Expedition Trophy and Rally Pictures and Vids [Archive]

Scott Brady

11-14-2005, 08:43 PM

Thank you all for the most memorable event. I cannot tell you how much fun it was for me to meet you all.

Special Thanks to the sponsors:

Pangaea Expeditions (http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/)- Title Sponsor
Expeditions West (http://www.expeditionswest.com/)- Title Sponsor
Extreme Outback Products (http://www.extremeoutback.com/)
LB Maps (http://www.lbmaps.com/)
Via Tierra (http://www.viatierra.com/)
Legendary Land Cruisers (http://www.legendarylandcruisers.com/legendarylandcruisers.html)

Here are the Results! (Note: 14 trucks participated)

Navigation Section: A 12 waypoint navigation challenge from task to task under 90 minutes.
1. Chuck (Ursadae69) Tacoma Note: All waypoints and nearly 20 minutes under time)
2. Pasquale and Kristina, Tacoma (DesertDude and DesertGirl)
3. Ed, FJ40 (DaktariEd)

Technical Driving: Several vehicle awareness challenges, including passenger side tire obstacles and a recovery special task.
1. Scott Jensen (PSKHAAT) FZJ80 Note: Placed in three of the four events, fastest time on the log pull.
2. Ed, FJ40 Note: Perfect score on the rear tire course.
3. Pasquale

Driving: Timed sand course with two water crossings
1. Scott Jensen Note: First place in the closed course 1:08:55
2. Jeff Scott (jeffryscott) 1:09:36 4cyl Suzuki Vitarra!
3. Chuck 1:21:87

Overall Results for the first annual Expedition Trophy:

1. Scott: FZJ80
2. Chuck: 2004 Tacoma Xtra-Cab
3. Ed: 1979 FJ40
4. Pasquale and Kristina: 2004 Tacoma Xtra-Cab
5. Jeff: Suzuki Vitarra

Winner of the bonus questions: GeoRoss!

I could not be more proud of the sportsmanship and great competitive spirit of all in attendance.

Congratulations, Scott Jensen, our 2005 Expedition Trophy Champion! :clapsmile

DaktariEd

11-14-2005, 09:18 PM

It was really a fantastic event!
As I mentioned to many of you, I am mostly a go-it-alone kind of guy. This was my first group event and it was terrific! :victory:
Thanks to everyone who planned, participated, attended and just made it a really great weekend!

See you all again sometime!

Ed :D

jeffryscott

11-15-2005, 04:32 AM

It was in incredible weekend, as I sat bored at work Sunday night I kept thinking of how fun it was.

Thanks Scott and everyone for making it so fun. I met some great people, had a great time and learned a lot.

Can't wait for another gathering,

Jeff

Scott, don't forget to send me the postal address and I'll drop CDs in the mail for you.

desertgirl66

11-15-2005, 02:01 PM

Scott, thank you so much for a most excellent weekend! The planned events were great, I really got to know the GPS! The trails were divine, the weather perfect, and the moon was picture perfect. And we all ate great!

It was wonderful getting to meet everyone and hanging by the fire telling stories.

I also loved the camp dogs~~so well behaved.

I'll never cut firewood again without thinking of Vince and "the log."

And thanks to Chris, Sharon, Steph, Brian and Andrew for all the help.

Can't wait for the next adventure!!

Happy Trails y'all!!

goodtimes

11-15-2005, 04:13 PM

Scott, again....Great Job amigo! I'm sure we all had fun. I managed to get the jeep cleaned up, but still haven't seen any of the pics I took.

On a sad note, I took Cherokee to the vet this morning to have her knee looked at. The results are not good. Major surgery is required to repair the damage. She is loaded up on pain killers and anti-inflammitory drugs for now, while I decide how to proceed. The up side is that she has not lost any of her spirit, she is just moving a little slower and is somewhat restricted on what she can do.

Scenic WonderRunner

11-15-2005, 04:18 PM

I would like to hear the full story of finding Al and Brian in the dark! :eek:

Dang!...........That could have been me!......hehe

GeoRoss

11-15-2005, 04:18 PM

We had a great time. The girls were so disappointed that I didn't win anything. Now I get to tell them I did win the Bonus Questions. They will be soooo excited.

Thanks to Scott and Chris and all the other helpers for a super great time. I hope we can do it again.

Ross

ps, sorry to hear about Cherokee, she is such a sweet dog. I hope it turns out ok.

Brian McVickers

11-15-2005, 04:34 PM

Wow Brian (goodtimes) I hope Cherokee comes out ok.
Coincidentally Oliver spent a few hours at the Vet yesterday as well.
When we got home Sunday morning he would not put any weight on either of his back legs
and by Monday morning he did not want to move.
Took him to the vet and x-rays show no skeletal damage so no broken bones or dislocations which is a great thing.
But the vet thinks that all symptoms point to Lyme Disease, Tic Fever or Valley Fever.
We will get the tests back in 2-5 days. All of the exertion from the action packed weekend along with sleeping in the cold could have taxed his immune system just enough to let something that was lying dormant get the upper hand.
So its either one of those or some extremely sore muscles and tendons.

