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RUBICON '96
The Trip From Hell

by Allen Sayles
Photos by Don Carter

 Since this was our first four-wheeling trip, it was anticipated to be a normal experience. We were the last to arrive at the Hilltop Motel in Georgetown. At that point, we began to get a little worried. There was an awesome collection of off- road four-wheel-drive vehicles that filled the parking lot. We knew at that moment that we were in for a very special trip.

We unpacked, then heard that breakfast was at 6 AM and departure was at 7 sharp. Bob Friedman informed me that when Big Red says 7, he means 7. If you are late, you will wonder where everybody went.

The first thing that we discovered was that there was no alarm clock in our room and that they did not provide wake-up calls. Bob introduced me to Dusty, and we headed off to his hotel on the other end of town. Dusty volunteered to wake us around 5 when he got up.

We caught up with everybody at breakfast. After breakfast, we divided into two groups. The "A" team consisted of Paul Bredehoft, in his black Explorer, accompanied by his off-road mechanic and designer, Darien Gagnon. This proved to be a very smart move on Paul's part. Don Gerbi was in his white Cherokee. Don Hamilton, along with Molly Yao, manned his highly modified white Wrangler, with the famous "rolling trailer." Mark "Contractor" Hinkley, who built about half of the vehicles on the trip, led the A team in his red Cherokee. Donna and Jim (Dusty) Lockwood were in their khaki Wrangler. Doug and Daniel Philips were ready for the rough in a white Wrangler. Mike Baker and Kevin Rose, in a white Grand Cherokee, proved to be a powerful collection of useful manpower. And finally, Ken and Adam Tichy piloted another white Cherokee.

The "A" team left first to do the Little Sluice box. Good luck! For the most part, that was the last time we saw them until Rubicon Springs.

Mark Hinkely reacts to falling diff parts on the Grand Cherokee

I did not witness the malicious events on that day, but I did see some of the results. It was not a pretty sight. The white Grand Cherokee, was jacked up by the time the "B" team arrived at the top of the sluice box. We observed fist-sized chunks of differential and some not-so-big chunks dribbling out into a Rubbermaid pan. And if that was not enough, they had slid and done some door damage. Next, Doug and Daniel Philips lost their fuel pump and managed to continue only through the wizardry of on-trip mechanics. Double bypass, open heart fuel pump surgery was required. Dusty's rig crushed effortlessly through with the soft, precision touch of Donna at the wheel. Phil Klein, Cathy Baker, Don Gerbi and Mark Hinkley all avoided my score sheet. Good going!

Don Hamilton had a flawless run except for the nine times that he rolled his trailer in the Little Sluice. However, we were all very envious when he arrived at camp and opened his tent trailer. Finally, Paul Bredehoft in the black Explorer had a tough time getting out of Loon Lake, but then, he was impossible to stop when the going got tougher.

We observed the Little Sluice on our trek up the alternate route. It didn't look as though it was even passable. We were very happy to be elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the "B" team was in hot pursuit. It had left Georgetown shortly behind the "A" team. Don "Big Red" Carter and Tracy Roberts led in their blue and red Toyota pickup truck. Alan Alosio and Scott Beggiw were in the red Cherokee. John and Cherie Fickewirth followed in their yellow Defender 90.Bob and Robert Friedman weren't far behind in their green Cherokee. Peter Nilausen and Joe Harnetiaux were in the white Bronco. I and Jay and Spencer Sayles were in the white Wrangler. Missing from the trip were Don Wintz and Marcella Castillo, and Ray and Bill Abrahamson, You missed a good one.

Big Red placed the order of cars for the "B" team. He led and Alan Alosio brought up the rear. Don, our leader, took us to Loon Lake via the 1930 "Oklahoma Dust Bowl" road at about 30 MPH. I literally lost the road to a dust- out numerous times. When the dust settled, there was Don with a broken shock mount at the beginning of a short stretch of pavement. Just for the record, it was our first casualty. Onward, broken mount and all, for set-up at Loon Lake. At the Loon Lake parking lot, Mark Hinkley began the first of many welding jobs. Aired down and first repair completed, we were off.

First vehicle to get stuck was John and Cherie's Defender 90. A quick yank and away we went again. The Defender also had a rough-bumper morning. We tied the Defender's bumper to a tree, backed up and straightened it out.

Our lunch was at one of our many stuck points along the trail. After lunch, we moved on to the spot where the "A" team was licking its wounds. We pushed on and did not see them again until we reached Rubicon Springs.

Our next casualty was Peter Nilausen, in his white Bronco. His locker in the rear end blew. Once again, the Rubbermaid pan was the recipient of differential contents. Dropping like flies to Raid, the few, the proud, pushed on, and on, and on.

Just before nightfall, Don got stuck in a granite-faced trench. His long-bed Toyota found its bumper-suspended rear wheels in the air and the front wheels helplessly gnawing away at the rock.
Not in a hurry to jump in and help, we stopped to watch the spectacle. Don, using all 205:1 gearing, tried in vain to move. First, he tried side-right, then side-left and then straight up and down. Finally, after much entertainment, Bob and Robert Friedman, in the "Green Hornet," slipped around the very stuck Big Red and with a sling, yanked him out to the cheers of many. Big Red was maintaining a cool exterior, though we all knew there were just too many mechanical failures and stuck Rubicon explorers for the day to go without a run-in.

