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Lifestyles off the beaten path
Editor-in-Chief / Publisher announced our exclusive media partnership with Extrem Events, an
Frank Ledwell expedition company based out of Germany that is currently overlanding
Copy Editor the northern hemisphere. Our partnership with Extrem Events and its
Andrea Ledwell founder, Mattias Jeschke, will be an exciting one as we work with the
Advemture Editor
team to help it achieve its goal of traveling through Russia and across
Kraig Becker the Bering Strait into Alaska. Once in Alaska, a select member of the
JPFreek staff will join the team to complete the expedition through
Jeep Jamboree Correspondent
Greg Machado Alaska, across Canada, and into New York City. It’s going to be an
exciting trip and the first of its kind and JPFreek Adventure Magazine is
7 Bar Grille Correspondent
Mark DeNittis
proud to be a part of this historic journey.
Climbing Correspondent In addition, this issue of JPFreek Adventure Magazine features the
Jeff Haley
world’s first-ever inclusion of a Flash-based storefront within the pages
Contributing Writers of a digital publication. This exciting new technology has been
Alan Ellis
integrated into our photo tribute of the Jeep CJ and is proudly
Mark Filonowich
Mike Fissel sponsored by our friends at Rompalicious 4x4 – www.rompalicious.com.
Wil Kuhns To see how it works, look for the flashing Rompalicious logo on each
Will Morgan page of the CJ layout. As you browse each page of this layout, be sure to
Zak Patel hover your mouse over each photo to see select parts and to purchase
Marco Santarsiere them directly. It’s an exciting new technology that will shape the future
Mark D. Stephens of digital publishing.
Photography & Design Also in this issue of JPFreek Adventure Magazine is the inclusion of
Creative Director more video content to compliment our engaging editorial, including a
Richard Tinnell video spread featuring the Transcontinental expedition referenced
above.
Marketing & Financial
The off-highway industry continues to
Business Development
evolve and JPFreek Adventure
Frank Ledwell
Magazine will continue to lead the
Contact
JPFreek Adventure Publications, LLC effort to provide the most engaging,
P.O. Box 864
Houston, TX 77001 diverse, and technologically advanced
info@jpfreek.com Jeep publication available on the
market today. Enjoy!
JPFreek Adventure Magazine and the JPFreek name/
logo are property of JPFreek Adventure Publications,
LLC (“JPFreek”) and are protected by copyright. Any
use or reproduction in whole or in part without the
express written permission of JPFreek is strictly
prohibited. www.jpfreek.com
JPFreek is not affiliated with Chrysler LLC or
Frank Ledwell
the Jeep® brand and no such association is
expressed or implied. JPFreek, JPFreek Adventure
Editor & Publisher
Magazine, JPFreek Adventure Publications, LLC and
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or endorsed by, or in any way associated with
Source Interlink Companies, Inc., Source Interlink
Magazines LLC, Jp Magazine and its website
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expressed or implied.
Copyright 2006 – 2009
JPFreek Adventure Publications, LLC
All Rights Reserved. Published in U.S.A.
Cover photo by Jackie Ellis, Grand Tetons, Wyoming
Departments
From the Editor............................................ 3 Overland Overviews.................................. 94
News, Events, & Stuff.................................. 8 Freek Garage:........................................... 118
Converting Your Jeep TJ to Use Disc Brakes
News from the Adventure World.............. 16
Freek Techniques:.................................... 120
Freek Show:............................................... 56 Karma in the Jeep World
Mario Donovan’s 1992 Jeep Comanche
Land Use & Access:................................. 122
Expedition Discussions:............................ 90 Land Use & the “Ride Along”
Tire Sidewall Repair
7 Bar Grille & Reviews:............................ 124
Product News............................................. 93 The Man Pan & Recipe Contest Winning Entry
Features
Trippin’ Round the World – Part IV.......................................... 10
A video montage following Mattias Jeschke & the Transcontinental Jeep JK Expedition
World of Wonder....................................................................... 44
A photo pictorial from the members of UKClimbing.com
An American Icon..................................................................... 80
A photo tribute to the Jeep CJ
NEWS
Here are 15 other ways to spend the day.
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e rode
his bike along the entire coast of Afr
ica,
taking two years to complete that ody
ssey,
which covered more than 22,000 mil
es and
passing through 34 countries in the
process.
(http://www.africa365.co.za/defaul
t.
asp?pageid=674)
um
Death in the Karakor
ths, mountaineers shift
During the summer mon
NEWS
to
m the Himalaya and on
their attention away fro g
n. It was a very challengin
the Karakorum in Pakista l
range, with few successfu
season in that mountain e
her making it difficult th
summits, and bad weat ring
two tragedies of note du
entire time. There were
season this year, with
the Karakorum climbing a
falling while attempting
Italian skier Michele Fait fell
rean climber Go Mi-Sun
ski descent of K2 and Ko ess-
descending after a succ
on Nanga Parbat while me
was attempting to beco
ful summit bid. Miss Go
t on all fourteen 8000
the first woman to top ou e
t three more to complet
meter peaks, and had jus
to gain that honor.
/
.blogspot.com/2009/07
(http://theadventureblog
un-lost-on-nanga.html)
karakorum-2009-go-mi-s
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To follow all the excitement currently going on throughout the world in the adventure
realm, please visit the latest addition to the JPFreek Adventure Magazine team by visiting
The Adventure Blog at:
http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/
Retracing a Wild
West Legend Text & Photos by Mike Fissel
and plenty of pictures. One thing for sure, moisture keeps the trail dust down
Most of my research seemed to deal with hiking or so breathing in the thinner air above 7000ft would be
taking a bike on this 70-mile venture; however, I found much easier sans dust.
little or nothing about 4x4 trips. As most of the route is At the trailhead, grey clouds hid the tops of the San
on Forest Service land, my first contact was Brian Francisco Peaks. We spent 15 minutes reviewing the
Poturalski, the Recreation Staff Officer for the Coconino maps and book again. We were off to find the first of
National Forest. Brian told me that while he was familiar three way stations along the route.
with the route and there were some promising future
Day one was interesting. One thing we found out
quick was the trails on our GPS weren’t always there
and there were trails not on our GPS that were. To
further complicate things, the trails on the southern
portion of the trail were poorly marked, making
navigation by way of the directions in the book pretty
difficult.
It might be good to point out that we had a number of
GPS devices. Slider had a laptop with Garmin InRoute
on it using Topo 2008. I had five devices set up (I have
yet to find the perfect solution but I am getting close
and until then….) including: a Garmin 2610 (Topo
2008), Garmin 7200 (Topo 2008), Toughbook Laptop
with Delorme Topo 7, a Delorme PN-40SE, and my
newest addition, the Acer Aspire 1 Netbook using
National Geographic Topo for Arizona.
With all the technology, we still found ourselves at
dead ends that should not have been there and
numerous corrections to our planned route. I should
point out that after the trip, I talked to Garmin, National
Geographic, and Delorme about the software. Garmin
told me that they didn’t update Topo software
frequently because things rarely change. National
Geographic still sells the same software made in 2002.
Delorme had just updated to Topo 8 and while it may or
may not have updated information for the area we were
in, they seem to update quite often. In addition,
Delorme allows you to download USGS Topo quads and
aerial images for many areas to integrate with their
program which thinking back, I should have done.
Anyways, as we left the pavement at the staging area
and hit the trail, tall, ponderosa pine and aspen trees
greeted us. Wild flowers were both scattered and
concentrated to form a colorful carpet on the forest
floor. All of this fragile magnificence for us to enjoy as
Mother Nature’s guests for the weekend but also to
respect and protect. We could see in some areas how a
careless traveler (hiker, biker, equestrian, or Jeeper), or
perhaps a random lightning strike, caused great
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we can in the way of trail inventory, trail sign but it is made by a company named First Up who also
placement, interpretive sign placement, etc. makes those quick, wall-less sun tents you see at
As we traveled on, the meadows started to fade away outdoor events. Robert, one of our new members, was
and scruffy pine trees began to appear and started working on the roof top tent that was on top of his new
turning the landscape again to a kind of forest. The GPS JK. Even though my new tent went up quick and easy, I
told me that we were only a mile from the third and was missing my roof top tent as I decided to leave my
final stop of the old stage route, the Moqui Station. Just trailer at home for this trip.
