Lone Pine 10-05

[5150bossman]

Here are our photos of the Lone Pine run, and some runs in the area before and after the main run (we were there from Wednesday , and left late Sunday! ). http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album25 Great time had by all! I'll post a recap when I have more time. :rock:

[Mvovr]

Man that had to be a blast!! How many times per year do they make the run?

[5150bossman]

The Lone Pine run is once a year. This was the second time here but not sure if they are going to do it again next year, or go to a new place since we have done most of the nearby trails already.

[Gene-C]

:hello: :driving: :eat: :drinking:

[Gene-C]

Yup... it sure was great getting to meet "face to face" with the Buggiers that came from across the country! I'm terrible at remembering names, so I'll just say you know who you are! We finally got away from home at about 10:30am on Thursday & had a real nice cruise to Lone Pine, arriving about 3:00pm. I have to insert a shameless promotion for the Best Western Frontier motel... our room was awesome & fairly inexpensive... $53.00 per night "internet rate" & you couldn't ask for a better "Continental Breakfast"!!! After checking in & un-loading, we took the Buggy & cruised out to the camp ground to visit! I have to say the the Boulder Creek is a very nice place to stay! We visited a few hours & heard about Mel, Mike & Jimbo's adventure. On Friday morning, we had a great breakfast & headed out to the campground to meet up with Mel & Paulette, Mike & Mel, Rob, Jerry & Ada, Kevin & Regina, Joseph, Wild Bill "Old Manx" & Jimbo. We headed out with Mel & Paulette leading the way & he had said we were going to explore some of Death Valley with the "RaceTrack" being the destination. Mel lead us up the paved highway to turnoff that headed out into the desert. It was a fun trail that had loose sad/gravel, old paved sections & we were cruising at a fairly decent clip! After several miles, I notice Mike pull to the left of Mel like he was going to pass him! Mel was stopping though & it also looked like Mike had decided to take a different path! Everyone pulls up & we find out that a small rock or something had broken Mike's left rear brake line. Mel dug around thru his tool/parts boxes & retrieves a spare flex brake line. Well... he needed one with female threads on each end & this one had a male & a female end. The thought was to maybe smash the line to close it off, then Joseph with his mastery of VW's, said Mike could remove the short "hard line" that was connected at "T" & use the flex line from there to the wheel cylinder. Ahaa!!! Brake line fixed & we were off again. While climbing up thru the hills among some "pinion pines", Wild Bill stopped with a flat right rear tire! A plug was installed, tire pumped up & we were off again. We all agreed we hoped this wasn't a sign of things to come! The desert-scape was fabulous & there are still quite a few colors to be seen. We traversed up hills, canyons & valleys & we traversed down hills, canyons & valleys! Plenty of things to check out! While cruising up a canyon & being almost at the top, 2 fighter jets gave us quite a thrill making a wing to wing run right on the deck! The hair is still standing up on the back of my neck!!! But then, after a short time they came back the same way & thrilled us again! Very awesome!!! We head on down & into an expansive valley & the dirt trail had some great turns & straightaways that you could really haul on. We're running 3rd from last, Mike & Mel and Jerry & Ada were behind us! I've got the rear of the Buggy "hung out" thru a sweeping left turn & my hat blows off! Between reacting to that & being sideways in the turn, we got pretty squirrelly before getting stopped... in the middle of the road. Thank goodness Mike was paying attention & he managed to slow & squeeze by... I looked up in my mirror & here comes Jerry, completely sideways about 50 mph!!! I looked down because I didn't want to see him when he hit us!!! I looked up again & he had brought it down to a stop!! He even picked up my hat & handed it back to me!!! Thanks again Jerry!! We stopped for a lunch break & then we headed up Lippincott Road that goes up a canyon! It was really "Fun, Fun, Fun" though & was definately one of my favorite parts of the trip! Once we were at the top it was a fairly short trip to the "RaceTrack"!!! I've seen it on tv & I've seen it from a distance, but this was the first time I actually got to walk on it! Absolutely amazing! We headed out & the scenery just kept getting better! Most everyone had a small "fuel" concern, except for Jerry, he has a "big" fuel tank! We drove through an un-believeable variety of terrain! We even found water & mud crossings! We headed back towards town/camp & once upon the asphalt highway a dry fuel tank reared its ugly head & Jerry came to the rescue! When we reached Highway 395, Patricia & I headed for our motel to clean up & go have dinner. Just as we turned into the parking lot, the Buggy sputtered & then I clutched it & coasted into the parking space! WOW, that was close! I had about 8 gallons in the tank when we left & almost 2 gallons in a gas can that I poured in at "Teakettle Junction". Next time I just might take the 5 gallon can!! The Buggy performed flawlessly during the 8 hour... 165 mile trip!!! Mel was an excellant leader & kept us at a near perfect pace! We can hardly wait for the next trip!!! Thanks to all for helping make it the best trip ever!!! Saturday's Manx Club run had way too many Buggys to be anything but boring, to us anyway. There were some FUN parts, but the pace was too slow! Too bad Rob's tranny mount broke, but it was more FUN sitting having lunch with the RBC'ers & watching Rob "strap up" the front of the transaxle than following the 40+ Buggys & stopping every 15 minutes! After a few group photos, we all followed Rob back to camp! Mel had mentioned that his front brakes didn't seem to be working properly & after jacking the front up, he could barely turn the tire!!! He & Joseph with me watching, pulled the right front off & Joseph figured out the problem. Once it was fixed, they worked great! Everyone started getting ready for the evenings "potluck" & we headed to the motel to clean up & to get our potluck food ready! As usual... way too much food! What a spread!!! Jerry's RBC pumpkin was the greatest!!! Great friends, great food, great conversation at a great location... nothing any better!!! I hope those that couldn't make, will be able to make it next time! We tried to have enough "Fun, Fun, Fun" for you too! It's ALL Fun, Fun, Fun... ManxManiac

