MISION SANTA MARIA TRIP REPORT (PART 4 of 4)

Continued from Part 3:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=46087
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We follow Art’s motorhome over the ridge to the oasis that contains ‘The Bog’ where the road and the water are one.



Just before the bog begins we find Neal Johns’ camper with a serious problem, no rear wheel drive after the ring and pinion in the distributor has shattered.



Without four wheel drive, Neal will not be able to drive out on his own power. The weight of the camper compounds matters. Chris’ Dodge is powerful and he hooks up Neal to help him pull through the bog.




My Tacoma brings up the rear of our desert caravan.


The water is deep!








Steve brings the tow strap back for his 4Runner that needs a pull, as it doesn’t have a rear locker or off road tires. He did so well staying dry until the last palm tree ‘pushed him’ in!








Art’s 4WD motorhome is a beast!

Once we were all out of the bog and on level ground with room, we got to work trying to get Art’s tire reinflated. It had popped off the bead and presented quite the problem. Unfortunately, Kurt was suffering with a bad respiratory infection that orange juice alone couldn’t cure. Baja Bucko (Teddi) was also very anxious to get going, so Steve and Zully made room in their 4Runner for Kurt, Teddi and Teddi’s dog and headed on out.


Paul goes to work figured the best course of action. A volume of air is needed, but we only had air pumps and no large tank of compressed air. I suggested the method used in such emergencies in Mexico, which is to pour a small amount of gasoline into the tire and ignite it! The expanding gasses (i.e. ‘explosion’) can pop the tire back on the rim. This was one attempt I caught on film, click on image with volume up:



Neal suggested removing the valve stem and igniting there, and I volunteered to ‘light the wick’ this time… By gosh, it worked!

It is all about teamwork, and we had the greatest team on this trip! The next event was the Widowmaker climb. That alone was hard enough, but someone needed to pull Neal’s camper up it… and the rest of the way out. That someone would be Art and his monster four wheeler!







Paul took some good videos of Art climbing the Widowmaker, and then pulling Neal up. There are posted on YouTube and Baja Nomad.

Further up the mountain climb, things got more difficult because of the sharp turns and the length of the tow strap. It was getting dark and Neal was getting tired. I don’t know why, he is only 80 years old!







Paul and I followed Art and Neal. Chris was just ahead of Art. Neal’s front steering goes out and Paul quickly sees that the tie rod ends are bent, but can be adjusted so Neal’s tires both point the same direction, again.







At this point, boulder was in Art’s way as he repositioned to pull Neal up. The solution was for Paul to winch it away.





Night is upon us and there is still more mountain to climb. On the one sharp turn, Chris’ Dakota is used to get Neal around. Once that is negotiated, the motorhome is reattached. It is a long struggle as we continue on over the highpoint and beyond. Sometime after 1 am, the caravan comes to a stop. Neal’s tie rod ends are shot and steering is no longer possible. We are 8 miles from Rancho Santa Ynez, and this would be where we would ‘crash’ for the night. I have not previously slept in the front seat of my truck, so another first for my Tacoma!

The next morning (Monday) it was decided to go find the parts if the could be found in Baja, otherwise bring them from California. Neal had a satellite phone, but it wouldn’t connect. Neal stayed with his truck and was happy to do so while we headed for El Rosario. Some photos taken along the way to Santa Ynez:








Boojum fell during rain storms of January, perhaps?

Baja Angel and a boojum.

Once back in El Rosario, I called Neal’s home and two of his friends with messages for Marian as to Neal’s status. Antonio (the owner of Baja Cactus Motel) went into action for us via phone as he was in Tijuana and provided a member of his staff to go with Chris to find parts. The parts were found in San Quintin and arrived later that day. We later learned that Neal got his satellite phone to work and he spoke with Marian the next morning. Paul and Zoom had to return home and we stayed with them to make sure they found the way safely. Chris returned to Neal the next day with new tie rod ends installed and Neal was able to drive back to El Rosario.

In El Rosario Neal would have his differential repaired. Here is what it looked like:



It was replaced and Neal returned home on Saturday, a week after this adventure started. What we experienced I don’t wish upon anyone… but what we experienced was also something I will always treasure… A super group of amazing, talented, friendly, adventure seeking Baja Nomads … the kind of people that make memories and friendships last a lifetime!

[Edited on 6-7-2010 by David K]

INCREDIBLE!!!!! You guys and gals ROCK!!!!

What an adventure, and what great NOMADS. I am really impressed with you all.

