Despite monsoon humidity and the promise of an afternoon storm, the sun shone brightly as nine drivers gathered with their passengers at Charleston Road Burger King. Jim was to lead us l into the Dragoon Mountains to run the China Camp trail and Saurin Pass. Jim traveled with Claudia, Bear and Daisy in the air conditioned comfort of the green suburban. We may not see Jim’s scrambler again until the weather cools. Jerry and Patty followed in their gold TJ with its fourth engine purring. Glen and Bob were next, each with a TJ-- Bob’s with a new lift-- and each with a guest. I, with Paul and Foxy, fell in with the only YJ, green. Behind me rode Stacy in his green Cherokee, followed by Dave and his red Cherokee with Kelly riding shotgun. Then came Mitch and Sue in their green TJ with Tom and Mona bringing up the tail in the Mudrunner, a Toyota.

The last time I was in the Dragoons I drove Miz Libby, a 4cylinder, manual everything, stock YJ with no lift and 27" tires. It was only my third trip off road. Now, a dozen trips later, I was driving Lady Freedom with 6 cylinders of power, automatic, 3" of lift , 33" tires and limited slip. I was excited to learn what difference more experience and a better equipped vehicle would make.

On Thursday afternoon, the 22nd of July, Paul and I were the first of many to arrive at the camp-out site under a skitter of monsoon clouds. Having posted signs along the road to alert people that they were indeed on the right track, we set up camp. Paul had brought his new purchase of a popup camper for its shakedown. I towed the Association’s ramp. The ramp’s hitch didn’t want to let go of my receiver ball no matter how much we jacked, or jumped or otherwise manipulated it. I finally just drove off the receiver. Later some of the fellows separated it from the ramp’s hitch and relocated the ramp.

Paul located his utility trailer so compressed air and his generator would be convenient to any that needed air or electric power. I set up my tent behind his camper and we soon had in place a cozy home away from home.

We had guessed that the monsoon storms had been tracking more toward Green Valley and the Santa Rita Mountains. The lush green growth of grasses surrounding our campsite confirmed this.

Stacy and his family arrived to set up one of the largest camping tents I have ever seen. Many large frontier families lived in cabins smaller than his beauty of a tent. It was, of course, a Jeep tent. Mitch and Sue were quickly set up in their motor home and we had the start of what would soon become a small village. Stacy and family had to leave to return on the morrow leaving just the Hohstadts, Paul and me.

That night we sat under a sky streaked with clouds, peppered through with bright points of starlight enjoying an absolute silence and peace broken only by the whisper of a breeze and the occasional call of a bird settling in for the night’s roost. Soon, we too settled into slumber.

I had just brought home my newly purchased 6 cylinder YJ to replace My 4cylinder YJ. Anxious to get her on the dirt I put out an invitation for a run into what I heard was a very beautiful canyon. A warm, bright Spring-like day greeted the 5 other drivers who met me at the Whetstone Texaco to follow me with Paul and Foxy in my proud new Jeep into the back country of the Santa Rita Mountains, West of Patagonia to see how she handled.

Marty with his daughter Cheryl and their two dogs in their silver Scrambler, Gordon and Kathy in her Cherokee, Jim and Bear in his new mean, green Suburban, Dave with his Toy Truck sporting new bullet “holes” and Mark and Sherry also in a Toy Truck made up the group with plans to explore scenic Temporal Gulch and its offshoots plus Josephine Canyon off of Bull Springs Road if time permitted. (which it didn't).

After introduction to Lady Freedom and all the appropriate “oohs” and “aahs”, and words of congratulations had been said we headed out. We were ostensibly a group of mature adults but it soon became evident that we were in fact a caravan of giggling kids let out for holiday! The first holiday treasure came in seeing the elusive herd of antelope on the way to Sonoita.

A right turn off Hwy 83 onto Patagonia’s First Avenue took us onto 6 miles of smoothly graded dirt road that led into a canyon as beautiful as advertised, rich in Oak and grassland growth ending at the Arizona Trail head parking area where we air downed before moving on .2 mile to play a bit on a rock garden before continuing on. Jim managed to get his ‘Burban mostly up a steep slope of rock. Marty went up and over, while the rest of us sought different angles of approach. FS Rd. 72 soon led up and around hills with a few low traction areas that benefitted from 4Hi gearing. The usual leaders found what it was to eat the dust of others, and to enjoy sightseeing, while Ienjoyed my own pace, no dust, and the sense of being on my own yet in the safety of company. Reveling in Lady Freedom’s greater clearance and power I kicked up my heels traveling a bit faster and with less care than usual. 

