moab EJS 2009
 

Me and the girl friend are going to plan a trip to moab next year for easter. Any advice for first timers? Condos, trails, must sees, etc. Where do you all recommend staying? Any info would be appreciated. I want to start now so ill be ready when it gets here.

Same Situation For Me.

I want in the right way!

Moab 09
 

My wife and I did our first EJS this year. It is just a blast! Every jeeper should do it as often as possible. With your rigs you could do any of the trails offered during EJS given good driver skills and judgement. You can read discriptions of all the trails on the Red Rock 4-Wheelers web-site. There are many motels/hotels, lodges, campgrounds throughout and surrounding Moab. The place is blessed with 2 National Parks, lots of beautiful scenery and generally great weather. You probably can't go wrong but whatever book early. We booked 2months in advance and were lucky to get a room with our pet. Utah, like most western states provides lots of free tourist information which they'll send if requested. They're on the web.

My one suggestion is that if you want to stay in a hotel and do a family oriented kinda trip, stay in one in the center of town. Reason being is after you get back from a long day of wheeling you will want to just relax and have a few cold ones and not have to worry about driving around, looking for parking, getting pulled over with a DUI (there are lots of cops out that week!), etc. Plus, you can just stretch your legs out and go on a nice walk around, look at the shops, get something good to eat, and enjoy yourself more without having to worry about your baby (the Jeep). You quickly get into nothing but scenery when you travel north or south out of the center.

ColinW

Great suggestions. Does anyone know any good condos? What about registering? How do you know what trails are being run when, etc? Do you just go ride when you want? Do you meet with people and go at a certain time? I foung the red rock 4-wheelers page and have requested some info. That will probably answer alot of my questions. We need a first time EJS quick start guild faq thing! :thumbsup:

Red rock 4 wheelers will send out a paper to register with. They have a lottery of the people that register to fill the requested trails. that letter comes out around the first of the year. It will have a list of the trails, which day they are available and a good description of the trail obstacles. Plus a trail rating. there are hundreds of miles of trails open to use. There is just about any kind of accomodations there. Hope to see a bunch of you JKrs out here in Utah.

web site
 

rr4w.com is their web site

I have not experienced the nose-in-the-air syndrome in the groups I was with. In fact, EJS is enforcing a rule now that non-registered EJS groups can not go on the trails at the same time the official group does. This means that you're not waiting for, or being over-run by other rogue groups. Non-registered groups can still wheel, they just need to go on a trail with no official run planned. So, my old club, the Dirt Devils of Southern California would all register for one official run together, then go on Dirt Devils runs on the other days. We respected the EJS rules, but still had our own fun.

Here's the tip on the lottery. If you get a bunch of people who are going, send all your forms together in one envelop and ask them to put you all on the same trail. By registering, you'll get your raffle ticket, they'll put you all together, you'll be lead by the pros and have a blast!!!

I would recommend putting aside a mid-week day trip either to Arches or Canyonlands. There's actually trails available in Arches.

I have not been to EJS, probably won't ever. I go the second week of November every year. No crowding, cheaper hotel rates, and no clubs telling me what trails I can or can't run. Just my .02 -

So with the lottery you just put in for different trails you want and hope you get one? What are some trails recommended for a first timer? If you win one do they just tell you what time at the trail? How does it work? By the way, thanks for all the replies.

Ejs
 

Yes you select first, second, third and even fourth choices for each day you want to do a trail. We got our first choice for six days of trails. You'll see how it works when you get the paper they send out. Read their web site. Don't believe any of the negative comments about EJS. Yes, there are alot of people and it has to be organized accordingly but keep in mind that all the trail leaders, midgunners, tail gunners registration people etc. are all volunteers. Everyone I met was really friendly, helpful and informative. We had only one trail leader (on Flat Iron Mesa) who ran off and left his charges and had 40+ Jeeps spread over about 5 miles of mesa but that was the exception. Most were really professional and appeared to really enjoy introducing people to their home trails. You'll have fun, believe me!

All the people are one reason we want to go then. We want to be right in the middle of all the fun and excitment! :thumbsup:

I went on 4 trail runs with the Red-Rock 4-Wheelers as the guides, and I have nothing but great things to say. They all were extremely nice people, courteous, respectful, and full of great knowledge and information. Of course, I was always there an hour before hand so I was right up front so didn't experience any accordion effects.

That is another tip I strongly suggest - get there early. You will enjoy staying on the leader's pace, as they take a pretty good amount of breaks at the harder obstacles. I was never at the back of the pack, but I can tell you I would've hated being back there, as people who were back there were always playing catch up with the rest of the group.

The whole lottery thing is a little overrated in my book...I registered 3 weeks before EJS, and, if I remember correctly, got all of my first or second choices, and was easily able to switch out trails during the week, albeit this year there was apparently less in attendence than in previous years.

ColinW

this sounds like fun and i've been wanting to go out there someday soon. so i'll try to save money up for this. so for now, just count me as tentative. got a range of dates that you are going, so i can mark my calander?

Got to wait until the boys are a little older.

Hey damnit add us Jersey JK's to the list too :bleh:

IF there is a Jeep in 2009:eek2:

Is this trip to Moab still a go? I might be interested in joining in. There's enough time still for me to do a little planning. I'm hoping to have my lift and 35's by Feb-Mar. I'm in Richmond btw, let me know.

The forms usually come out in January I believe. All depends on Gas prices for us this year.

I would be interested in coming along on this trip. Tried to go last year, applied got the trails I wanted but timing was bad and could not make it out.

Sparked my interest... > 4thousand miles round trip.

Wonder if I started a company that would transport 4x4's cross country via cargo planes, how that would fair?

that's along way to drive in the luxury of a 2dr jeep.

something for me to ponder though.


And the company I work for has an office in Denver. It'd be cool if I could get them to pay for my trip to denver, then take vacation while I was there... wooty woot.
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Now playing: Metallica - The Judas Kiss
via FoxyTunes

....I've got a friend who drives a C-5 Galaxy...let me check to see how much they'd charge. I think a C-5 would accommodate all of us in one trip. :rotflmao2:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-C-5_CH-46.jpg

That would be pretty kickass to get a group delivered like that.

and kinda on topic, I just got butterflies watching this:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/224011..._back_moab_ut/

or this
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...58617951173729

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Now playing: Front 242 - Serial Killers Don't Kill Their Dog...
via FoxyTunes

That first one made me a bit sick, but what a rush that must be. Can't wait to get out to Moab sometime.

Oooo...thanks, I think I had a bit of a pucker factor going watching those...that was kinda nice....maybe a 4.8. I'm sure sitting in the drivers seat probably increases it to a seat clenching 10+ :fingerscrossed::sweat:

Hey Joeglock,

Looks like the wife and I are going in 09, maybe we will see you their or even on the way out....

Heck, depending on when we both leave maybe we can run out togeather. Are you driving or trailering out ? Were driving or JK. The only way my Jeep wil see a trailer is if it's Stolen or Broken...