The Rooster
November 2014
THE ROOSTER A monthly update from the Inland Empire Offroad Association
Whats New Some (although just a few) lucky members have already been out to the sand this season, and the rest of us are excited and getting ready to go.
RZR Rig Well, we don’t know of any new RZRs this month, but Mike’s new RZR has a new home in the dunes, and a new tow vehicle. Mike has a brand new Ford dually and a fifth wheel trailer, so check out the pictures on this page and look for his new rig in the dunes.
Daring Doo At Dumont By Mike Bacon I hadn't been to Dumont in about five years so to celebrate the occasion I picked up all new equipment. Yes, a new RZR, new trailer, and new truck! I picked up the trailer and truck a week before leaving for Dumont, so this was a shake down trip for everything! Here are a few photo highlights: I arrived on Friday aHernoon just aHer Jim had. It was a liKle hot, but we did alright. Once Jim finished drooling over my new truck and trailer I got the RZR unloaded and we went for a ride. I had to get used to the Dumont dunes as they are different than Glamis. The new RZR handled them with ease and I was feeling very good about my new toy. We had a beauQful sunset, and John Cole arrived later that evening.
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The Rooster
November 2014
Once we had breakfast we went for a nice ride through the dunes where I followed Jim and John in their buggies. I wasn't having any trouble keeping up, and Jim assured me he wasn't backing off for me. Any Qme I fell behind, mainly because I was spending more Qme looking around than driving, all I had to do was cut the route off a liKle and I was right behind John again. The power and suspension of the new RZR are light years ahead of my old one!
Upcoming Events • October 25: Mona Bacon Memorial Spook Run • October 27-November 3: Halloween at Glamis. • November 21-30: Thanksgiving week at Glamis, Wash 6. • December 25-January 5th: Christmas / New Years at Glamis, Wash 6
We then went south on the back side of the dunes and found the mailbox. I remember Doug and I finding it in our Rangers five years ago, but Jim said he'd never been there
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before. While there we found evidence John had been there. Someone had leH a broken trailer axle as a shrine. It had to be John! Only guy I know with so many broken axles to his name! It got hot in the aHernoon so we lazed around camp for a while and I enjoyed the air condiQoned comfort of my new trailer! We went for another ride in the late aHernoon. There really were not very many people there so the dunes were preKy smooth. No incidents on the ride and we got back to camp and were treated to another great sunset. We had a small fire aHer dinner.
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The Rooster
November 2014
The wind came up during the night and we woke to blowing sand. We decided to try a ride. It was preKy miserable, very hard to see with all the blowing sand. Somewhere in the dunes my flag broke off. We returned to camp to get another one and try the dunes again. Not much improvement, in fact the visibility was worse. We ended up back at camp a couple hours later. John said his trans was making noise so he loaded up and headed for home. Jim and I debated staying, but it didn't look like the wind was going to subside, so we packed up and headed out. It's been a long Qme since I fought the Sunday aHernoon rush home and it was preKy wild. I just set the cruise control and let all the crazies fight their way around me. And Boy did they! Those people are nuts! Everyone please keep in mind the 3rd Annual Mona Bacon Memorial Spook Poker Run and Hot Dog Wheenie Roast is coming up. Hope to see all of you there!
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Dumont, October 10-12 by Jim Kastle I left home around 8:00 A.M., hoping to get to Dumont before Mike Bacon, who hadn't been there since we changed camp locations. I arrived with no problems, and quickly set up camp. I texted Mike, who was still about an hour away. I watched some TV and soon saw Mike's brand new truck and new-to-him fifth wheel toy hauler heading for camp. The truck is a new Ford dually with the new Powerstroke diesel. His trailer is a barely used 34 foot fifth wheel. I spent a lot of time drooling over the new truck and trailer, AND his newto-him RZR 1000. Mike definitely upgraded for this season. He sure knows how to shop used, as both the trailer and RZR look like new. We went for a sunset ride with just my buggy and his RZR. I didn't bring the RZR, as I figured John and Dean would bring their buggies, so I didn't think I'd miss the RZR. With just the two vehicles the ride was pretty mellow, but we covered most of Dumont and got back before sunset. John arrived shortly after we got back to camp. He told us Dean wouldn't make this trip as he was suffering buggy clutch problems. We figured we'd make the best of it with just the three of us. We sat around and talked a lot before going to sleep. The weather was comfortable with no need for AC. Saturday morning I was surprised by the number of other camps. Certainly not crowded, but there must have been close to 20 camps. We went for a long, rather fast ride on which Mike had NO trouble keeping
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The Rooster
November 2014
Something new this year! Prizes will be awarded on a White Elephant Gift Exchange Format. PLEASE BRING ONE GIVE AWAY PRIZE FOR EVERY POKER HAND! Prizes should be a White Elephant style of prize, please keep it FUNNY, and inexpensive. $15.00 MAX limit please! Please feel free to make something unique, or find that special something that makes you laugh!
Salton City Golf Course is located approximately 1 mile west of Hwy 86 off the Borrego Salton Seaway/Hwy S-22. From Hwy 86 turn west on to Borrego Salton Seaway/S-22 at the AM-PM Truck Stop. Go approximately 1 mile to Sunrise Drive and turn Left. Follow Sunrise Drive 1/2 mile to the end and turn right on Saundra St. Follow Saundra St. 1/4 mile to Desiree St and turn Right. Go 100 yards on Desiree St to Laura St and turn Left. Follow Laura St down the hill about 1/4 mile to the end. At the turn continue going straight up on to the dirt. Camp will be straight ahead about 50 yards, next to the trees. For you GPS freaks, the coordinates are: 33 15.942’ N—115 59.371’ W. People will start arriving on Friday morning. Hope to see you there! Any questions please call Mike Bacon at 951-315-7351.
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The Rooster
November 2014 up. The only issue was when John sheered the sheer bolts on his axle. No problem, that's what they are there for. He had spares and we were back under way in just a few minutes. We returned to camp and all of us retired to the AC for a mid-day nap. We went for an uneventful sunset ride, then had the first campfire of the season before retiring for the night.
It became quite windy overnight, but seemed to let up a bit for the morning ride. While we were on the ride, the wind really began to blow. It was hard enough to make it uncomfortable driving on the downwind side of ridges. After we got back to camp John asked me to go for a ride and listen to his trans. We both agreed it would be better to be safe than sorry and not drive it until we looked at the trans. John packed up and headed for home. Mike and I decided we'd hang in and go home in the morning. More mid-day naps in the AC, out of the wind and temperatures in the high 90's. After waking up I went outside and started putting some things away, while the wind kept blowing. Mike soon asked how committed I was to leaving in the morning. I replied I was only committed to leaving with him. We decided to leave. It didn't take long to get packed up and on the road. The trip was small and short, but we had a good time. I hope we will return to Dumont next April, hopefully with more cars. I plan to take the RZR and buggy next time and use the RZR to explore the Sperry Wash trail, which goes to an abandoned mine or two and some abandoned town sites, and eventually overlooks the town of Tecopa. Unfortunately, the road the last few miles to Tecopa is for street legal vehicles only. Mike and Doug took the Rangers on it the last time they were at Dumont. A footnote: Tuesday after the trip we took John's trans apart, and found the worst, a broken ring and pinion. That may put a damper on John's duning for a while. -Jim
This month we’d like to thank Mike Bacon and Jim Kastle for writing articles. The next newsletter will cover the Anza trip and Halloween at Glamis, along with anything else you send in. It should be out before Thanksgiving, which will be the first really big trip of the season and will have our annual pot luck Thanksgiving dinner, so start making your plans now.
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