For all of you that didn’t go it was a great trip. Dave, Sue, Owen, Roger, and Jim all got an early start Friday morning pulling out around 6am. The trip up almost proved uneventful. When we stopped for fuel is Safford we noticed that Jim had a flat tire on his travel trailer. A quick back into town got the tire fixed and we were on the road again. Once in the high elevations and on the dirt roads in the Apache Sitgraves National forest the fun started.

When we left earlier that morning Jim had noticed that that Dave’s tent trailer didn’t seam to track straight. Once off the road we stopped for a break. That’s when Jim noticed that one of the tires on Dave’s trailer had a large bulge in the side wall. No problem we thought only 12 or so miles of gravel washboard road to the campsite. HA just a couple of miles down the road BANG. I guessed the bulge let loose. WRONG!! The opposite side let loose. Than while jacking up the trailer I found that the axel had broken, yep split in half. No wonder the tires looked funny and the trailer didn’t track straight. Well jack it up and try to figure out how repair it at least for a short trip to the camp site where the axel could be removed and maybe delivered to some place that could weld the severed axel. With clamps, come along, and other odds and ends we had a temp fix. HA Less that half mile down the road another blown tire and both sides of the axel going there separate ways. Oh well I just drag it to a wide spot in the road where it can be jacked up and all the parts collected for a return trip to Alpine. While I returned to Alpine, Jim, and Roger took Sue and Owen and went in search of a camp spot on the river.

Sunday, May 22, 2004 a group of 11 vehicles met at Mustang Corners Texaco for a run through the beautiful Patagonia Mountains and across San Rafael Valley. Keith passed around doughnuts to go with our coffee and the general air of sociability. There was an equal proportion of longer term members and newer members in a variety of vehicles with an assortment of playful canines including Buster, a tiny little Yorkie who thinks he’s as big as any of the dogs. Jim Van Dyke led us in his Suburban; Jerry Dunbar rode with Jim–his TJ is down again with Engine woes. John Winters left his Jeep home to drive in favor of a pickup. Tom Parcenue and Mona were in the trusty Mudrunner, a transmuted Toy Truck. Roger Pluta drove his CJ I and Paul were in Lady Freedom, a YJ. Keith and Mara’s Jeep sported a new Tire Carrier and Rack designed by Troy. Glen Grey and Bob Keen were also in a YJ, Leon’s beautiful yellow CJ fooled me with its Rubicon sticker, Scott McDonald with Amanda in their Jeep and two young men whose names I don’t have rounded out the group with a toy truck. (Please forgive any mix up in who drove what. I’m still trying to capture everyone’s names and associate them with their vehicles.)

Marty Sindelar and Troy Allshouse both stopped by to say hello but were unable to join us for the run, nor was Dave Harker. They and all others who stayed home missed out on a special day, filled with beautiful scenery, enough challenge to keep it interesting and a fine time of comradery and a couple of eventful incidents.

As a newbie to the club I have attended the last 3 runs and the May 8 to Gardner Canyon was, for my money, the most scenic. It was attended by....Dave, Jim and Bear, Brian, Roger and Ellen, Leon, Lina, and 2 dogs, and Me. I think I got everyone.

Wife, Jenny was meeting with the Boxer rescue people (guess what might be in my future?). Most of the trip to the canyon was uneventful. We discovered a mine that actually had mining car tracks in it and was marked by a skull and crossbones. We then made our way to the almost end of the 785 road. Dave and I foraged a little further on to the end of the road and it got pretty narley in places (big rocks). My pretty much stock TJ Jeep made it to the end and I only hit bottom twice (I want 48" tires for Xmas). We then back tracked and did a few spurs led by Dead End Dave. After this we did lunch. We then took off and did a few more dead ends and then discovered a really neat road (loose term) off of road 4088. There was one section where Jim's Suburbon looked like a beached whale, but he made it. We then made our way down to a large pond and stopped for a while. DED's rear tire was going flat so Jim filled it up. Beautiful spot. Back to 4088 and then to 234 and back to Rt 82. I, for one, had a great time and it will have to last a while. Next WE I am off to Vermont to meet a buddy and my brother. I still have 2 motorcycles there and need to get them to Az. What, I don't need 4 motorcycles? So, until I return mid June. Good riding !!! Regards, Gary