Within about 20 minutes or so you could smell dinner Going on about midnight, half of the group had
cooking and Slider was over at the fire ring setting up already turned in for the night and the other half was
for the evening campfire. My dinner was going slow as still at the fire. The cracking and dancing flames seemed
the mini charcoal grill with the “instant light” charcoal to be telling us that we had enough wood on it to last
wasn’t lighting too well. I was thinking an ounce or two half the night. I think we used 10 gallons of water to
of gas but my sane side took over and I just kept at it douse it so we could get some sleep for the big day
with my strike anywhere matches. The good news was ahead.
that my butane stove made quick work of the I don’t know if it was anticipation, the clean air, the
pre-cooked baked potato and buttered corn that I had sound of the birds singing their morning songs, or even
vacuum frozen earlier in the week. the bright sun rising to the east but I can never seem to
Slider and B-Rad had a great fire going, possibly a sleep past 6am when camping. Today was no different.
record one as far as our group goes. We brought our As I exited my tent there were a few people stirring and
own and there was plenty of dead Pinon Pines laying still others who were snoring in their tents. The sun had
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around for the gathering. My dinner finally was ready already cleared the horizon and had a warm glow to it.
and I gulped it down, and then joined the group at the The sky was blue, the temps were very nice and
fire. Of course we talked about what we did and saw foretold a great day ahead of us. Over the next two
that day and what the plan was for the next day, but we hours the happy campers made breakfast and packed
also talked some history, some tech, and even the usual away their gear so that we could hit the trail by 8am. As
Jeep “tall tales.” It was obvious that everyone enjoyed we left our stop for the night we knew that we would
the day’s adventure and was excited about what was in camp there again.
store for day two.
One of the group found the skull of what appeared to at the Grand View Fire Tower. This was another
be a small predator at the Mogui site. It had some interesting piece of history and it was time for a stop to
impressive teeth that said “carnivore” and we wondered do more exploring.
what it might be. We lined up the Jeeps for a few group The 80ft Grandview Lookout Tower is a fire lookout
shots with and without their crews. After that it was point built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936.
time to hit the trail again. There was a bit of a wind blowing and those who were
How different the landscape changes over the course brave enough to climb to the top said they could feel
of 20 or so miles. We were now back into a mixture of the tower swaying in the wind. At the top of the tower
large grassy areas, tall pines, some scrub brush, and you can get some great views of the Grand Canyon Rim
more evidence of forest fires. As I lead the group down and the Coconino. The interpretive signs told us the
the trail, I again had visions of driving the stage back in history of the tower and fire towers in general in our
1900 as my Jeep bounced and creaked on the trail. It National Forests, as well as area information and
was a good feeling and I felt as if I could have been history. As a convenience, there were some real
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there way back when. With every mile I was reminded “facilities” here, the first since we hit the trail.
of the statement the Forest Service Archeologist said. We hit the trail again heading for Grandview Point, a
“The neat thing is that the trail has changed very little popular stop at the south rim of the canyon. At 7406
in the last 100+ years.” feet, Grandview point is one of the highest points on
Next stop, Grand Canyon National Park. The sign on the south rim. As we left the dirt trail for the pavement,
the trail greeted us as we crossed the cattle guard into we had about two miles to the “point.” The road was
the park. A very short distance into the park we arrived lined with a thick wall of pines and the air was sweet
with the pine scent. As we made the turn to Grandview parts of the skeleton minus the front quarters, hind
Point, it was evident as to just how popular it was. The quarters, and the head. It sure looked like the work of
parking to the east as you entered was completely full. poachers.
Fortunately the west lot - which we could not see due Driving down the trail, I wondered if any stagecoach
to the trees - had enough spots for the group. Walking had gone this way in days past. As we hit some areas
to the “gateway” we noticed tourists from all corners of with washouts and rock, I came to the conclusion
the world. I heard German, French, Japanese, Chinese, probably not and as far as driving it goes, this trail was
Spanish, and even some of the Kings and Australian pretty fun! Eventually the trail smoothed out a bit and
English. Everyone was taking pictures and video. The we came upon a large flat area of stone that made the
canyon below to the east, west, and north was nothing perfect lunch stop.
less than impressive. Although I had been there a few
Lunch on the trail is always interesting when some of
times before, I continued to feed the memory card in
our beloved dogs travel with us. My Cassie stayed home
my camera with image after image. The north rim,
for this trip but Jim brought Baron, his huge Rotweiler.
many miles away, loomed about 1000 or so feet higher.
Baron is always the gentle one when it comes to food.
Looking over the landscape one could not begin to
Always wanting to let him know that you are “family,” I
imagine the power of the Colorado River and the time
fed him some Swiss cheese and Black Forest Ham.
it took nature to carve out this natural wonder of the
Baron, like any pet dog, can be a beggar if you tempt
world. One thing about the Grand Canyon, it’s like the
him and his “smile” is irresistible. Now with lunch over
Foreigner song: it feels like the first time, every time
the interesting part began. It was time for Baron to get
and this time was no different.
in the Jeep.
There were plenty of interpretive signs that told us of
Step 1: Jim lifts Baron’s front legs onto the seat of the
the old stage line that brought tourists there. You know,
lifted TJ with 35’s.
the one we had been shadowing for the last day and a
half. The mining below, the old Grandview Hotel where Step 2: Jim wraps his arms around Baron’s belly and
the tourists spent their time after being brought there lifts him up into the Jeep.
on the stage and how it all ended shortly after the Step 3: Baron growls with his dislike of being
railroad had been completed 12 miles to the west. manhandled.
Some tourists were trying out at least part of the
Step 4: Jim is lucky if Baron doesn’t take a bite out of
Grandview Trail but it was safe to assume that few of
Jim! This time, no bite.
them ventured more than a few hundred yards. The
pictures of the trail were enough to keep me up top, Watching our GPS units as we continued down
just looking at the pictures of parts of the trail were Coconino Rim Trail, we watched carefully for our next
enough to give you “pucker factor.” turn. Our goal here was to intersect with Gray Mountain
Trail, which would take us south, parallel to Route 89
With everyone ready to roll again we backtracked to
and back to Flagstaff. While not rocket science, it
the fire tower and continued on the trail out of the
sometimes is a challenge and even tricky with trails on
park. Shortly after entering the Forest Service lands
the Topo maps that aren’t on the trail. The next 45
again we turned on FR310, the Coconino Rim Trail that
minutes brought us to the end of the trail and the
would take us southeast. This trail had a few rough
intersection of the Gray Mountain Trail.
spots on it but nothing our Jeeps couldn’t handle. One
There are some great views of some deep and narrow
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took numerous pictures of everyone in our group. everyone said they were in for an encore. With that we
While it seemed to take forever to get down to the 5000 said our goodbyes and as I headed home, I conjured
ft level, we finally got there. The landscape was more one last vision in my head of this great land over 100
barren here as they get more rain in the higher years ago and how its history is one we should always
elevations. A huge manmade lake to our left was being savor.
used by scores of cattle drinking and cooling off their
hooves in the water.
Better Maps.
Bigger Display.
Simpler to Use.
A
ccesories
camping lab
Are you tired of the same old music services that promise genre diversity
but wind up forcing you to listen to ad after ad after ad, only after listening
to a few songs that aren’t even specific to what you like to listen to? Those
days are now over!
JPFreek Adventure Magazine is proud to announce a new age in music
delivery with the creation of JPFreek Radio through Slacker.com, an
internet-based music service that is so unique that even PC Magazine calls it
“the most exciting thing in digital music to happen in a long time.”
Poet John Masefield once wrote, “All I need is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,” and standing
on just such a ship, cruising the Great Barrier Reef with the Whitsunday Islands drifting past me, it
is hard to disagree with the sentiment.
The Whitsundays are known the world over for some of the most amazing sailing, diving, and
snorkeling on the planet, and the views aren’t half-bad either. The sparkling, crystal clear, blue
water laps at white sandy beaches, while rocky peaks reach high above the Pacific Ocean. The
occasional dolphin or sea turtle breaks the surface just to set the scene, while cool ocean breezes
bring a hint of salt to the air.
Discovered in 1770 by Captain Cook, this chain of 74 islands is sprinkled across the sea near
Queensland, just off Australia’s east coast. But the Whitsundays aren’t the only draw for those
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looking for a little adventure down under. Queensland is a place that prides itself on offering
something for every outdoor enthusiast, and the options start offshore on the Reef and work
their way inland all the way to the top of Bartle Frere, the tallest mountain in the region. In
between you’ll find amazing beaches, tropical rainforests, and the highlands of the Great Dividing
Range, not to mention the wide-open spaces of the Australian Outback.