Of course, things would have been much easier if my rockin X-Terra has been there. Nooooooo problemo!!!!

Barry

DK

It has got to be the "wenching"---------we all know about Neal and THAT. Trouble, trouble, trouble, those wenches, but we will never know because "what happens in Baja, stays in Baja".

Barry

My opinion would be the stock gears, 2,000 pounds of additional weight, 33 inch tires, combined with the shock to the rear when he hit. If he was lucky it would have been a u-joint. I personally think taller gears for his beast would help. He does have a great assessory for his truck - a marlin crawler box! I don't know if he was in low-low at the time but with all that weight, the rear was asked to work double time!

Even though we had some tough times, everyone had a great attitude. NO MAN LEFT BEHIND! Well sort of. I would have loved to stay but my sweetie has some special stressors at work and needed to be back.

Once again, I want to thank all of you for the invite and the great experience!

GREAT POST

What a wonderful way to end the trip report... thank you very much Paul. Baja Bucko (Teddi) singing to us around the campfire at Mision Santa Maria de los Angeles, 'The Cowboys of Baja...'

(I just turned up my speaker volume and heard Bucko and the guitar fine)

About 1/4 to 1/3 cup... Just from our anecdotal evidence - it finally worked when Neal suggested that we remove the valve core! I think all the other attempts may have worked but the expanding gas most likely escaped through the bead area!

Remember - his tires were about 1" too narrow for his rims!

[Edited on 6-7-2010 by hbmurphy]

Quote:

Originally posted by hbmurphy About 1/4 to 1/3 cup... Just from our anecdotal evidence - it finally worked when Neal suggested that we remove the valve core! I think all the other attempts may have worked but the expanding gas most likely escaped through the bead area! Remember - his tires were about 1" too narrow for his rims! [Edited on 6-7-2010 by hbmurphy]

You all are lucky that motorhome didn't burn up. Next time, take the tire off and use starter fluid like bajalou mentioned.

Also, that road looks like a mudd-freeway now. When I went there in 2003 I hiked the last part rather than drive the bog just because it is a desert afterall and water is something to conserve, not fill with your gear oil.

Other than that, cool trip with good rough road action.

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalou Quote: Originally posted by hbmurphy About 1/4 to 1/3 cup... Just from our anecdotal evidence - it finally worked when Neal suggested that we remove the valve core! I think all the other attempts may have worked but the expanding gas most likely escaped through the bead area! Remember - his tires were about 1" too narrow for his rims! [Edited on 6-7-2010 by hbmurphy] I've used that method many times. It will work much easier/better if you take the wheel off the vehicle and lay it flat on the ground. I've never used more than 2-3 tablespoons. It's the fumes that do the work, not the liquid. Put a couple tablespoons in the tire, leave a trail from the bead across the tire down to the ground for a couple feet. then lite the "fuse" and wait for the "Whomp". The time laying your fuse lets the gas evaporate and that's what you need - fumes. Engine starter fluid works equally as well.

This was not mentioned - this was the moment when Neal really got s-c-a-r-e-d. I didn't hear anything on the radio, to stop, and I kept pulling. Notice the ravine to his left. It was close.

From then on, Chris stayed with me to man the radio.



[Edited on 6-8-2010 by edm1]

Four wheeling to the mission and beyond to the end of the road was the goal... Camping AT the mission or nearby, was the goal... and how we enjoyed ourselves. Check out the many YouTubes of others going to the mission... It is like climbing Mt. Everest to Baja four wheelers... we go because it is there. There was no way knowing Neal would have problems, or that I would bend a bumper, or that Art would pop his tires BEFORE they happened.

These sort of things make us better drivers or better mechanics or better campers... but the one thing that it did the most was make all of us on this trip BETTER FRIENDS, and that is worth all we went through.

I had a dream this weekend that I visited Art in Pheonix. We had to run out to a parts store so we took his daily driver - It was one of these lifted about 24 inches!!!

MORE PHOTOS from HB MURPHY (Paul)

Thank you!

I was dirtbiking Baja in February 2010 and stopped at the top of the Widowmaker as I was riding solo and didn't want to risk the uphill coming out of the Mission at that point ....my buddies the next day made it to the water (2 -3 feet deep) where they parked for their walk to the Mission

The road certainly had been "boulderized" by the fall rains, but was a great ride....several hours of helmet-cam video allow me to enjoy the ride whenever I want now....

Congrats in getting up the Widowmaker with those rigs

bump to the top

Here's to adventure and a great thread! I *still* wish I could have made this run...