The Rough Rider. April 2018 Volume 43 Issue 4. In This Issue

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1 The Rough Rider The Monthly Newsletter of the Tucson Rough Riders, Inc. April 2018 Volume 43 Issue 4 In This Issue Upcoming Events 2-3 Meeting Minutes 4-5 Run Reports 6-11 For Sale 12 Club Officers 13 Member Anniversaries 13 Publishing Schedule 13 Editor s Corner Meeting Dates January 23 July 24 February 27 August 28 March 27 September 25 April 24 October 23 May 22 November 27 June 26 December (TBD) Summer Picnic June 24 Trail Dust Days October 4-7 Christmas Party TBD The Rough Rider is the official publication of the Tucson Rough Riders, Inc., P.O. Box 78726, Tucson, Arizona, The Tucson Rough Riders, Inc., is a rough-terrain vehicle club with the following goals: to enjoy and protect the natural environment, to provide social and recreational activities for its members, and to promote family togetherness. The Club assists the state and national resource management agencies and local community charitable organizations. The Club s general meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of each month at the U-Like Oriental Buffet, 5101 N. Oracle Road, Tucson, unless otherwise specified. The social gathering is from 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM, with the meeting starting at 7:00 PM. Members, guests, advertisers and the public are cordially invited to attend. Membership in the Tucson Rough Riders is $40.00 annually. Optional name tags may be purchased for $10.00 each. To qualify for membership, a four-wheel-drive vehicle owner must attend two runs and two meetings. Anyone wishing to join the Tucson Rough Riders is encouraged to contact any of the Board members, visit our website, or write to the Club at the above post office box.

2 The Rough Rider 2 April 2018 Upcoming events Plan to be at these events for a great time. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people or spend time with old friends. Don t have a ride? I m sure someone has a seat. Don t forget your camera! APRIL 2018 NOTE: PLEASE CHECK THE CLUB CALENDAR FOR UPDATES LAS CIENEGAS / EMPIRE RANCH SCENIC TRAIL April 28, 9:30 AM. Meet at the dirt parking area on the right side of AZ 83 (I-10 Exit 281 at the end of the exit ramp). Run Leader: Jeff Merrell ( leave message; azgoat7@gmail.com). Trail Rating: 3.0. Destination: Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. Trail length: 30 miles; Use CB Channel 38. The 3.0 rating is for a 3-mile stretch of the run; the rest is rated The trail begins at the meeting location and follows AZ 83 on the east side to the Las Cienegas NCA entrance. The north half of the trail is open desert down to the Narrows; the second half is through the National Conservation Area. You can see deer, turkey, pronghorn and great scenic views. MAY 2018 MOAB, UTAH May 3 May 12. Meeting place and time to be announced. Run Leaders: Ken Feldman / krfeldman@gmail.com), Bart Hogan ( / bhogan@pvfabs.com), and Steve Archer ( / sarcher@me.com). Trail Ratings: 3 to 4.5 range (lockers and lift required; winch recommended). Destination: Kane Creek camping, Moab, Utah. Ken Feldman, Bart Hogan and Steve Archer will be doing day trips in the Moab area May Their plan is to arrive May 3 or 4th and set up a primitive camp along Kane Creek. They will break camp and return to Tucson on May 12th. No set trail run agenda, but we will be selecting amongst those rated in the 3 to 4.5 range (lockers and lift required; winch recommended). Call or Steve ( ; sarcher@me.com), Ken ( ; krfeldman3@gmail.com) or Bart ( ; bhogan@pvbfabs.com) for more information. LOWER MANSFIELD May 6, 8:30 AM. Meet at Patagonia High School, 200 W. Naugle Ave, Patagonia. Run Leader: Kevin Kennedy (call or text ). Trail Rating: 3.5. Destination: Lower Mansfield Canyon, Patagonia, AZ. Trail-specific requirements: 1 locker minimum; 33-inch tires. This is a 3.5-rated trail with obstacles that can mostly be bypassed, but please expect people to try the obstacles. At least one locker, 33-inch tires please with experience. This trail can have some brush and off-camber spots for your information. ALAMO SPRINGS / CHIMNEY ROCK May 12, 9 AM. Meet at McDonald s at Tanque Verde and Catalina Highway. Run Leader: Not Given. Trail Rating: 3.5. Destination: Alamo Springs (in the Redington Pass area). Trail-specific requirements: 33 or larger tires; 4 lift; 1 locker. We will enter from the Bellota Ranch Road to Chimney Rock, then take the Alamo Springs trail to the Springs. (Distance

