Atlanta to Moab, Valley of the Gods, Vegas, Grand Canyon, Etc

[smittycrusher]

Back in January, I attended the “Country Fried Weekend” event that can be found in the SouthEastern Expedition Society section here on Expo. It rained almost the entire time I was there. While standing around a campfire in the rain, I met Brian (bgs here on EXPO). He was the only other 80 Series Land Cruiser at the event so I started asking him about his build (as it was very impressive). He filled me in on all the details. The rig is a 97 and he bought it in late 2011 with 95k miles. He took it to ACC Toyota here in Atlanta and built it up incredibly fast. There is a lot to this truck but here are the highlights:

Ironman 3” lift w/ foam cell shocks
Ironman winch bull bar
Ironman 12,000lb winch w/ synthetic line
Metal Tech sliders
4X4 labs rear bumper with ladder & custom ACC Toyota jerry can holder
Baja Rack full length roof rack
Ironman Snorkel
Ironman Fridge
Longfield Chromoly Birfs & Axle shafts
Ironman HID lights on bulbar
ARB Twin compressor
ARB rear locker
Aussie front locker
Custom ACC Toyota Part Time 4wd Kit
Nitro 4.88 gears
BFG KM2 315/75/16 tires
TRASHAROO - Awesome :sombrero:
Crystaline UV blocking tinted windows all around – including windshield (this is a great mod since we are spending a lot of daytime desert hours in the truck)

All work was done by ACC Toyota. As usual, these guys rocked on the build. We are very lucky to have them in Atlanta as they are awesome to work with and can handle anything you throw at them.

[smittycrusher]

The Plan
So as we are talking around the fire, Brian starts telling me about some trips that he is planning out west in the spring. He really wants to get his truck out there and start scouting some routes for a big family trip in May. He tells me that he is planning to ship the truck out to Vegas in April and leave it with some friends. Since he travels to Vegas regularly for work, he wants to have it out there to use and explore. He mentions that instead of shipping the truck, he would prefer to take a road trip out there in April. To do this, he would need another driver to help out. He asks if I would be interested. Of course I would be interested but I told him that there was no way as I have too much on my plate with work and family. Well, that didn’t work as Brian kept working on me for the next few weeks. Finally I gave in. He promised to have a wireless Verizon 4G card that I can use to log into my desktop and work from the truck on the road. This was big as I did not want to be away from work for a week during these volatile times. My wife is awesome and after a few promises to her, she became a big supporter of me getting away and doing something that I have always wanted to do. This was actually a perfect setup since we only have to drive one way and fly home from Vegas. This truly saves two to three days of driving since we don’t have to drive home. We pick a week to make it happen (April 23rd – April 30th).

[smittycrusher]

The Trip
On Monday, April 23rd, Brian picks me up at my house at 4:45am and off we go. We plan to drive as far as we can on the first day. We made it to Hays, Kansas (1100 miles) at 1am. We got a good eight hours of sleep and started back on the road at 9:30am. We planned to drive all the way to Moab on this leg (790 miles with a stop at Proffitt’s Cruisers along the way). We pulled into Moab around midnight. By this time, we were pretty tired. It was a loooong two days of driving. I am very thankful that we will not have to make the drive back.

Now that we are in Moab, we begin to reap our reward for all of the miles that we have logged. This place is absolutely amazing! We got another solid 8 hrs. of sleep and we woke up on Wednesday knowing that we would be in Moab all day with nothing but trails on our mind. We stayed at the Red Cliff Lodge and I can highly recommend this place. It is nestled up right next to the Colorado River and provides amazing 360 degree views. We decide to hit Porcupine Rim trail first in search of some great views to exercise our DSLR cameras. This trail was a lot of fun with many great opportunities for photos. The Cruiser seemed to be in his true environment. The very steep drop-offs along the narrow trail can take some getting used to. After we reach the overlook and hang out for a while snapping pics, we head back down and play around on Baby Lion’s Back, Fins & Things and Hells Revenge. We then decided to eat a late lunch and head back for a nap before our dinner reservation at the Red Cliff Lodge.

