Arizona wheeling to the Coke Ovens (Florence, Az)

[Triathlete]

Here is a trip that is posted over on the Planet Isuzu site.
Box Canyon/Coke Ovens
Meeting at the pull out just east of the railroad tracks (east of Florence) at 8:00AM on Sun. Sept. 21 2008.
I plan on being there and VCamilo is going to try and make it.
This trail is an intermediate trail (disclaimer: I have not done this trail in a few years so the monsoon rains may have changed the trail somewhat). The last time I was there stock 4x4's made it pretty easily.
So all you 'Zonies come on out and join some other Zu's and friends for a fun day!

[Triathlete]

No one wants to go out and get their VX dirty next weekend?

[etlsport]

No one wants to go out and get their VX dirty next weekend?

i do..but its a long drive for me..

[Triathlete]

If you leave now you will have plenty of time!

[Triathlete]

Weather is going to be nice...93 and sunny!

[Triathlete]

You guys don't want to miss out on all the fun...do you?

[VCAMILO]

Anyone else? I saw gray lifted VX with HUGE tires on the 202 yesterday. Is that someone here in AZ?

[VCAMILO]

Billy! Woke up this morning SORE as hell from yesterday. After 15hrs of driving and about 13 of those off roading I was SORE this morning. I will probably call Matt later on tonight and see if we have to go get his truck tomorrow from deep in the desert.

[Ldub]

Billy! Woke up this morning SORE as hell from yesterday. After 15hrs of driving and about 13 of those off roading I was SORE this morning. I will probably call Matt later on tonight and see if we have to go get his truck tomorrow from deep in the desert.

PICS ? ? ?

[Triathlete]

Story and pics after dinner!

[Triathlete]

All right here we go...
My day started with a 6:00 departure from my house. I met up with a friend of mine (Mike) who was joining us in his Rubi. We pulled into Florence at 7:40, filled up the gas tanks and then headed off to the meet place. There we met up with several people from the Planet Isuzu board...Vincent in his recently SAS'd "Troopa", DREDnot in his Trooper, dsrtrat in his Rodeo (organized the trip), his friend in a Toyota, and Victor (VCamilo) in his VX. After introductions and checking out everyones vehicles we hit the trail at 8:30. A long dirt road dropped us at the mouth of Box Canyon. Just prior to the canyon, Vince broke a center pin on his rear axle, the first carnage of the day. Vince make quick work out of the repairs with a bolt that he had that was a near perfect fit. While he worked we enjoyed the shade at the beginning of the canyon...








Once Vince was done, we made our way through Box Canyon with out any events...

[tomdietrying]

Looks like a grand ol time just playing in mother nature's backyard.

Some guys just seem like they know how to make a weekend into something really special.

Peace.
Tom
012009

[Triathlete]

The Canyon gets pretty narrow in some spots.


Once out of the canyon it was typical Az desert terrain...dirt and rocks!




dsrtrat reshaped one of his "bling" crome side steps which had to be removed to prevent it from rubbing on his tire. The second carnage of the day. The group stopped for a short break.


Some rare Az water..if you look close


We traveled along some more dirt and rock...thing were still going pretty good at this time.

[Triathlete]

Around this time the Toy got it first flat tire. Somehow he found the only screw on the trail in the middle of nowhere! Not having the tool to lower his spare, we got creative and got the tire out and changed the flat.
Had time to snap a few shots of the area.






Traveling down a ridge just before our next problem.






About this time the Toy tore a side wall...second flat in less than a mile! The 15 inch spare from a Trooper would not fit on the front...but it did on the rear. Musical tires! While they were changing the tire a few of us continued down the hill too see if the Gila River was crossable for the short way out. The brush was pretty thick.




Mother nature had done a job on the river crossing making it impassable...the crossing had turned into a house size washout/sinkhole! So the only way out was back the way we came. More bad news...30 yards after changing the flat the Toy tore a side wall...flat number 3! We ended up having to move the Toy off the trail and leaving it to be retrieved on a following day. Now the son was starting to run out! We loaded up and started heading back the way we came deciding to skip the Coke Ovens and save a little time. Heading out the shadows were getting very long.

[Triathlete]

The Coke Ovens from up on the ridge.




Shadows getting longer...sun geting lower in the sky.


This was the toughest obstacle of the day (both coming and going). The left line was actually the easiest due to a large hole on the back side the crossed up the axles if you took the right side...unless you had lockers, then it didn't matter.


After getting everyone through the obstacle we were making pretty good time but still had a long way to go.


Still on the trail we ran out of sunlight.






With the sun gone we forged on

We attempted to find an alternative exit at Box Canyon but after several wrong ways we decided to just go out the way we had gone in. Night time navigating is pretty hard if you are not familiar with the area. It was slow going but we found our way out! We hit pavement at 9:30. A short stop at the mini mart in Florence to air up the tire, grab a quick snack, and say goodbyes. Then it was a long drive home. I made it back to my door at 10:45. A long day, but I had fun. I wasn't able to take a lot of pics this trip, my photographer (wife) wasn't able to go on the trip. I stayed pretty busy driving and spotting.