3 The Rough Rider 3 April 2018 is 5.6 miles). We will exit back to Chimney Rock Trail and continue out the east side of the trail to Milepost 17 on Redington Road. Total run distance is 12 miles. Depending on how many vehicles show up, we will do the last mile in 2 groups, as there is only enough room for 5 to 6 vehicles at the bottom. Some very nice scenery, with several obstacles: a 40- degree (V) turn hill with a inch step in the middle; a 200-foot rough hill climb; a tight boulder squeeze; several offcamber stretches; and a steep off-camber double drop down a rock face. RICE PEAK WORK RUN May 19, 8:30 AM. Meet at Bashas in Catalina (Oracle Road and Golder Ranch). Run Leader: Rheal Tetreault ( ). Trail Rating: Not given. Destination: Rice Peak. Bring lunch, shovels, 5-gal. buckets and fence pliers. We will be doing some work on Rice Peak. JUNE 2018 FREDDY S JEEP SHOW / MEET & GREET June 2, 5:00 PM 7:30 PM. Meet at Freddy s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Broadway and Kolb (7120 E. Broadway). Run Leader: Kevin Kennedy (call or text ). Trail Rating: n/a. Destination: Freddy s. Come out and see Jeeps and talk to friends; meet some new ones. Bring a chair and mingle. See Kevin K for signing in and possible treat. TRR SUMMER PICNIC June 24, 1-5 PM. Meet at McDonalds, Tanque Verde and Catalina Highway, to leave as a group at 1 PM. Run Leader: Stan Fetherman ( / Stanet1@msn.com) Trail Rating: n/a. Destination: Mt. Lemmon (8000-foot elevation) The Club will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips and soda. Members are asked to bring a side dish or a dessert. Please RSVP Stan Fetherman (see contact information, above) before June 16 so we can get a vehicle count, as parking on site is limited. BACKSIDE OF MT. LEMMON June 30, 8:30 AM. Meet at Bashas in Catalina (Oracle Road and Golder Ranch). Run Leader: Not given. Trail Rating: Destination: Summerhaven / Ski Valley Going up to Oracle and getting out of the heat. Bring a chair and your water. Once at the top, enjoy your day; check out Summerhaven and/or Ski Valley. The trail is over and your choice on what you would like to do in the cooler air. AUGUST 2018 Upcoming events (Cont d.) RUBICON / FORDYCE / SAND HOLLOW August 1 (???). Meeting time and location not given. Run Leader: Phil David Trail Rating: Not Given (Editor s Note: The Rubicon and Fordyce trails are nationally known and HARD. If you need more information about them, contact Phil. I don t know anything about Sand Hollow State Park, UT.) NOTE: As of May 10, this is not on the official run calendar. Have an idea for a run? Do you have an idea but don t want to lead a trip, or you don t know the route? Don t worry! Just contact a Board member with your ideas. Please remember these trips usually are day trips which means to bring plenty of water.

