April 1, 2004    The Official Newsletter of the New Mexico 4-Wheelers    www.nm4w.org

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Members:  Leon Duggar, Bobby & Susan Miller, Glenn Bontly, Tom Hurt, Jeff & Lauri Rector, Carlos & Laurye Tanner, Don Tyler (yes, all the way from Las Vegas, NV!), Chuck & Ethel May Peeples, Kristy Ohnesorg, Tahoe Zahn, Pat Brady, Mark Wolf, Frank R. Whiston, Jeffery Woodard, Glenn Capener, Rich Capener, David Trappett, Jeffrey Jacobson, Joe Abbate, Bob Norton, Bob Telepak, Arne Gjerning, Mark Werkmeister, Ed Kausche, Daniel Juarez, Keith Chapin, Brandon Adrian, Bill Cline, Ron Hyman, Preston Garner, Brad & Jeanette Opatz.

Guests:  Marcus Kraushaar (88 Wrangler), Bryan Gauntt (84 Toyota ex-cab), Ryan Eklund (84 Toyota), Erwin Greven (Chevy Tracker), Cliff Meier (Chevy Tracker), Warren Graff (98 Wrangler), Michael Kiester (88 K5), Mike Sterling.

Sheriff Jeff Rector levied several 25-cent fines for the Chile Challenge:  Ralph Schultz for hub problems, Bobby Miller for broken tail light (“Susan isn’t gonna like that!”), Pat Brady for “improper spotting”, Rich Capener for environmental damage (supposedly as a result of Pat’s improper “spotting”), Jack Sierra for a broken axle, and himself for environmental damage.  Then Leon & Pat broke out their list of infractions for Jeff.  They include leaving welding slag on the trail, losing or leaving a welding rod, improper use of tools (welding a wrench to his steering knuckle), improper maintenance of his Hi-Lift jack (it went up, but wouldn’t come down), loss of power steering fluid.

Someone made a motion, and it was passed, that Jeff Rector receive the brand new cow bell. (Talk about salt on the wound….Jeff just purchased and painted the new cow bell.  Probably not knowing he would be its new caretaker.)

Treasurer Susan Miller reported a balance of $3,008.47 in the account.

Historian Bobby Miller announced that three scrapbooks were available for everyone’s viewing pleasure.  He also reminded members to send him pictures and that he collects aluminum cans for the club (actually the Treasurer is supposed to).

Trip Chairman Chuck Peeples asked Leon to summarize the Chile Challenge trip.  Upcoming events include: Auge’s 4x4 101 event on April 17^th.  A work party will take place on Saturday, March 20^th at Auges to start building the course for the event.  Jason Lavy will lead a trip to Moab in late March.  Lauri Rector will lead a trip to La Ventana.  This was originally scheduled for March 27^th, but was postponed due to “deep snow”.  Keith Chapin will lead a trail somewhere in June.  Don Tyler announced that his Nevada club will be going to Hole in the Rock on April 9^th if anyone wants to go.  Tahoe Zahn will setting up a “geo caching” event (kind of like a scavenger hunt) the weekend of April 24^th.  Chuck reminded us that we need trail leaders!!

Program Chairman Rich Capener reminded everyone to buy their raffle tickets.  Joe Abbate was the winner; his take home was $19.00.  Frank R. Whiston won a Jeep hat and David Trappett won a mini RC car.  The hat and car were donated by Robert Auge.

Environment Chairman Bob Norton, with input from Bob Telepak reported on (GLENN PLEASE FILL IN HERE).  Ok, uh . . . the trail in Utah that the Club adopted, and uh . . . uh, other environmental stuff!  :o)  SUSAN, I DON’T REMEMBER!  (Heck, I can’t even remember what I had for dinner last night.  It’s hell getting old, right Wolfie?)  --ed.

Old Business – Rich reported the cost of embroidery for hats etc would be $150 one-time set up cost.  If we “buy” the rights back the cost is $300.  He will find out the cost to embroider logo on a jacket or large patch for jackets.

New Business – The following individuals accumulated enough points and were voted in as new members:
            Marcus Kraushaar
            Erwin Greven
            Cliff Meier

Lauri reminded Leon that we need to determine hosts for the summer & Christmas meetings at the April meeting.

