March 2019 Newsletter by Paul Kastle

The Rooster

March 2019

THE ROOSTER A monthly update from the Inland Empire Offroad Association

What’s New We had another good long Presidents Week trip, with many different people in the dunes over both weekends.

Glamis Presidents Week 2019 Presidents Week at Glamis 2/6/19-2/19/19 By Jim Kastle

New Rides Jerry and Linda Trantham picked up a nice barely used Turbo 1000 RZR with Dynamix suspension, and Dale and Rebecca Downsworth picked up a brand new CanAm Maverick. Check out pictures on page 7!

Early Spring Break For our next Glamis trip, we are planning on heading out the last week of March. Allie has the week off, so we’ll be there from March 27 through 31st, and others may stay longer.

I arrived on Wednesday and started installing the transmission I had taken home after New Years. I discovered I needed a 5/16, 12 point socket. No problem, Brawley has a NAPA. They were closed, and neither Auto Zone nor O’Reilly’s had one. I went to El Centro and had no luck. Thursday morning I went back to Brawley, where I had a very forgettable breakfast served by an inattentive waitress at Brownie’s, and found the socket I needed at Imperial Hardware after the guy at NAPA couldn’t find one, and didn’t know how to look it up on the computer. This was my worst NAPA experience ever! Back in camp I continued working on the buggy. Steve Sturm and his friends Mike and Karen showed up and helped me install

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March 2019

the trans. Mike and Karen have quads, and this was their first time to Glamis. They are very nice, and rode with Steve and me, and did some exploring on the quads.

Upcoming Events • March 27- April 1st: Early Spring Break at Glamis, Wash 6.

Thursday night John and Anna arrived, followed by Ray and Janice. Nancy; Don and Shirley; Jerry and Linda; Frank Wilson; Mike and Pat; and PJ, Melissa (Sans boot or scooter) and the kids all arrived Friday. Saturday Kris and Doug; and for the first time this season Danny, Pam, Daniel, and Nicole Burns arrived. We found the reason they have been absent was that Daniel broke both legs in December in a freak motocross practice accident. He had been confined to a wheelchair; but is now walking without any aides, an amazing feat.

• May 3-5: Cinco de Mayo Weekend at Dumont. Some out for a nice weekend of fast riding to close out the dune season. • April 19-21: Easter Weekend. Let us know if you are planning a trip.

March, 2019 S

We went for a few buggy rides and had a few problems. Once my engine, which has been a bit temperamental lately, backfired as I was starting it and blew a line oﬀ the intake, necessitating a trip back to camp with a rag stuﬀed in it to lessen sand entry. Steve’s car overheated, and with John’s leadership, we diagnosed that as a defective fuse holder and were able to improvise a new fuse holder and that eliminated any overheating. We had separate buggy and side-by-side rides over the weekend. Saturday morning it was quite cold and windy, but with the help of a burn barrel fire for warmth we had a very successful omelet boil with a wide variety of ingredients and nearly everybody in camp, and special guests from Gordon’s Well, Bobby and LuAnn, participating. On Sunday we had separate buggy and