4 The Rough Rider 4 April 2018 Meeting Minutes Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7 PM and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. A motion was called for, made, seconded, voted on, and passed to accept the March meeting s minutes as printed in the Rough Rider. Land Use (Becky) Working with BLM on implementation of the adopt-aroad program. Lobbyist still working to keep OHV funds. Grant funding. At AZ Offroad Expo. Mini-SEMA. Lots of toys. Lots of participation from the Phoenix clubs. ASA and 4WP wants to do a customer appreciation day in Nov. Becky does have maps available that show trails. $2 covers printing. Quarterly in Wickenburg on May 5th. Camping by Vulture mine. State Report, Adopt-a-Trail/Adopt-a-Ranch (Rheal) ASA work run. Acreage in Florence development. John and Lil brought out the Bobcat. They had burn permits for the cholla. Cleared a first pass on the road. Cholla got way too hot. Had to cut down the pile size to keep the fire size small. Need to work on campsites. ASA board will have to decide on next steps. Rice Peak work run. See upcoming runs. There are repairs we need to do. National Forest Land. Fire restrictions. No smoking, fires, shooting, gas-fired equipment, etc. Everything except motor vehicles. Must stay within 10 feet of the trail. Guests (Andy) *** Welcome*** my apologies up front for any misspelling. Brian and Pearl Caulkins 2004 Jeep. Internet. Grew up in Tucson. Larry and Martha Castriotta Jeep Rubicon. Fellow member. David and Patricia Langford. Shopping for a Vehicle. Internet. George Wanat 2011 Jeep. Fellow member. Michael Ingrando 1999 Jeep. Internet. Gregory and Susan Bryson 1978 Jeep CJ5. Bill PV auto. Winch clinic was great. Susan Modzelewski. Son Darin and Husband Terry. Judy introduced them Unlimited. Membership (Miles Weigold for Tom) Two runs, two meetings. Prorated amount due: Approximately $30 Name Tag. $10 each. If a run is on the calendar at least 4 days in advance, it counts as a run. Please make sure you sign in for runs and meetings, and that your name is legible. New Membership. *** Welcome aboard. *** my apologies up front for any misspelling. John Lindskood. Runs: China Camp, Sawtooth, and petroglyphs. All have been lots of fun. Moved to accept membership. Seconded. Voted in. Erin Columbo. The Gap, Santa Rita. The Gap is the most fun. Moved to accept membership. Seconded. Voted in. Participation Report (Miles) Track member participation. Averaging 51 people per meeting One rescue. Point leaders are Becky & Rheal. Leader is Tim Naylor. Safety and Education (Ben & Leo) Soft Clevis. Bill at PV Auto. $25 plus tax. Very convenient to use. Multi-directional. Does not bind. Trail fluids. Brake fluid. DOT 3. Differential grease. 75/90 but get what is needed for your vehicle. Motor oil. Power steering fluid. ATF. Funnel. Bar of soap. Soap will seal small cracks. Black pepper can be used to seal small holes in radiator. Thermal Silicon tape. Heat will seal it. Liquid steel. Dental floss will reinforce silicon tape. Very strong. Hand sanitizer can be used to reset the bead on a tire. Presentations No presentation this month. President s Report (Andy) Last meeting - Mel nominated Tim Naylor for Honorary membership. Tim constantly goes above and beyond. Member since Board has voted him a honorary membership. Stickers - Magnetic $10, Stick on $5. Others are available as well. Editor s Report (Dave) 9 runs in the newsletter, 10 run reports. Personal stories are welcome. Due Saturday. Guest editor for May issue? Deadline for May meeting is May 25th. June will be July 1st. Website (Tim) Trail maps. 8 trails are on the website. Public trails will be available to all. Private trails will be available to members only. Miles from meeting area to trail head. Miles - round trip miles.

5 The Rough Rider 5 April 2018 Meeting Minutes (Cont d.) Old Business TDD - Kevin Kennedy is the chair this year. Need volunteers. October 4th - 7th. 25th. Trails. Shirts. Raffle. Tech inspection. Meeting Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM. New Business Not covered. Run Reports For details and photos, please check out the Run Reports section elsewhere in the newsletter. Santa Rita Mountains Scenic run. 39 vehicles. Long trail of vehicles. Did get very warm. China Camp Tar Wash Winch Clinic. 25 vehicles. Lots of good instruction. Never use your winch cable for towing. Use a strap. ASA Land Work run Carpet Road through Benson. The washboard road. All the lug nuts came off. Found a few. Check your lug nuts regularly. Volcanic rock will absorb moisture and will explode when heated. One washout could use a repair. Cowboy Miller loop. Recommend two days. Can be done in a 12/13 hour day. Not recommended for stock vehicles. Carpet Hill needs lockers. Run Announcements For details, please check out the Upcoming Events section elsewhere in the newsletter. Official runs must be posted on the calendar a minimum of 4 days in advance. Run leaders, make sure everyone signs in appropriately. Guest vs Members. Must be legible. April 28 th. Las Cienega / Empire Ranch May 3 rd. Moab Utah. Lockers, winch, harder runs. May 6 th. Lower Mansfield in Patagonia. 31/2 to 4. May 12 th Alamo Springs / Chimney Rock June 2nd Freddy s - car show. 5pm to 7:30pm. Please come. June 30th Back side of the Lemmon. Bottom up. Summer picnic may be on Lemmon as well. Aug 1st. Rubicon. WORK RUNS. Rice Peak May 19th. Have some washouts to build up. Land use Donation $ Raffle No Raffle.