Funniest thing was to see the x-rays. Apparently Oliver ate a bunch of rocks during the trip, his gut is full of them.
Oliver's new nickname is RockGut!!

Best of luck to Cherokee

pskhaat

11-15-2005, 04:36 PM

I'll reiterate my thanks to everyone and let you know again I had a GREAT time. I would love to do more and love to head out with everyone on some trek again soon.

I hope everyone's dogs get much better! My 80-lbs dalmation was pretty angry when I got home that I didn't take him.

Now let's see some good pictures :-)

pangaea

11-15-2005, 05:10 PM

Glad to hear that everyone had a great time, with the exception of the dogs, who appear to collectively have had a rough weekend.

In the meantime. How 'bout some pics, so those of us who couldn't go can live vicariously through those of you lucky enough to make it.

:lurk:

Ursidae69

11-15-2005, 06:23 PM

Where to start??....

This was a lot of fun, kudos to Scott for the hard work in putting such a large event together. :clapsmile :clapsmile The pulled pork and cajun BBQ sauce were awesome man!

Sorry to hear about the dogs, I hope it all works out for both.

The Navigation Section was a lot of fun! For two years during my master's thesis work, I drove to and hiked to hundreds of points with my GPS that were randomly generated for my work. I have that down pretty well and I knew I'd be competetive in that event. Having topo lines on the GPS really helped too because I could tell coming up to a point where it was going to be, especially the point on top of the mesa. I could see which side of the mesa top and it was on and I could focus on sprinting up the hill. It was a ton of fun!

The sand course was also a lot of fun. I pushed the truck hard through the sand and nearly ran KC down as he tried to get a photo! Sorrry KC! It was fun watching you run in terror though! :p If I hadn't blown the one far corner and needed to back up, I might have made the shorter wheelbase guys sweat more!

The technical driving section was a real eye opener. I never really think much about where the rear tires go and it showed in my results. It was a lot of fun and educational.

The trails on Saturday and Sunday after the events were really gorgeous. Much of the areas in Bloody basin and south have been raveged by fire and it made for a very patchy and unique landscape.

My only disappointment for the trip was smoking my clutch so badly on that optional hill climb on Sunday. I obviously need to regear and need to get out in 4-low more to hone my skills.

I didn't take many photos, but looking through mine I really liked one of my sunset shots from Friday evening.

http://www.chucksweb.net/RandomPics/DSCF1249a.jpg

It was great meeting the new folks and seeing some of my old friends again. Everyone was great and again, Thanks Scott. :jump:

DesertRose

11-15-2005, 07:54 PM

Congratulations everyone on the Trophy and Rally wins - and for everyone who participated. Sounds like you had way too much fun! Wish we could have been there.

What happened to Cherokee? - how sad!

And someone do tell the story of the wild goose chase?

Brian McVickers

11-15-2005, 08:40 PM

Ok, Before this story gets too terribly out of hand I'll just clarify a few things for the record.
This involved Al, Brian and Oliver the dog
A Toyota Tacoma and a Land Rover Discovery, both modified for the trail.
A Five hour overland trek between Hwy 60 and Hwy 17
Dead-end tracks
Cows
A RAGING river
Darkness, flashlights, a winch, snorkel, lockers, probing pole, high-powered spotlights,
Drivers wading in the river, A driver swimming in the river, A dog swimming in the river
Wet clothes
Thick nasty mud, 2M and CB radios, GPS, Topo maps, a full moon with cloud cover.
Steep off-camber trails with some wheel-in-the-air action and huge holes that look like they will swallow your rig whole
A silty river bottom that gave way
Multiple water crossings
Headlights under water
Another Toyota Tacoma and a Jeep Wrangler
Hunger
A thirst for cold beer and smooth tequila
Good friends

There, that information should keep things from getting blown out of proportion :elkgrin:

Desertdude

11-15-2005, 10:11 PM

BIG Thanks to Scott, Chris and company for hosting a fine event!

It is always great to match the faces to the handles and the trucks to the people.

Special thanks:

Vince for playing his songs on the last night up at Crown King, and letting me back him up on guitar around the birthday boys campfire ;)

To all the movie buffs who new all the lines to the movies, and a special nod to KC for making me laugh till my sides ached and my eyes teared - on the Joe dirt references.

Geoross for a demo of GPS pro

Ursidae69 for the Tarantula demonstration - " I really do not like spiders, says Chuck"

Brushing up on bonus questions for next year - and installing a super charger for the sand course :ar15:

Funniest quote of the weekend : "Eat through the pain" Scott Brady :eatchicke

datrupr

11-15-2005, 11:06 PM

Thanks again to Scott and everybody for putting on a great weekend. I am sorry that I was not able to stick around for Sunday nights festivities, but the boy had homework and wanted to get home to do it. Too bad I did not win anything, but the nice gifts for every participant was awesome and very thoughtful. Brian, you forgot to mention the Trooper that was initially sent out to aid in yours and Al's rescue, but was determined that it would not be successful in the water crossing. The BBQ pork was outstanding along with the home made sauces, which I did try both, but the pain was overwhelming to be able to eat anymore :D And the beer was flowing to freely that first night.