Robert Auge was present to expand on the 4x4 101 event.  They have some new and different ideas, and hope to have more participants than last year.  The event will coincide with Jeep Adventure Days.  Auge’s will do a mailing to 8,000 - 10,000 Jeep owners advertising the 4x4 101 event and Jeep Adventure Days.  NM4W will receive a “plug” in the mailing.  Mr. Auge announced the registration form is on the Auge Boys website.

Leon announced that $10,273.00 was collected for the SWFWDA raffle.  Mark Wolf applauded Leon for his first year efforts.

Leon adjourned the meeting.

Greetings all New Mexico 4-Wheelers!  Spring is in the air; pollen is in the air; and so is the dust from preparing the course for the 4x4 101 at Auge's.  April 17, Auge's DaimlerChrysler Jeep dealership in Belen is the place to be!  Bring your Jeep/Bronco/Scout/Zuki/Toyota/anything else I forgot here?  Just bring your chosen 4-wheeling vehicle (no 2WD trucks hauling water trailers, Wolfie!), your enthusiasm, and your knowledge of the sport to pass on to newbies.  Oh, and some sunblock and water.

The 2004 SWFWDA summer quarterly is right around the corner.  WANTED:  trip leaders, tail gunners, and general attendees.  July 29, Fairplay, Colorado (also known as "South Park").  Be there to show SWFWDA and the 35 clubs/1700 members that belong to it that New Mexico 4-Wheelers know how to show them a good time!

For those of you who couldn't make it to Moab on Jason Lavy's trip and didn't want to mess with the crowds at the Easter Jeep Safari, check out Don Miller's excursion to Hotel Rock in early May.  I'll be there--we just can't decide which rig to take (the Jeep or the Bronco?  red or green?)!

If you have some spare change in your sofa or next to the french fries underneath your car seat, bring it to the next meeting.  The Land Action Fund needs it!  The legal bills are rolling in for the Robledo mountain lawsuit and this case is very important to the 4x4 community nation-wide.

We left AZ on Jan. 30 and got back here Feb. 29.  It was a good tour with very experienced leaders, but driving a 40 foot motor home on the roads in Mexico was nerve wracking to say the least.  The roads on the Baja are atrocious.  We are 8 1/2 feet wide and the roads were barely 9 feet wide with no shoulders, markings, or guard rails.  There were 23 coaches on this tour and 18 of them had one sort of problem or another.  We got a rock in the windshield, but others had broken axles, broken springs, two major accidents and many mirrors knocked off.  (sounds like Cruces!  -- ed.)  Putting the RV on the train wasn't as bad as expected, but putting it on the ferry was a thriller, especially that we had to back into the elevator and back from the ferry to land.  We can drive our RV with far more knowledge and confidence now after this experience.

We did enjoy the beautiful scenery, the whale watching, the festivals with dancing and singing, etc.  We had some great meals.  I especially learned a lot about how hard life is down there, especially for the Tarahummara Indians, who still living in caves with no heat or water.  We hit 13 degrees one night on the train and the Indians have this kind of weather with no heat.”

(Speaking of heat, Carol and Phil expect to return to New Mexico in mid-April, since Phoenix is already in the 90’s.  – ed.)

I arrived in Las Cruces Thursday evening with high anticipations of enjoying the action and camaraderie at the Chile Challenge.  I checked into the "Not Too Swell Motel" at I-10 and Motel Boulevard, and unloaded a few items.  Then it was time to gas up the ole ‘89 Cherokee XJ and head out to the fairgrounds to ratchet-jaw with NM 4-Wheelers and other 4x4 friends that I have met through the years.  The re-fill and transaction completed, I turned the ignition key.  After a very brief attempt at starting, the XJ played dead!  No engine cranking . . . complete silence and a total lack of response.  (A sudden knot in my stomach, fearing the unknown.) 

