RV FORUM MOAB RALLY, MAY 8-15, 2011

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Friday we lead a group to Thompson Canyon Pictographs and the Ghost town Sego.
Fun was had by all. We had lunch at Sego & then folks were on there own to get back to Portal.

Mike

 

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As with each of The Forum rallies we've attended, it's with some sadness that we pack up to get "on the road again". We'll miss our old framily members and now we have some new framily members to miss as well. But we're already looking forward, with great expectations, to Catalina State Park in December and/or anywhere else some of us might get together before then. Catalina is on the northern edge of Tucson and the unorganized rally, between Christmas and New Year's, is great fun. Pencil it into your social calendars now.

Other than special thanks to Ardra (and by default Jerry) and that Betty person who always seems to just jump in and do whatever, thanks as well to everyone who came together to make this last week both very special and very memorable. Maybe I'm just getting more sentimental as the years pass, but this week just seemed to take on a unique place in my heart and mind that won't ever (or at least until the Alzheimer's sets in) be forgotten. It was so incredibly great to meet all the new framily members this week and I truly hope that all of you will come to future Forum events. They just seem to keep getting better and more memorable.

So, happy trails to you all, until we meet again.

Randy
 
Well, Judy & I left site 55 at noon today . . . & moved to site 54, recently vacated by Randy & Debby.  We decided to stay another day but were too late to keep our original site.
 
We want to thank everyone for making us feel at home & part of a great group of people.  When we decided to attend the rally we weren't sure what we'd find when we got here but we were made to feel like we are part of the Framily.  Special thanks to Ardra & Jerry for leading us through the Fiery Furnace and up to Delicate Arch.

I hope we get to attend more Forum rallies & meet even more Framily members.  We'll pencil in Quartzsite '13 on our bucket list. 

Safe travels to everyone.  See you down the road.

Mike & Judy Wagner
 
We made it home and got the bugs washed off the front of the coach.  I am a little reluctant to wash the dirt off of the Jeep as it came home with a lot of fond memories.

Thanks to everyone who made my family and I feel welcome.  I would be lying if I said I was not nervous when we made our reservations and especially when we arrived.  We were welcomed with open arms and hearts.  It is people like you who made us want to get into RVing many years ago.

You truly made an impression on my son that I don't think will be soon forgotten.

We made our reservations for 2012 just prior to leaving today for site M30.  This is one trip I am going to make sure I juggle my work schedule around.  Thanks again, Mike (Chrystal and Jared).

 
Christi and I feel like we won the Framily Triple Crown - Marble Falls, Kerrville, and Moab - what amazing weeks!

I think we were extremely fortunate to meet two different branches of Framily, since the only Framily that was recycled were the Brewers and us. Fortunately, I took a week off from work for Moab, which would have made the week insane if I tried to fit the rally in, like I did in Texas. I have such sensory overload from Moab, I may look forward to the week of rain predicted in Idaho (well, that might be an exaggeration.)

I want to thank all the experienced guides and organizers who made this so memorable - the Fitzgeralds, the Brewers, and the "Cokes", among others. Left to our own devices, we would have missed so much without all the little side trips and "ya gotta see/do/eat this". It's easy to see why so many memories are made from these rallies.

I would have like to have spent more time with people individually, but the pace was steady and the time span could have been two weeks and we still would have missed people and things.

To all those who are "thinking" about joining one of these Framily events, quit thinking and act. It was more fun than two dollar diesel!!

So thanks again to all - what a great experience and we look forward to seeing all of you, somewhere, sometime soon!!

p.s. next year, like the Terminator, "I'll be back...."

Safe travels to all!

Kim & Christi

 
Sunday May 15 2011

Enjoyable drive N to SLC, sunny with a tailwind. Until I got to the megapolis, traffic was light to moderate. The grade leading up to Soldier's Summit between Price and Provo on US 6 (7400 ft) was gentle enough to allow me to maintain 45 mph despite my crippled engine. Passing lanes were frequent, so I did not build up long lines if impatient 4 wheelers. The downhill run was also gentle and I spent a fair amount of time descending at 60 mph. Passed 3 elk standing in an adjacent meadow.

Went directly to Freightliner on the W side of town. It is a 24/7 operation and had 3 service writers on duty on sunday! They lack electric hookups so I am at VIP CG tonight and will return for service Monday PM.

Terry B slept in today. Because of the rain early in the week, they had to rush to get all the jeep tours in just a few days. The hikers felt the same. Since I can no longer do either, I kept a relaxed schedule.
 
The Zuechs have been added to the list which is still in draft phase.  Hope to get it finished and a new thread started before leaving Portal.

Didn't realize the Wagners were still here.  Probably enjoying a more restful day too!

To everyone, and especially our new framily, we are so glad you came to Moab!  We really enjoyed showing you all some of our most favorite places, whether on a hike, a four-wheeling adventure, a restaurant, or a retail store.  We're already looking forward to Moab 2012.

ArdraF

 
ArdraF said:
Didn't realize the Wagners were still here.  Probably enjoying a more restful day too!

ArdraF
It was a spur of the moment decision this morning.  Judy said we're now real RVers.  Changing plans at the last minute.

Mike Wagner
 
Judy said we're now real RVers.  Changing plans at the last minute.

LOL!  That's so true and it's what we're doing as we decide where to go from here.

