Sightings Of The Willy Mammoth

[Lady Di]

Aren't those brand new?

they were. Mark thinks they are just overloaded but the guys at the trailer place didn't think it would be a problem

[Lady Di]

OK on to Meteor Crater and points E. for a smooth sailing day PLEASE!!!

[MiniSimp]

  for both of ya!

[Lady Di]

Thanks Mini, if all goes well we will still be in Hot Springs by Fri. morning. Time to meet the east coast crew.

[79coyotefrg]

[Wermz84]

How's this for a Mammoth sighting?

[*FFC*]

How's this for a Mammoth sighting?

That's a great pic!!!

[Lady Di]

excellent picture, wermz! It was SO COOL meeting you, wish we could have spent a lot more quality time hanging out and shooting the
Glad we ran into you at Marlin's on the way out... speaking of... Glen, Wermz sends his warmest regards.. 

[Lady Di]

OK then, where were we.... they were about to strap up CT's rig (which we dubbed PleaseStandBy) from in front and behind to drag him into the springs when CJ from Marlin's shop happened by and thank goodness he did.
As he told CT later, all his stars had aligned perfectly.

When he landed on that big rock that killed his engine he smashed his gas tank right at the gas pump jamming the check valve into it cutting off the flow of gas as well as causing his wiring harness to fall on a heat shield shorting at the wire to the ignitor causing us to think that was what the problem was and trouble shooting that all day.

CJ showed them how you can easily remove the fuel pump from the 4-runner from under the seat. They got that got out working again, and after some modifications to the tank and the pump bracket to get it to fit, they got it back in.

Then between BigMike on the CB and CJ, we were talked into leaving CT's rig at Buck Island and heading in to the springs to talk to Marlin

We loaded all CT's gear onto our trucks, and headed in.

After a couple grueling hours (which would have turned into MANY grueling hours trying to drag CT's rig) we finally made it to the springs, in talking with Marlin they determined it was most likely not the ignitor but the ECU. As luck would have it Jimjob was there, and had an ECU for an '87 which CJ said should be fine on the '85.

Cruzila fed us what was left of the tri-tip. BigMike said he saved us more food then just the roast, but someone else snagged it. We were so exhausted by then it didn't matter what we ate, just that we did.

We got the tents up, kicked by some to unwind, Cruzila stopped by and we got to shoot the with him some, that was cool. Eventually we got some sleep and after saying our goodbyes, headed back out the next morning back to Buck while everyone else headed to Cadillac Hill (and got stuck in the major traffic jam).

[Lady Di]

So as the story goes, we made it back to Buck Island, Cruzila, Jimjob and their crew were waiting for us.

CT switched out the ECU, turned the key and fired right it up, we all rejoiced, had a quick meal of slim jims, pringles and cheesy crackers and hit the trail.

As we were getting ready to go we heard about everyone still stuck on Cadillac. We caught up to Cruzila a hour or so later after the slabs and they were checking out the traffic jam, still there, with their binoculars.

And as I said before, it turned out we had a great trip out. No traffic jams for the most part, no breakage, no major stucks, we finally did the whole trail in the daylight and I THINK I got some good wheeling video for a change. (I walked from the slabs to the Little Sluice bypass video taping as we went).


Anyhoo.. more pics...

Oh, and we had CT's cooler still strapped to our stinger which helped keep the front wheels on the ground on the way out.

The pics...

1. BigMike and Blue (great to meet you, Blue)
2. Jimjob (THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR HELPING US OUT!!!)
3. Coming up on Buck Island (first time we've seen it in the daylight!)
4. Duffil with CT riding shotgun
5. Jimjob at CT's rig
6. Catching up to Cruzila after the slabs
7. Crossing the bowl
8. Sunset at the Loon Lake staging area.

[MiniSimp]

The pics...

1. BigMike and Blue (great to meet you, Blue)
2. Jimjob (THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR HELPING US OUT!!!)
3. Coming up on Buck Island (first time we've seen it in the daylight!)
4. Duffil with CT riding shotgun
5. Jimjob at CT's rig
6. Catching up to Cruzila after the slabs
7. Crossing the bowl
8. Sunset at the Loon Lake staging area.

