My trip to Afton Canyon with Scouts West

[Scootr74]

I had the chance to reconnect with an old friend who is a member of Scouts West this Easter Weekend. I met up with him and his club off of Rasor Road just off of I-15 South of Baker.

Unfortunately, I was the only one taking most of the pictures - so there's not a lot of "action" photos with "Piggy" (that's what I've affectionately named her after this weekend).

Piggy at camp - strangely enough there was a large area that was well shaded with mesquite trees. She fit right in.

Thursday everybody was loading up to go wheeling. I proceeded to drop the top and stowe the gear. I was asked repeatedly if I was going to drive. Well.... yeah... why else did I come - I can't drink for 4 straight days, right? So off I go following Series I and II Scouts.

I made it through 95% of the trails. But there was 5% that had me well, stuck. It was a long 1/4 mile hill climb loose gravel and sand mostly but the last 20 yards was soft sand. I made it through only 1/2 of it and started to slip sideways. I dug myself out after trying to get pulled over the crest; it's funny how a little Scout II can't pull a F-250 over a hill... Figured out how to back down and turn around. This is the opposite side of the hill I tried to go over. I drove around the hill and waited for the others.

If someone sends me some more pictures of Piggy in action I will post them, but here's a couple of other views I saw.

All in all I had a great time and the fellas from Scouts West were great.

 

[SunMan]

Piggy's lookin' sweet, cool report!

 

[Phil]

piggy looks like she had fun in the bush

 

[EdoHart]

One of these things is not like the others.

Although you fit in well in the second picture, you also stand out, but it's a regal anomaly.

As an owner of both a Scout II and a FWC on a full size truck, I would really like to have a FWC on a Scout II, but until I can find one, I prefer the FWC for an overnight trip (as I typed that, I just realized I'm getting old).

As far as being pulled over a hill by a Scout II, I'm not surprised. Built of engines with high torque, transmissions with deep gear ratios, and limited slip differentials front and rear, the Scout is more like a tractor than a truck. Which only makes sense coming from a company with close to 100 years building farm equipment by the time the Scouts were introduced.

I'm glad you didn't sit in camp drinking for 4 days and opted to try out the trail. To have completed 95% of what a Scout did, while carrying all the comforts of your FWC is quite an accomplishment.

 

[Scootr74]

I failed to mention.

While bouncing around I managed to permanently blow the side out of the old water tank. 12 gallons of "swimming pool" floated around inside until I parked "nose up" for a couple of hours. Oh well - the tank was old and I had already patched it twice. Time for a new tank! I sure had fun breaking it though!

 

[pods8]

As far as being pulled over a hill by a Scout II, I'm not surprised. Built of engines with high torque, transmissions with deep gear ratios, and limited slip differentials front and rear, the Scout is more like a tractor than a truck. Which only makes sense coming from a company with close to 100 years building farm equipment by the time the Scouts were introduced.

Actually he used the word "can't" up there.


While bouncing around I managed to permanently blow the side out of the old water tank. 12 gallons of "swimming pool" floated around inside until I parked "nose up" for a couple of hours. Oh well - the tank was old and I had already patched it twice. Time for a new tank! I sure had fun breaking it though!

Ouch. Anything get wet that wasn't supposed to?

 

[EdoHart]

Never mind

As Gilda Radner often said during the weekend update on SNL "oh, never mind."

The fantasy was fun while it lasted. Maybe it's because I once pushed an F250 up a hill in my Scout II that I misread that, or maybe it's just because I don't read well.

 

[Scootr74]

Nope

No worries, nothing got wet that couldn't dry out. So no biggie. HEte's a picture of the side of the tank.

There's two of these on top of the tank that I repaired with fiberglass. In addition to the crack the drain spigot broke off at the tank - so, me thinks it's dead.

 

[brett13]

Looks like fun. Thanks for the great pics. Where is Afton Canyon?

 

[craig333]

Nice trip. I imagine the f-250 weighs just a bit more than a scout. I tried to pull my truck with my Jeep once when it was high centered. Not a chance.

 

[camelracer]

Great pictures. Afton Canyon was one my first rides in a Jeep back in 62 or 63. It was on an event put on by the Hemet Jeep Club. 40 some years later I'm still hooked on the sport. I haven't been there in years but I can imagine doing some of those trails in a full size rig could be exciting

As a side note it would be fun to get the WTW group on a Mojave Road trip.

Dick

 

[pods8]

Yeah I'd say a new tank is in order. I've seen a variety of sizes/shapes on ebay for decent pricing.

 

[Scootr74]

Looks like fun. Thanks for the great pics. Where is Afton Canyon?

Afton is about 10 miles South of Baker, CA and 54 miles North of Barstow, CA right off of Interstate 15.

 

[Scootr74]

Finally, a couple more pics.

Stuck

Planning the turn around

The lonely road to the other side.

 

[SunMan]

You may not have made it over the hill but I'll bet you were a helluva lot more comfortable at night

 

[DLN]

Absolutely right Sunman, no comforts in a Scout.

 

[Scootr74]

Yep they all thought I was crazy. Right up we stopped, I passed out beers and fresh PB&J's. Then, I wasn't so crazy anymore.