MESA 4 WHEELERS HORN NEWSLETTER May 2020 Mesa 4 Wheelers, PO Box 107, Mesa AZ 85201 http://mesa4wheelers.com MESA 4 WHEELERS STAFF President Lee Coppage 623-800-5483 After lunch we were told the next part of the trip was a Vice President Bob Nyberg 480-390-5241 challenging switch back climb. It would end up back at our Secretary Pat Jenkins 480-834-0517 lunch stop. We drove around a high knoll and then started up Treasurer Ray Jenkins 480-834-0517 the back side. The switch backs were steep and narrow and Corres.Secretary Hazel Hart 480-994-1260 some required jockying to get around the corners. My Membership Lori Moore 602-647-1685 predicament was sitting on a side hill while a Jeep I was Editor Mike Drawsky 480-502-9507 following got stuck on a corner. The Jeep in front of him failed Remembrance Gert Leible 623-869-8434 to wait, so some calling on the CB’s and a mountain hike by Trophies Clete Hruska 602-568-1140 Pat, soon brought a Jeep with a winch. Coming over the hill we Safety Chairman John Hart 480-994-1260 retraced our trail with a slight short cut at the end and then to Publicity OPEN the highway and back to camp. Next Meeting Saturday (06-13-20) That evening we were treated to a catered barbeque dinner, For time and location, see Upcoming Runs & Events with beef, chicken and all the extras. We ate our fill and then got ready for the campfire and entertainment. OH....also door REMEMBER WHEN? 30 years ago? prize drawings! The campfire was large, hot and enjoyed by all. We had a local 4x4 Club member for a D.J. and Mesa 4 Wheelers 30 Years Ago announcer. My lucky star must have been shining on Pat and me, because we won an unbelievable five door prizes! May 4 - 6. 1990 ASA4WDC “FUN FEST” 1990 After the drawings, some people stayed to dance to the music while others went off to bed after a long eventful day. Trip Leader: Ray Jenkins Members: Ray & Pat Jenkins Sunday morning came early and the games of the day were Jack & Sandee McCullen being set up. There was: Pie Pany with egg on hood course, Brett & Hallee McCullen Blind Fold course and Poker Run. Pat and I enjoyed them all Warren Richeson even though we weren’t winners. Guests: Dave & Pat Elliott John Kiselyk After the Trophy presentations, we had some lunch and then This years FUN FEST was at Bushnell Tanks near Sunflower. visited around all afternoon. Pat and I arrived with tent trailer in tow on Friday morning. Since we were early to arrive, we got a great shady campsite When we were about to leave, we were astounded by a rescue with exra room. Friday night and Saturday morning brought helicopter landing next to our camp. A three wheeler accident many more 4 Wheelers from around the State. required the medical crew......... Boy did they raise the dust!! On Saturday morning a line started to form with many 4x4’s. We all had a great time and wished more of you could have Jack and Sandy happened to park in just the right spot at the attended. registration table, because soon a Trip line formed behind them. Our M4W group numbered four and guests Dave & Pat Written by Ray & Pat Jenkins Elliott, whom we met at “FUN DAYS”. Edited by: Ray Jenkins Our trip started in the cool of the morning heading out to the Beeline Highway and onto Slate Creek Pass. There we made a double left and went down into a canyon that followed a creek bed. I had the first trophy offense when my antenna broke off. When Brett stopped to pick it up, he noticed that his front spring didn’t look right. Jack hammered on it for a while, but Brett decided he had better turn back. A little farther on we had to make a hard right turn up a rocky ledge (Lockers sure helped here!). We made a steep climb up to a ridge to another challenging hill and then on to our lunch stop in the shade of a few pines. CLUB TRIP REPORTS Proposed Southern Section of the Great Western Trail (Florence to Lochiel) Saturday, April 20 thru 24th Trip Leader: Gary Keller Members in attendance: Mike Drawsky, Norm Clark and Dave Rupal. Guests in attendance: Brian Keller, Jess Chinn, Larry Blau and Ray Andrews Gary’s Great Western Trail Invitation We have planned to run the last leg of Arizona’s portion of the Great Western Trail again this April. Ray Andrews and I will be running the southern third of the GWT from Florence, AZ through Oracle to the Mexican border at Taking a break at the intersection of Freeman & Willow Springs Lochiel, AZ starting Monday 4/20/2020 thru Friday 