Saturday Feb 25th

[Jamie469]

My girlfriends dad is in town and I promised to take him out on the trail one day while he is here. Looking for something mild, but still worth the trip, Maybe something like Box Canyon. Is anyone interested in heading out This saturday morning sometime?

Jamie

[TickDontPick]

Would you like to do lower Sycamore Creek with me and a couple buddies (all in the same jeep) on saturday?

[Jamie469]

Whats the rating and where is it located? I'm probably up for that yeah....

[TickDontPick]

Honestly, I don't know where it is. My friend is coming and Im pretty sure he is bringing a GPS. He wrote down vague directions that i can give you until I talk to him today.

take Mcdowell East , and take the Beline Highway past Saguaro Lake. Go across Freeway and take Lower Sycamore Creek.

These are really vague directions so I will talk to his dad today, who has done the trail before. If this isnt okay, I will do anything near the vally if you are familliar with it. Since my friend has been here before I feel a little more conifdent. Let me know!

EDIT: Just so you know, I'm not sure of the trail rating, but my friends dad did it in a stock ZJ, so It should be fine. It's near saguaro lake. This is my first time real 4 wheeling, so I dont have much info for you.

[Jamie469]

Alright, I'll try and remember to take a look at my guide tonight, I can get directions that way for sure. I'll look for something close and let you know what I find out tomorrow.

[mingoglia]

According to the "old site" Sycamore is rated a 3.5 and Box Canyon is rated a 3.0:

Sycamore:
http://www.azvjc.org/oldsite/Trails/View.asp?T=25

Box Canyon:
http://www.azvjc.org/oldsite/Trails/View.asp?T=48

Mike

[mingoglia]

If I could suggest...since you have a stock ZJ I would probably just do the Box Canyon run with Jamie since you're a novice and it's a stock vehicle. A stock Jeep won't have a problem in box canyone. May damage a bumper or two somewhere but it's a pretty good (and scenic) beginners trail IMHO....it also opens up a large range of opportunity with surrounding more difficult trails in the area (the Woodpeckers for one...or two, rather).

Mike

[RickBeer]

I would recomend going to this meeting first if you like to wheel in FJ
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/showthread.php?t=11886

[Jamie469]

Thanks Mike!

[Jamie469]

Box canyon is the first trip I ever made in my YJ, it was stock then, and I made it no problem with no damage, had to stack here and there in a few places, but you should be fine otherwise. I scraped my skid in 1 place is all , let me know what you think. I'll get you specific directions either one whichever you choose, just let me know which one you'd rather go to. Like Mike said, Box canyon is a good place to start with stock jeepo, plus I've been through there, so I can always show you the way also.

[jeep4offrd]

And dont forget. Once your done stacking. Unstack!!;)

[Jamie469]

Ok 11am it is for BOX CANYON.... Meet at the air down spot off of highway 79 (cottonwood canyon road) If you are wanting to come and running a little late or need some help on directions, give me a call @ 515-778-9249, let me know if you are interested in coming along so I can get an idea of who will all be there.

Jamie

(Edit: This has been added to the old site)

[azrubyman]

I would recomend going to this meeting first if you like to wheel in FJ
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/showthread.php?t=11886

X umpity!
Come on folks as Rick mentions, please attend this meeting. It's for the FJ area.
Ken

[Crawldit]

How about an afternoon run through the Box? Say like 5 or 6 so that people that were just at the FJ meeting could go wheeling in the region that they're fighting for.

[My1stJeep]

This is exactly what we are talking about. Trying to get people to show up so save the lands we wheel on is difficult.

Some reasons they don't want to show:
1. It will never happen, they wno't close it.
2. Why should I spend the time, others are going in my place.
3. I don't get much time off, so when I do I am going to have fun and meetings aren't fun.
4. Might as well wheel while the lands are open, they are going to close anyway cause people like me won't fight for them.
5. I don't know the issues so what good am I. (Numbers do matter, the land management notices the number of green shirts to red at every meeting)
6. That is too far for me to drive, I will wait until there is a meeting in my driveway.

All reasons I find BS. I find it funny that anyone, wait let me way that correctly, annoying:mad: and down right rude:mad: , that anyone would organize a like this when we have one of the biggest meetings about some of the best land to wheel on happening. It is things like this that help get the lands closed.

Happy wheeling to all those going, the rest of us will be hard at work talking things over to keep the land you are wheeling on open for future use. Don't worry about us, we want to do it, we like it better than wheeling and why should we make you give up all that fun? Hope you around to do the same for me in the future, that is if there are lands left to wheel on.

[Jamie469]

Well, I'll start by saying that I can certainly understand your frustration, and I'm sorry that I organized this on the same day as the meeting. I have family in town right now, and for the last 4 months, all they've been doing is talking about me taking them out on a trail when they come. They leave saturday night, and won't probably be back until next year. I do apoligize on the timing, but before you go off and post something insulting, take a moment to maybe ask a person what their situation is, instead of just assuming that I am goingout to box canyon in spite of the valiant effort of those of you who are going to the land meeting. I assure you, that this is not the situation.... I was one of the original group of people who sent letters to the state requesting this meeting. So again, I'm sorry for the timing, and I officially UNIVITE EVERYONE from coming out to Box Canyon. I will not make it to the meeting on saturday, but it's not because I don't care.