[smittycrusher]

The Trip cont'd

We went to bed early on Wednesday night and were back on the road Thursday morning around 8:30am. Our first destination was Valley of the Gods. This was the beginning of a very scenic and breathtaking day. I wish that we had more time to spend out here as I could get lost in the scenery. This trail is very much worth the drive if you are anywhere within driving distance. We decided to take the switchbacks immediately following the trail to find a nice lunch spot…we were rewarded again four our efforts. Amazing. One of the best lunches that I can remember. After lunch, we had to race over to Lake Powell to get on the last ferry to take us across the lake from Hall’s Crossing to Bullfrog Marina. From there, we decided to take the Burr Trail, which covers almost 70 very scenic miles. From Bullfrog, we went through Capital Reef National Park and then Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and ended in the small town of Boulder. Once in Boulder we stopped for dinner at the Boulder Mesa Restaurant. There we had one of the tastiest cheeseburgers I can imagine. I highly recommend a stop here for a burger if you are near by.

[smittycrusher]

After dinner, we began our final leg of the day towards Bryce Canyon. We were treated to more spectacular views and we just could not stop pulling off to snaps pictures. Last night, we stayed at Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon. This morning, we left around 7am to head into Bryce Canyon to get some shots before heading off to Vegas for one night. Then tomorrow morning we will head to the Bar 10 ranch in the Grand Canyon for two nights before returning back to Vegas for a red eye flight on Monday night back to Atlanta.

[Falkon]

Wow, what an awesome trip! :thumbup:

[smittycrusher]

We checked in to the Vdara Hotel in Vegas around 4pm on Saturday the 28th. This place was awesome! The suite was like a condo. It included a full kitchen w/ full size stainless steel fridge, etc. Enough about that, this is an overland adventure. I was honestly uncomfortable in Vegas that night because of all the people. This was fascinating to me since I live in Atlanta (and have lived in other large cities in the past, including LA). I also got married in Vegas and even though I don't gamble, I have been there many times. I had truly enjoyed the remote nature of the trip and was obviously not ready to give that up. Brian and I went out for an early dinner and went to bed pretty early as we were meeting up with five other people at 6:30am by the Vegas Speedway. From there, we drove into Mesquite, NV via I-15. At this point we met up with the rest of our group for the Bar 10 Ranch voyage. We had decided to take the moderate route into the ranch which meant heading straight over some mountains to get to the ranch...all off road. We went 97 miles in about seven hours and watched the ecosystems change multiple times. We were even fortunate enough to catch a group of wild horses gallop through one of the ranges. We all just simply watched in awe and silence.

We made it to the Bar 10 ranch around 2:30pm and got checked in. This ranch was the perfect setup for soaking in the canyon and being "off the grid" for a few days. We each had our very own covered wagon to sleep in (pictured below). I had two of the absolute best night’s sleep that I can remember. I think the temperature, breeze and natural noises in the night (coyotes howling) provided the perfect sleeping atmosphere.

After we were settled into our wagons, we decided to head out to the Whitmore overlook to explore and get some images before dinner. We went out another 15 miles or so (all rocky off road) to get to the overlook. I was blown away. It was absolutely amazing. Little did I know that the next day's trip to Toroweap would blow it away. I would consider Whitmore a great warm up for Toroweap...more like a Toroweap light. We saw a few fantastic camping spots near the overlook that I would love to utilize in the future when I bring my family out.

We made it back in time for a fantastic dinner cooked by the staff at the ranch. After dinner we sat around the campfire and were treated to two of the ranchers strumming guitars and singing some cowboy themed songs. Then off to bed.

The next morning we woke up to another fantastic meal by the ranch. Then we were off to the Toroweap overlook. It was about 40 off-road miles from the ranch and took us about three hours to get there. Again, we changed ecosystems a few times along the way. Once we made it to the overlook, we were all giddy. This overlook has to be one of the most amazing natural views in the world. Unfortunately our schedule would not allow us to get there as the sun was rising or setting, but the images are still fun to view. We hung out and explored for over an hour and none of us wanted to leave. We finally did leave knowing that we did not want to miss dinner at the ranch. After dinner, more music/singing, and some campfire socializing, we all went to bed knowing that we would have to leave after breakfast the next morning.

We left the ranch on Monday morning, the 30th, and went back to Mesquite a little different way (longer but faster...still all off-road). By the time we hit pavement near Mesquite, we had travelled 327 straight miles off road since Saturday morning. It was an amazing journey. Brian stayed in Vegas for a few more days to tend to some business and I caught a red eye back to Atlanta on Monday night.

We referred to this trip as "epic" so many times throughout the adventure. It truly was a trip of a lifetime. Once my son is older (he is five now) and I can trust him near the Grand Canyon ledges (Whitmore and Toroweap have ZERO safety measures...they are 100% natural) I plan to bring my family out again to create these memories with them as well.