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Queensland is massive in size, covering more than 715,000
square miles, making it roughly two-and-a-half times the size
of the state of Texas. Because of this, the climate varies greatly
with coastal areas remaining temperate throughout the year
thanks to the ocean breezes. Inland, it is warmer and more
arid, while northern Queensland is tropical in nature and home
to the famous Daintree Rainforest, a World Heritage Site that is
a refuge to a number of unique plant and animal species.
The Daintree has continually existed in that part of Australia
for more than 110 million years, making it the oldest rainforest
on the planet. This lush playground offers up excellent
opportunities for outdoor adventure with zipline tours, canopy
walks, and jungle excursions by 4x4 all on the menu. But the
best way to experience the rainforest, in my opinion, is by
trekking into the bush with an Aboriginal guide. The
Aboriginal tribes have lived in the region for tens of thousands
of years, and their connection with the land is both physical
and spiritual which leaves a unique and lasting impression on
visitors.
For a completely different experience, adventure seekers can
leave the lowlands behind and challenge themselves on the
slopes of Mount Bartle Frere. At 5,321 feet in height, Bartle
Frere isn’t exactly a Himalayan giant, but it is a challenging day
hike that offers significant vertical gains and a surprisingly
steep approach to the summit which is often shrouded in
clouds. On a clear day however, climbers are rewarded with
great views of the coastal region to the east and the tablelands
to the west. Round trip to the summit and back takes roughly
10-12 hours.
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Many visitors to Queensland are less concerned with
how far they can get above sea level, and more
concerned with how far they can get below it. For
them, the Great Barrier Reef, with its warm waters and
hundreds of fish species, is the main draw to the region.
The Reef is considered one of the best places in the
world for SCUBA diving and snorkeling, with both
beginner and experienced divers finding something to
enjoy.
The Reef stretches for 1,600 miles up and down can vary greatly with some offering a quieter, more
Australia’s east coast, but access is granted mainly intimate experience and others having a party
through two locations; Cairns in the north and the atmosphere. Be sure to ask ahead of time before you
Whitsundays to the south. In both locations, it is easy to book to ensure you’re getting the cruise that best suits
hire a boat and spend as little as an afternoon or as your needs.
much as a few days out on the water. For adventure travelers, Australia is the prefect
Other aquatic adventures abound off Queensland’s destination. The country has plenty to offer in the way
coast, with the Whitsunday Islands being the epicenter of outdoor activities and stunning scenery, but it
of that activity. Cruises to those beautiful islands can matches all of that with friendly people and a great
also be of a variety of lengths, but I’d recommend a infrastructure that makes independent travel easy and
sailing adventure of 3 to 4 days to get a real taste of affordable. In fact, there are a plethora of cheap hostels
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what the islands are all about. In that time, you’re likely to stay in, and rental vehicles, including camper vans,
to have the opportunity to snorkel or dive in multiple are easy to find and inexpensive as well.
locations, take a bushwalk across one of the islands, So, pack a sleeping bag, a backpack full of clothes and
and spend a relaxing day on one of the amazing supplies, and don’t forget your adventurous spirit. A
beaches that are common in the area. Nights are spent trip through Queensland requires all of that and more,
aboard ship, usually at anchor in a quiet lagoon with a but it’s worth the effort and you’ll be rewarded with a
crystal clear sky, packed with stars, overhead. One word journey that is both challenging and easy, but will stick
of warning however: the experience aboard the ships with you long after you’ve gone home.
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My back was killing me from being bent over for an hour cleaning the bugs off the front of the
RV. Mostly they were grasshoppers, but there were enough other types of insects thrown in to
complete the Picasso that stretched across the front of the hood and bumper. It was well worth
the pain and effort to clean off the bugs though because they represented over 3000 miles of a
grand tour of Wyoming for me, Jackie, and Scout the dog. Two weeks prior, we embarked upon
this trip to Wyoming with a few goals in mind: hike, do some Jeeping, fly fish, climb, and…search for the
ever-elusive snow beaver. After it was all over, we would discover a state that offers unlimited opportunities for
the outdoor enthusiast and an equally unlimited opportunity to become an expert at bug scrubbing.
Wyoming is a two-day drive from anywhere. Why this is true is unknown, but it is a very remote state. Even if
you live just across the state line, it still takes two days to get there. Two days after our departure from
Oklahoma, we arrived at Grand Teton National park (GTNP). On the agenda? Find some Jeep roads, take in some
scenery, and hike up some moderate peaks. We had two issues immediately. First, off-roading is not allowed in
GTNP and second, dogs are not allowed on any of the trails. However, all was not lost because the park is
surrounded by national forest that is just as beautiful and unlike GTNP, the trails welcome Jeeps and dogs. So we
headed just east of the Tetons and discovered the magnificent Gros Ventre (pronounced “Grow Vont”) mountain
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range. Here, we would drive some scenic Jeep roads, hike a few peaks, and begin our search for the elusive snow
beaver. In the Gros Ventre range, we would climb Mount Leidy and Jackson Peak, both offering great views,
solitude, and abundant wildlife. It was on these hikes that Scout began to dine on grasshoppers. Wyoming had a
really wet summer this year, so the hoppers had infested the entire state. Scout took full advantage of this
situation and ate them one after another, like M&Ms. The wildlife is abundant in this area and we were able to
catch views of moose, bald eagles, and some of the herds of Elk, which are so famous in Jackson Hole. Sadly, we
had no luck in finding the elusive snow beaver.
ed west
da ys in th e Ja ck son area, we head ep
e
After thre
d on to th e Bi g Horn Mountains’ Je
e an
through Yellowston particular
Th is w ou ld be th e first year for this
Jamboree. by
e no t di sa pp oi nt ed. It was hosted
wer
Jamboree and we ea rLod ge Resort.com), locate
d
sort (w w w .B
the Bear Lodge Re tio n at th e top of the Big H
orn
rges s Ju nc
just west of the Bu 19 30 s, the Bear Lodge Re
sort
ishe d in th e
Mountains. Establ m ob ile tours, and mou
ntain
, fis hi ng , sn ow
offers off-roading Ro be rt a Young’s resort ha
sa
rs Ri ck an d
bike rentals. Owne un dr y, re staurant, and the
Bears
, ca bi ns , la
lodge, RV hook-ups Lo dg e Resort is a first-c
lass,
ge . Th e Be ar
Den Bar and Loun gh ly re co mmended if you ar
e
ion an d is hi
year-round operat ntains.
the Big Horn Mou
planning a visit to
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Will Morgan (a fellow contributing
The Jamboree was a huge success and from
ine), along with Rim Rock 4x4 club
editor of JPFreek Adventure Magaz
ng job coordinating the event and
Billings, Montana, did an outstandi
ort provided all the food and
guiding the trails. The Bear Lodge Res a
Bar-B-Q, and salmon. Breakfast was
highlights included rib-eye steaks, a
order omelets and fresh waffles, and
huge buffet that featured made-to-
ich ensured no one went hungry at
design-your-own sandwich bar, wh d
the most scenic we had encountere
lunch. The Jeep trails were some of
of dirt roads and technical boulder
on a Jamboree and were a mixture ld
a super modified rig, everyone cou
crawls. From a stock Commander to of
ning, the Bears Den lounge was full
find terrain to enjoy. By Saturday eve
ir Big Horns’ adventures. The lodge
happy Jeepers telling stories of the
we all enjoyed the outdoor stage in
provided a band for both nights and
more moderate trails for our stock
perfect weather. Jackie and I chose
tinue his quest of eating every
Rubicon, and Scout went along to con
nty of wildlife, but alas, the snow
grasshopper in Wyoming. We saw ple
rch.
beaver continued to evade our sea
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FALL 2009
with the
A week into our trip and
us, it was off to
Jamboree sadly behind
some fly-fishing.
Sheridan, Wyoming for
previously, but
We had never fly fished
bass fishing for
both of us have enjoyed
that fly-fishing
years and soon learned
mpletely
and bass fishing were co
ide Paul
different. We met our gu
ide Shack
Wallop who owns The Gu
m), the
(www.theguideshack.co
e service for the
premier fly fishing guid
. The Guide
Sheridan, Wyoming area
on Ranch
Shack is part of the Cany
luxury
operation which offers
rsonal guided
accommodations and pe
s of
an d fis hin g tri ps on Paul’s family’s 3,000 acre
hunting Paul
ow ne d ra nc h in th e fo othills of the Big Horns.
privately- rning
ex pe rt gu id ing an d aft er an hour or better lea
provided lake and
am en ta ls of ca sti ng , it was on to fishing in a
the fund on and
r nine hours of instructi
a mountain stream. Afte and
, we ca ug ht tw o 17 -in ch rainbows in the lake,
guiding erall, it
ug ht th re e pa n- siz e ra inbows in the stream. Ov
then ca hly
ea t da y an d a ex cit ing fishing experience. We hig
was a gr yoming
e Guide Shack for your W
recommend Paul and th
fishing vacation.