[CairoManx]

Maniac, The 40 manx run on Saturday morning was my first club run. I loved every second of it and hope the next one I go on has at least 50. You're right of course, that the best way to go out and play in a buggy is with just a couple friends for company, competition and safety. But I believe Saturday was really a Manx Dune Buggy party. The best way to do that is get a great big group of them, organize them in loose trail formation, run em down the Main Street of an unsuspecting small town, all bright and loud with people stopped in their tracks enjoying the spectacle. Then head off the pavement at a good pace through some absolutely amazing landscapes, sprinkled with technical challenges(driving and mechanical). One breakdown out of 40 buggies is a great record. I thought the leader in the Towd did a super job setting a fun pace, keeping the group together and keeping it safe. I agree part of a meet should be small groups out doing what they enjoy most. But if they ever quit the big buggy runs, it'll be real loss. CairoManx

[5150bossman]

CM, welcome. We are glad that you were able to attend :hello: . The Lone Pine Run was our first run last year, and we had a blast. With fewer cars, there is less of a chance of breakdowns (last year's AA run had 3 or 4 major breakdowns with half the buggies ) and the pace is much quicker (MUCH fewer stops). Don't get us wrong. We love the comerodery too. We just have many different levels of driving ability, and just as many ideas of the perfect run. Last year, I was thrilled to do the technical parts of the AA run. This year, the same spots were hardly even a challenge. So off to something different. We started coming to the events early, and/or stay late so we could do our own runs with smaller groups (usually between 3 and 12 buggies). We all still love going on the Club runs, but that is a whole different experience now, especially with 40+ buggies on a single run (better to break it up into smaller manageable groups)! It is a challenge to get everyone through without anyone getting into trouble. Now as for the party... Just come to the pot luck. Now THERE's a PARTY :drinking: :eat: ! Maniac, you should have been in OUR buggy when the brakes went out. Now THERE was a ride (why can't I find the brake peddle?....)! Just glad we hadn't started that 2000' descent yet!

[Gene-C]

Hey CairoManx... I totally agree with you about the visual impact! Since this was your first run, I also fully understand the "excitement factor" being with 40+ Buggys in a group! I've been going on Club runs & other runs for 5 1/2 years & while we greatly enjoyed the big groups at first, we enjoy the smaller groups much more now. They are more personal & you're able to get more acquainted with the people in your group. The leaders of Saturday's AA group, Bobby Lee & Nancy, are awesome leaders & their knowledge of the area was greatly appreciated. Once you start going on runs with much smaller numbers, you'll see it's even a bigger party & the RBC's potluck is the best party/dinner around. Hope to meet you at a future run. It's ALL Fun, Fun, Fun... ManxManiac ps to Mike... I do fully understand the feeling of hitting the brake pedal & it goes to the floor... kinda like stepping on a ripe plum!!! :laugh1:

[5150bossman]

Here is a description of one of the roads we went on during a run to the Race Track the day before the actual club run. Give it a read. The description is pretty close to what was there . http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/july/stories/race2.html

[Gene-C]

Well, I arrived @ Boulder Creek, Wed. P.M. and no one else was there, so I planned to visit Haystack, for some rock hounding Thurs. A.M., but later Bossman Mike arrived and suggested a ride Thurs. Great. so we waited to around noon Thurs. for the others who were coming, but only one other was up to a ride, Melfol, Mel. So we headed for Cactus Flats Thurs. P.M. Mel had a run planned to Death Valley, Friday, which was awesome, and then the club runs, Sat. On Sunday we all went to Mazourka Canyon ( sorry no photos) to finish the week end, A GREAT TIME. here are some photos of the runs. Jimbo

[Gene-C]

More photos:

[Gene-C]

More & More photos:

[Gene-C]

More Photos:

[Gene-C]

Last of the Photos:

[Gene-C]

My ears were ringing. I don't often visit this site. Hope you don't mind I popped in. I enjoyed the weekend with you all. mel