Thank you Brian for "coaxing" me into this trip!

Smitty

[Bluto]

Hey Smitty!

I'm glad you got a chance to head back West of the Mississippi. Awesome photos. Initially, I thought that was your 80 that went through the metamorphosis. Good fortune your way.

Alan

[DanKunz]

Badass! Let me know who you used to ship the truck and cost estimates?

The Upstate Cruisers are planning a trip with 4-5 trucks next year in Sept to the Rubicon and Moab.

[BMThiker]

Their Plan


He mentions that instead of shipping the truck, he would prefer to take a road trip out there in April.

Great pics Smitty! Can't wait until we get back out west.

[DavidG]

Thanks for posting up! Brian emailed a few videos of you guys on the trail. Looks like quite the trip!

[smittycrusher]

Thanks for posting up! Brian emailed a few videos of you guys on the trail. Looks like quite the trip!
David,

It was an awesome trip. I landed in Atlanta this morning @ 9:20am and I am now sitting at my desk working on getting caught up. It is very hard to get back into the real world. I found myself very annoyed in Vegas last night because of all the people around. I must admit, I really enjoyed going very remote!

We have a ton of video footage that Brian (bsg) is going through. I am sure he will post up some links when he get everything edited together in an organized fashion.

Many more pics to come as well.

Smitty

[DavidG]

David,

It was an awesome trip. I landed in Atlanta this morning @ 9:20am and I am now sitting at my desk working on getting caught up. It is very hard to get back into the real world. I found myself very annoyed in Vegas last night because of all the people around. I must admit, I really enjoyed going very remote!

We have a ton of video footage that Brian (bsg) is going through. I am sure he will post up some links when he get everything edited together in an organized fashion.

Many more pics to come as well.

Smitty

Right on. Not to steal Brian's thunder, but how did his 80 perform? Looks nice and flexy in the pics.

[loup407]

I drove past your rig in Moab (in my Ti Silver FJC, pulling a Horizon)- almost rear-ended someone drooling over the 80. Looks great! We must have just missed you in VOG, as we camped there Thursday and Friday. Great trip!

[smittycrusher]

I drove past your rig in Moab (in my Ti Silver FJC, pulling a Horizon)- almost rear-ended someone drooling over the 80. Looks great! We must have just missed you in VOG, as we camped there Thursday and Friday. Great trip!

That is awesome that you posted up! We saw your rig in Moab...and then again in VOG. We also drooled over your rig/AT set up. We saw you head down the Moki Dugway as we were pulled off to the side (out of sight) having lunch. We then saw you pull off at the bottom and park for a few mins. (we could barely make out the cruiser & trailer while you were parked since it was so far down, but we knew it was you). I even thought that I wish I had a long lens to get your pic from the bottom while we were up top...small world!

Smitty

[smittycrusher]

As I am now sitting in my office trying to decompress and get caught up, I started thinking about my three favorite mods to Brian's truck based on our trip usuage. For example, I could not list the winch as a favorite since it never was unspooled. Here they are in reverse order:

3. PFran's interior LED dome lights (I will include the LED reverse lights since we did back up a few times in the pitch black as well) - These dome lights are a must have for any truck. They are very inexpensive and made the night time map reading MUCH better than would have been with the stock bulbs. This is a very useful upgrade.

2. Trasharoo trash bag - this bag is a must for any time off road! We were the only truck (out of three at times) with the Trasharoo. It became a community trash bag regardless of where we were. Everyone was thankful to have ZERO trash in the cabins. Being on the road for seven straight days without this trash bag would have seriously been unpleasant (smells and messes). Another very useful, inexpensive upgrade that every camper/overlander/traveler should have.

1. Ironman suspension with the Foam Cell shocks - I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THIS SUSPENSION! I am not very technical and could not tell you what "foam cell" means. I can tell you that after 327 straight miles off road with very diverse speed and terrain, this suspension shined. I have had the OME Springs/shocks on my rig for about five years. I have wheeled quite a bit in those five years but mine never felt this nice. There was zero shock fade throughout this trip. I had my mind set on the Frankie's Off Road (FOR) kit after great reviews, but I am sold on the Ironman after this trip and plan on upgrading my 80's OME to the Ironman in the near future.

That is all for now...back to work!