Well, I set about checking what little I know about such things.  I checked the shift lever over-ride switch under the hood (that Jim Werkmeister had the foresight to wire in long ago!); should that finicky, buried interlock switch linked to "Park" be acting up.  That is a Jeep (heritage) Thing, from what I have learned.  Nope, not that.  While the symptoms were not as experienced before, I did the "disconnect the Crankcase Position Sensor, re-crank the engine, then re-connect the sensor" routine.  (I go through CPS’s like some folks go through 6-Packs!)  But, still no go.  The toolbox was deeply buried, so it took some time to dig it out and the small volt-ohm meter.  The battery did seem to have enough juice: besides all the lights and radio were working.  I cranked the engine with the headlights on and watched the headlights dim.  Perhaps the starter or starter solenoid was fried?  Kinda seemed to be possible culprits to me, at least.

Now it might be time to call in the NM4W’s Rescue Squad (a.k.a. Pat Brady, Mark Werkmeister, Mark Wolf, etc.).  But the problem . . . everyone was some 10 miles away and I had no one’s cell phone numbers.  Plan B: try to contact someone in the Las Cruces 4WD Club at the fairgrounds to pass on info that I was stranded.  I called the home of Homer Van Zandt and only got an answering machine.  Likewise at Jerry Ward’s.  I really had hoped to get Jerry’s cell number as he usually has it with him.  Heck, I even struck out calling NM4W’s home numbers in Albuquerque in an attempt to garner those elusive contact phone numbers of various nearby members.)  Dang . . . so close, yet SO ALONE!!!

Thankfully, the Pilot Truck Stop let me hang around for some time and occasionally use their phone to see if I could contact someone.  Finally, an answer at the Ward’s home.  Jerry was at the Fairgrounds but I got the cell number.  Alas, no answer!!!  Jerry was too busy (rightfully so) helping put on this event to be bothered by the typical daily interruptions.

It was now clear that the Cherokee was not going anyplace that night!  So, as I struggled to push the Jeep to the side of the building, a do-gooder came to my rescue and helped get the Jeep out of the gas-em-up bay and into a suitable parking place for the night.  A Subway sandwich was obtained at the truck stop, a few provisions and valuables were gathered out of the XJ (as in Bourbon Whiskey to mellow my now VERY sad state of affairs), and then I trudged the quarter mile back to the motel.  Later in the evening I was able to contact Homer and he provided some advice and suggestions.

The next morning, I called Bogart’s Towing, a company founded by a couple in the Las Cruces 4WD Club.  Turns out they had sold the business; to retire I suppose.  Anyway, the Cherokee rode most forlornly as it paraded a few miles onto HyTech Automotive & 4x4 Service in Mesilla Park.  The owner, Jim Huff, and his wife (also Las Cruces 4WD members) treated me most warmly and he would look into my electrical problems that very morning.  In fact, as a testament to their hospitality, he handed me the keys to his own Jeep Wagoneer so that I could drive to the Chile Canyon site to take pictures for the 4WDrive Lines!

Jim had a hunch and did a quick check before I left.  With a jumper battery, the vehicle started right up.  Then, a test of the battery with Jim’s whiz-bang "Micro 500XL" and the subsequent printout . . . it showed that my nearly 7 year old Optima battery was toast.  (In spite of the measured voltage, under load it went to a dead short.)

Soon, a new Optima battery was obtained and I was off to catch some of the 4-wheeling action the rest of the weekend

Most of you know Bear, and his Scout (the one with all the tin foil and alligator clips under the hood).  Those who have joined the Club during the past year probably don’t.  He’s been on a remote assignment for the Air Force in Korea.  On top of that, he sold his Scout and is in the process of “building” a new trail rig.  That’s the focus of this little pictorial.  Bear’s new rig is a Suzuki Samurai, which he has named the “Gecko”.  I’m not exactly sure how such a big guy is gonna fit in this little vehicle, but I’m sure he took that under consideration before he started (at least I hope he did).  Anyway, here’s a sneak preview of the Gecko (photos sent in by Bear).

(If this article looks familiar, then you’ve probably visited the Beginner’s Page on my personal web site.  Sorry for the duplication, but I needed some filler for the newsletter this month.  Based on the feedback I’ve received during the past year or so, I think it’s good information for those new to the sport of 4-wheelin.  Therefore, I am please to present to you the first installment to my series, “Newbie Jeeper’s” Guide to Off-Roading (reprinted with my permission)   -  ed.)

