How not to be a part of that. If you drink DO NOT DRIVE, walk! As I understand it a DUI is jail and about $10,000.

The Law has 100% duty over those 9 days, LEOs are working 12-18 hr shifts, day and night and they work out across the highwy catching the guys who drink on the trail and think they can slip in to the motel and they find out the motel is the Jail.

The BIG 3 to avoid: Drinking, Speeding, and Reckless driving. They have 'spotters' with radios and they are looking for that and then they radio to a LEO and he nails them. You can stand on the corner and watch it play out its comical.

Big tires, loud exhaust stuff like that they pay little attention to, not much money in it. What its like today, dunno, have heard crowds are smaller now. The crowd I ran with we all attended 1 maybe twice and you never go back. You are in a town of a bit more than 5000 folks and there is 7500 jeeper for EJS. Getting a meal is NOT easy. Getting a trail NOT EASY, what was a 3 hr run now goes from 7 am to 7 pm.

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[txj2go]

Thank you, Moab is actually a place we both would really like to try early, and I'd read that there were many trails of varying difficulty there, so that we could get our feet wet (or dusty).

I'll recommend buying a couple of books for the areas you want to visit. The best books IMO are by Charles Wells. I have one for Utah and one for Colorado. Then pick trails rated 2 to 3 and do some of them. After you get used to trails like that and used to operating the Jeep offroad you can look for trails rated 4, then eventually work your way up to trails rated 5. Beyond a 5 rating you will want to go along with experienced people, have full recovery gear, etc. I wouldn't recommend Utah in the summer because it can be too hot, that's why I have the book for trails in Colorado. Utah is best April, May, October, November. The type of trails you do will also depend on your goal. My goal is always to go to places and see scenery that I can't see any other way. I like a challenging trail but too much challenge or trails that are just overly rough aren't so enjoyable. Some people go for the challenge and they like the rough trails, the trail is the destination and they aren't as interested in the scenery.
Since you are in Kentucky you might also have some offroad parks within easy driving distance. Check those out and see if they have a variety of trail difficulties. Look for facebook groups near your area where people go out wheeling and try to join on easier runs. Things like that can give you experience in how to do the trails and what your vehicle is capable of.

 

[openingshok]

Follow your gut.

 

[Hard Rock Jeep]

Is their a minimum on how the Jeep is equipped? I've seen a couple of group runs where 37" tires are a minimum. Not doing that at this stage.

I have gone to Moab with bone stock Rubicons, both JK and JL , with a few hundred miles on them, just to see what modifications I wanted to do to them. I ran 3 and 4 rated trails. This is all EJS will allow you to do stock. These Jeeps do amazingly great. Simply no issues doing the trails, except you will scrape the underside in a number of places. But Rubicons come stock with some under armor. You will find though, that if you really become interested in running challenging trails, even 3's and 4's, it is simply more fun to do it with a lifted jeep and bigger tires. What you find is that you spend less time looking for the right "line" and more time enjoying the trail, simply going over what is in front of you. Seeing EVERY rock or ledge as a challenge can get tiresome after a while. Having an "even more capable" Jeep allows you to discover new places and yes, even alone, if you have properly prepared yourself with driving skill, proper equipment including self recovery and above all have some type of satellite communications device just so you know you can get help.

 

[jcruse64]

I'm picking up the books for Utah and Colorado now.

I'm thinking of going to Utah this year, to start off. We will likely go out after August, and preferably mid to late September/early October. We are not in it, at this point, to be all about the gnarliest climb. We both really enjoy seeing and being in the mountains and sites that are very different from home, and the Jeep will allow us to get a little closer to some of that. We like to come upon spots and get out and walk some of them, though not for extended hikes. Taking the dog is a must. So we're really not up for a large-scale jamboree or anything, and where all the trails will be jam packed and take a full day for a normal 4 hour run. Even for such a limited scope as I'm looking at, I plan on taking some recovery gear, and may have a winch on before (including practicing with it) we go out. This will include renting a sat comm device. Also looking at getting OnX.

Thanks again!!!!

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