2021 Off Road Journal
January 1, 2021
January 16, 2021
Ran to the top of Squaw Butte in my blue Jeep. I needed a couple hours of just driving around. The Treasure Valley was stacked in with freezing fog and an inversion, but as soon as I cleared the top of Freeze Out Hill, it was all blue sky and sunshine.
I went in by Black Canyon Dam and up Spring Hill Road. A coyote took off sprinting from a rancher’s field and raced my Jeep, hitting about 30 miles an hour while he sprinted even with me for a while. Since I was right next to houses, I couldn’t get a shot.
I passed two or three chukar hunters and one hiker as I headed up to the top. I made it almost to the gate, but since it was old snow, the road quickly became a sheet of ice. Since I was by myself, I turned around and headed home.
I headed out the other way, Vandusen Road. The squatter camp that I had seen on the New Year’s run, with the three little kids staring out the trailer window, was gone. A pile of garbage as big as a pickup was all that was left of the squatters, next to a fire ring of rocks.
January 31, 2021
Rock run, four of us, broken stub shaft/hub, Gabe hydro’d his tie rod
February 6, 2021
IOR run to Atlanta, ice road, hot springs, good burger
February 20, 2021
Jason, Jeff, Lance and I went north to the good snow. There was a lot of it after the big storms. The blue Jeep did awesome, even though the snow wouldn’t pack very well. I had to run 2nd gear. Low range most of the day with more rpm’s that I like on the 4.0.
March 13, 2021
My birthday run https://link.medium.com/WDT5hlF7Ceb
March 22, 2021
Took the blue Jeep across Pearl Road after a huge rainstorm. Just putted along and looked for animals. Saw one heard of antelope and shot two rock chucks with my .17 HMR. I love that new gun.
March 24, 2021
Brian, Brock, and I went on a quad ride around Brownlee calling for coyotes. Brock’s quad had a loose ignition wire and wouldn’t start on the trailer. He had to ride double with me all day, which is tough now that he is 6'2". We had a couple coyotes answer but now sightings. Cold, windy day that felt a lot more like winter than Spring Break.
March 26–28, 2021
April 3, 2021
Two Headed Dragon and Lost Trail Cleanup run. Nine rigs, six went up 2HD. We had several first timers who did awesome. Dennis tried to roll over at the very top of the left hand side and I had to spring to the top of the hill, get my Jeep, and get a winch line on him.
I ran the right side and pulled it on the third try once I got on the line. As always, I went up to the v-notch at the top and fell in hard and boogered up my new corner guards. About a week and half is as long as I can keep stuff new.
April 23–25, 2021
May 8, 2021
Warm Lake Spring Snow Run. 18 Jeeps and one huge avalanche that kept us from the untouched snowmobile trail. We had some fun up Clear Creek, but there wasn’t much snow.
May 16, 2021
Gabe’s suspension test. His Jeep worked awesome after linking, stretching, and coilovering the rear. Howard, Harvey, and I went with him. We ran a bunch of Hemingway trails: Lower and Upper Gatekeeper, Meatgrinder, Dirty Little Secret, and Teeter-Totter. Gabe’s smile kept getting bigger and bigger after having his Jeep down for a couple months.
June 5, 2021
Test run for the new RZR, Weiser Sand Dunes
June 21–27, 2021
July 1–5, 2021
Stanley 4th of July, ran Boulder City, which may be my favorite trail ever, with Shelby and Josh, also ran Railroad Ridge, the highest road in Idaho
July 8–11, 2021
Saint Anthony Sand Dunes
Loved having the new RZR over there. What took me half a day in the Fire Jeep took me 20 minutes to cover in the RZR.
July 31-Aug. 5, 2021
Desert Run
August 14, 2021
Machine Screw visit with friends
November 20–21, 2021
The Turkey Run.
Went out Friday afternoon and drove through a crazy storm: lightning, temp dropped about 20 degrees in two minutes, a huge black wall front rolling through with 50 mph winds. When I got to Heminway Butte, there were two rivers running through the middle of the parking lot which dictated where Wayne and I picked to camp.
Saturday: up early and drove for the flags. All good, easy money.
November 30-Dec.5
The Mint 400 — Primm, Nevada
Not much wheeling, but was awesome watching trophy trucks.