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to
e de sti na tio n re m ain ing, we were beginning
With only on
Sc ou t wa s de ve lop ing an obsessive/compulsive
worry. First,
er th e ea tin g of gr as sh oppers, and we still had
disorder ov d
gli m ps e of th e m ys te rious snow beaver. We ha
caught no ous
ra re “sn ow be av er ” fro m Steve Quinlan, a fam
heard of th e etchy,
gu id e fro m Du ra ng o, Colorado. Details are sk
mountain a
a ta le of a pe rso n wh o was almost attacked by
but he to ld ming.
bing in the Tetons of Wyo
snow beaver while clim
So we headed over to our final destination: Devils Tower, Wyoming to
climb with legendary tower guide, Frank Sanders. Frank owns the Devils
Tower Lodge bed and breakfast (www.devilstowerlodge.com) and guides
both new and experienced climbers to the top of Devils Tower. Since
Jackie and I both had previously climbed the tower, our goal was to do
some different routes, spend some time at the lodge, and try to find
out what this snow beaver creature was all about. Frank didn’t have
any info on the snow beaver but we otherwise had a wonderful day
climbing on the tower. Devils Tower is a special place for climbers
and even if you don’t climb, Devils Tower Lodge is the place to be for
some good food, rest, and peace and quiet. After fourteen days on
the road and our fill of Wyoming adventure, it was time to head
home to Oklahoma.
As I continue to scrub off the bugs and reflect on our trip, I begin to
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wonder if this snow beaver really exists. The answer to that will have
to wait until next time. Sure, its remote location makes it a long
two-day drive but it really doesn’t matter because Wyoming, which
offers Jeep roads, fishing, hiking, camping, climbing, and numerous
other activities, is one of the ultimate destinations for the outdoor
enthusiast. After hearing a noise, I look up from scrubbing and see
Scout hacking up a grasshopper leg. He hasn’t forgotten his trip to
Wyoming, and you can be assured if you go there, you won’t either.
Rainbow over Chamonix - couresy of Hilary Sharp from UKClimbing.com
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In Golden Cathedral, Neon Canyon, Utah - courtesy of Ben Jones from UKClimbing.com
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Mont Blanc from Plan de l’Aiguille descent path - courtesy of Bullwinkle from UKClimbing.com
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Special Thanks to UKClimbing.com and its members for sharing a selection of their top photos.
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1992 JEEP COMMACHE MJ
Mario Donovan’s
1992 Jeep
Comanche MJ
As my dear wife Anne would attest, while she
may be my wife, my 1992 Jeep Comanche MJ
Eliminator is my mistress. At least when I’m not
in the house, my wife knows that I’m in the
garage attending to my second love. As of this
writing, the MJ has 339,047 miles on the clock, of
which 10% have been off pavement.
the most beautiful places that North America has
to offer. Little did I know that in the course of the
MJ’s lifetime that she would compete in two Safari
Triathlons (19th & 2nd place respectively), be
involved in three accidents (two while unattended),
travel though 15 states and 3 countries, chew
through three suspension systems, and become
the primary tow vehicle for putting Adventure
Trailers through their paces.
Fast forward to 2008. The economy took a
bruising, still no mini-trucks on the market with a
solid front axle, and the MJ was getting long in the
tooth. The decision to put effort into the truck that
has been a reliable rig was a no-brainer. For less
than the cost of a new vehicle, I could renew and
upgrade the MJ to meet my needs. Armed with 17
years of intimate
knowledge of the
inner workings
of this vehicle
and other new
technologies, I
decided to turn
the MJ into a
more powerful
and more
luxurious self-
I bought the MJ, new off the lot in 1992 and drove contained
her home, a whopping 23 miles before lifting her Overland
with a 3” Rancho kit and adding a Warn 6000 winch support vehicle
and a set of 31” BFG AT tires. At the time, I was for my wife and
shopping for a mini-truck with a solid front axle myself with a
and none of the other mainstream manufacturers long term
had an offering that met the criteria. My intention adventure in
for this now rare Jeep truck was to convert her into mind.
a Spartan Overland support vehicle for my core
We started by having Four Leaf Clover Fab (4LCF)
backcountry hobbies: exploring, fishing, climbing,
create a long arm suspension that was tailored to
back country skiing, and winter mountaineering.
my driving habits: fast washboard, off-camber rock
I had a vision that the MJ would become a garden work and towing. Repairs to the foundation
platform to fully support a passenger and me for of the MJ were priority as she had incurred
weeks at a time. I quickly got busy building a false multiple stress cracks in the fire wall, most notably
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bed that would hold all of my gear & support one that went from the accelerator, across the
equipment. I found a used steel commercial shell transmission tunnel, and to the passengers’’ foot
with side doors, upside-down and filled with trash pan. Reinforcement of the unibody “frame” came
and wasp nests for $100 and added a garage built next in the form of ¼” plate welded to its entire
rack. I stocked the MJ with camping gear, tools, and length and a custom cross bar underneath the
parts and hit the backcountry. I could sleep in the engine to join the two frame rails together. To
back, carry my outdoor toys, and travel to some of improve the front end, the factory shock
arrangement was upgraded with a fully-gusseted
upper mount and dropped lower mount position to
allow for longer travel shocks without increasing ride
height. Limit straps were added to prevent damage to
the new Fox Shocks with remote reservoirs. To keep
the front wheels on the ground during high speed
washboard and whoops, Fox nitrogen-charged
jounces replaced the factory bump stops. Custom
long arms with Ballistic Fab & Rubicon Express joints
keep the front axle in place while providing generous
travel and dampening vibration noise transmitted to
the unibody.
The rear suspension had already been converted to
SAS and a Dana 44 years earlier but the shocks
needed to be upgraded to reduce performance fade
from heat generated on washboard. Fox remote
reservoir shocks were the solution. With a full load of
gear and a shell, their performance never fades.
With the suspension and unibody upgrades out of
the way, attention to engine performance was next.
The original 4.0L high output inline 6-cylinder engine
had been rebuilt at 230,000 miles and at 250,000 had a
supercharger installed. The S/C made lots of power
but proved itself an unreliable platform for long range
travel due to the high RPM required to make that
power and the heat it created in the process. The
solution was a 4.6 stoker motor from Golen Engine
Service. Matched up with a 62mm throttle body,
Thorley header, Hesco adjustable fuel regulator and a
Split Second timing calibrator, not only was mileage
restored to stock vehicle EPA claims, the power is far
more substantial than the stock power plant ever was.
The sheer grunt-like power, while not eyeball
flattening, will make you grin from ear to ear while
you pass others on 11,000 ft passes at 65 MPH while
fully-loaded down. I cannot say enough about how
significant an improvement this modification has
been.
All of the work to improve suspension & engine
performance was focused on supporting the living
habitat being reincarnated in the bed of the MJ. The
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www.nora-usa.com
www.gsioutdoors.com
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Overland Adventure to
the Scottish Highlands
Text & Photos by Hendrik de Backer
Oban coastal drive and Hell’s Glen, Loch Fyne and Inverary
Famous for its distillery but also for having flying boat
squadrons in the early years of World War II, Oban was a must-
visit city on our list. The road from Crianlarich to Oban turns
and bends between the hills, and sudden bursts of sun
erupting between the clouds promised a lot for a great day.
Oban itself was a surprise to us. A rather small and
cozy town, draped around a small bay with some
fishing ships. We visited the Oban distillery shop and
were welcomed by a very kind man who was very
happy to stamp my whisky collectors bible. We had
lunch at the Mac Tavish Cavern where I had, of course,
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On the way back we visited Fort William, which was a disappointment for us.
Almost no people on the streets, no interesting shops, but we did find a shop
selling some of the greatest Scottish pies I ever tasted. On the way back home,
we were hammered with showers and rain until all of a sudden, the clouds
opened and we were surprised and awarded with one of the most beautiful
rainbows we have ever seen. This is Scotland at its best, we believe.
Callander, Duke’s Pass and Achray Forest Drive
This daytrip took us on a magnificent and sunny Easter Day to Callander, one
of the larger towns in the region and bustling with people on Sunday morning.