Everybody missed me cussing Scott out on that side trail off of Bloody Basin Rd. as I kept hitting the underside of my truck with what sounded to me like fairly large rocks. That and the cringing from all of the bushes that add a few extra pin stripes. But the Trooper made it out pretty much unscathed and I realized that it was a great time and a test to my ever expanding driving abilities. that and seeing the Deliverance clan near the end of that trail still makes me laugh. I can hear the banjo's playing now as I am reminiscing.

So, Scott, when can I make an appointment for you to come down and detail my truck? A couple of the pinstripe placements I am not too fond of and want them removed :hehe:

Anyway, a great time and thanks again for putting this on. Maybe next time I will actually win something :)

Ted

11-15-2005, 11:10 PM

Scott Brady

11-15-2005, 11:38 PM

There, that information should keep things from getting blown out of proportion :elkgrin:

That was so much fun... Watching you cross that river with the headlights UNDER the water was one of the highlights of the trip.

Scott Brady

11-15-2005, 11:50 PM

Hope to see everyone on the trail again some time soon.

Cheers,

Ted

Ted,

I am so glad you made it! It was great to see your sweet Discovery on the trail. You guys did fantastic in the navigation course too.

I am sure we will hit the trail together again soon :ylsmoke:

flyingwil

11-16-2005, 12:10 AM

I would really like to thank Scott and Chris for all their hard work putting this event together. I had a fantastic time on this trip. Also, I would like to say it was thoroughly enjoyable meeting such a great bunch of people (and dogs.) It was also a joy to see so many well-prepared rigs! Man, I think I see a roof-top tent in my future, and don't get me started on Pasquale's hot water on-demand system!!
My navigator and brother-in-law, Tim, had never driven off-road before and you couldn't wipe the grin off his face after Chris let him drive the sand course on an "exhibition" basis - wish we could have used his score instead of mine :)

The optional trip home with Flying Will added a nice little twist at the end as well. Let me say the Back Road to Crown King is a bit more exciting than I remember it from a year ago. Thanks for the tug Will!

Hope to see everyone on the trail again some time soon.

Cheers,

Ted

God! That was one hell of a trip home, Huh? Ted, Tim and I took the back roads back down to Lake Pleasant, needless to say that was an adventure in itself! After my slight shoe delima, (a punctured sidewall) and the Rover jumping into a wash out on a hill climb, the 5+ hour trek home was quite exciting. It took some creative rock stacking and a strong tug to get home. (See Pics Below) If anyone is thinking of taking TR-711 USE CAUTION! I would say it was a firm 3.0 and in some areas 3.5 to easily a 4 on the optional routes.

http://www.longlostcousins.com/Portals/0/472/IMG_0517.jpg
http://www.longlostcousins.com/Portals/0/472/IMG_0516.JPG
http://www.longlostcousins.com/Portals/0/472/IMG_0515.JPG

Cool Pic of the trip:
http://www.longlostcousins.com/Portals/0/472/IMG_0506.jpg

WIL

blupaddler

11-16-2005, 12:33 AM

THANKS SCOTT, CHRIS, BRIAN, ANDREW...Everyone who put so much time and effort into putting this entire event together.

This was a great weekend. Cat, Bella, and I all had such a fun time! Just like everyone else has said previously, it was great to put faces to names and the such. Everyone was so kind and we enjoyed every minute. The fun never stopped.

I was thrilled to see another, make that TWO green FZJ80's. I was begining to think that the official color was white.

Brian...I hope Cherokee gets better soon. Keep us posted about surgery.
Brian...Sorry to hear about Oliver. Let us know about the results.

Scott...Thanks so much again for everything.

Desertdude

11-16-2005, 01:21 AM

A BIG shout out to Rob, Cat and Bella. For the high energy fun, it was great to wheel and hang out by the fire with U's :campfire:

and to Hiltopper, for letting us poison you with our food - The "Long Way Around" DVD preview - the great baja tips - funny stories
...and bike dust :smileeek:

blupaddler

11-16-2005, 02:47 AM

Pasquale...We wouldn't have made it through that second day without your help.

6 letters = shower

HOT SHOWER

You guys rock!

BTW...Vince found something new on his Tacoma this morning.

flyingwil

11-16-2005, 03:02 AM

Thanks to all! It was definately too much fun!

Special thanks to all of our sponsors for the great gift donations! Thanks!

Thanks to Scott, Chris, Brian, KC, and Andrew for the Rally portion! It was a blast! Thanks to Ted, and Tim for helping me with my tire puncture on the way back to PHX.