Big Red flew by Friedman to regain his leadership role. It seemed we were in heavy traffic with other four-wheel- drive vehicles. Many of them were following and others were coming at us. Some were pulling over, not able to get around us. In other words, we had a rush hour in the Sierra.

A Jeep coming up the hill stopped out of the way and Big Red started down. Sighting the size of our group and even realizing that we needed to pass first, the driver pulled out and started up. Big Red continued, knowing we had to pass before they could continue up.

Red stopped to tell the driving that it would be best for them to wait because the conditions were such that passing would be near impossible if they tried to go first. Obviously, having had a little too much to drink and unable to drive, her male companion had been relegated to passenger and now was ready jump out and pick a fight with Big Red.

Her male passenger began cussing- out Big Red (big mistake), telling him that they had the right-of-way. Red slammed on his brakes and chased after the foul-mouthed four-wheeler who, after taking one look at 6'S" Red, directed his girlfriend to burn out of there fast. Confrontation over.

Big Red, having blown off some steam, resumed his lead position and searched for a campsite. By 5, we threw in the towel for the night and stopped about two hours short of Rubicon Springs. The group was now divided into three camps along the trail, in scattered conditions of repair. We had had a full day of four-wheeling.

All day, the yellow Defender's owners, John and Cherie, had promised hot showers when we got to camp. They pumped water from the lake, through a heat exchanger, and then to the shower. Needless to say, we were very excited about the thought of an unlimited hot shower. Being new to this group, I asked, "Are these group showers a typical thing?" After all, we're all friends by now. That night was uneventful, thank you very much!

Morning came and we were off to Rubicon Springs, which was our original goal. This segment had its usual getting- stuck, getting-helped, and lets-go-again events.

By 11, we had arrived at Rubicon Springs. Ray, the camp director, pointed us to the A team and let us know that we had slipped in between two Jamborees. One had just ended and the next was on its way the next day.

With tents up, floats filled with air and water pistols loaded, it was time to play. Don and Tracy were floating around and began squirting. The bunch ambushed them with water cannons and an all-out water-war followed.

Peter Nilausen's white Bronco, with a blown locker, was towed out on Saturday by Mark Hinkley and Big Red. Red was worried that Peter would not be able to get out on Sunday with the rest of us. Even this was not without it's mishap. As Red burned up the hill to assist Mark, he popped a tire. In the meantime, we forgot to snatch Peter and Joe's potluck as Red helped him out of camp. Imagine that!

The potluck was a great meal. Big Red poured margaritas before, during and after dinner until we ran out of mix. Ray, our Rubicon Springs camp director, came to the rescue with more mix and ice. He even let us leave our garbage behind. Sunday's arrival of supplies, by helicopter, for the next Jamboree, would haul out our trash.

Onward for the evening's activities and entertainment hour by Big Red. We replayed the VCR tapes of the day's events which included door dings, difficult four-wheeling, near rollovers, broken differentials, repairs and finished up with Big Red's tape of Rocket Man, a definite candidate for "America's Funniest Home Videos." Our campfire looked more like a semi out-of-control bonfire than a campfire. Par for the trip!

Sunday morning, we packed up and were ready to roll. We headed for Cadillac Hill with its two gravesites. We made it out to the lookout under our own power, with a group of Scout IIs in front and behind. However, Bob Friedman's lockers began to click, (i.e.,fail). We traveled to the staging area, bid our farewells and hit the road. A big thanks to the Bredehoft-Explorer team for airing up many of the vehicles, including our own.

Finally, in two-wheel-drive, we burned up the remaining few miles of dirt road with all of the three days of four-wheeling experiences still fresh in our minds. Down the hill, I once again saw our group on the side with Mike Baker and Kevin Rose's white Grand Cherokee jacked up. Off to the side, we watched the removal of a broken left front suspension brace. Hinkley and company began another welding job. Even though the trip had ended a mile or so ago, the critical crew stayed behind. The balance of us pushed on, limping to our respective homes.

All kidding aside, I want to thank everyone for their help in pushing the white Wrangler from Moraga off of the rocks numerous times, sharing great one- liners over the air-waves and working together to get out. We had a great time and can't wait to dump more money into our Jeep! I truly thank you all for making this trip such a great adventure. Until then...

P.S. Did you know that the next canyon north of our trip is called Hell Hole Canyon? Do you think we made a wrong turn somewhere along the way, and headed a little too far north?

© Harry Lewellyn

Ecological 4-Wheeling Adventures
P.O. Box 12137
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
voice: (949) 645-7733
fax: (949) 645-7738
email: info@eco4wd.com

Other Ecological 4-Wheeling Adventures and Fourwheeling Academy Articles

Ecological 4-Wheeling Adventures Website

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4 Wheelers Guide to the RUBICON TRAIL by William C. Teie

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