It’s a big contrast with the quietness in the hills. We had a great lunch in The
Waverly Pub and after lunch, we sat out to find the Duke’s Pass to get to the
Achray Forest Drive. The pass is a stretch of a few kilometers of narrow and
winding road, consuming your concentration to the max! It swivels around the
lochs and over the hills, and gives a great drivers feeling. Maybe we should have
taken the Grand Cherokee instead of the Wrangler here. J
http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/
http://www.dewars.com/
https://www.lfw.co.uk/
http://www.highlandwildlifepark.org/
http://www.thefamousgrouse.com/
Crestone Nee
Was Call
My Na Te
Photos by A
Video courtes
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edle
ling Looking between my feet was a lot of Crestone conglomerate rock....straight down. If I fell
here, it would make a big splash in South Colony Lake almost 1,000 ft below. Without a rope
or the ability to protect my climb, I finally knew the meaning of true commitment and the
ame
understanding that the only way down off this mountain was up.
Our adventure started in 2001 when Alan first climbed Crestone Needles Ellingwood Arete,
a 5.7 technical route via the mountain’s eastern knife-edge ridge. This distinctive alpine
mountaineering route is considered a classic. Located in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo
ext by Jackie Ellis
Alan & Jackie Ellis mountain range close to Westcliffe,
sy of Andy Leach Colorado, Crestone Needles’ easily
identifiable silhouette is inspiring…
and tempting. We drove up the road
®
Expert Advice
Chuck McInnish’s
enthusiasm for Jeeps
knows no bounds. Chuck
not only cherishes his 1980
CJ but is also a volunteer for
the United States Forest Service
Adopt-a-Trail program. Chuck’s rig
features a number of self-proclaimed
mods that have made it “Trail Rated.”
An American Icon
Kevin Vara
dy and his
Jeep CJ ta
ke a break
from the a
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ction whil
on the tra e
ils
John Knichel
traverses the
diverse terrain
of Bangs Canyon
near Grand
Junction,
Colorado. John’s
1977 CJ-5 has
the stock 258
Inline 6 cylinder
and other mods
including:
1” Body Lift
2” Add-A-Leaf Lift
33” Mickey Thompson Super Swamper Radials
Plus many custom interior/exterior mods
Clayton Weed’s 1984 CJ-7 is truly a
family rig as his two sons helped him
get it to where it is today. Clayton’s
rig features several mods including:
Weber Carburetor
Currie 9” Rear axle with Detroit Locker
Dana44 Front axle with ARB Locker with Poison
Spyder High Steering
Southern
Missouri Offroad
Ranch is the
setting for
Jimmy Hoffman
and his 1978
CJ-7 with 304
AMC V8. Jimmy’s
rig features
a few mods
including:
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MC2100 Carburetor
Clifford Header
4WDH 4” Lift
4:10 Gears on D300
Aussie Lockers front & rear
Longfield 30 Spline Chromoly Superaxles
BigDaddy Rockers
Mastercraft Seats
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One of the most unique CJ-8s still on
the road, Eric Walton’s Postal Jeep was
one of only 230 made and was purchased
in Anchorage, Alaska. The rig is right-
hand drive and features a number of mods
including:
Philip Shufeldt’s
1978 CJ-5 tackles the
terrain at Turkey Bay
OHV Park in Land of
the Lakes State Park,
Kentucky. Philip’s rig
features a number of
mods including:
Major
Sidewall
Repair
Text and photos by Martyn Davies
For this repair you will need the following tools from
Ultimate Tire Repair Kit:
• Tire Reamer
• Baja Patch or Regular Patch
• Stitching Tool/Rasp
• Rubber Cement
• Chalk
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Step 5. Patching
Dry fit the patch over the area to be repaired.
Mark out the corners of the patch on the
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and shackles, and can accept a standard winch design. All OR-FAB
products are made in the U.S.A. and are backed by years of experience
on and off the trail.
For more information on this or any other OR-FAB product, contact
Performance Automotive Group, P.O. Box 3450, Chino Valley, AZ 86323,
(928) 636-7080, or visit them on the web at www.p-a-g.net.
ARB’s Newest
Fridge Freezer
Text & Photos by Matt Adair
Keeping perishable food items cold and fresh is a big Pops on the trail even with ambient temps hovering in
challenge to any overland explorer. 500 miles from the the high 80’s, certainly a first for me.
nearest store and your steaks are thawing because Never having used a fridge like this before, I also
they’re floating in a lukewarm puddle of what used to brought along a conventional ice chest, a nice Coleman
be your ice is a bad thing, and not just because your “5-day Extreme Duty.” Long before the end of the week,
beer is likely also warm. the ice had all melted and everything got transferred
ARB has been equipping intrepid travelers with all into the ARB. While the interior of the fridge doesn’t
sorts of equipment to make overland expeditions look that big, but when you consider that you don’t
easier and more fun for years, so their new Fridge have to put any ice in it, it can swallow a LOT of stuff. As
Freezer has a lot to live up to. With a five-day trip to the a matter of fact, the second cooler was really only
Rubicon Trail coming up, it seemed like the perfect useful carrying ice for mixing cocktails at camp. In the
chance to test one out for ourselves and put ARB’s future, the cooler is staying home.
marketing claims to the test. With a retail price a little under $800, the Fridge
The interior volume is 50 quarts and weighs in (empty, Freezer is not cheap and doesn’t make a lot of sense if
of course) at a not insignificant 50 pounds; the exterior you’re just heading out for afternoon drives. If, however,
is 20” high, 28” long and 15” wide. Not huge, but it took your trips are multi-day affairs and you need to be fully
up a pretty fair amount of space, though they fit easily self-sustaining, the ARB is invaluable. Beyond the
in the back of a Wrangler with the back seat removed. practicality of not having to worry about ice, having the
The unit plugs into any generic cigarette lighter/DC freedom to expand your menu to include fresh foods
power outlet, but also comes with a 110 plug so you makes the entire experience just that much more
can plug it in at home. There is an integrated battery enjoyable and essential for any overland journey.
protection system that will shut the fridge off long
before it drains the battery; it will fall on its own sword
· For more information, please visit www.arbusa.com
rather than leave you stranded somewhere.
With the anticipation of having a guaranteed supply
of cold, we stocked up on steaks, eggs, bacon, milk,
cheese, and other items that can be sketchy after nearly
a week in a cooler. I have never eaten so well on the
trail; having the confidence to stock up on perishable
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Jeep applications have plenty of different settings to keep the die-hard gadget geeks busy for weeks. For a rela-
tively modest outlay ($379.99) there are some really clever and useful features for Jeepers of every persuasion and
besides, who doesn’t want a little extra power?
Available for most late-model Jeep models.
www.superchips.com
Out with the Old, In
with the New:
Goodyear’s new MT/R
Tire with Kevlar
Text & Photos by Matt Adair
It would have been the new tire in California’s Johnson Valley “Hammers”
easy for Goodyear to Trails; this was an ambitious move because the
do a few upgrades to Hammers are known for chewing up and spitting out
their premier off-road tire sidewalls. Despite the 20 some-odd (and some
tire, the Wrangler really odd) journalists driving rental JK Rubicons, not a
MT/R. Change the single tire failed (though several Rubicons suffered
tread pattern slightly, rental-car-itis related damage). My initial impressions
slap on a new sidewall were very positive and I couldn’t wait to try them on
design, and trium- some different types of terrain.
phantly announce the A couple weeks later a set of 37x12.50R17 showed up
‘new’ tire to the world. on my doorstep (much to my UPS guy’s chagrin),
Instead they chose to followed a day later by a set of Walker Evans 17” Bead-
pursue a radical and locks.
potentially very risky
In the following three weeks, I put 4,000 miles on the
course of action. From
tires and can report that, in this writer’s opinion, the
a completely clean
MT/R is the best all-around off-highway tire currently
slate they threw out
available. In the rocks, they are simply unstoppable;
conventional wisdom
there was so much grip that at Easter Jeep Safari I
and design and went back to the drawing board…so
broke two driveshaft u-joints; I was able to conquer
to speak. In actuality, they went to Sandia National
trails and optional
Labs, the guys who designed the United States’ nuclear
lines that I would
weapons arsenal and among other things, houses one
never have thought
of the most powerful Super-Computers in the world.
possible in the past.
