Gold Mountain - Jeep Badge of Honor

Day 31 & 32 Adams Xtreme Off Road Adventure

That last minute lunch with fellow Jeeper Stacey the day
before lead to an amazing day of wheeling in Southern California. I met up with Stacey in the morning. Our first stop was Pioneertown. A cool little stop before we hit the trails. 

In 1946, Pioneertown was founded by a group of Hollywood investors, including actors Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. They dreamed of creating an Old West set 125 miles east of Los Angeles that was actually a town worth visiting.


The 1880s-style false-front facades with interiors that had stuff for visitors to see and do too. Up went frontier stables, saloons, and jails; inside, they housed ice cream parlors, bowling alleys, and motels. 

It wasn’t a place just for tourists to enjoy though; more than 50 films and television shows were filmed here in the 1940s and ‘50s. After our stroll thru the cool little town it was off to the trails.

The first trail was 2N02 where we also met fellow Jeeper and
YouTuber Mike - JeepZentoks. We all had such a great time Stacey and Mike met us for our most recent adventure the LTWK Mohave Road Fan Ride. (more on this trip soon!)

A great 20 mile moderate trail that connects the Yucca Valley to Big Bear with stunning views of the San Bernardino Mountains. 







Jersey loved hanging her head out the window getting fresh air and checking out those desert smells. 

We came out of the trail near Big Bear Lake and make a last minute decision to try the Gold Mountain Trail again. I wanted that Jeep Badge of Honor. 

Stacey and Mike had never wheeled the trail, but did an amazing job on those rocky obstacles for the first time in their manual Jeeps with no lockers!  Stacey and Mike maneuver their Jeeps through the rocks.  

The second time up Gold Mountain I didn't freak out like the first time. I actually did pretty good. Plus, the views on Gold Mountain were spectacular. 

By the time we drove off the mountain it was dinnertime so we
stopped in Big Bear for some dinner, then it was time to say good-bye to Stacey and Mike (for now). It was a great day of wheeling and we met two really great peeps who will forever be in our lives!  

I ended up heading back to the West Coast to get another vendor interview. We were excited to meet Paul from Nexen. Neil and I were testing out the Roadian MTX tires. They were doing an amazing job for me. 

It was a bittersweet day. It was time to head back to the East Coast. It was an amazing trip as we met so many awesome companies and Jeepers. Deep down I didn't think I could ever make another Jeep adventure happen. Little did I know what my future was going to bring.  

Pinyon Canyon Wheeling

Day 28, 29, 30  Adams Xtreme Off Road Adventure

I spent the day lazing around the campsite with Jeep Girl Lori Graves. It was nice to spend the whole day just doing nothing, but hanging in the great outdoors. Tomorrow will be the day for off road fun. 

Lori gave the term Day Drinking a whole new meaning. Even Jersey got in on the fun. Later that evening the other Jeepers rolled in & joined in on the fun.  

Time to hit the trails. Both Lori and Jay Bowman joined me on the trails, two fellow Jeep followers on social media I got to meet. Little did I know the trail they picked was a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail! WOOT! WOOT! It was a great day of wheeling with some amazing views. 

The trail had three difficult obstacles and the rest was amazing views of the canyon. 

Pinyon Mountain Video 

After spending three nights in one place it was time to go. Were too was up in air. Little did I know I was going to meet some more amazing Jeepers. First, we stopped at the Salton Sea, then on to Desert Hot Springs were I met fellow Jeeper and Jeep Talk Show podcast fan Stacey for a late lunch and made plans with Stacey for the next day. A day where Jeep Momma gets a second chance.    

 

Mojave Road Fun

Day 23 to 27 Adams Xtreme Off Road Adventure

After leaving Kingman, I was looking forward to the isolation of Mojave Road. It is an historic route across the Mojave Desert. A route from the Native Americans back in the day, but later became a thoroughfare for Spanish missionaries, explorers and settlers. 



The GAIA app sure helped keep me on track as there are so many two tracks, gravel roads, and wash outs in the desert. 



Before the sunset, I found a nice quiet spot along the road to set up camp and make some dinner. 
It was really nice to be out in the middle of nowhere looking at all the stars by a campfire. Something I could do every night. 



The machete from L.T. Wright came in handy for making a great campfire.  L.T. Wright Knives.  




The next day was all about finding those Mojave Roads history spots. I was excited when I found the mailbox.

I also found an old "ghost town". It was actually an old lava rock mine with everything left to rust.

     

A windmill still turns at an old watering spot for the travelers back in the day. Old structures still stand and I wonder who lived here. 
    
There was still so much more to see but I had places to go and people to meet, so I jumped off Mojave Road, and headed towards the coast of California as our goal was San Diego.

Along the the way to Long Beach where I was going to hit the coastal highway down to San Diego I passed through Big Bear, California.



Big Bear, California is home to three Jeep Badge of Honor Trails. Little did I realize I was on a trail when I decided to take detour of a scenic drive. Not only was is scenic, but I freaked out from the heights. I  decided the trail was too much for me, and  turned around. 
However, I were able to hit the trail again on the way back and I was able to complete the trail.

I finally made it to the coast and spent the day driving down the coastal highway one. It was a nice drive all the way down to San Diego. 
The best part was Jersey's reaction to hearing the ocean waves for the first time. 

    





I set up camp at the KOA in San Diego which was odd for me to be camping in a city.

It was a night camping with sounds of sirens instead of coyotes, birds, and Big Foot. The next morning was time to be a tourist seeing the waterfront and all the ships. 

From San Diego it was on to Anzo-Borrego Desert where I met
fellow Jeepers for some camping and wheeling.  I found a nice spot under the shade of a tree. Jersey had a great time having the campsite to herself to smell all the new smells.    

Adam's Adventure Continued

Day 21, 22, 23 Adams Xtreme Off Road Adventure

One of the goals was to stay off of major roads as much as I could, so I took some back roads in Arizona from Prescott up to Kingman.  I ended up discovering aliens. The actual sight of the alien crash in 1953 before the military scooped up the spacecraft and alien bodies! 

After the lackluster museum of aliens, it was time to head north to Kingman for another tour of a local Made In America small business, Route 66 Mods. 

The next day was some wheeling with with AZwestside Wheelers on some technical Kingman trails. Plus, i was going to meet Ric Swats. He is the "Crazy Man" who stopped BLM.





Finally my chance to wheel with the big boys on a very technical trail, Homecourt. The whole trail was one big long obstacle. I certainly upped my wheeling game and was doing pretty good. 

Jeep Momma Wheels Homecourt

During one of the obstacles I tore a valve stem and rolled a
bead. Joe with AZ West Side Wheelers came to the rescue with a Colby Valve and saved the day. Plus I finally got to use my Lift Mate from Hi-Lift Jack.   

That evening we we all meet at a local brewery to remiss of the days events. It was a great time meeting online Jeep friends in person. 

That night is was  back out to the trail head to set up camp. I was beginning to get into a pretty good routine setting up camp.

It was a good day all in all as I wheeled some of my best wheeling and My Jeep had two new stickers. Homecourt for the trail and Raw Carnage Crew because I damaged my Jeep. 

The next morning the sun shining on the tent and it was time to
pack up to go meet Ric Swats back in Kingman to get the low down on how to stop BLM lands from getting closed.  

How to Stop BLM Closures

After the morning interview with Ric it was off to Mojave Road in California.