BigBrother-84 Posted September 14, 2023 Author Share Posted September 14, 2023 Day 14 / Part 2 Shafer Trail + Potash trail 56km / 35 miles My wife asked me why I didn't want to go down the Shafer Trail. I had no good answer, we are HERE, so let's go! She regretted it all the way down... Almost didn't toutched the brake pedal, 4L + 2nd drive, Big Brother compressed like a champ, constant speed no acceleration. Oh, I can now confirm that Big Bro CANNOT take the hairpins turns. We had to backup 3 times. You have to not make a mistake while clutching, let's say. Shafer Trail: Here's a link to a short movie. Pictures are below: Big Brother at Shafer Trail bottom: Begining the Potash Trail: Some views along the Potash Trail: Day 14 / Part 3 Arches Ntl Park 61km / 38 miles Was late, we didn't had time to see all the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Day 14 / Part 3 Arches Ntl Park 61km / 38 miles Was late, we didn't had time to see all the park. Such wonderful pictures! This is the trip of a lifetime! I've not done Moab but want to. However I have done many, many Jeep trails and backing up at hairpin turns isn't unusual at all, even for a regular cab, so having to back up only three times in Big Bro isn't bad at all. And yes, low range is nice. Lots of noise but lots of compression braking. We loved Bear Lake. And Arches. And have been to Lake Powell four times, but just not Moab - yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 .... Still heading South, we went to Moab (hey, not as in "road"... the Locals pronounce it as we do in Frech, mo-A-b, as in "A-bsolute"). .... I've heard people talk about Moab for so long I don't even think about the fact that people might read it as "Mobe". But yes, it's Mo-Ab (and for what it's worth, "Hurricane", the Utah town I went to last year, isn't pronounced like the storm, it's "Hurricuhn", I guess Utah just pronounces things weird) .... AWSOME and SPECTACULAR views on the Colorado River canyon, from the upper plateau of Dead Horse State Park!.... We didn't do Dead Horse. We were planning to, but decided that seeing everything from the top in Canyonlands and from the bottom on Potash road was enough for the time we had. But everything in that area is spectacular, so I knew we missed some great views! .... My wife asked me why I didn't want to go down the Shafer Trail. I had no good answer, we are HERE, so let's go! She regretted it all the way down... Almost didn't toutched the brake pedal, 4L + 2nd drive, Big Brother compressed like a champ, constant speed no acceleration. Oh, I can now confirm that Big Bro CANNOT take the hairpins turns. We had to backup 3 times. You have to not make a mistake while clutching, let's say. .... I'm glad you did Shafer trail (and lived to tell the tale!) It's not the kind of road that's for everyone, so I want to be careful not to push people to do it. But I'm glad I didn't completely talk you out of it. It's quite an experience, isn't it!?!? And what did you think of the road going out? Yes the views are spectacular, but we really felt beat up by the road. I've heard others who thought the road was well worth it (even one of their favorites), so I'm curious what your thoughts were. Day 14 / Part 3 Arches Ntl Park 61km / 38 miles Was late, we didn't had time to see all the park.... I really liked Arches, but I think Lesley would rate it as her least favorite of the four Utah national parks we've been to. Not that falling below Zion, Bryce or Canyonlands means it's a bad destination by any means! If you like light-duty hiking and have the time, I thought the hike out to Delicate Arch was well worth the effort. We were told to get there for sunrise, and I don't think that's a big deal. The lighting on it isn't very good then (but hiking in the cool of the dark morning had it's advantages). I've heard that Arches now has a reservation system where you need to get a time to go in. I know it always had LONG lines when we've driven by it! For future info, there is an "off-road" entrance to the park farther north. I haven't taken it, but from videos it looks like you probably need a high-clearance 4WD to take it, but any stock '80s Ford pickup could do it. Very cool trip! Thanks for bringing us along! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted September 14, 2023 Author Share Posted September 14, 2023 And what did you think of the road going out? Yes the views are spectacular, but we really felt beat up by the road. I've heard others who thought the road was well worth it (even one of their favorites), so I'm curious what your thoughts were. I think that, if my wife didn't "insist" to get down the Shafer Pass, we would have missed a wonderfull trip buy not seeing the Potash Trail. To tell the thruth, it was far from confortable. Big Bro acts as the ancient horses stagecoachs, with springs under straight shafts... and we were missing the springs under our seats. . I could tell you about each little rock and bump of Potash Trail. I would say that half of the road is interesting (the first part living bottom Shafer Pass), but the second half is not so special. But the first part largely compensates the second one. So, if your question is about the trail itself, I would say it has some nice spots but isn't so special. You do it for the views, not for the trail. But in my opinion, not going down and looking at the canyon only by the top is missing half of the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 And what did you think of the road going out? Yes the views are spectacular, but we really felt beat up by the road. I've heard others who thought the road was well worth it (even one of their favorites), so I'm curious what your thoughts were. I think that, if my wife didn't "insist" to get down the Shafer Pass, we would have missed a wonderfull trip buy not seeing the Potash Trail. To tell the thruth, it was far from confortable. Big Bro acts as the ancient horses stagecoachs, with springs under straight shafts... and we were missing the springs under our seats. . I could tell you about each little rock and bump of Potash Trail. I would say that half of the road is interesting (the first part living bottom Shafer Pass), but the second half is not so special. But the first part largely compensates the second one. So, if your question is about the trail itself, I would say it has some nice spots but isn't so special. You do it for the views, not for the trail. But in my opinion, not going down and looking at the canyon only by the top is missing half of the show. I can imagine how rough that was. You are probably sprung much the same way Big Blue was originally, and those leaf springs coupled with TTBs make for a rough ride. Plus, you don't have on-board air with which to reinflate the tires so you couldn't air down. OUCH! But, the view was worth the climb/descent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted September 14, 2023 Author Share Posted September 14, 2023 Such wonderful pictures! This is the trip of a lifetime! I've not done Moab but want to. However I have done many, many Jeep trails and backing up at hairpin turns isn't unusual at all, even for a regular cab, so having to back up only three times in Big Bro isn't bad at all. And yes, low range is nice. Lots of noise but lots of compression braking. We loved Bear Lake. And Arches. And have been to Lake Powell four times, but just not Moab - yet. 13 septembre Day 15, good bye West, heading East! 587km / 365 miles (Pink). Leaving Moab: Traveling through the plains, then running hills: Approaching the Colorado mountains: Some narrow road works: Getting into the mountains: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 13 septembre Day 15, good bye West, heading East! 587km / 365 miles (Pink). Leaving Moab: Traveling through the plains, then running hills: Approaching the Colorado mountains: Some narrow road works: Getting into the mountains: What road are you taking through Colorado? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted September 14, 2023 Author Share Posted September 14, 2023 What road are you taking through Colorado? We took Hwy 50. We slept at Cañon City, and are planning a campground at Boiling Spring State Park tonight. Better suggestion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 We took Hwy 50. We slept at Cañon City, and are planning a campground at Boiling Spring State Park tonight. Better suggestion? Hw 50 would have been my recommendation. Well done! I've not been to Boiling Spring State Park, but have heard and read good things about it. And that is only ~200 miles from us. However, along the way you might want to take a side trip to Little Sahara state park. This Google map takes you there and then right on to the Church of Christ building in Skiatook. I'll be headed there as of 4 PM tomorrow, although I have to stop and pick up dinner so it might be more like 4:15 before I get there since Skiatook is such a big place. But if you get to town earlier than that give me a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted September 14, 2023 Author Share Posted September 14, 2023 Hw 50 would have been my recommendation. Well done! I've not been to Boiling Spring State Park, but have heard and read good things about it. And that is only ~200 miles from us. However, along the way you might want to take a side trip to Little Sahara state park. This Google map takes you there and then right on to the Church of Christ building in Skiatook. I'll be headed there as of 4 PM tomorrow, although I have to stop and pick up dinner so it might be more like 4:15 before I get there since Skiatook is such a big place. But if you get to town earlier than that give me a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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