They used the expertise of Sandia’s engineers and the
power of the Cray computer to run myriad of computer One area the previ-
models, trying to figure out the best compromise ous generation MT/R
between strength, weight, mud-clearing ability, and always was criticized
on-road manners. The result is a tire that looks like in was performance in
none other out there: unique to be sure and making no mud or sloppy wet
apologies about it. Most obvious is the fact that the trails. This alone is
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tread pattern is asymmetrical; the look of the tire is why I had never been
highly polarizing and extremely different. What the eye a fan myself, as living
can’t see is the addition of a DuPont Kevlar sidewall ply. in the Pacific North-
Yup, the same stuff bulletproof vests are made from. west that’s pretty
Goodyear claims this increases the sidewall strength much all we have. I
35% over that of the previous generation MT/R. was highly skeptical
of the new MT/R with
The design raised a lot of eyebrows at the release of
Kevlar, but with the
new design’s massive voids it looked like Goodyear may finally have addressed
this issue. One trip into the woods of the PNW confirms that Goodyear’s immod-
est claims about the tire’s mud capabilities are, if anything, modest. Not only do Now
they stick to wet rocks like glue, they clear out the huge side voids and provide
serious forward motion when you hit syrupy mud. Even
Anybody can make a tire that can get you out of a mud bog; if your only goal is Mappier!
sticking to rock, the task is relatively easy.
Making a tire that can perform superbly in both
conditions and be a quiet companion on the
road is nearly impossible; yet here it is, the new
MT/R. If you can get over the looks, you’ll find a
class leading, competitively priced Mud Terrain
that works well in all conditions.
Stay tuned for updates as we wear these tires
in and try to find a chink in their Kevlar armor.
www.goodyear.com
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Crawling over that rock or waterfall, one eye on the road, the other on your spotter. Rubber starts squealing, you
start getting some wheel spin and in that last second you give it some more gas to try to get it over. BANG, SNAP!
You get this sick feeling in your gut as you just broke one of your rear axles. What to do now?
One of the worst things that can happen on a trail is for an axle to break. Unfortunately the Dana 35 rear axles
that come stock on Jeep Wranglers, XJ Cherokees, and other Jeeps have a way of snapping after you add larger
tires, lockers, and a little too much pedal. While I mention D35 axles, this tool can be used on any C-Clip type axle
such as the Ford 8.8 and other corporate axles like the Chrysler 8.25 and even the Jeep D44A, which has c-clips
unlike other D44s.
Up until now when this happened, you either had to have a spare axle with you and the tools and time to
replace it or leave your Jeep in the middle of nowhere. The problem with the middle of nowhere option is that
there are many Jeeps that have been left there only to be found stripped of parts or even worse, used for a bon
fire.
When I saw this device at the Overland Expo this spring, my first thoughts were how ingenious it is. See it, touch
it, and feel it. The quality of construction and the simplicity of use are evident. The rollers move smoothly thanks
to bearings. And the price, I don’t know how they can sell it so cheap! It will fit most size tires ordinarily used on
trail Jeeps, even 35” monsters.
When there are no spare parts available,
which is the case more often than not with a
broken axle, this tool can be a lifesaver, liter-
ally. Even if you have a spare axle, it is not
always safe or easy to do the repair where you
are. With the broken axle tool, you can move
the Jeep to a safe area to do your repair or
limp back slowly to civilization. It is easy to
carry, easy to store, and even if you never have
to use it on your Jeep, you can be the hero
when someone else in your group breaks their
axle.
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Most of us watch a movie or read a book that deals threaded BBQ connections. Being 12” wide and 15.25-
with the future and we see all kinds of new technology, 18” tall, they can be stored just about anywhere. For the
gadgets, and products and think “It would be nice if techies out there, they are pressure-rated at 294psi and
had that NOW.” they have a burst pressure rating of 2200psi. The empty
While searching the web for some 10lb propane tanks weight of the 11lb tank is 7.5lbs and the 17lb tank has
for my off-road trailer, I came across something that an empty weight of 11lbs. In addition, the HDPE liner
caught my eye. One of the hits said, “Our LP Gas tanks and composite pressure vessel have sufficient
are translucent for fuel-level viewing. Never run out of translucency for you to view the level of fuel in the
propane gas again during a barbecue.” Wow, really? It tank, and they have no possibility of corrosion since
gave me thoughts of Star Trek IV where Scotty made they are resistant to acids and solvents and are
transparent aluminum to hold the whales in the ship. manufactured for maximum UV stability.
So I clicked on the link and read on. But what about a direct hit to the cylinder while
My browser brought me to a company called Ragasco off-roading? I explained to Matt that I do lots of long
USA Inc. out of Sarasota, Florida. As I glanced over the distance overland driving and the cylinder would be
page in front of me I thought, “How very cool and mounted on my custom off-road trailer. While it had
futuristic looking” and I decided I needed more never happened to me, what if the trailer were to slide
information. sideways on the trail and the cylinder took a direct hit
by a tree or boulder? Matt told me that unlike a steel
Many new and futuristic products, and the substances
tank that would most likely split at the seams and have
that come to us, are usually the result of research and
the potential to explode, the composite tanks would
development for either NASA or the military. This
have more give, are cushioned and protected by the
product can easily fall into this category. Like many of
outer plastic covering and in the unlikely event of a
you, I am most interested in safety and durability of a
breach, the fuel would release slowly without an
product that will be used in sometimes hostile
explosion. Matt also told me that they are selling these
environments many miles from home, including the
more and more to overlanders due to their weight and
Arizona desert where temperatures can reach 120°F
safety.
plus in the summer to the part of the journey where
you could be a days ride or more from anything that Ok, so I ordered two tanks and waited with
could be considered civilization. anticipation as the order arrived and I opened the first
box. It was light, really light. I placed the tank on the
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Besides enjoying the scenery, the second most important part of camping is
relaxing. The FILLO™ Compact Camping Pillow by Nemo Equipment assures
that you will be well rested when it’s time to hit the hay. You can inflate the
memory foam to the desired stiffness and can increase the standard 4” height by
pulling extra clothing through the elastic straps on the bottom of the pillow. The
soft suede-like microfiber covering is comfortable
on your face and can be removed and washed.
The integrated sack compresses the FILLO to the
size of a 1-litter bottle. The FILLO’s light weight
and quick inflation make this an essential item to
pack for your trip, and is one of the coolest new
camping products we’ve tested in quite some time.
A JPFreek camping essential!
Most of us have them in our Jeeps and some of us, like me, keep
looking for the perfect ones. You know, the ones that won’t
collapse and won’t fall apart after a few months.
Having owned 20+ Jeeps over the last 30 years I have bought all
kinds of grab handles and eventually had to replace all of them,
many sooner than later. At last I might have found the pair that will
outlast my Jeep!
I have tried them all over the years. The cheap ones that go on sale at the local
parts or catalog store, the ones online at places like eBay that claim “the best there
are” and so far, none of them have held up to my standards. Some have lasted less
than a year. After a few months with these grips on my Jeep, I am pretty certain
that they will be the last grab handles I will ever need to buy.
Unlike the cheaper competition, these are made in the U.S.A. with quality materi-
als and obvious pride in design and workmanship. These grips incorporate a
non-stick material with thermo-molded handles, and a built-in stiffener. Due to
their unique design, “Gnarly Grips” will not collapse in on you like Brand-X and
they won’t slide around on your roll bar. Combine this with MilSpec thread and
stitching, and you can be ensured of a safe, long lasting product with a very
natural feel. They come in three sizes to fit nearly any vehicle or size roll bar from a
CJ to a TJ, Tube Buggies, Rhinos, and more. In addition, they can be used just
about anywhere in your Jeep and for a number of different purposes, from
passenger assist to a place to keep your shirts on hangers for the more civilized
Jeeper.
But don’t believe me, heck out the YouTube video of one being attached to the
front of a Jeep and used as a “tow hook.”
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Inzdw1_dWA8
If it can pull a Jeep, it can handle a 4000lb gorilla! Are you a believer now?
For more information on this and other great products, visit ORTT’s website at www.offroadtrailtools.com.
The Elements Tour Heads to the Ocean
Nature Propelled, Part IV – The River Phase
(Above) Live performance art piece by gravity free
Text by Shawn Carkonen
from Japan. Was recorded live for Nature Propelled.
Photos by Seth Warren
When we last checked in with JPFreek for the previous issue, Seth
Warren and the KAVU Elements Tour crew were in Missoula, Montana
editing film footage and waiting for the snow to melt so they could get
the kayaks in the water and begin the fourth and final phase of the tour.
Begun in August 2008, the yearlong Elements Tour, which is sponsored
by KAVU, KEEN, and Clif Bar, followed the complete life cycle of water
across western North America. The mission of the tour was to educate
students and others about what they can do to satisfy their energy needs
using renewable sources and how to live more sustainable lifestyles.
The final section of the tour got off to a stellar start with Garden City
Localfest in Missoula. Organized with the Sustainable Business Council of
Montana, Localfest celebrated Missoula, encouraged people to shop
locally, and also spread the message of sustainability through informative
booths, presentations, and guest speakers. It also turned out to be the
FALL 2009
Element Tour’s biggest event ever with about 3,000 people in attendance.