You only attached 2 pics. EDIT AND FIX NOW!!!

[Lady Di]

  I saw that, I didn't even press post, sometimes this laptop has a mind of it's own!

[Lady Di]

We're stopped again! CT was having trouble with doing more then about 40 mph with either tank.
According to my Next Exit book, this exit in Ash Fork, AZ was supposed to be the Monte Carlo Truckstop with diesel, cafe, repair and open 24 hours!
Turns out it is nothing more then a dirt lot with truck service. I guess they USED to have fuel and a cafe but not anymore.
BUT I went out to see what was going on with the truck and Mark said they had to wait for it to cool down and then adds 'why don't you go pet the buffalo'. They have a buffalo pena mommy, daddy and baby buffalo! I got some pics (needless to say)!
I don't think mama buffalo likes me looking at her baby. She keeps trying to block it, and when I first walk up she runs up to the fence snorting and making what sounds like growling noises
but she did let me pet her nose., I TOUCHED A BUFFALO!
Pictures in a few.

[Lady Di]

turns out it was still just the fuel filter. They were in-line so it was affecting both tanks. We're in Williams, AZ now heading to a carquest.
Here's some pics of the stop

1. The truck stop
2. The whole place
3. Checking things out
4. AJ laying down on the job
5. The buffalo truck

[Lady Di]

the buffalo...

[79coyotefrg]

  are you moving yet ??

[Lady Di]

we're 13 miles from Meteor Crater. It is windy as going through here. We're going to stop and see the crater and switch drivers.

[Lady Di]

its going to be a National Lampoon Sight Seeing stop. OK there's the crater, lets go.

[unclejpl4x4]

wish i could see it

[AaronB]

thats a nice area. my wifes grandparents have a cabin near Williams. You should have stopped at the deer farm.

[unclejpl4x4]

no more stops

[kneedownnate]

The pics...

1. BigMike and Blue (great to meet you, Blue)

  I was totally not thinking that was bigmike!  He looks different than in the past

[79coyotefrg]

   are you out there

[Willy Mammoth]

  I was totally not thinking that was bigmike!  He looks different than in the past

I think he was smuggling squirrels under his hat

[Lady Di]

after a HUGE freekin tie up that lost us another hour and a half going through New Mexico, we're trying to make it as far as at least the state line tonight. It's going to be about 1am before we get that far.
Who the EFF does road construction, closing down all but one lane in either direction on an interstate at 7:00 at night!!
In Orlando they at least wait till the bulk of the traffic is subsided.

[Lady Di]

 

[93tonkatoy]

Who the EFF does road construction, closing down all but one lane in either direction on an interstate at 7:00 at night!!
In Orlando they at least wait till the bulk of the traffic is subsided.

people who get paid REALLY well, sit in an office, play with a computer, have no common sense , and call themselves traffic engineers.






I think we have their brothers making the same decisions here.

you should have been around here between Ivan and December of last year. Same thing every day.

[79coyotefrg]

  yall be carefull, im going to bed 

[Wermz84]

excellent picture, wermz! It was SO COOL meeting you, wish we could have spent a lot more quality time hanging out and shooting the
Glad we ran into you at Marlin's on the way out... speaking of... Glen, Wermz sends his warmest regards.. 

It was absolutely awsome meeting you and hanging out.   I'm sure we could have shot the all day long and had a blast.     it was good to say bye at marlins shop as well.  Hopefully one day we can wheel again.     


Has Glen not seen his shirt?    Haha.

[Lady Di]

It was absolutely awsome meeting you and hanging out.   I'm sure we could have shot the all day long and had a blast.     it was good to say bye at marlins shop as well.  Hopefully one day we can wheel again.    


Has Glen not seen his shirt?    Haha.

It doesn't appear so.... Glen?    Wermz went through all that trouble to wear his special shirt just for you!