April, 2019 S

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March 2019

side-by-side rides that went to the Duner’s Diner. We met at the diner for lunch with Bobby and LuAnn. We visited Bobby in their camp at the RV park near the diner. PJ and Melissa headed home Sunday, but left the trailer and toys in camp for next weekend. Monday Ray led John, Frank, and me on a buggy ride. Ray did an excellent job of leading the buggies on a very fast ride that covered a large amount of the dunes from camp to near Hill 5 over to the swing set and in the old closed area beyond the swing set. We used fourth gear in the buggies as much as we ever do on a ride. John is still talking about this ride, and it’s now over a week later! Monday night Nancy and I went to Yuma for a Texas roadhouse dinner. On Tuesday morning Kris came by and said that they were planning to go to Texas roadhouse to celebrate Doug‘s birthday. Nancy and I oﬀered no resistance. Ray led Janice, Don and Shirley, Jerry and Linda, and me on a gentle ride along the east edge of the dunes down to about wash 40. We saw a pair of flag poles that are apparently monuments that we had never seen before. That evening Don and Shirley, Kris and Doug, Mike and Pat, and Nancy and I enjoyed a nice birthday dinner. Wednesday Nancy headed home and onto Vegas. Mike led Jerry and Linda, Kris and Doug, and me on a ride to the mines south of Ogilby and beyond. A highlight of the ride was circumnavigating a mountain that is southeast of the Ogilby road crossing. At one point most of us weren’t sure where we were. My GPS showed we were 12 miles from the Ogilby railroad crossing. Jerry’s GPS showed we were on Barney Oldfield Road. For you kids, Barney Oldfield was a race car driver in the early 1900’s. Jerry also noted his

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March 2019

GPS showed us near Algodones. We were way out there! It was quite cold, but we had a great time. Back in camp I decided to attempt to repair the tongue jack on the yellow trailer. That jack is clearly a cat, with at least 9 lives. It has died many times, but we’ve fixed it each time. When I tried to use it this trip, smoke came from it. I feared it was finally gone for good. But with a little heat shrink and some optimism, I got it to raise, but not lower. I figured it had to be the switch. I needed some water anyway, so I went to Brawley. Brawley trailer supply had the switch. I went to the ice house for water, as I’ve done dozens of times back for at least 25 years. I was shocked to see they have capped off all their faucets. I read on line that the new Pilot truck stop in Brawley has water, so I decided to try there. There is no direct access to the truck stop from the highway, instead you must turn onto a side road, then enter the truck stop. There was no water at the car islands, so I went in and asked. The first clerk I asked knew nothing about water, but a nearby employee said the water was at the truck islands. I went to the truck islands, but there were two trucks in line at each, so I gave up. My impression of the Brawley Pilot was that it is very small and crowded. Not what I expect from a truck stop. Thursday Kris and Doug and Mike and Pat left to spend the weekend at Salton City. Rain threatened all day, and we did get some rain, so there was no riding. Ray and I went to Brawley to get a fuel pump for his trailer. While there we visited the Pizza Hut buffet. It was very good, and Ray’s company made it better. That evening I went to the Quechan casino down by Yuma, and made the 8 mile detour to the rest area by Buttercup and filled up with water. Friday Ray led Don and Shirley in Jerry and Linda’s new 1000 four seat computer disguised as a RZR, Jerry and Linda in the Ford’s four seat 1000, and me in my RZR on a ride to the area of Hill 3 and Olds. The sand was pretty wet, so my knobby tires worked OK. I hadn’t put the paddles back on after Quartzsite. After lunch Ray led Jerry and me on a ride. I left the knobbies on, and the sand had dried so much I couldn’t keep up. I gave up and we returned to camp. I checked my phone and saw P J left work at lunch, and planned to make it to Brawley for dinner. He mentioned that Dale and Rebecca were on their way to Glamis. We wondered what they would bring to ride. About sunset they arrived with a brand new Can Am in a brand new trailer. They are both excited. P.J. and family arrived around 7:30, a record early arrival. Friday night the Marines arrived! Jim and Kelly; Troy (aka Huck) and his family; Tom and Jacob; Jeff, Renee, and Tyler and I’m sure others arrived. P.J. did a quick count and found there was something like 5 Can Ams, 5 RZRs, and 2 sand rails in camp. Times have sure changed! Saturday Ray led a bunch of side by sides, quads, and two sand rails on a ride. Dale’s Can Am had just a few minutes

