Pre-Run for SEMA return - Jean to Barstow

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

E63

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Posts
473
Reaction score
325
Location
Poway, CA.
RPG will be leading a group of Raptor owners on a caravan following the SEMA show in Las Vegas to Barstow off road. Going to be a pretty casual event completely separate from the OE Land Rush event that precedes Sema.

This event will not be sponsored, each person goes at their own risk and own pace, although some trail support will be provided.

GoogleEarthmap.jpg

They will be leaving from the Shell station at the junction of Route 161/Goodsprings Road and I-15 – little place called Jean half way between Stateline and Vegas.

I was asked if I wanted to help them pre-run it. We were going to do it over two days but ended up doing it all in one day, and then to avoid the traffic leaving Vegas on Sunday, we drove the majority back at high speed down the Powerline road. Made for a very full day. Started at 4:30am leaving SD, returned home at 9:30pm. Almost 16 hours in the saddle. Decent gas mileage too!
IMAG1293.jpg

We pre-ran the trail backwards starting off Afton Road – Afton Canyon, cross the Mojave River (creek)

These pic are from Google Earth:
6071964.jpg

35126011.jpg


Followed the Mojave Trail, came across an old railroad crossing. I was blown away be the craftsmanship of the dry stacked stone walls.

Black Raptor belongs to Brian Stoner
DSC02881.jpg

DSC02884.jpg

DSC02885.jpg

DSC02887.jpg

DSC02889.jpg

And a Geo-Cash
DSC02890.jpg

Jarrett and Brian decide that the cold mud of the dry lake bed was the perfect spot to remove Brian’s after market exhaust that had ripped free of its hanger. Perfect time for a beer… It looks like snow but it is salt they are laying on. DSC02891.jpg

DSC02894.jpg

Its going to take some convincing, but we hope folks will stay out of the mud!

This is the famous rock pile, some pretty funny monuments with inscriptions et al. Don’t forget to bring a rock and add to the pile!
DSC02895.jpg

At Bun Boy in Baker for lunch – flippin fantastic burger – bring your cash, that’s all they take in this place. Mud flaps and Sliders did a good job keeping mud and rocks off the windows
DSC02897.jpg


A pic thru the windshield while going up the powerline road out of Baker
DSC02902.jpg

DSC02903.jpg

One of the power line roads we pre-ran turned into a dead end here. Pretty scary backing up down this narrow trail with 200 foot sheer drop on the side.
DSC02906.jpg

Another wrong turn we were accosted by some crazy lady waving a big ass pistol screaming I am going to blow your F’n head off as we first tried to go by her house and had to turn around because of a locked gate, so we detoured around and she caught up with us as we were passing on the other side. We continued on, but road became unsuitable for travel so we turned back. Here is the crazy lady’s ranch.
crazylady.jpg

We finished at what will be the start at around 3:00 and topped off with fuel, aired up and began the freeway trip home. After getting caught in the Sunday traffic we decided to bail at Cima road and headed north for the power line road we had pre-run earlier. We blasted down that at high speed, and then we had to do some more “pre-running” of the trail to mark cautions in case we ever wish to use this alternate freeway again. There are places you can easily do 70 MPH or more and then get ready to crawl pass some places where the trail has been washed away. To do it fast you need a second pair of eyes on the nav to call out upcoming warnings.

Here is a short vid of Brian making it up the grade on one hill.
th_M4H02908.jpg

We were going to get back on the freeway at Minneola Road, when Brian, flashes his brights, we pull over, roll the window down and he rages by – no muffler or exhaust mind you at full throttle to show off a beautiful little shortcut past the inspection station that was causing the big back up.
shortcut.jpg

To say that the sound of his truck was startling is quite an under statement

Couple interesting highlights from the trip. Was on the freeway for about 5 minutes in the afternoon as we attempted the drive back at 3:30, get a call or text from Brian, your front and rear off road lights are on – Opps!

Then later at night driving back from Barstow, Jarrett is driving in heavy traffic, reaches for his pack of gum near the Aux switches, accidently turns on Aux 1 – my 17,000 lumen LED lights in the bumper, lights up this little Min-Cooper, looked like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, lmao, it was unreal! Luckily no cops around.

All told, it was only 6 hours from just outside Vegas to SD doing a huge chunk off road – roughly about 100 miles – Normal trip with no traffic is 5 to 5 1/2 hours, and with heavy traffic can easily exceed 8 hours. Not me baby! I got a map now with marked cautions, but won’t run it alone until I get a spot.

Many folks say "the best thing to come out of Vegas is the road", good thing there are lots of choices, "Choose well, my friends"
 

Fred

FRF Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Posts
7,432
Reaction score
2,157
Location
Richmond, VA
Great write-up with some awesome pics...really cool...sorry you ran into x-wife out there, must be that time of the month...

Btw- was the women with the gun HOT?
 
OP
OP
E63

E63

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Posts
473
Reaction score
325
Location
Poway, CA.
Great write-up with some awesome pics...really cool...sorry you ran into x-wife out there, must be that time of the month...

Btw- was the women with the gun HOT?

was she your X-Wife - at one point, she must have been hot to someone!

Can't picture it though. She was in a house coat and some sort of head wrap thing going on. Jarrett thought we stumbled on some big **** operation. Why Brian stopped to discuss the situation with this women IDK

If she started firing I was prepared to go all armegedon on her. In my mind, I was spinning the Raptor around on the trail, mowing down fence posts as I speed towards her, She is frozen stiff with fear as I splattered her ugly ass all over my hood. Luckily for her, she kept her threats to verbal form and we were able to continue on in peace.
 

Fred

FRF Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Posts
7,432
Reaction score
2,157
Location
Richmond, VA
No shit...I was thinking the same thing...I have seen the damage those bumpers do to deer...I can only image....glad you got out of there with nobody hurt...
 

bstoner59

does it come in shmedium?
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Posts
6,104
Reaction score
4,754
Location
Orange, CA
Nice write-up Gordon! Thanks for all your help! You missed my 2nd super secret shortcut...I guess it's my only super secret shortcut since my first is on the internet now :emotions122:

Oh and the woman with the gun thing...I was simply trying to explain that she should put a gate and "no trespassing" signs on both entrances to her property before she come waving a gun in someone's face. One of these days she's going to pick a guy with a bigger gun or 2 and a few thousand rounds of ammo in his ride. She was wearing one of those face masks that you would wear if you were mixing chemicals...in the desert...with a gun...driving a Jaguar...really upset when people creep up on you.

I had a blast and I'm diggin my new Tuxedo Terrain color I have now!
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
E63

E63

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Posts
473
Reaction score
325
Location
Poway, CA.
Nice write-up Gordon! Thanks for all your help! You missed my 2nd super secret shortcut...I guess it's my only super secret shortcut since my first is on the internet now :emotions122:

Oh and the woman with the gun thing...I was simply trying to explain that she should put a gate and "no trespassing" signs on both entrances to her property before she come waving a gun in someone's face. One of these days she's going to pick a guy with a bigger gun or 2 and a few thousand rounds of ammo in his ride. She was wearing one of those face masks that you would wear if you were mixing chemicals...in the desert...with a gun...driving a Jaguar...really upset when people creep up on you.

I had a blast and I'm diggin my new Tuxedo Terrain color I have now!

You got some big ones my friend, trying to rationalize with someone who was not in a listening frame of mind.

Oh and the shortcut thing is only open to Raptor owners - or those that want to be... lol
 
Top