Jamie

[Crawldit]

Alright kids, let's play nice. Personal attacks are not what this is about. That said, somewhere down the road you won't have to worry about uninviting people, the BLM will have already done it for you. Also, I understand how the out of town visitors thing works. I hope that you have a safe trip and that they all enjoy the amazing scenery out there.

[desertdawg]

Dang Chris that’s a little harsh isn’t it. Give Jamie a break! He’s brand new to this wheeling thing and all he wanted is somebody to go with him to Box Canyon to show his out of town guests who are here for a short period of time, the beauty of this land were all fighting for here in Arizona. Not everybody can stop their lives and drop what their doing to go to a land meeting and I don’t think it’s right to attack somebody or judge that person who may not be able to go to a land meeting for what ever reason he or she may have.

Not everybody comes into this sport right off the bat with the knowledge or passion regarding our land issues. For most of us it takes actually getting out there wheeling and seeing the beautiful areas this state has to offer to realize how important it is to keep these areas open to the public. I would encourage and educate rather than wrongfully judge and chastise somebody. I’m sure you wouldn’t teach your children in a negative way like this.

I’ll be surprised if Jamie ever comes back to this site and that would be a shame because I personally know Jamie and I think he is one of the nicest young men that I have ever met. That’s all I have to say.

[jeep4offrd]

See what happens when your passionate about something.
Thanks for clearing things up Jamie. I'm sure the excitement of all thats going on with this meeting is getting the best of allot of us. Chris is really a good guy, and means well. Have a great run tomorrow, and at least take some pics for us. :D

[RokNRich]

How about Sunday ? Woodpeckers or something ?

[Wind_Danzer]

May be game for sunday.

[CaptainMorgan]

This is exactly what we are talking about. Trying to get people to show up so save the lands we wheel on is difficult.

Some reasons they don't want to show:
1. It will never happen, they wno't close it.
2. Why should I spend the time, others are going in my place.
3. I don't get much time off, so when I do I am going to have fun and meetings aren't fun.
4. Might as well wheel while the lands are open, they are going to close anyway cause people like me won't fight for them.
5. I don't know the issues so what good am I. (Numbers do matter, the land management notices the number of green shirts to red at every meeting)
6. That is too far for me to drive, I will wait until there is a meeting in my driveway.

All reasons I find BS. I find it funny that anyone, wait let me way that correctly, annoying:mad: and down right rude:mad: , that anyone would organize a like this when we have one of the biggest meetings about some of the best land to wheel on happening. It is things like this that help get the lands closed.

Happy wheeling to all those going, the rest of us will be hard at work talking things over to keep the land you are wheeling on open for future use. Don't worry about us, we want to do it, we like it better than wheeling and why should we make you give up all that fun? Hope you around to do the same for me in the future, that is if there are lands left to wheel on.



Don't be an asshat. Some people have things to do...me I live in Flagstaff and go to school all week and work all weekend. I have NO TIME AT ALL for your meetings....You wanna know how I keep land open, by cleaning up after myself and others(yes, others I go on organized cleaning trips into the woods and desert to clean up trash that morons strew all around and shoot all up.), I tread lightly and I do my best to empart these ethics onto others. And if they want to close an area down they might have good reason. In Forestry we have done studies in areas to determine if places should remain open, what we find is that usually these places have been badly abused and need to be shut down, keeping them open only hurts nature and the ecosystem. Sorry, just some perspective form the other side of the fence buddy. From a Foresters perspective, trail closeures are a good thing. I have found many dead animals on slow speed trails, oil spilled in riparian areas, tire ruts digging alternate routes for water that wreaks havoc in creek beds and many other "small" things that usually add up to mean a trail needs to be closed. If the area improves they may keep it closed or reapen it depending on what type of ecostyem it is. Riparian zones uaually dont reopen once they close because they are so fragile and precious here in Arizona. Not to mention well over 90% of the original riparian zones in AZ are now gone. I know Box Canyon isnt a riparian zone, I am just making the point that there are reasons behind closures. They don't just happen. Being a Forester and a Jeeper I understand this.

[fatbob309]

What... you couldn't find something else to drag up from the last 5 months...

[mingoglia]

What... you couldn't find something else to drag up from the last 5 months...

No doubt. I almost cringed when I saw this one had resurfaced.

Mike

[Jdemonto@Airpark Jeep Sales]

I have been involved with desert motorsports for 23 years...For those bad at math, I was 7!!!!! I always bring back trash and don't leave anything behind. Not tell more recently I have discovered that land meetings are important, But I am passionate about Jeeping. Most newbees Don't know about these meeting and don't undersatnd whats behind them..as I just went to my first land meeting last week!!!! Give the guy a break...He's new to all of this, i'm sure in years to come he will understand the importance of these meetings. Happy jeepin!!!

Jason