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March 2019

running time on it before the ride, and Can Am suggests a ten hour break in, so he decided to take it easy on the new ride. Dale, Rebecca, P.J., and I split oﬀ and took a leisurely ride to Olds, Sweet Maries, and camp. In retrospect, that was a good call, as the rest of the ride was gone for 5 ½ hours. Sunday we had another omelet boil. When I lit the burners at 7:15, it was calm, but cold. Before the 9:00 AM start time the wind had come up. The water had been boiling strongly earlier, but with the wind and the cold, was barely boiling. This, and the fact the two burner stove’s burners both blew out greatly extended the cooking time. We moved the burners to the side of the trailer, and fashioned a wind break from some particle board and a table, After about twice the normal time, mine was cooked and tasted great, but it took way too long I’m sorry about that. In the two or more years we’ve been doing them, this was the first time that’s happened. I just ordered a new regulator for the two burner stove. Hopefully things will return to normal next time. Later Sunday Ray led another ride, but Dale was still in break in mode. I mentioned this to Don, and said Shirley might like to go. I was honored that Shirley chose to drive on a ride for the first time in a long time. She, Dale and Rebecca, and P.J. followed me on the smoothest ride I could manage to the flag, the swing set, Hill 4, and camp. Shirley said she enjoyed it, and most importantly, she wasn’t hurting. As we left Hill 4, the check engine light on the new Can Am came on. We stopped, checked what we could, fired it up, and the light was still on. We waited and looked at it some more, found nothing, fired it up and the light was oﬀ. We got back to camp with no further issues. P.J., our resident tech expert, went on line and found how to read the codes on a Can Am. I don’t recall call the steps, but it involved the ignition switch, the high beam switch, maybe a few other things, and a proper sequence.

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March 2019

He and Dale checked and found no codes. Sunday night the Kastles, all 5 of us, went to the Black Bear Diner in Yuma and had a great meal. It definitely competes with Texas Roadhouse on the Jim scale of restaurants, but since there’s a Black Bear in Bullhead, TR wins the tiebreaker. Monday most of our camp left, but P.J., Jerry, Don, Dale and Rebecca, and I went for a long ride past the swing set in the former closure. Dale still was taking it easy, but got on it a bit more. He and Rebecca seem very pleased with their new toy. Most of us buggy guys are confused by the change, but as long as they’re happy, and Jeremy is elated, and the sand rail stayed in the club, we’re happy too. Back in camp while P.J. was packing up, I again removed the trans from the sand rail, as it has a small problem with first gear. I missed an adjustment, but fixing it requires removing it from the car and disassembling it. P.J. helped me load it in the truck and was able to leave with only a slight delay. Tuesday morning I did the packing I missed out on while removing the trans. There was no reason for the Fords and Tranthams to wait so they headed home. A couple of hours later I stored the two trailers and headed for home with the fifth wheel and RZR in tow. I had a great trip and look forward to one last Glamis trip of the season: Spring Break, which for us will be the last week in March. P.J. and family will arrive Wednesday the 27th. I’ll arrive earlier, as soon as anyone else can. We won’t make an Easter Glamis trip as it’s so late this year. We will make a Dumont trip, tentatively scheduled for Cinco De Mayo weekend. Check the website for exact dates.

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March 2019

The New Side By Sides: Both Jerry and Linda and Dale and Rebecca brought out new side by sides, and they show the state of the are in dune equipment. Check out the four seat Turbo 1000 RZR with computer controlled Dynamix active suspension, and Dale’s brand new 2 seat CanAm Maverick. Both are impressive dune machines, and show the latest and greatest in side by side evolution. Maybe someday they’ll have a little more wheelbase and maybe even V8s… (Sorry, I had to say it… - P.J.)

This month we’d like to thank Jim Kastle for the trip report. Next month we’ll be a little light on content, so please send in your stories and let us know what you’ve been up to. Any content is great, so if you have pictures, text, comments, jokes, or anything that you want to share, please send it to me at pkastle@msn.com. We will publish what content we have and a calendar of upcoming events in every month’s newsletter. -Paul, Melissa, Allie, and Marshall.