ArdraF
 
Wainwrights and Lawrences moved a long way yesterday, about 2 miles to Goose Island, a BLM campground on the Colorado River. Good thing we got here early, as the campground was full by 11 am (all 18 sites). Last night, we all sat out, watching the almost-full-moon rise over the red cliffs and yacking while we waited for the Canyonlands By Night light show to pass by. Alas, it either doesn't run on Sundays or it just didn't have any customers. But we sat there until 10:00 anyway and enjoyed each other's company and the river rushing by. Hopefully tonight we'll have free entertainment with the light show.

Looking forward to meeting new and old Framily down the road. Remember, all you have to do is stick a pin in the map and say "here we are" and "they will come."

Happy travels
Wendy, Mike and Gordon (who thinks camping along the river is absolutely the bestest)
 
Lou left Moab yesterday and made it as far as the outskirts of Delta, UT.  Boondocked overnight then came the rest of the way into Ely, NV today.

I had a great time and I'm hoping I can return next year - depends on how the finances are going.

Currently I'm at the Prospectors Motel and RV Park in Ely - not a bad deal at $15 per night.

But just before I left Moab I got a whiff of that dreaded smell of ammonia.  It seemed to be coming from under the bathroom sink but I couldn't find anything to blame.  A couple of hours later and it was confirmed - I'll be looking for a new refrigerator when I get closer to civilization.

Meanwhile, the starter is getting cranky (sorry).  Hopefully there's another available here in town. :-[
 
We just wanted to thank all at the Moab Rally.

We had a great week and really appreciate all the work you guys put into this get together.

Dick & Marilee
 
Wendy,
Every time we drove by the campground was full. Very popular!

We made it to Elks in Bend OR yesterday. This morning we have a light rain.

Ken
 
Hi,

We missed all the fun, but we've enjoyed the reports and pictures so much that we're now heading for Portal to stay from the 22nd thru 27th of May. Hopefully, we'll find a few of the places you've all described so well (you did leave some pictures didn't you?).

Currently planning on SLC (Pony Express) for 10 days (catch up on work) after Moab and then on to Grizzly for another nine day stay.

Thanks for the (almost) memories; see ya down the road,

Tara 'n Ernie
 
    Thanks everyone for all the informative posts & beautiful pictures.  Donna and I were disappointing to not make it this year.  We will try harder to arrange to make it next year.

Ed
 
On one  of our extra days spent after the RVForum  official Rally in Moab  6 of us decided to trek out to find the Pritchett Arch which  had eluded the group several years ago.  Seems at that time,  the vehicles did not have the ground clearance, tires nor lockers required.  The  guys (Frank and Terry) did not want to be defeated by this trail so  with their newly lifted jeeps, tires, lockers and a lesson a week ago, we started out. 

Frank let Ardra drive his jeep with Frank and Barb and Jerry as passengers.  Terry and Betty followed them around for several miles being lost and taking turns they were sure was on the GPS waypoints gathered years ago,  but alas 3 navigators in one car does not work.  So Terry put in GPS coordinates and back tracked we went.  We somehow go on Behind the Rocks Road for lunch and nearly had to do what the book listed as one of Moab's most difficult runs but we had a place to turn around.

The group did make it to Pritchett Arch and hiked up to see it.  I have  posted some of the going down the waterfall shots and then some of the going up the waterfall shots.  Frank and Terry made it look easy.  Good thing we have lockers.  Whew .....when this ride was finished I suggested we go  for a big beer at Moab Brewery and all were in favor . I gobbled down a 1/2 pound burger and onion rings.  We needed some comfort food I guess.  What a fun day.  Now the guys can cross Pritchett Arch off the list of  things to do in Moab.
 

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Betty,

Your photos turned out great!  The "Waterfall" was one formidable-looking barrier.  Those two Rubicons did a really good job of navigating it.  By the way, I'm standing with my arms up in the one photo so that Terry can have a reference point because otherwise he was looking at blue sky!  His spotter Frank was below his field of vision to guide him once he was heading downhill.

For those of you who have gone to Pritchett Arch in the past (we had our photo taken under the arch in 2001), they no longer show it as a separate trail, but only as an offshoot in part of the Pritchett Canyon road.  There are several revegetation areas along the way and we think the trail we took in the past has been obliterated by their revegetation efforts.  Even the hike up to the arch was quite different and we couldn't get close to it for photos like we did previously.  The guidebook had us on a part of the Behind the Rocks Road and we retraced our steps a number of times to avoid getting on the Behind the Rocks Trail which is known as one of Moab's most difficult four-wheel drives.

Four photos from our 2001 trek to Pritchett Arch are attached.  I was driving our white Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Who are the other people in the photos and whose cars are shown?

ArdraF
 

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The two men in the photo with Terry look like Ron Ruward and Bernie Dobrin.  What are lockers?

Margi
 
That looks like a fun trail.  Sorry we missed that one.  I will have to try it sometime.  Then again Frank and Terry made the trails we did last week look much easier than they were.  Mike.
 
Margi and Tom.
What are lockers?

  I wish I knew as well. I have a 2000 Jeep TJ but it will probably never go on an adventure like that.

  Lockers have something to do with the drivetrain system. Probably expensive.

Just google Jeep lockers and see what you can find out.

  I'll skip that option...  ;D

Carson FL

 
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