Having several years of off-road Jeepin’ under my belt now, I don’t always remember that there’s often a wide range of experience levels on many of our trail rides.  And although hands-on experience is the only way to really learn how to drive off road, that isn’t necessarily the best place to learn the basics.  For that, there are books, videos, and expensive driving schools.  But if you would like some immediate (free) information on this subject, I’ve jotted down some of my personal thoughts about off-roading.

Before we go any further, however, I need to make something perfectly clear. There are 4-wheel drive vehicles and there are off-road vehicles.  Yes, there is a difference!  Consider a Jeep Grand Cherokee and Lincoln Navigator, for example.  Both have 4-wheel drive, both even have a 2-speed transfer case (i.e., 4-hi and 4-lo); however, that’s where their similarities end.  A Grand is an off-road vehicle; a Navigator is not!  Trust me on this one!  Please don’t show up to one of “my” trail rides in your Navigator!  Okay?  Thank you!

One more thing I’d like to discuss before we begin is safety.  Off-road vehicles aren’t toys (okay, they are; but you know what I mean).  And their use requires knowledge and common sense to operate safely.  Never drink alcohol just before or during a trail ride, not even if you are just a passenger.  Ensure that all occupants in your vehicle are wearing their seatbelt (which means, no standing up while the vehicle is moving).  These things should all be obvious to most people, but you’d be surprised at some of the stuff I’ve seen on the trail! 

Safety also needs to be practiced outside of the vehicle as well.  Always be aware of your surroundings, especially during stuck-vehicle recovery procedures!  At the 1998 Daniel Boone Jeep Jamboree in Kentucky, which I attended while living in Ohio, a child’s leg was broken by a flying front bumper, which was pulled clean off of a vehicle during a recovery!  I’ve also witnessed a winch hook snap back and shatter its vehicle’s windshield.  Don’t get me wrong, Jeepin' isn’t necessarily any more dangerous than numerous other sports that people engage in (skydiving, motorcycle racing, bungie jumpin', etc), but it does require you to treat it with respect.

Stay tuned for “Newbie Jeeper” Lesson #1
in a future issue of the Trail Tales

I regret to say that I neglected to pay the rental on the post office box in January.  But I was able to reopen the same box number today.

However, some mail was returned.  If you had mail returned to you, I do apologize.  If you know of someone who had mail returned to them, please let them know the box has been taken care of.  Mail can be sent to my home address as well.  I won't publish my address here, but if you need it, let me know.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at treasurer@nm4w.org.  Thank you.

Aluminum Cans: Our club saves and recycles aluminum cans.  Money from the sale of cans goes into our club treasury.  Please bring your aluminum cans to each meeting, and somebody will take them to the recycling center.

To Our Guests: If you attend a club meeting or event and provide us with your mailing address, we will send you three complimentary issues of Trail Tales.  If you provide us with an e-mail address, you will also be added to the guest e-mail list.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the New Mexico 4-Wheelers, please contact one of our officers for membership requirements, or visit our web site at www.nm4w.org/join-the-club.htm.

Trail Tales on the Web Site: In a continuing effort help save natural resources and to control costs, you are encouraged to read the Trail Tales newsletter on the Club Web Site in lieu of receiving a hard copy in the mail.  Around the first of each month, the current issue of Trail Tales is posted at www.nm4w.org/newsletters.htm and an e-mail notification is sent to all club members.  In addition, a minimum of 2 years of back issues of our newsletter is also available on the web site.  So if you want to help “save some trees”, please send an e-mail to TrailTales@nm4w.org stating that you do not need to receive the hard copy of the newsletter.  Thanks for your participation in this program.

Submission Due Date: The Trail Tales is published on the first of each month.  Submissions for each issue must be received by the Editor not later than the 25^th of the prior month.  Submissions can be sent to TrailTales@nm4w.org, or Trail Tales, 21 Rattlesnake Ridge, Tijeras, NM 87059.

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Trail Tales
21 Rattlesnake Ridge
Tijeras, NM 87059-7440

TrailTales@nm4w.org