6 The Rough Rider 6 April 2018 Run Reports China Camp / China Peak (04/07 Steve Archer) (Story by Steve Archer. Photos by Steve Archer, Steve Williams and Tim Naylor.) Participants met at I-10 and Houghton (Exit 275) at 8 am. The group consisted of 8 rigs, 13 Rough Riders and two guests. After some brief discussion and a drivers meeting, we caravanned down I-10 to Benson and topped off gas tanks at the Love s Travel Center (Exit 302; the Hwy to Kartchner Caverns). We then continued on I-10 to Exit 303 and headed toward Tombstone on Hwy 80. About 1.6 miles before Tombstone we turned north onto Middlemarch Rd and stopped to air-down and get rigs off trailers where the blacktop turns to gravel. The turnoff to Middlemarch is well-marked on Hwy 80. The trail head to China Camp/China Peak (FR 695) starts near Gordon Tank, about 11.8 miles up Middlemarch, most of which is dusty, wash-boarded gravel. We started up the trail (FR 695) about 10:15 am. Skies were overcast, becoming partly cloudy and temperatures were balmy. The total length of the trail from the Middlemarch turnoff to the top of China Peak is 3.9 miles. The first 1.9 miles traverse a narrow, exposed, but well-defined shelf road that proceeds steadily uphill to a formation called The Gate. From here we had beautiful views of the unique rock formations of the Dragoon Mountains and the desert below, with Tombstone in the distance. This portion of the run was rough in sections, but no obstacles per se; rated 3.0. Ocotillo and agave were abundant and Indian Paintbrush was in bloom (bright red flowers). After passing through The Gate, the trail descends 0.2 miles to China Camp. Cement foundations of this historic setting are scattered throughout a beautiful basin dominated by live oak, pinyon pine and alligator juniper. We arrived here about 11 am. Larry Narcus told us what he knew of the history of this area, but unfortunately, not much is known other than the camp housed Chinese that worked the gold and silver mines. After a short time of poking around, we continued on for 0.9 miles to a group of mines at the base of the steep ascent to China Peak. There are several short side-trails in this area that dead-end at mine shafts and tailings that we did not take time to explore. Tim Naylor took pictures of some of these on the April 3 rd pre-run and you can see them in Photo Album 255 on the Rough Riders web page. The last 0.8 miles of the trail are a steep shelfroad climb to China Peak. The trail is narrow with several tight, hair-pin switchbacks, and several portions are long, steep climbs on loose scree. This last section of the trail is rated 3.5. Lockers were useful on this section, though one of the vehicles without lockers made it fine. This last section tops out at China Peak, eleva-

