Spike, Mattman555 and myself did an impromptu evening run this past Saturday. With so many areas still closed due to fire damages, we decided to run Castle Creek up to the UFO mine.

Just a year ago, the creek wash trail had been bulldozed, removing all obstacles and making for (too) easy access. All the winter rains and recent monsoons changed that, and in most places there is no trail. Some challenging side obstacles now exist as well.



About 1.5 years ago, the shelf road leading out of Castle Creek to UFO/Copperopolis was heavily damaged and almost impassable. I was suprised Saturday to see that all the damage had been filled in/repaired, making the mines accessible.

Another big surprise was that all the abandoned equipment, inluding the smelter and the large green tank that are in every trail book and website, are ALL GONE. There's just a big empty place where all that used to be.



Ben was getting in touch with his Boy Scout side, and brought the stuff necessary to make burgers out there. So, chips, cheese burgers and beer were the evening fare.

Ben rocks!!!



Oddly, didn't see near the critters that I usually do out there, but on the way out in the dark, came across a HUGE Sonoran Desert Toad. It was like the size of a bullfrog, and took two hands to hold.

It was Sunday morning looking thru my amphibian/reptile critter book that I noticed that that particular toad exudes a toxin that can cause hallucinations, affects the nervous system and can be fatal "to dogs and other vertebrates when ingested".

I didn't even get a buzz.

It was another evening of good company (Pathy Matt's friend Glen and Fronty Matt's friend Elba also rode along).

Hey Mattman - did you take body damage on the passenger rear going around that boulder on the way out? Looks like you were almost on two wheels at one point squeezing thru there.

-matt

This equipment at UFO is all gone now.


The smelter, photographed and included in every traily book.


The green tank, also another popular Kodak moment.


Mattman doing the "Captain Morgan" as we were leaving.

quote:

Hey Mattman - did you take body damage on the passenger rear going around that boulder on the way out? Looks like you were almost on two wheels at one point squeezing thru there.

I got to say that was the coolest and most retarded thing I've done in a while.
But, it'll teach Spike not to try and pass the leader..

Here's the scoop.... I was leading the charge home when I miss read the path out, I went left instead of right, by the time I realized my mistake and started to backup Spike thought he could do an end-a-round and take over the lead... I though NO WAY DUDE, and went to the left. It looked like Certain Death, but I couldn't let Spike take over the lead, right? Anyway, I can honestly say, I didn't get a scratch, bump, or even a lifted wheel... I went between those to rocks so smooth that only the hand of god could have carried me more smoothly. I cheated certain death, and took over the lead... As my passenger was shouting out "MattMan you got Balls of STEEL" I hear the voice of reason, "Ummm.. MattMan we really don't want to have to tow anyone out of here, so tone it down just a tad"

Like I said in the beginning of this now very long post.... It was the coolest thing and the most retarded thing I ever did...

But I give all the credit to my Pathfinder.... It did it's job again...

Here's some shots of it flexing out at castle creek...

Yeah, but it looked cool. Wish I could've got that on video.

Btw, your phone takes amazingly good pics.

Sssssooooo..... dirt burgers on Saturday night again?

I'm very surprised how well it does.... it's the first phone I've heard of that does 1.3MP.

And actually, those pics I have posted above have been shrunken and the quality degraded to save space.