Hi Desert Round-Up features every type of trail run that you can imagine, from double-locker-required Doran Canyon run to the Blue Moon run, suitable for any stock four-wheel drive vehicle. Note that I said four wheel drive, as all-wheel drive equipped-only rigs need not apply.  

Last year we ran the Blue Moon trail, and we had such a good time we decided to do it again.  Except for larger tires and off-highway shocks, my Ford F-250 is stock, so Blue Moon seemed like a good idea.  The run is hosted by the Dirt Devils of Southern California and the run leader is Jesse May, who led last year's run.

 

Left:  Jesse May address our group at the Driver's meeting for the Blue Moon Trail run.  Right:  Listening to Jesse talk abou the do's and don'ts while on the trail.

Our group lined up at the west end of camp, on the trail that leads north toward the vehicle game area.  The driver's meeting started promptly at 0900, and Jesse explained the usual stuff:  Safety, no drinking on the trail, watch out for desert tortoises, watch out for snakes and a brief synopsis of the trail.  He asked for a show of hands of first-timers for the Blue Moon trail run, and surprisingly about 3/4 of the hands went up.  Then, he asked for first-time four-wheelers to raise their hands, and several hands went up.  There is not a better way to learn the art of four-wheeling than to attend a run like the Blue Moon, with friendly, helpful and competent staff, and an experienced trail boss like Jesse.

 

Left:  Jesse May, our run leader, and the driver's meeting before the Blue Moon Run.  Right:  Driver's meetin on the Blue Moon train run.

The run left promptly at 0930 and headed north towards the vehicle game area.  We heard on the CB that there were 48 vehicles on our run!  

You pass the vehicle games area and then swing north on to Stoddard Wells road and climb up to the summit. Take a look in your rear-view mirror and you get a good view of base camp, and the swirling dust churned up by other vehicles.  

Shortly after the summit is climbed, the trail leaves the main road and descends into a sandy wash.  It twists and turns through the wash and is generally pretty easy, but there are a few stair-steps and rocks to negotiate and for full-size vehicles, like my F-250, you need to be vigilant, as there is sharp shale rocks and yucca leaves, ready to puncture the tire sidewalls.  Jesse is of the mind to take it slow and easy, so the trail is driven at a very relaxed pace.  Who's in a hurry at a place like this?

One thing that is emphasized at the driver's meeting, and Jesse talked about it on the CB radio at the beginning of the run, is the buddy system.  Trail protocol calls for you to always keep the guy behind you in sight; if he stops, you stop, the guy in front of you will stop, and so-on and so-forth until eventually, the trail leader will stop.  On CA4WDC runs nobody is ever left behind or abandoned.  You're all on the trail together and when you're on the trail, you're family.

 

Left:  We're in the wash and starting to climb out of it on a small hill.

At the head of the wash, the trail opens up into a small valley, with steep hills on each side.  The vegetation in the valley is really pretty, and it consists of sagebrush, creosote, desert holly, cactus, yucca, small purple wildflowers and light green grass.  It was pretty evident that 2005 was a banner year for rainfall, as the creosote still had little yellow flowers and the short grass was very thick, and still had a hint of green, even at the end of May.  This little valley was kind of like a 4-way stop, as the folks doing the Achy Breaky trail run crossed our path, as they climbed the steep hills on their run.  Some day when I purchase that Rubicon, I plan to do Achy Breaky or another run of similar difficulty.

The trail leaves this beautiful valley and climbs up an easy, Class-3 hill, which affords a beautiful view of the Stoddard Valley OHV area and the city of Barstow in the distance.  You then descend a steep grade, using your low gears to keep your speed down, and cross Stoddard Wells road.  Then, it's into another wash, another box canyon until a small valley is reached.

Now the real fun begins, as there is a mountain to be climbed.  Jesse halted the run momentarily to allow everyone to catch up, and explained on the radio that he was going to drive up the hill, park at the top, and guide the rigs up the trail.  He wanted us to do it one rig at a time, as just near the top there is a steep, loose section, where you need to place your left front wheel in the proper spot, or you do the old slippin' and slidin' routine.  

 

Left:  We wait at the bottom of the hill, as only one rig is allowed ot have a go at it.  Right:  This Jeep has neared the top and has plenty of gawkers and helpers to expediate their journey.

The climb up the hill is about a quarter mile.  It's not particularly difficult, but it is very steep, with loose dirt and shale and, as I mentioned before, has one tricky spot at the top.  The rigs went up one at a time, and I saw only a couple of vehicles that had any trouble.  From the bottom of the hill, it was apparent that they were going too fast up the hill and not following Jesse's directions as they reached the top.  My assumption is that they were novices, but where could you find a better place to learn four wheeling techniques than the Blue Moon trail?  Not to mention that the classroom features fantastic desert scenery!

 

Photos:  Ok, it's my turn and Jesse guides me through the hard part and helps me place my left front tire to the spot that will allow me to effortessly climb the hill.