Seth was MC of the event and “Baby,” the Japanese fire truck that he
converted to run on any kind of natural oil, served as one of the main
stages for live music and presentations. During the week leading up to
Localfest, Seth, Baby, and the crew visited 11 Missoula schools and did
sustainability presentations for about 1,000 enthusiastic students and
their teachers.
Micah Wolf performs live on BABY
Along with being a memorable day filled with sunshine, good
folks, and fun, the entire event was off-the-grid! The University of
Montana’s mobile biomass gasification unit, one of the biggest
and most advanced systems of its kind in the world, was brought
in to supply all of the power needed for everything from PA
systems and amps to restaurant equipment and lighting. This rig,
about the size of an RV, blew people away and showed the kind of
energy solutions that are currently possible. Wood scraps go in
and clean power comes out with just a small amount of charcoal
as a byproduct. Truly impressive. Elements Tour visited 12 schools in 5 days in
the greater Missoula area.
In early June, as the snowmelt began flowing into the rivers in large volumes, the crew headed for Bozeman, MT
to begin what would eventually turn into a nonstop 21-day kayaking bender. The first stop was Big Timber Creek,
one of the rivers that Seth pioneered in the late 1990s when he was a professional kayaker. This time he was on
the other side of the lens filming local rippers as well as Silje Skorve, a Norwegian pro and old pal of Seth’s that
joined the tour for a stretch.
Leaving Bozeman, they hit the famous waves along the Yellowstone River where Seth and Silje got some sweet
rides on their surfboards in the middle of the river. Surf Montana! It was then off to Sandpoint, Idaho.
The Idaho panhandle is a wonderland for kayakers. There are slides moving into kickers leading to more
slides down smooth polished rock and granite secrets galore. It’s kind of like a water park. Seth considers
Lion Creek to be a “must do” and Boundary Creek is a 15-mile long Class IV+ rapid that’s totally out of this
world. Kayaking, filming, and amphibipong (a ping pong table that doubles as a raft) all day, brews and
campfires on the riverside at night – you can’t beat that.
We next followed the Kootenai River all
the way from Libby, MT up to Nelson, British
Columbia hitting up big waterfalls, huge
rapids, and world class play waves along the
way. The locals at the kayak shop outside of
Nelson showed us much love and gave us a
tour of all the local creeks. We even got to
witness local paddler Mikkel Duncan run
60-foot Big Beaver Falls! He had so much
fun, he decided to jump in and finish the
tour with us. We pointed Baby west and set
out for the coast.
The last leg of the journey was a doozie.
Baby was getting tired and our passage
through the Canadian Rockies to the coast
did not come without incident. She didn’t
take too well to the 9-10% grade on the
passes and required a fair amount of
roadside tweaking to keep her rolling.
Along with running on anything from
restaurant grease to fish oil to commercial
biodiesel, Baby also captures solar, wind,
and kinetic energy that is stored in 14
on-board batteries for later use as
electricity. It’s basically a sustainability
machine and a proven road warrior. That
said, even beasts like her need some R&R at
some point and we were pushing it as it
was. But Baby performed like the superstar
she is and came through yet again.
And good thing she did because the last
stop on the Elements Tour proved to be
among the most memorable of the entire
journey. We reached the Skookumchuck
Tidal Narrows on the summer solstice
during the biggest tidal difference of the
year – 18 feet! The ocean was cranking
through a small inlet along the Sunshine
Coast of B.C. The classic Skook wave starts
flowing when the lunar energy drives big
tides and we caught the biggest flow of the
FALL 2009
Tube Stake is a wave that appears out toward the middle of the
channel once a year when the tide reaches maximum velocity. A
massive tube starts to form, and only a few kayakers have
braved the challenge of surfing it. To date, almost no one has
received a consistent ride in the barrel. I worked with a couple of
talented locals, Emily and Dru, to capture the first ever still and
video footage down the barrel using a jet boat out in the center
of the channel. What a ride!
The Elements Tour was an epic journey. Nearly an entire year
spent following the life cycle of water while hanging out with
inspiring characters, experiencing stunning scenery and endless
outdoor adventure, and educating students and others about
renewable energy sources and how to live more sustainable
lifestyles. Overall, the tour put on more than 100 public events
in over 40 cities and spoke directly to about 10,000 students and
their teachers.
Seth is now back in Missoula working on producing his next
documentary, Nature Propelled (www.naturepropelled.com),
the follow-up to the award-winning Oil + Water (www.nrpw.
FALL 2009
The return of spring each year brings the excitement and planning for all my upcoming adventures. Too
often when we talk about or think of Jeep trips we associate it with a wheeling adventure or expedition.
Some of my favorite moments in my Jeeps have been while traveling to or from a camping or hiking trip,
kayaking excursion, and even wintertime ski trips.
So the time had come when the temperatures had melted the snowcaps off of the mountain peaks and
it was time to trade the skis for kayaks and camping gear. Thus, we then needed to decide which direction
to head for some paddling. This year we headed out to the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming and the Black
Hills of South Dakota for some paddling. This part of the country had an enormous amount of snowfall
earlier this year so we knew we would be able to find the creeks and rivers full and flowing. It just came
down to rounding up a few friends and deciding which direction to head.
FALL 2009
FALL 2009
The Black Hills have several great spots in and around the scenic town of Spearfish. Spearfish is only 20 miles
away from the historic town of Deadwood where many of the famous outlaws of days gone by would spend their
time drinking, gambling, and thriving during the days of the gold rush. Some of the kayaking that can be found
around the area is on the Red Water, a class 1-2 waterway about five miles north of town. Spearfish Creek runs
through town and depending on the time of year, it can provide some good class 2-3 rapids and a scenic setting.
During the spring runoff, Spearfish Canyon located just outside of town also has some short season paddling
offering class 3-4 rapids.
Wyoming also has many places that offer some good water for all classes of kayakers. On the east side of the Big
Horns, the areas around Sheridan, Buffalo, Dayton, and Story offer class 1-3 paddling along certain areas of the Big
and Little Goose, Piney Creek, Clear Creek, and the Tongue River. The west side of the state has several areas
around Cody and the entrance to Yellowstone which can give kayakers who want class 3-5 rapids a place to play.
FALL 2009
FALL 2009
White water kayaking is a great way to get out and enjoy natures
surroundings, and there is a certain spirituality about being taken
downstream by the force of the water and yet being able to quietly
come upon wildlife in its natural habitat, as well as get the chance to
observe them in their natural surroundings. Being able to see what
millions of years of water flowing through a canyon creating sheer cliff
walls where the eagles fly, or paddling through a heavily treed creek
creates a timeless sense of tranquility that can’t be found in any yoga
class, book club, or self-help seminar. It can only be found outdoors.
Other times it’s simply being out and enjoying the day or weekend
with friends and having some fun.
When it came time to transport our equipment from one creek or river to another,
we utilized our Yakima “Big Stack” kayak rack that we decided to test this season. I was
very impressed with the quality and ease of use with this universal kayak carrier
system. Yakima is one of the widely recognized names in the carrier industry with
their product line of kayak, ski, and bike racks and we wanted to really see how their
product held up for our demands. We have been pleasantly surprised at the quality,
pricing, and overall design of the rack and how it held up to our use of it and how well
it transported our boats as we traveled around looking for the next place to put our
kayaks in. So if you are a kayaker yourself and are in need of a rack system to transport
your boats, check Yakima and their product line out at www.yakima.com.
The next time you’re looking for an adventure to have in your Jeep,
don’t limit yourself to trying to find a trail to go wheeling on. There
are so many destinations and opportunities to enjoy every season
that a Jeep can take you to. Although wheeling in a Jeep is one of my
favorite pastimes, I have found that these great vehicles can provide
so much more. So until the next adventure, happy wheeling, safe
travels, and “Get out there.”
FALL 2009
Our mission is to empower generations to enjoy the outdoors
responsibly through education and stewardship. So join us. Try
to use existing campsites, camp at least 200 feet from lakes and
streams and pack out what you pack in. For more ways to
minimize your impact while camping, go to www.treadlightly.org
or call 1-800-966-9900.
JEEP JAMBOREE
PHOTO ALBUM
July - Photo of the Month - Moab, by Tom White
FALL 2009
#1 - If you have the time, visit a junkyard and search for a 95-98
ZJ Grand Cherokee rear disc brake system as this is a direct bolt-
on to your TJ (D35 or D44 axle) and can give you disc brakes
in the rear for about $200-$300 depending where you find your
parts. Make sure to salvage and/or purchase the following:
the time and hassle of looking for option #1. The kit costs about
$450-499.
