SPRING EPIC 2022 

Hopefully you’ve already read: Day-7.

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22

DAY EIGHT: The Red Line Land Cruisers Spring Epic Overland Trip 2022

Photos & Story: Rodney Wills [Friday – March 25, 2022] Today we will be dirt road touring our way from the river edge into the small town of Escalante, Utah for fuel, then we point the vehicle noses towards home via Moab some 225-miles up the road (from Escalante). Again, not stopping or going through the iconic trails of Moab on this trip. The plan is that we will camp one more night on the backside of Moab then make the final stretch home to Colorado Springs. 

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Bryan and I cowboy camp again under the stars.

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
These Icon Vehicle Dynamics 2.5 Piggy-Backs have been in service since 2018 and have seen some serious dirt road miles on the #RLLC80, Justin’s 1996 80-Series Land Cruiser. On this particular morning Justin chose to change out the end-link bushings. With milage, they get worn out due to the longer travel springs and the OEM swaybar is not designed for long-travel springs. He says when the sway increases and they start “clinking” it’s time to swap them. It’s one of those fixes that needs fixing but customers come first and adventures are important! Thus, trail-service is “par for the course.”

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Minor services completed and we are off for more dirt! What will today bring?!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
We start a nice decent on the edge of the desert floor… Or what we thought was the floor…

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
But the bottom falls out onto an even more spectacular view of a zig-zaggy decent!

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We are so small…

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Now we are off the hillside and rolling along the desert floor with a few roller in the mix just to keep things interesting.

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Simi-blind crest… Slight L, 160, R-3, 60, L-4 flatout, straight over crest, R-3, no cut…

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Watching the 4Runner boogie along the rattle-teeth washboard with ease! That’s what new suspension does!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Look at that dirt road snaking across the landscape!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
What in the world is that coming out way?!?!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
It’s a SHERP rolling down the road!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22|
We make it to tarmac which signals civilization thus our instincts is to run for the hills, but we need “town” to refuel the rigs.

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
We are at the Phillips 66 fueling station in Escalante, Utah and we see quite a few “adventure rigs” passing through. Always looking at the maps and potential alternate routes! But, look at that very STOCK looking 80-Series Land Cruiser that just rolled in! SO CLEAN! Needs DIRT!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
If the 80-Series Land Cruiser is the “in between” then the Suzuki 4Dr Sidekick in the mini-end of 4X4’s and the Synco “SMPLVAN” Westfalia edition is on the larger’ish side. Yes, there is larger, but this is big enough. But if you are going big, may as well go big like our buddy’s M1083 called Endless Atlas.

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
With the little country side road found during our fuel break, we are visually immersed in high-wall canyon goodness!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Its time for our tires to eat some tarmac miles toward Moab. The rigs have ran great with a little waterpump hick-up from the XJ, but all sorted and forward progression continues! In the past, all three of these guys were typically towing crawlers to specific locations with trucks and trailers. Now look at them, they are seeking out the longest of dirt road touring routes, finding some fun obstacles along the way, all while being fully self-supported. Car camping or overlanding, call it what you want, but they are doing it!

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
We make it to Dewy Bridge just before sundown as this will be our camp area for tonight. Our last night under the stars.

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Ahhh the Colorado River flowith…

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Bryan’s Camp Time Roll-A-Table has been the jam all week long! Finally got around to asking him about it. Bryan stated its a table from the river rafting industry, his other adventure passion. More info: https://www.camptime.com/

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22 DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
Marston Mat pier. The original “sand mats” but originally designed for use as temporary runways and landing strips.

DAY-8: Spring Epic 2022 #SPringEpic22
The last fire burned hot to coals as we reflect on the days events. With our bellies full from our camp dinners, we roll out the sleeping bags and fall asleep under the stars as the river currents passing us by. Tomorrow we will roll up our sleeping bags one last time for this trip and roll home. We will all start the week back at our various jobs and work towards the next adventure. Maybe it will be a day-outing, maybe it will be long or short weekend. But no matter the physical action, the thirst and yearn for more adventures only grows as we fill the “adventure gaps” until the Spring Epic 2023.

NEXT: DAY-9 The final tarmac home.

 

 

 

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