The Best and the Worst

The OUTER LIMITS Trail
New Hard Core 4WD Trail in the Johnson Valley OHV Area in Southern California

By Hedley Greenwood
Photography by Jack Walker

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It was the best of Jeeping, it was the worst of Jeeping. It was early in the morning on the 12^th of May. As I stood alone on the rock hard playa of an ancient dry lake, the desert wind had begun to sing it’s eternal song whether anyone could hear it or not. A few more sips of coffee and another drone of a distant motor gets my attention. Airplane or Jeep? Soon the proof rounds a hill on the road in. The familiar black CJ5 would be Chuck Shaner himself followed by a stream of Jeeps. Still a couple hundred yards away, I can make out the first one behind Chuck and that would be Earl Rahder, 79 year old Jeeper. He’s been doin it since who knows when. Earl’s brought his revered CJ6. It’s a well trained Jeep. Earl’s what you might call a ringer. Then I make out a red 7 behind Earl. The bright stickers on the sides and antennae farm on top indicate it to be Paul ‘Fuzzy’ Winters. Another ringer. Several more follow Fuzzy but too far away too see.

We amass today to harvest the work and toil of the trailbuilders, Chuck Shaner and Mike Wickham of the Victor Valley Four Wheelers. Apparently they have a zeal for it that escapes most of the other club members. The work to be examined today is called the Outer Limits trail. Located in Johnson Valley OHV Area and already fabled to be an obstacle of gigantic proportions, the trail was only completed the week before. Today I ride, shoot photos, and take notes. Stay outta the way and don’t get run over.

Twelve Jeeps line up. I get in with Chuck. Only eleven leave as Richard has lost his driveshaft or something that sounds really serious, heck, we’re still on the lakebed. Is this an omen, I wonder. Chuck says "it’s a good thing". On the radio, Richard tells us to go on, he’ll have it fixed in a minute or two. Puzzled, but reassured, it’s good enough for me. Bill Jewitt, Larry Green, Aaron Stuart, Doug Reynolds, Harold Bell and a few others accompany us on our sojourn to the Outer Limits.

So as we leave Rich in a cloud of dust, and race the wind across the desert to the trailhead, Chuck asks if I’ve ever heard of Hardcore Heaven. I say no, but with all the trails you’ve got around here, this must be the place. As he acknowledges my suspicion, I realize I’m with the real big dogs of this exciting recreational pursuit. Anyone can sell the lockers, axles, and 4WD parts, and anyone can buy them. But where are you going to use em’ if there’s not a trail worthy of them? I asked Chuck whether his clubs’ annual event, Fun In the Desert gets much support from the business’s who make a living selling equipment to enthusiasts who run the trails his club provides. His answer was less than enthusiastic, indicating to me a lack of loyalty and a surplus of greed in this industry. Hopefully for the trailbuilders, this will change. For example, Mike Wickham has used his personal Jeep to build the last three trails. The wear and tear on these trailbuilders’ Jeeps is immense and unending. Tires, axles, winches, wheels and frame cracks are constantly being replaced or repaired.

Mesmerized by the raw, pristine beauty of the canyon, I’m roused when someone says "we’re here". A couple hundred feet later, wheels start poppin up in the air way high. We start through a torturous twisted stream of boulders with some Jeeps banging loudly on the boulders as their tires go higher than their hoods and back down, sometimes too fast. Where’s Rich? A couple flat tires later, we get to a tight spot with 2 inches on the right and nothing on the left. You can’t go over these rocks either since they are taller than the Jeeps and too massive to move. Up waterfalls and over more boulders and more tight spots. Some are even tighter than the first one. One spot requires either heavy rocker panel protection or else heavy body damage. I witness both methods. But where’s Rich? Then I’m told I am in for a treat since there is no known equivalent to the obstacle that lies ahead of us. A narrow channel. Only the older, narrower Jeeps can barely squeeze through. All others must put the right side tires up on a three foot high wall and not fall off while the left side tires go through the sand in the center of the channel. It becomes apparent that this is not easy to do. A spring hanger comes off one frame and most vehicles struggle through with difficulty. However, the trailbuilders tiptoe through this forbidden spot with no struggle, no spotter or even a pause. But where’s Rich? Dunno. More tight spots, steep waterfalls, almost tipover obstacles, and lots of air time later, we get past the last scary spot as the sunset approaches.

If you like it really rough, rest assured that Hardcore Heaven is getting rougher all the time. Oh, Rich finally caught up but then he slashed his last two tires and well I’ll have to tell you about that another time.

The Outer Limits and another new trail named Clawhammer will be on the program this year at Fun In the Desert VI, October 11-13, 1997. Come on out. For information call Kathy at (760) 947-7812 or Paul at (760) 244-2346.

Victor Valley 4-Wheelers webpage - http://www.mscomm.com/~emwick/vv4w04.html

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