How did the installation go, you ask? Well, for the most part, pretty
well. For someone who knows his or her stuff, this is a two-three
hour conversion. For me, working alone, it took slightly longer
(mostly because the diff cover bolts on my new Riddler diff cover
could not be torqued up to spec without breaking). The Riddler
diff cover is great if you want to take this chance to reinforce your
pumpkin... just use your stock bolts (or, new grade 8s from the
hardware store).
I found that the instructions provided with the Crown kit were a
bit lacking, so I used a combination approach which made use of
Stu Olson’s write-up (if you haven’t been to his site, he does great
write-ups on all things TJ) and another one I found at links4jeeps.
com.
SUMMER 2009
m a in th e
Kar
d
Freek Techniques
Jeep W or l
Text and Photos by Mark Filonowich
N 47° 28.320’ W 092° 27.070’
Recently, I was on a camping trip with my son and we were phia, and I was supposed to be on that plane. With the
sitting around the campfire telling stories. He’s only 9, but a steering wobbling furiously and the airport a couple of hours
very bright kid and we talk about some pretty amazing away, things were not looking so good. But, let me back up a
concepts. The subject of Karma came up (if you do good few steps to fill you in on how this Jeep got to be broken
things, good things will happen to you — if you do bad down on the side of the road…
things, bad things will happen to you) and I shared with him For 19 years I have been a Big Brother to 3 different young
this story from my own Jeeping experiences. He understood men. One of them happened to be my “Little” when the Jeep
the concept right away, and is now pretty sure that somehow, bug bit me for the second time. Not surprisingly, Kevin fell in
somewhere, the world’s harmonic balance will be restored love with Jeeps as well and even wrote his school report on
with a Craftsman ½” combination wrench. He also didn’t my Scrambler project. He and I wheeled together around
hesitate telling me that this story should be the next column I Minnesota and Wisconsin, but eventually Kevin grew up and
write for JPFreek. I hope you enjoy the tale as much as he did. moved away. He never lost the love for Jeeps though, and still
Once upon a time in a land far, far away (OK…it was 2004 drives one every day. He ended up in Delaware, and joined a
and took place at Paragon Adventure Park in Pennsylvania local club that would regularly trail ride at Paragon. It wasn’t
which is still technically a long way from Minnesota), there too long before I had an invitation to join him for some East
was a broken down Jeep. It was a good Jeep that had just Coast wheeling.
enjoyed a fantastic couple of days wheeling, but now needed The club was planning a Saturday run, so I flew in on Friday
to get back on the road. A plane was leaving from Philadel- night. By Saturday morning we had a convoy of Jeeps head-
ing down the road. Great people, great fun, great trails…
everything you hope for on a wheeling adventure.
A quick sidebar about this club: they are working to restore
the “Jeep wave.” If any club member is found guilty of driving
their own Jeep and not waving to another Jeep on the road,
they are forced to wear a “monkey on their back” (actually it’s
a stuffed monkey attached to the spare tire). The monkey
stays until someone else forgets the wave. It was kind of
funny watching as everyone in the convoy waved vigorously
SUMMER 2009
Iron Range Offroad offers a comprehensive training course geared toward entry level Jeepers that stresses
safety and environmental responsibility. The classroom setting is the spectacular Iron Range OHV park, 3 hours
north of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Trail riding is integrated with class modules covering trip preparation, vehicle
maintenance and repair, driving skills for different terrain, extraction techniques, vehicle upgrades, and much
more. Learn more about offroad driving classes at:
s e a n d
Land U Along”
e Ribbon Coalition
Land Use & Access
e “ R i d
th Stacie Albright, Blue
&
By Del
Getting to know our politicians so that we can get them congressperson and ask for an appointment with a Field
on our side is probably the biggest challenge we face as Representative. Come prepared to introduce yourself,
off-highway enthusiasts in the upcoming years, and your concerns, and the objectives of your local club/
especially as we move into the future. Without their group. Be concise; be accurate; and be
support and active involvement in our sports, we’re non-confrontational.
doomed. Leave them with an invitation to join you/your group
I know that might sound harsh to some of you; but the on a club run. I like to think of it as a ride-along. Pick
handwriting is on the wall. There’s only so much our something scenic but not too rough. Follow up your
local, state and national organizations can do for us. invite with a phone call to ensure they make it. Be
We’re extremely out-numbered by those who would persistent. Get them on the trail! There’s nothing more
rather see us park anything with motors. We need to get convincing than an actual experience. The ride-along
our elected officials on board and singing our tune! idea has no equal in my book. They’ll feel what we feel;
Federal lands are being “closed unless signed open.” smell what we smell; and learn what it is that rings our
Roads are being closed by the thousands of miles per bell!
year. Our opponents are swaying legislators and public Attend a few of their fund raising or “town hall” type
officials to reduce the use of motorized equipment all meetings. Wear your club patch/hat. Get a vest and sew
over the nation. If you start adding up the figures, there’s patches all over it that represent the organizations you
no one sport that’s safe (save walking). Boating is under belong too. Show them you’re proud of what you do and
major attack. Dirt biking and four-wheeling are targets of believe in. Make sure they know you’re “out there.”
obliteration. Even mountain biking is prohibited in We must make these efforts to get our politicians
wilderness areas. Snowmobiles are being pushed out of involved in our sports. They don’t have to be
the high country in the west. motorheads; but they do need to understand the thrill
Where will it end? Your guess is as good as mine. But and excitement, as well as learning, that we experience
we’ve got to whip up our fight to a new frenzy. And that as we adventure out into the wilds of this great country.
means politicians. The folks we elect are the folks who Good luck.
can keep our sports alive.
How do we get them involved? It’s not that hard. First
off, get involved in an organized group that represents
what you like to do. Send some money to a national
group that is working to enhance your sport. Donate to a
FALL 2009
FALL 2009
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FALL 2009
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Give-away
Recipe Winner
Sponsored by:
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FALL 2009
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FALL 2009
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FALL 2009
7 Bar Grille
Chef Gear Review
Real items for real adventure
and real trail use!
MAN PANS
By: Chef Mark DeNittis
Move over Julia Child and Betty Crocker cooking clubs of yesteryear, today’s chefs
and food enthusiasts aren’t just Suzy Homemaker anymore. Enter the Man Pan.
Sure, I’d like to see someone say “cooking is for girls” these days to somebody like
Gordon Ramsey of Hell’s Kitchen…or even say it to me for that matter! Bring it, and
that is just what Man Pans has done!
Having this pan myself since it was still in the prototype phases, I have trail-tested
this pan on numerous occasions both out on the trail as well in my home kitchen. It
is a useful tool for sauté, wok-style cooking, boiling water, cooking pasta as well
pasta dishes, soups, stir fry, or even one pot meals such as stews or braised dishes. It
performs in the house just as well as it does on the trail.
Quality of product:
Designed by “a team of top industry engineers and experts” (possibly including wives, just a
theory I have), the materials and design factors that went into the Man Pan shine through
when in use and it shows. From the technologically superior design components such as the
ultra durable cool grip handle and natural non-stick nature (Gen-X2, see information in
manufacturer specifications), the Man Pan delivers (insert Tim the Tool-Man grunts here).
Similar cheap imitator pans use Teflon for non-stick. Let’s be honest here: How many Teflon
pans have you thrown out (I HOPE YOU HAVE) because of flaking Teflon surfaces?
The integrated natural non-stick surface of the Man Pans comes from the pan making and
metal forming/layering process itself. The claims of scratching with a coin hold true, I have
done it myself, try that on a Teflon pan!
The cool grip handle design is purposeful and two fold.
The design itself and metal used keep the handle from getting the O.S.T.H.H.G. Factor (Oh
S&%T that’s a Hot Handle Grab Factor) you have experienced while being camp chef. C’mon
you know those “Wish I had the video camera AFV home video moments.”
The handle is further designed to be non-slip, which is a great added benefit. Industry pans
often have “handle rubbers” that are just plain worthless and make the pan even more
dangerous to handle.
Ease of use:
Pretty simple here. Put over medium - high heat, add in a cooking
medium (such as cooking oil not 30w or 40w), some food, and …
FALL 2009
Find it in
recognitions in both the Culinary and
Off-highway world have created the
framework to bring Jeep vehicles and
7BG Kitchen
cuisine to new heights. Chef D joins forces
with the JPFreek family to further the
grand vision of the Jeep lifestyle and
“wicked killah” food.
FALL 2009