I had a blast meeting you all and checking out your rigs! The more technical trails were a blast.

Vince thanks for the great fun, and I will now never look at a big log the same again, nor a "chineese saw." That Puppy burned all night long!

Pasqual and Vince great job at keeping us all entertain with your jamming sessions! (DesertDude, I like the Flyod jam! ROCK ON!)

Gee, it was fun, and wiped everyone out! See take a look and see if you can tell who this is passed out by the fire: :hehe:
http://www.longlostcousins.com/Portals/0/472/IMG_0504.jpg

:shakin: :shakin: :shakin:

Thanks for the great weekend!
Wil

CLynn85

11-16-2005, 03:26 AM

Sounds like ya'll had a good time. Can't wait to see some pics/vids.

goodtimes

11-16-2005, 04:17 AM

What happened to Cherokee? - how sad!

Cherokee lost her footing while climbing out of a ravine, and ended up tumbling back down the hill, tearing all of the ligaments in her R/R knee. Doggy Doc wants lots of $$$ to put it back together. She is loaded up on pain killers for now. It will be next week before I can get her back in to have a specialist (of some sort) look at it and give me a better idea of what we are looking at, along with long term effects of different solutions.

Scott Brady

11-16-2005, 05:39 AM

Gee, it was fun, and wiped everyone out! See take a look and see if you can tell who this is passed out by the fire: :hehe:

Wil

:xxrotflma

VikingVince

11-16-2005, 05:45 AM

It was a most enjoyable weekend...a HUGE thank you to Scott for planning and carrying off this event...and a big thanks to Chris as well for all his contributions...you guys are AMAZING!! :bowdown: :bowdown:

I enjoyed meeting y'all and seeing your vehicles...at rest and in action!

Pasquale...playing with you was such a treat for me...thank YOU for lending your wonderful muscianship to my tunes...I look forward to next time! (your CD made for a really nice drive home...thanks again) funny...I thought about a TRD supercharger too...then Robb said the whole thing can push $3-4K...forget it :exclaim:

Brian...sorry to hear about Cherokee...if you need some help with Cherokee, maybe we all (the forum) can help out...let's start a Cherokee Relief Fund...please don't put her down as an alternative to expensive surgery...when you find out, let us know what the prognosis and bottom line is...ok? Sorry to hear about Oliver too...but I think he'll be ok, yes?

By next year's rally, I WILL have learned how to use my GPS...promise!!!...look out Chuck!!!...(hehe)

Crown King was a hoot...now that place had character!

See y'll down the road,
Vince

DaktariEd

11-16-2005, 09:00 AM

Okey-Dokey!
Here is a small album of photos from the Expedition Trophy and Rally: Expedition Portal Fall Event 2005 (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/daktaried/album?.dir=6fbf)

Let me know how this works out...

:D
Ed

erin

11-16-2005, 11:30 AM

:clapsmile

Very nice photos ED, now I really wish I could have been there. Looks as though everyone had a memorable time and I will be looking forward to the next rally for sure.

Scott Brady

11-16-2005, 01:04 PM

Thanks for posting the images. Lets see some more pictures :) :clapsmile

goodtimes

11-16-2005, 01:38 PM

I didn't get too many pics. I was too busy enjoying the weekend. Even the pics that I did get were pretty much run of the mill stuff......

desertgirl66

11-16-2005, 01:39 PM

HERE (http://homepage.mac.com/kristinahall/PhotoAlbum5.html) are some fun people pictures! Everyone looks great! :clapsmile

Once again great meeting everyone, had a super time!

datrupr

11-16-2005, 03:17 PM

Ed & Christina, Great pics! Man, this weekend was just too much fun, I can not say it enough. I did not take a lot of photos, but I will get them downloaded and post them in a day or two. Again, sorry I missed Sunday's run and Sunday night, looks like everybody had a lot of fun.

Also, again thanks to Scott, Chris, KC, Brian, Andy, and everyone else who worked very hard to make this a most memorable weekend. I now look forward to being present at every one from here on out, too much fun! Andy, thanks for the copy of A4WD Monthly, it is proving to be a great read, I might have to bite the bullet and subscribe.

Brian, I hope Cherokee is ok, keep us posted, because liek Vince said, I will be happy to help out to get her back on all fours, she is a great dog and very sweet, and even through her injury, she just kept troopin along and played and kept her spirits up. She is part of the team and I think we would all be happy to help her otu in anyway that we can.

Brian, what is the prognosis on Oliver? I hope he is doing well and recovering as well. If you need anything in terms of help with Oliver let me know, I would be happy to help out with him as well. It reminds me of a camping trip I went on years ago with my old dog Sonora, we went on an 8 hour hike round trip to check out some indian ruins in a canyon, and when we got back to camp she wanted to keep playing, and she did. The next day she would not move, I had to pick her up and put her in the truck. Well, when we got home I called and made an appointment for the vet. The appointment was for the following day and by the time we had to go, she was all perky and lively, she was just exhausted and needed to rest. I hope that is the case for Oliver as well. I had a dog die of Valley Fever and it is not pleasant. Anyway, enough of my rambling, thanks again everyone and very nice to meet everybody.