Smitty

[loup407]

Thanks for your kind words, I really enjoy my FJC, despite less then robust enthusiasm from some corners of the Overlanding Community. It works for us. I'm bummed we didn't see you at Moki; I would have pulled over to say hi (and ogle the 80). The Horizon is a blast..it took us a couple of years to find the right one; we use it a lot.
Also, I wholeheartedly agree with your comments re: the Trasharoo. I've had mine for a year. In bear country, it's a lot easier to haul it up on a line than some random large stuff sack.
Good to know about the Ironman shocks!

[bgs]

I drove past your rig in Moab (in my Ti Silver FJC, pulling a Horizon)- almost rear-ended someone drooling over the 80. Looks great! We must have just missed you in VOG, as we camped there Thursday and Friday. Great trip!

Small world - Scott and I spotted you from the top of Moki while we were sitting on the top shelf trying to have lunch with some serious wind gusts.

Take care,

Brian

[bgs]

Here are some video links of the earlier part of our trip wheeling on Porcupine Rim, Baby Lion's Back, and Hell's Revenge.

I will post some clips video from the Grand Canyon trip when I have a chance to digest all the footage.

Hope this works.......

https://vimeo.com/41184955

https://vimeo.com/41186054

https://vimeo.com/41185591

https://vimeo.com/41186988

[bgs]

Right on. Not to steal Brian's thunder, but how did his 80 perform? Looks nice and flexy in the pics.

Hi David - In a nutshell, the truck never let me down. Sadly, "Hoss" turned 100,000 miles on this trip so he is a teenager now. We traveled with my 80, 2 FJ Cruisers and a brand new 4 seater Polaris Razor to the Grand Canyon. We didn't know what to expect regarding road conditions because we took the harder way over the mountains from Mesquite. I called the Arizona Strip Field office in St George to find out road conditions beforehand, and they said it would be rough, but had no current information for me. When we got to the mountains and saw the steep rocky road ahead, the guys in the Razor thought the trucks would have to turn around and try another route. They told me this afterwards, and they were quote "blown away" when they saw us start climbing the mountain without stopping and just keep going (smiley face graphic here). Took us about 6 hours with some short stops to get to our destination on the North Rim. Was definitely a bit of a long work-out, more for me than the truck. I hope to post some video of the crossing soon.

Cheers,

BGS

[loup407]

Small world - Scott and I spotted you from the top of Moki while we were sitting on the top shelf trying to have lunch with some serious wind gusts.

Take care,

Brian

It got a lot windier later that afternoon, down on the valley floor! I'm pretty happy my awning is still intact. Looks like you guys had a great trip!

[Imnosaint]

Enjoyed the report. Glad to make out who you were. Overlanding makes this a smaller world, indeed.

[bgs]

Here is a short video compilation of the first day heading over to the North Rim by crossing the mountains near Mesquite. More to come.......

https://vimeo.com/41389343

YH,

Brian

[Stuartag]

Hi David - In a nutshell, the truck never let me down. Sadly, "Hoss" turned 100,000 miles on this trip so he is a teenager now. We traveled with my 80, 2 FJ Cruisers and a brand new 4 seater Polaris Razor to the Grand Canyon. We didn't know what to expect regarding road conditions because we took the harder way over the mountains from Mesquite. I called the Arizona Strip Field office in St George to find out road conditions beforehand, and they said it would be rough, but had no current information for me. When we got to the mountains and saw the steep rocky road ahead, the guys in the Razor thought the trucks would have to turn around and try another route. They told me this afterwards, and they were quote "blown away" when they saw us start climbing the mountain without stopping and just keep going (smiley face graphic here). Took us about 6 hours with some short stops to get to our destination on the North Rim. Was definitely a bit of a long work-out, more for me than the truck. I hope to post some video of the crossing soon.

Cheers,

BGS

What route did you exactly take from Mesquite into the Strip? I'm heading that way in a couple weeks. I have been on the Savanic Mine road up through the canyon, but would like to try BLM road 1050 through Grand Gulch, but heard it was impassable. Or did you take the northern route north of the Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness? Thanks for posting. Looks like a great trip.

[bgs]

What route did you exactly take from Mesquite into the Strip? I'm heading that way in a couple weeks. I have been on the Savanic Mine road up through the canyon, but would like to try BLM road 1050 through Grand Gulch, but heard it was impassable. Or did you take the northern route north of the Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness? Thanks for posting. Looks like a great trip.