7 The Rough Rider 7 April 2018 Run Reports (Cont d.) We returned on the same route we came in on and made it through The Gate and down the long shelf road with no issues. We got off the trail and on to Middlemarch Road at 2:15 pm. After airing up, some headed to Tombstone to check things out at Big Nose Kate s; others headed to Tucson. As a bonus to the scenic vistas there were no breakdowns and no flats. All the rigs were well-suited to the trail, so we did not have to strap or winch anyone. Everyone got mementos in the form of Arizona pin striping. For more photos, see Photo Album 255 on the Rough Riders web page. The trail has changed little since I last ran it in January Thanks to Tim Naylor, Leo O Campo, Miles Weigold, and Stan Fetherman for doing the pre-run. See next page for an elevation gain graphic. tion There is not much room to maneuver at China Peak, so we staged in an open area about 0.2 miles below the summit and went up in two separate groups. The views from China Peak and the staging area were spectacular and panoramic. Wilcox Playa, the community of Sunsite, and areas with green irrigated crops in the Sulphur Springs Valley stood out below us to the east, with the Chiricahua Mountains in the distance. The Santa Rita and Huachuca Mountains were visible in the distance looking west and southwest across the San Pedro Valley. After a bit of time at the summit we headed back down to China Camp, arriving at about 1:10 pm to for a late lunch. At 1:50 pm we discussed whether to backtrack 1 mile and spend some time poking around the mines or head for home. The group opted for the latter.

8 The Rough Rider 8 April 2018 Run Reports (Cont d.) In the elevation schematic above (courtesy of Tim Naylor), Trail Head is defined as the Hwy 80-Middlemarch Rd junction.

9 The Rough Rider 9 April 2018 Run Reports (Cont d.) Tucson Wash (04/08 Mel Hockwitt) (Photos by Tim Naylor)

10 The Rough Rider 10 April 2018 Run Reports (Cont d.) Winch Clinic (04/14 Phil David) (Story by Larry Narcus. Photos by Tim Naylor and Malcolm Leslie.) On April 14, the club ran a Winch Clinic which I hope will become an annual event due to its success. When we arrived at the clinic site and got settled, Leo O Campo and Phil David gave a very detailed presentation of the various components used in winching and towing. Active club participation made for a very informative session. All sorts of devices were illustrated and their proper use described. Twenty-five Jeeps and 31 members and guests assembled at Bashas in Catalina on Saturday morning. The day was bright and cool, with some strong breezes in the forecast. Obviously, by the size of the crowd, the event was indeed of interest. We made the quick run to the southern trailhead of Charouleau Gap and aired down at this parking area. The southern end of the Gap is a bit vigorous but all vehicles made the trip to the Mini Dump Bump with no problems encountered. This obstacle moniker is one handmade by Phil David since an attempt to scale the center of this wide obstacle, which is about a 4-5 foot climb, could result in a tipover onto one s roof. There are go-arounds both left and right of the main obstacle to avoid what would be an unsettling experience. Phil then set up two anchor points at the center of the obstacle. Both anchor points consisted of two Jeeps, the first of which was the actual anchor point to which the winch of the vehicle being winched was attached. The second vehicle was an added safety measure to ensure the steadfast location of the primary anchor point vehicle. Special thanks go to Tim Naylor and Gary Fabiano in line one and Paul Siskind and Leo O Campo in line number two. I had the opportunity to operate Tim Naylor s Jeep during one of the winch up procedures, and I can assure you that the added Jeep to secure the main anchor Jeep was indeed reassuring. After the main anchor point tows, Leo and Phil hooked up the snatch block to one of the main anchor point vehicles. This device can provide two benefits: one allows the doubling of the pulling capacity of the winch employed since the snatch block provides two tow lines. The second, and to me the more interesting, is to hook the block at an angle to the main anchor vehicle. This will allow the pull to be from a different direction than straight on. I got to see this application in the field on a run to the Magic Carpet trail as we had to pull Chris Richardson s Jeep up from a slight tip over on its side. Just absolutely amazing how effectively this snatch block works. If nothing else, the clinic is worth the demonstration of the snatch block technique.

11 The Rough Rider 11 April 2018 Run Reports (Cont d.) Tim Naylor has assembled two videos on the club website, one provided by Malcolm Leslie, that demonstrate the procedures used at this clinic. Take a look: as they say, one picture is worth a thousand words. We enjoyed this clinic for a few hours and then adjourned for a quick and enjoyable lunch at the obstacle site. After lunch, some Jeeps led by Andres Sacio went on up the trail to play at the Kiss Rock! area, while the remainder went back to the trailhead with Phil David to air up and head home. All had a great time and the event greatly enhanced the winch knowledge of many of the club members. It certainly improved the trail skills of many of our members and I hope we can make this a yearly event so that new members and those who missed this one can enjoy a truly meaningful educational event. Well done, Phil and Leo, and special thanks to Phil David for organizing this event.