P.S. Mark, sorry you could not make it, I know you were looking forward to it, but we will catch up next time. I used to work in the transmission business, and one thing I learned from that was, never mate a new engine to an old transmission. At least in domestic cars anyway. Did you get your O.D. fixed yet? Let me know when you are back in AZ and I will be happy to run a trail or two with you.

Brian McVickers

11-16-2005, 03:40 PM

Thanks for all the thoughts for Oliver
Update as of last nights phone conversation with the vet is that
Oliver has Lyme Disease, his test came back positive.
The Tick Fever test was negative and the Valley Fever test is still pending.

So with Lyme Disease he most likely contracted it 2-5 months ago from a Deer tick. We moved to AZ six months ago from Connecticut, Lyme Disease was named after Lyme Connecticut if that gives you any idea. And we used to hike in the woods about 6 hours a week so I'm not too surprized even with all the precautions we took against Deer Ticks.

The weekend of heavy play and cold night temps taxed his immune system just enought to allow the dormant Lyme Disease to get the upper hand.

Right now the plan is one month of rest and heavy antibiotics. We will be going back to the vet on Sunday to evaluate the plan of action.

Thanks again, Oliver gives everyone a nudge and a big 'ol whack from his tail! :elkgrin:

datrupr

11-16-2005, 03:52 PM

Brian, Send Oliver my best, and a good ol scratch behind the ears. :D

goodtimes

11-16-2005, 04:08 PM

Right now the plan is one month of rest and heavy antibiotics.

Hmmmm, sounds like a nice plan. If you get rid of the anti-biotics part, I think I'd like that plan for myself!

Cherokee is on a similar plan for now. Her surgery is being put off until next year, assuming that she doesn't regain use of her leg before then (not likely). Lots of rest in her near future. I'm kinda jealous.

Thanks for all the kind comments and offers of help. Vince, putting Cherokee down is not really a option. I don't feel her injuries are that bad. Even if she never regains use of that leg, as long as she keeps that spark in her eyes, her life will be good. If she ever loses that spark, then I will reconsider. Until then, she will continue to be my sidekick on all the trips.

Keep the pics coming! These are great. What an awesome trip. Thanks again for everyone who organized it, and for all those who attended, for making it such a great time! Even Al and Brian who provided the excitement for Friday night. 4 river crossings, (one resulting in a near-stuck), night-ops followed by tequilla.....man! Lets do it again!

Brian McVickers

11-16-2005, 04:08 PM

Pics from last weekend!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mcvickoffroad/album?.dir=/c656&.src=ph&.tok=phw2g8DBPY4ehumK

Just email me if you want individual copies of any of them emailed to you.

cshontz

11-16-2005, 04:14 PM

Words cannot convey the extent to which I am jealous. Looks like its the poser life for me. :mad:

Hey, I'll buy you guys a fruit basket if you organize such an event in the northeast. Any takers?

mountainpete

11-16-2005, 04:44 PM

Those pics... oh man am I jealous... I spent the weekend at a cabin in Panorama BC with the full family (west side of the Rockies close to Radium BC). It snowed. I was driving my wife's CR-V. I played Xbox with my nephew

Oh... and got the flu from him and have been sick since :coffee:

datrupr

11-16-2005, 05:25 PM

Brian, great pics!

flyingwil

11-16-2005, 07:20 PM

Here (http://www.longlostcousins.com/Default.aspx?tabid=83) are my Pics, or at least the ones I have downloaded as of now...

WIL

jeffryscott

11-16-2005, 07:25 PM

http://homepage.mac.com/jeffryscott/PhotoAlbum12.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jeffryscott/PhotoAlbum13.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jeffryscott/PhotoAlbum14.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jeffryscott/PhotoAlbum15.html

Can't wait to get home and view the other pics uploaded so far .... again, what a great weekend.

datrupr

11-16-2005, 07:28 PM

Nice pics Wil. Great shot of the water tank and windmil on that little back trail we took on Saturday.

Scott Brady

11-16-2005, 08:27 PM

GeoRoss

11-16-2005, 08:35 PM

These are some great pictures. I thought I had a great trantula shot until I saw the one with, I mean on Chuck.

Ross

Brian McVickers

11-16-2005, 09:02 PM

Chris Bajataco was clicking away all weekend as well.
Let's see em Chris :jump: !!

datrupr

11-16-2005, 10:25 PM

Jeff, awesome photos, especially the ones on the sand course. They really help to capture feeling of that event. OUTSTANDING!!!! :clapsmile

blupaddler

11-16-2005, 11:19 PM

Awesome pics everyone!!!

Brian & Brian...sorry to hear about los perros.

DaktariEd

11-17-2005, 02:29 AM

HERE (http://homepage.mac.com/kristinahall/PhotoAlbum5.html) are some fun people pictures! Everyone looks great! :clapsmile

Once again great meeting everyone, had a super time!