4/24/2020. This trip will allow Ray to record all the Road. necessary way points and directions to finish his GWT On day one, our first couple of hours on the road before book. The GWT trip termination point at Lochiel, AZ is stopping for a break, covered from Florence (AZ-79), east on right on the Mexican border. There is an old border Florence/Kelvin Highway, south on N. Barkerville Road, and crossing guard shack there that is no longer used. We will east on Freeman Road, to the intersection of Willow Springs pass by Fray Marcos de Niza Historical Monument, a grave yard, an old church and ghost towns of Duquesne, Mowry, Road. Washington Camp, Harshaw and historical San Rafael and Empire Ranch. We will start in Florence, AZ, go through Oracle, Arizona and end at Lochiel, AZ, on the Mexican border to view the wall. We now have a proposed trail layout, most of which we ran last year with some major changes. My best guess is it will take five days and four nights. We started running most of the trip in pieces about 22 years ago. Most of the roads are easy 4-Wheeling. There is a lot of great scenery and history. We will camp out every night. Arizona Trail staging area along Freeman Road. From right to left: Dave Rupal, Norm Clark, Jess Chinn, Gary Keller, Ray Andrews and Larry Blau. Monday, April 20th, we met up at the McDonalds in Florence to begin our five-day backroads adventure to the town of Lochiel, Freeman Road is a 30 mile stretch of county road running from at the border of Mexico. SR79 south of Florence, to N. Cam Rio, at Dudleyville. Great Western Trail (Continued) Our first night’s campsite was along Tucson Wash Road, 15 miles, northeast of Oracle. Our original destination was Peppersauce Campground, at the base of Mt. Lemmon. We fell Five miles, west of Dudleville, we turned right off Freeman Rd. about 20 miles short, after spending an hour straightening and headed down to Dodson Wash. Ray’s front sway-bar that was bent near Tucson Wash. Crossing Putnam Wash we arrived at Beehive Well, at the intersection of the Grand Enchantment Trail & Arizona Trail. Tuesday, morning, we passed by the Arizona Trail staging area along Tiger Mine Road, 10 miles northeast of Oracle. View along the Arizona Trail, with Mt. Lemmon in the background. Unnamed spur road, running between Mt Lemmon Road and Black Hills Mine Road, 10 miles south of San Manuel. Great Western Trail (Continued) Off in the distance, looking east, Sombrero Butte from a side road between Old Mt. Lemmon Road and Black Hills Mine To the west of us, Mt. Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Road. Mountains. For nearly 10 years, Ray has been documenting the progress We lost count of how many windmills we passed along the of Arizona’s portion of the Great Western Trail. His book, way! entitled “Driving the Great Western Trail in Arizona” is available on Amazon. This week’s five-day trip from Florence to Lochiel, at the boarder of Mexico, will make for the third and final edition, covering Arizona’s portion of the trail, from Mexico to Utah. Driving through Redington, 42 miles north of Benson. To make up for yesterday’s lost time and distance, trip leader Gary, adjusted our original route, leading us from San Manuel to Benson, along the Redington Road. Paralleling the San Pedro River, the Redington Road is a well-maintained county dirt road that can be safely driven at 45 mph. To the east, Redington Road and the Galiuro Mountains Great Western Trail (Continued) Mill walls from Total Wreck Mine South of camp, the Empire Mountains Driving the Redington road gets us back on track to where we were able to make it to our planned second night’s campsite, 20 miles, west of Benson, off SR-83 and I-10. Mill walls from Total Wreck Mine Total Wreck Mine History: To the north of us, the Rincon Mountains Total Wreck mine and mill, looking west. Pima County, Arizona. 1909. "That's its name, 'Total Wreck,' said my brother." An early day silver mine located in Pima County. Ed Vail says: Heading south with the Rincon Mountains in the background. "Mine received its name when John T. Dillon, who discovered it, came to my brother, Walter, in 1881, to get him to make out The day’s goal was to visit the Empire Ranch and make camp his recording papers. Walter asked him for a name. Dillon at Las Cienega National Conservation Area, near Sonoita. said: 'Well, the mineral foundation is almost a total wreck,' alluding to the mixed formation.