There are two northern crossings from Mesquite, we took both (one on the way in, the other on the way back). Our trip to the rim was more north and east of where you describe, with the ultimate destinations being the Whitmore and Toroweap areas of the rim. I don't have any personal experience to tell you about the routes you would like to try. It sounds like you have planned a challenging trip. At least our trip got much easier once we crossed the mountains. I would be interested to hear the details of your trip when you return. Good luck!

[pfran42]

Dude! That trip was Epic! I am going to have to close up shop for two weeks and do something like this!

[richjeeps]

What route did you exactly take from Mesquite into the Strip? I'm heading that way in a couple weeks. I have been on the Savanic Mine road up through the canyon, but would like to try BLM road 1050 through Grand Gulch, but heard it was impassable. Or did you take the northern route north of the Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness? Thanks for posting. Looks like a great trip.

Stuartaq - I plan to visit that area in July. I was looking at the various routes and would be vey interested in learning from you. Appreciate you letting us know what you find, decided and experience.

Thanks
Rich

[Stuartag]

Stuartaq - I plan to visit that area in July. I was looking at the various routes and would be vey interested in learning from you. Appreciate you letting us know what you find, decided and experience.

Thanks
Rich

Will do! I have tried to get some info from the BLM in St. George, but they have been unresponsive so far. I leave Wednesday for Moab where I am meeting friends. We will then take the off-road route through southern Utah and into AZ, with a likely stopover at Overland Expo. The plan is to hit the Strip after the Expo. Thanks for the info, and sorry for the hijack.

Alan

[bgs]

Will do! I have tried to get some info from the BLM in St. George, but they have been unresponsive so far. I leave Wednesday for Moab where I am meeting friends. We will then take the off-road route through southern Utah and into AZ, with a likely stopover at Overland Expo. The plan is to hit the Strip after the Expo. Thanks for the info, and sorry for the hijack.

Alan

No worries with hijacking - I'll be back on the strip in a couple weeks as well (May 28-31). Please let me know, may see you there if dates overlap.

[bgs]

It got a lot windier later that afternoon, down on the valley floor! I'm pretty happy my awning is still intact. Looks like you guys had a great trip!

loup407 - does the FJC on the Moki (just above my roof rack) look familiar - small world again.

99938

[haven]

Here's more information about the Bar 10 Ranch. http://www.bar10.com/

[smittycrusher]

I just updated post #7 with the write-up and pics from the final leg of the trip - Bar 10 Ranch & Grand Canyon.

Smitty

[mstocks]

Three words....A MAZ ING!!! Glad you got to make this trip, but sorry you won't be joining us for GSMTR. At least you got to scope out some spots for the trip we've talked about over many campfires. Can't wait until the kids get older and we can tackle some of those trails together.

[steenh]

What a fantastic trip! Very jealous. Thanks for the report and pics. Not that I needed any more incentive to get out there, but it has surely fueled the fire!

[mgeiger]

Awesome trip fellas. Made my Wednesday morning as I ride the bus down GA400

[loup407]

Brian, it sure does! How cool....! You guys had an amazing trip. You going to OX12? We'll be there (the Horizon is already packed).

[bgs]

Here is another video link showing the road conditions and scenery on the way back from the strip to Mesquite.

http://vimeo.com/41801363

[cchoc]

Very cool TR. My wife and I did a road trip out west from Mar 19 to May 1, and were in Moab from April 17-19 - just missed you.

[Imnosaint]

Here is another video link showing the road conditions and scenery on the way back from the strip to Mesquite.

http://vimeo.com/41801363

Great video. Can you tell us where in Mequite this road terminates?

[bgs]

Great video. Can you tell us where in Mequite this road terminates?

Thanks Imnosaint,

Here is a screenshot of a map with a waypoint marking the termination point. Hope this helps. The specific coordinates can be seen on the photo inset.

*Edited the following picture in an attempt to upload one with higher resolution

http://img.tapatalk.com/6258dfd1-a9e1-c8b4.jpg

Cheers,

BGS


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[bgs]

Here is an image taken at Toroweap Overlook. I highly recommend this overlook if you are in the area.

101015

[Imnosaint]

Thanks Imnosaint,

Here is a screenshot of a map with a waypoint marking the termination point. Hope this helps.


Helps immensely. Thank you.

[smittycrusher]

Round two is in the works...very soon...as in November 10th-17th soon. Flying into Vegas on the 10th, flying out of Vegas on the 17th. A whole lot of Southern Utah in between. If you are interestef in joining us, shoot me a PM. We may have some room left.

Smitty