Great photos Christina! :clapsmile
Really shows the people side of the expedition event!

Thanks a million!

Ed :D

BajaTaco

11-17-2005, 03:41 PM

This was certainly a memorable event :cool:

Thanks for so many "thank you" 's everyone. I really have to hand it to Scott though - he really put this thing together rather quickly and did it very well. I just helped with the execution of his well-laid plans. Nice job Scott! The other critical part of this equation is the sum of all the people who attended. Everyone really added a superb quality of character, sportsmanship, and FUN to make this an awesome event. It is what we make of it, and you guys didn't waste any time! It was a gas to meet a lot of people for the first time and see who is behind the forum identity. And it was really cool to see all of my long-time buddies too. Some of you guys I have known for many, many years and it's pretty cool that depsite the miles apart we still manage to get together once in a while. My birthday was on Sunday, and I couldn't have asked for a better b-day celebration! Thanks for all of the gifts and treats everyone! :beer: I was in hog heaven!

Well, I will post more thoughts as they come along, but just wanted to drop in and put a few down now. I also will attach a pano-pic from that gorgeous overlook when we crested the ridge, looking to the east at the Mazatzal mountains and the Verde River valley.

Cherokee and Oliver, I hope you two are feeling better. We are rooting for you all the way! Don't let up and keep drooling with a smile!!!

P.S. - Great photos everyone! Thanks for posting 'em! Kristina, I'm really glad you got the cool "people" shots. I need to remember to get more of those next time. And Jeff! AWESOME rally course photos! And you got the expedition cadillac too! :bowdown:

Scott Brady

11-17-2005, 03:49 PM

HERE (http://homepage.mac.com/kristinahall/PhotoAlbum5.html) are some fun people pictures! Everyone looks great! :clapsmile

Once again great meeting everyone, had a super time!

Great pictures desertgirl :) It is so fun to see the event from everyones perspective.

BajaTaco

11-17-2005, 03:50 PM

I've processed some of my pics, but I don't have a gallery built yet. I'll throw a few in here right in the thread and if it bugs anybody due to slow connection, let me know and I'll remove them and do thumbs or something.

Pre-running the navigation course (photo by Scott Brady)

http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/exporally0501.jpg

View through DesertDude and DesertGirl's Maggiolina rooftop tent at camp on Friday evening

http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/exporally0502.jpg

Chuck's little buddy...

http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/exporally0503.jpg

Scott's sweet Eezi-Awn tent setup at camp on Friday evening

http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/exporally0504.jpg

pangaea

11-17-2005, 05:09 PM

Great photos everyone. It's nice to see some of the photos of the people attending the event too. I know that's a part that is often overlooked photographically, but Desertgirl did a great job capturing it.

Now I'm really bummed that I couldn't make it out there... :(

Desertdude

11-18-2005, 01:31 AM

Very nice photos Chris - you have a good eye for shooting ;)

Now I'm really bummed that I couldn't make it out there...

We are too! Next time for sure :campfire:

desertgirl66

11-18-2005, 02:28 AM

Wow, after being away for a few days, then reading this thread and seeing everyone's AWESOME pictures, I want to do it again!! What a stellar group of folks; talented, intelligent and way fun!! :jump:

Keep them pics coming~~

And best prayers for the really great doggies that are a major part of the gang~~~sending healing thoughts.

BajaTaco

11-18-2005, 04:51 AM

Nathan, we missed you man. But everyone was definitely speaking your name a lot! The goodies you sent out were quite the hit :jumping:

We missed Graham too. I wonder what that 110 would have clocked on the Sand course...

OK, here's a few more pics.

Jeff's Suzuki (2nd best time on the sand course) and his sleeping quarters at camp Friday evening

http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/exporally0505.jpg

DaktariEd's sweet FJ-40 (which is now the featured photo on my website!)

http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/exporally0506.jpg

Friday night at camp: Everyone is punching in waypoints for the nav course. L to R; DaktariEd, DesertGirl, DesertDude, Hltoppr, Datrupr

http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/exporally0507.jpg

pangaea

11-18-2005, 04:55 PM

Nathan, we missed you man. But everyone was definitely speaking your name a lot! The goodies you sent out were quite the hit.

Thanks. I wish I could have been there, but count me in for next years event.

We missed Graham too. I wonder what that 110 would have clocked on the Sand course...

It sure would have been a sight. Graham's probably one of the fastest drivers I've met, but there's only so much you can do with an 110HP engine in a 6,500 lb vehicle

Scott Brady

11-18-2005, 09:21 PM

I have uploaded my gallery to the Expedition Trophy site: http://www.expeditiontrophy.com/events/gallery/2005/index.htm

Brian McVickers

11-18-2005, 09:38 PM

Nice job on creating an entire site just for the Trophy Scott!
Great Pics too, can't wait to see more. :clapsmile

Ursidae69

11-18-2005, 09:51 PM

Great gallery Scott. :ylsmoke:

I have a couple more pictures that I took that I liked. Here are the sized down versions.

