And the participants ...

Dave (drives a Taco) ...



Matt (part owner in an airplane that he flies on occasion) ...



Jack (was with me on WABDR) and his dad, Nick (Brit, former race car driver, ain't that cool?) ...



Fred (desert guide, extraordinaire) ...

 

Very cool!

The photos brought back some good old memories. I hope everyone enjoyed!

Do I see some upgraded tires on Fred's Jeep this year?

Thanks for sharing those great photos Mark - good looking rigs, good people, exploring a very cool part of our southwestern desert!

Regards, CW

 

You see an upgraded Jeep. After slicing open the tire last year coming off Carrizo Mtn, Fred traded the Sahara for a Rubi. This year it appears I took the brunt of damage on that mountain: Big dents in my transmission support crossmember and in the exhaust crossover.

 

Great pics guys: thanks for sharing.

Sent from my iPhone using JK-Forum

 

That might be the very best way I've ever heard of, for getting new tires!

 

Great pics Mark! Looks like a great time!

 

Great stuff Mark! I remember seeing Fred do that on one of your videos. As a fellow Sahara driver, that's the moment that confirmed my desire for better off-road tires. Are you planning on putting together videos from this trip?

Cheers!
Dave

 

Yes, there will be videos.

 

Cascade Wanderer,

So here's how it all went down. When I returned from last year's trip to Carrizo Mt, with ego well bruised, I took my ripped up tire back to the dealer and said I needed a replacement and would also like to look at a set of more capable tires. I was dealing with the service manager at this point who called in a salesman to assist me in selecting a better set of tires. As the selection process progressed, the parts manager wondered into the this ever growing group of off road enthusiasts and made the first offer which went something like this -I just happen to have a set of 17" BFG Mud-Terrain T/A (KMs), mounted on Rubi wheels, which I will sell you, installed, for $2,000. Such a deal! The salesman, not wanting to be one-upped, said that he would match the parts manager's deal on the tires and throw in, as a one time incentive, an all white 2015 Rubi JKU with every option available. And, best of all, he said, that the fact it was a Rubi and not a Sahara, was hardly noticeable because the bright white would blind most folks in the desert sun, just talk about the new tires and not the vehicle, no one will notice. The 73:1 final crawl ratio, 4.10 gears and leather seats can be your little secret. And that, boys and girls, is how I got a new set of tires. The final cost was slightly more that $2,000.
DF

 

Great bargain indeed.