Memorial day????

[goodtimes]

Anyone doing any exploring on Memorial day? It looks like I will have the day off, and it would only be appropriate to take advantage of that.....I will be busy until Sunday...but Monday would be a good day to go play.

[datrupr]

Sorry Brian, but I am going to be exploring my back yard and 56,000BTU grill and cooler filled with Tecate! It is my sons 15th birhtday on Tuesday and we are having the family over for traditional Memorial Day festivities.

[Brian McVickers]

15th Birthday + Cooler filled with Tecate! = One Damn Lucky Kid!!:beer: :jumping:

By the way, Costco has the Tecate 30 pack for $17!!:victory:

[datrupr]

The Tecate is not for the 15 year old, it is for me. 30pk for $17!!! Well, since I am going to go to Costco this weekend anyway, why not? Cheaper than Safeway for the 30pk.

[seth_js]

I'm down to get dirty on Monday. Got anything in mind?

-Seth

[Ursidae69]

I'll be in town, but in a rental car. No Tacoma this trip. :(

Might see you on Sunday GT.

All this talk of Tecate has me thinking, might have to hit the liquor store tonight. I LOVE Tecate. One of my favorite brews. Thanks Aaron! :beer:

[Brian McVickers]

The Tecate is not for the 15 year old

C'mon, it's his Birthday! :beer:


Brian --- I may be interested in wheeling on Monday, what do you have in mind?

[goodtimes]

give me a few minutes...I just got back (a day early) from a backpacking trip, and I'm kinda sore (poor choice of foot wear for this particular trip--more on that in an appropriate thread).

[goodtimes]

I see 2 options, due to the heat, and my lack of doors/windows, and adversion to A/C in the jeep.

Either head north to higher altitude, or find a shorter, more challenging trail that gets us back on the hardpan earlier in the day.

I'm sorta leaning to a shorter, lower altitude trail, as I have to work Tuesday. Getting enough altitude to keep it cool will make it a long drive....which means a long drive home to Tucson. Of course, now that I came home from backpacking early, I have the option of camping Sunday night, allowing for an earlier start on high altitude trails. I'll send an e-mail around to see if some of the locals (who are not on the board are interested, and their opinions if they are).

[goodtimes]

McV,

John Shotts has expressed interest....no one else has (but some may not have checked their e-mail yet). What kind of trail do you prefer? I'm not familiar with how your rig is set up (sliders...locker(s), etc). There is a new guy on one of the jeep boards that has been asking around for someone to show them around (jeep is pretty stock from what I have read), so I may invite him too. I'm not thinking of a trail *too* difficult. Something along the lines of Upper Woodpecker (if in the FJ area), with a play stop in Lower woodpecker (all optional stuff there). I think the long drive to higher elevations will have to wait for a later time. So lets look at the southern options.....

Florence Junction (upper woodpecker, coke ovens, box canyon, ...)
Catalina's (C-gap)
Tucson (chiva falls, chimney rock, ....)

Thoughts?

Anyone else?

[seth_js]

I'm down. I'm especially down for an Sunday overnight camp. I'm down for anything, anytime. :p

-Seth

[goodtimes]

Ok, here is a tentative plan. Due to heat, we are looking for elevation, nothing too difficult. I have never done this route, so I don't know what we are getting into...but since none of the "rock crawling" guys talk about this trail, I doubt it is too difficult.

Start on the Catalina side of C-gap. Once over the the pass, just before the trail drops into the creekbed, there is a trail that heads south/east (?). It is marked something to the effect of "Mt. Lemmon 12 mi". So, we get to play on the front side of c-gap, explore 12 miles of "dirt", and end up on top of mt. lemmon (where it is significantly cooler than here in Tucson). We will probably come back down the *other side* of the mountain into tucson via the paved road.

I have no idea how long it will take, or exactly where we will end up. Which is exactly why I think it is worth a look.

[goodtimes]

Anyone?

Bueller.....Bueller......

[seth_js]

Crap, you probably won't get this. But if you do, just post up a time and place and CB channel and I'll be there.

-Seth

[goodtimes]

Well I'm up for looking around tomorrow, but I have not found any info about the trail...other than a few mentions of "the jeep trail" in various hiking and mountain biking sites. John Shotts backed out (wimp :p ), a couple of the other hopefulls are going birding (excuse to play with new camara gear). If you are up for it, lets go look for it. I'll be up for a little while longer tonight, or give me a call in the morning and we can figure it out then, as it will apparently only be the two of us. My phone number will follow in a few minutes in a PM.

Anyone else interested in looking for "Sutherland" trail , post up and I'll get you my contact info.

[jeffryscott]

So, GT, what did you find? Very curious about that trail since you brought it up.

Hope it was fun,

Jeff

[goodtimes]

I found my pick and shovel right where I left them. I also found a few parts at Lowes, which I used to build a new irrigation system for the back yard.

I was hoping for a phone call this morning from someone...*anyone*...that wanted to go play. I sent several PM's and E-mails out....but to no avail. Oh well. At least I don't have to drag the hose out and water the trees anymore.:rolleyes:

[seth_js]

Well my intentions were to go wheeling, but I ended up going out Sunday night, and have managed to stay drunk pretty much since then. :p

My birthday was on Sunday, so all my buddies took me out. I'm not one for birthdays (it's just another day), but my friends like to use it as an excuse to party. :p

-Seth

[BajaTaco]

Well my intentions were to go wheeling, but I ended up going out Sunday night, and have managed to stay drunk pretty much since then. :p

:xxrotflma Dude, it's Wednesday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! (belated) :victory:

[goodtimes]

At least I don't have to drag the hose out and water the trees anymore.

I take that back. I have to drag the hose out again.

Free to good (or bad) home: One dog. likes to dig drips systems up and eat them.

[ShottsCruisers]

John Shotts backed out (wimp :p )

I am very sorry. I really wanted to go. I REALLY wanted to go.

I want to run the Southerland Trail with YOU, though we might need a couple more too in case of trouble. A couple obstacles near the end are dangerous.

By the way. Look at this map:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/forest/recreation/trails/trail_maps/TR_004.jpg

The trail you spoke of from the C-Gap Trail to Summerhaven is HIKING Trail #3, the start of the CDO Trail. No 4-wheeling permitted. No way to access Mt. Lemmon or Summerhave by vehicle.

The Sutherland is FR643 on the map. It too used to go to the top, though it now becomes a dedicated hiking trail about a third to a half way up this hill.

IT starts out easy though long and rocky. Then, is gets bad as you climb the hillside.

[goodtimes]

Oh well....someday I'll get back out there. maybe.

I have 68 hours at work this week (actually no.....8 of those were holiday). Scheduled for 60 more next week. Probably 12 hour days, 6 days per week until eternity. I may not even have time to get the jeep ready for the Colorado trip. It seems my boss is determined to destroy any hope I have of ever getting time off to go 'wheeling.

How high (elevation) does Sutherland get? High enough to escape the heat?

Oh, I was just kidding about the free dog. I'm still p!$$ed at her.....but I have a cure for her drip system eating habit...tomorrow is gonna be a long day in the back yard......

[ShottsCruisers]

How high (elevation) does Sutherland get? High enough to escape the heat?

Hmmm.....4K-ish?