Cool windmill we passed on Saturday evening.
http://www.chucksweb.net/RandomPics/dscf1257a.jpg

A few of the vehicles with Saturday's rising moon.
http://www.chucksweb.net/RandomPics/dscf1259a.jpg

datrupr

11-18-2005, 10:27 PM

Great photos Scott. And good job on getting them on thier own dedicated site. :clapsmile

blupaddler

11-19-2005, 01:21 AM

Scott,

I am having difficulties posting my photos, and I think you scanned mine from the card. Do you think you could post mine on the site? Which ever ones you want. Thanks. :o

:clapsmile

BajaTaco

11-20-2005, 03:35 AM

Alrighty - MORE PICS (http://www.bajataco.com/exporally05/index.htm) :ylsmoke:

Suty

11-20-2005, 06:25 PM

Damn, it looked like on hell of a good time. I don't play a musical instrument, and I don't have a dog, but I have great Ambulance and Fire stories. I will be there next year for the 2nd Annual. Tu Compadres, Suty

Ursidae69

11-20-2005, 11:14 PM

Great pics Chris!!

Hey, has anyone heard from KC? I thought he would have made it back to WY and posted by now.

blupaddler

11-21-2005, 12:14 AM

KC said his trip was a total of twelve days or something. So, we should be hearing from him soon.

BajaTaco

11-21-2005, 12:34 AM

Yep, he is alive and well and back home now - but very busy for awhile, so we might not hear from him right away.

DaktariEd

11-21-2005, 02:20 AM

Wow! Scott, that's great to set up a site for the Expedition Trophy!
I love being able to access all the photo albums from a single site!

Terrific work!
:jumping:
Ed

goodtimes

11-21-2005, 05:02 PM

Quick update for those who have expressed concern.

Cherokee is doing well. She is still favoring her left rear leg, but she is putting some pressure on the right (which was the one injured). I have put off taking her to see the orthopedic vet to see how her recovery continues...but so far it is looking very good. She is running around, chasing her tennis ball, playing, etc. So, keep your fingers crossed....

BajaTaco

11-21-2005, 06:51 PM

Excellent news GT!! :clapsmile

Desertdude

11-21-2005, 07:04 PM

Chris you have a keen eye for photography - great work :victory:

GT good to hear the news on the D-O-G ;)

BajaTaco

11-21-2005, 07:42 PM

Chris you have a keen eye for photography - great work :victory:

GT good to hear the news on the D-O-G ;)

Thanks d00d :ylsmoke:

BajaTaco

11-21-2005, 08:12 PM

DOH!

Notice: I just realized that I forgot to give credit where credit is due. I added a note to the photo gallery page on my website to thank KC and Scott for their contributions. Scott took that first pic of my truck, and KC took all of the sand course photos. Sorry about that guys! :o

blupaddler

11-22-2005, 01:01 AM

GT...Thanks for keeping us up-to-date.

:clapsmile :clapsmile :clapsmile :clapsmile :clapsmile

brittan

11-22-2005, 02:43 AM

Sorry to have missed this. Looks like fun was had by all. Good pic Chris. Thanks for sharing. Hope to make it next year.

kcowyo

11-23-2005, 06:10 PM

Great pics Chris!!

Hey, has anyone heard from KC? I thought he would have made it back to WY and posted by now.

OK, so the last guy from the Rally to make it home has made it back to the forum! Man, when you go on a 12 day trip, there is a lot that needs tending to when you get back home, so I apologize for taking a while to get back in touch with everyone.

I can only echo the sentiments and gratitude expressed by everyone else here -
Thanks so much to Scott for organizing and hosting the event, and the sponsors who provided the challenge rewards. A first class event run by a top notch guy with an awesome rig. I hope you're making time to enjoy the results of all your hard work. Many thanks Scott!

To Chris, who let me be the tourist and didn't leave me lost out amongst the Saguaros, who gave me a great travel tip through Sedona (although I did misread the sign and kept trying to take Shelby Lane, not Shnelby Lane out of town. I finally got it right though.) and who shared his beautiful corner of the world with enthusiasm and genuine passion, I can't thank you enough. I can only hope to repay the favor someday!

To the Axe Man, Vince - Thank you so much for letting me crawl all over your rig, sharing your music and the interesting talks. With apologies to others, Vince has built an amazing outfit that was my favorite of the trip. What a generous spirit and talented artist, I hope we can hook up again on a trail soon!

The Prince of the ExPo Rally, ie He who wields (all) the mighty Scepter - Chuck. I swear our first meeting was like getting together with a life-long friend. Well, except for the part where you tried to run me over on the sand course! Thanks for sharing your Elk, the laughs, the cacti education and the genuine friendship. I wish we lived closer but until then, Colorado makes for a heck of a meeting ground. Soon, my friend, soon.