When it came my turn to climb the hill, I simply put the truck in granny-low and ground my way slowly up the hill. At the top, I didn't even look at anything except for Jesse's directions, and I drove over the obstacle without even a pause.  Jesse is a good run leader and a good spotter, and a good guy to have on the trail.

It took about 45 minutes for the rest of the rigs to make it to the top of the hill.  Naturally a crowd gathered near Jesse to watch the other guys tackle the tricky spot.  Besides my F-250, there were two other full-size trucks, a F-350 and a Chevy.  For the folks in the white Chevy, Ken and Amy, this was their first four wheel drive trip, and words can't describe how enthusiastic they were.  I got to talking to them and told them that I'd taken a couple of photos of them climbing the hill and I offered to email them the photos.  Of course the happily accepted my offer. I like to do that when the opportunity arises, as you get to photograph everybody else, but pictures of your rig in action are few and far between.

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Left:  At the top of the hill, we take the opportunity to watch others make the climb.  Right:  Ken and Amy, a friendly couple that we had the pleasure of meeting.  This was their first organized four-wheeling event and they were happy to be at High Desert Round-Up, to say the least.

Next it was down the hill, across a broad, creosote bush-covered valley, up some small hills, to a valley at the base of series of steep, loose hills; almost a small mountain range, where the trail followed the ridge.  Jesse wanted everybody to drive up it one at a time, as it was nearly a mile to a wide, flat plateau, where our group was to eat lunch.

So we sat in line, chatting with some of the other folks around us, and admiring the efforts of the folks before us, negotiating the steep and loose trail.  When it was my turn to go, I started the engine, put the truck in gear, and, clank-clank...  What the... ?  Paul looked out the window and told me my right, front tire was flat.  Bummer!  I pulled out of line to a flat spot next to the trail and got out to take a look and, sure enough, the tire was as flat as last year's pancake.  I got on the CB and let the trail hands know that I had a flat and would not be continuing on the run.

Out came the high-lift jack, the jack stand and all of the tire stuff.  The tire had picked a good spot to go flat, as the terrain was flat and level.  As I worked on the truck, I received numerous offers of assistance from others, ranging from, "Do you need any help?  Do you need us to get you anything?" to "Do you have enough water?"  As I said before, when you on the trail at a CA4WDC event, you're family.

 

Left:  We take a break before climbing another steep hill.  Right:  It wasn't meant to happen for me, as my right front tire quit with a mighty wheeze!  So it was out with the high-lift jack, the ratchet and whatever else it takes to change a flat tire in the Mojave desert.

It didn't take us long to change the tire, and we could have easily caught up with the run, as they were planning to break for lunch after climbing the hill.  However, I chose not to continue the run, as I didn't have a spare, and I'm a firm believer in Murphy's Law.  If I had a Jeep, I would have continued the run, as if I did get another flat, I could have borrowed a spare from a fellow Jeeper.  But I was the only F-250 on the run, and it just wasn't worth it to take a chance, despite the fact that I really wanted to finish the run.  Oh well, there's always next year.

So Paul and I turned around and headed into Barstow to purchase another tire.  I've been telling myself for years that I should carry a second spare tire, as tires are the most vulnerable asset in desert four wheeling.  The tire shop in Barstow didn't have any BFG mud/snow tires in stock, so I had to settle for another brand.  I plan to purchase a BFG mud/snow tire locally and remove the tire I bought and mount it on a stock rim, and throw it in the back of the truck for occasions like Hi Desert Round-Up or Panamint Valley Days.  So now I have that second spare...

We drove back to base camp and headed over to where the Dirt Devils were camped, as we wanted to let Jesse know that we were ok and back in camp.  If we hadn't, they would have organized a search party for us after the barbecue dinner, and naturally, we didn't want that to happen.  I can't over-emphasize the cooperation at these events, and the fact that nobody is left behind.

 

Left:  I'm taking off the tire, is it is hopelessly flat.  Right:  Back at base camp and this is what I saw when I loked at my right front tire; only 3 lug nuts were attatched and they were right in line.  Truly a safety hazzard that I wouldn't have driven had I known it existed.

As a not-so-funny aside, when Paul and I got to our camp, I got out to admire my new tire and to my shock, I noticed that Barstow Tire and Brake had attached only 3 of the 8 lug nuts, and they were all in a row.  What did they do with the rest of them?  Why weren't they attached?  Talk about a safety issue!  Needless to say, I was furious.  If it hadn't been 1630 on a Saturday afternoon, I would have driven the forty-minute drive to the place and given them a piece of my mind.  So I can't recommend Barstow Tire and Brake to anybody except in an emergency.

Outside of having a flat and needing to purchase a new tire, we had an excellent day.  Blue Moon is scenic, easy, yet challenging in places, fun, and the pace is relaxed.  We completed about 2/3 of the run, and had a great time. We'll be back in 2006.