12 The Rough Rider 12 April 2018 For Sale [Editor s Note: This section is only included when there s something to sell, and is on a month-by-month basis. Sellers must notify me each month if they want the ad continued.] VIAIR AUTOMATIC PORTABLE COMPRESSOR MODEL #45053 New in box. Comes with tire inflation gun and gauge, air hose, RV accessories, and carrying case. Powered directly from vehicle through alligator clamps. List price $329. Asking $250. Call Stan Fetherman [Editor s Note: I apologize for the low quality of the image. I was only able to scan the original through my iphone and it didn t do too well.]

13 The Rough Rider 13 April 2018 Club Officers Member Anniversaries Board of Directors President Andy Sacio Vice President Phil David Treasurer Malcolm Leslie Secretary Lon Drenten ASA4WDC Delegate Becky Antle ASA4WDC Delegate Rheal Tetreault April Mark & Kim Campion 2016 Brad Harford 2015 John & Marilyn Overbey 2015 Howard & Patricia Purscelley 2007 Miles & Pat Weigold 2014 May Charles Anderson 2017 Mike & Karen Carrier 2017 Robert Cristia 2014 John & Jean Fearnow 2015 Joe & Bonnie Grisillo 2016 Bart & Sandra Hogan 2015 Malcolm & June Leslie 2005 Jack & Pamela Mathwig 2017 Dean & Sue Nelson 2015 Jacqui Van Der Peet & Larry Peacock 2017 NOTE: If your anniversary date is incorrect in any way (it s here and shouldn t be; it s not here and should be; the month is correct but the year isn t; etc.), please let Tom Parker know so he can correct our records. Non-BoD Positions Editor Dave Peterson gonzodave@yahoo.com Historian Tim Naylor tim.naylor@comcast.net Membership Tom Parker k5mud@earthlink.net Participation Miles Weigold milesweigold@mac.com Webmaster Tim Naylor tim.naylor@comcast.net Rescue Patrol Mel Hockwitt melhockwitt@msn.com Publishing Schedule 2018 Rough Rider Publishing Dates: January: 1/28 July: 7/29 February: 3/4 August: 9/2 March: 4/9 September: 9/30 April: 5/10* October: 10/28 May: 5/25* November: 12/2 June: 7/1 December: 12/28 NOTE: Dates may vary due to travel or holiday. Date changes will be published as soon as they are known. * - Change from previous issue

14 The Rough Rider 14 April 2018 Editor s Corner Well, it s official I am now a (VERY happily) married man! The ceremony went off without a hitch on Sunday, May 6, at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. About 100 people braved the heat to help us celebrate! I regret that we couldn t invite *everyone*, but there simply wasn t room. Things are (almost) back to normal again whatever normal is for us now. Wynne (pronounced win ) and I both live (with our cat, Django) at the address listed in the club roster, and I ve asked Tom to update my entry to show that I m no longer single. Neither Wynne nor I changed our names, so it s Wynne Brown and Dave Peterson. Maybe one of these days I ll persuade her to come to a meeting! But probably not May, and definitely not June. As I mentioned at the April meeting, we re leaving for our honeymoon on May 29 and will return June 29. So the days leading up to our departure will be busy ones! As a result, I stated at the April meeting that the deadline for submissions for the May Rough Rider will be Friday, May 25, so that I can get the issue out before I run off. The deadline for the June issue will remain July 1, which is a couple of days after we get back and *should* be late enough that I ll be able to function! I also said that, if you want to guest-edit the May issue of the Rough Rider, you should please let me know. A working knowledge of Microsoft Publisher is required, unfortunately, but other than that, you d have free reign to put your mark on the newsletter. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you my bride: Wynne Brown! (I have no idea who the goofy guy is next to her )