I don't want to ramble, but I did want to express my gratitude to a few others - Robb, a fellow T100 enthusiast with an awesome family and 'Cruiser. Al, who visited with me about Death Valley (and who also tried to mow me down on the sand course like he was Gregory Peck and I was a rabid dog), thanks for not killing me. GT, another one who on our first meeting was like hooking up with an old friend. Glad to hear the pooch is recovering Brian. Pasquale & Cristina, who so generously shared their music, local knowledge and enthusiasm. What a cool couple!

Wil, Tim, speedy Jeff, Ed (I covet thy 40), Ross and his beautiful girls, McVick (sick Disco), Aaron, Andrew it was a blast and a real treat for me in the rear of the pack to see everyone's outfits heading down the trail. This was huge trip for me and everyone played a part in it being so memorable. Thank you and bless you all for making me feel so welcome when I was so far from home.

I have a ton of pics that I'll be sorting through and posting over the holiday weekend and I'm going to bug Mr. Brady for some space here, in the Expedition Reports section, to do a full trip report with tons of Utah photos from the trip down and back. Thanks again to everyone!

So where are we going in 2006? :beer:

blupaddler

11-24-2005, 01:24 AM

KC...Welcome home!!!

We're glad you made it back safely.

:jump:

BajaTaco

11-24-2005, 01:56 AM

Hey man, we were honored to have such a special guest from so far away. Thanks for taking the time out to come and play with us. It was a great pleasure to finally meet you in person. And a nice T-100!

:beer: :beer: :beer:

Desertdude

11-24-2005, 04:56 PM

Glad to hear you made it home! Did you get to the top of Schnebly road to camp? :camping:

VikingVince

11-25-2005, 01:15 AM

KC,

Good to hear from you, dOOd... :jumping: Now I can say I have a friend in Wyoming!! It was really great that you made it to the rally as part of a 12 day solo trip. Geez, thanks for the compliment on my rig...there were some awesome rigs at the rally....maybe part of the reason you resonated with mine is because you could see the family potential...so bring the wife and kids down to southern Cal (are your kids old enough for Disneyland?)...you can stay at my place and show the wife what she's missing :hehe: LOL...you can all sleep in the flippac...your wife will love ya forever :hehe:

kcowyo

11-25-2005, 03:32 PM

Glad to hear you made it home! Did you get to the top of Schnebly road to camp? :camping:

I did make it to the top of Schnelby road after 2 loops around Shelby Lane. The timing was perfect as I was at the top vista for sunset. The view was spectacular with a setting sun over Sedona, and a full moon rising behind me. Since it was only 5:30pm, I opted to head for the north rim of the Grand Canyon to be there for sunrise. The top would have been a great place to camp but I was too wired to sit still.

I didn't get to GCNP till about 1am, after a stop for awhile in Flagstaff, but I had the full moon lighting up the Vermillion Cliffs all the way in. There was some snow between Jacobs Lake and the north rim so I spent a very cold couple of hours trying to sleep until sunup. However the next night at Escalante State Park was by far the coldest night - 18 degrees!! Brutal, but the payoff was being at Capitol Reef NP all day, what a hidden gem.

Thanks for the tip though Pasquale, I will just have to return for another trip, right?

Vince - I think you're dead on with your reasons. Re SoCal - check your PM.

It was a great trip and it's good to be home. Thanks again to everyone!

Desertdude

11-25-2005, 08:02 PM

but the payoff was being at Capitol Reef NP all day, what a hidden gem.

We love that area! Glad you could take the time to check it out- vosability well over 180 miles on a good day ( which is most days)

Thanks for the tip though Pasquale, I will just have to return for another trip, right?

Yes, you & yours have an open invite to come back down to Sedona anytime partner :gunt:

Enjoy that "BIG WYOMING SNOW" :archaeolo

datrupr

11-28-2005, 03:50 AM

Bump!!! I finally got around to my photos after the memory is fading, I am still on that sand course almost everyday in mind though. Here are just a few of the over 80 pics that I took. Sorry, these are not in any particular order.

pskhaat

11-28-2005, 04:55 AM

but the payoff was being at Capitol Reef NP all day, what a hidden gem.

I love that park! Did you get the opportunity to drive the loop?

Brian McVickers

11-28-2005, 02:52 PM

Great Pics Aaron.
Look forward to seeing the others!
The mountain shots came out very clear.

kcowyo

11-28-2005, 04:57 PM

I love that park! Did you get the opportunity to drive the loop?

I did take the road all the way through the park and back out. I took the side roads to Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge, although due to time constraints and cold, I opted to skip the hikes. The drive into Capitol Gorge was beautiful, if short. I was hoping to take the 4WD road north up to Cathedral Valley, just outside of the park, but it was already 3pm by the time I got there, so I chose to skip that too for another visit in the future.

Nice pics Aaron! Actually everyone has posted great pics. I'm trying to figure out what Jeff is shooting with to get those quick frames from the sand course. I need to get busy with my trip report!