The official/Non official 2010 Rubicon Trip

[BigJerm]

UPDATED 4/10/2009

We have talked about it enough in everyone else’s thread so sometime in 2010 I plan to make a trip to the Rubicon. I will be driving the Jeep, no flying, no hauling, I want to see as I go. Anyways I know Ben is game in the TJ but I am putting this up for anyone else. Still got a lot of research to do! Comments, suggestions, post up here.

OK… A LOT of information in this thread. Basically this is what we know so far:

Trip: GA to the Rubicon trail to Moab and back home. Leaving on a Saturday and getting home 14 days later on Saturday. YES we do plan to sleep in rigs/camp on the way out there and back and NO hauling jeeps on an 18 wheeler is way too much $$$.
-5,090 miles
-$635 in gas ($2.50 a gallon 16 city. 20 highway)
-8.5 days travel, 7 days wheeling (3 Rubicon, 4 Moab)
 
Rough Schedule:
-Saturday through Tuesday: driving from GA to CA (2,489 miles)
-Wednesday through Friday: Rubicon trail
-Friday afternoon through Saturday: driving to Moab (852 miles)
-Sunday through Wednesday: Wheel Moab
-Thursday through Saturday: Drive home (1,749)

Maps:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Smyrna,+GA&daddr=Ice+House+Rd%2FUS+Forest+Service+Rd+3+to:Moab,+UT+to:Smyrna,+GA&hl=en&geocode=Fa_ABAIdZkf2-g%3BFSFdUgIddRTT-A%3B%3B&mra=ls&sll=38.931105,-120.316772&sspn=0.155702,0.362549&ie=UTF8&z=5

Map showing both start points:
http://www.rubicon4x4.com/images/rubicon_loon_ws.gif
Good website:
http://www.rubicon4x4.com/rubicon_info_main.php


Possible Departure Saturdays:
June 5           Pick 1
June 12         Pick 2 
July 10
August 7
August 14

[DOUG]

Nice write up Jerm.  Someone is bored at work. 

Can you put up a Google map showing your entire route, or at least 2, 1 out, and 1 back.  It's cool how it will let you grab and bend the route, and change the destination/origination points.

Can you run the Rubicon on 1 tank/ 3 days?

[BigJerm]

The Rubicon is around 18 miles long. Some say 11, some say 12, but a lot of people don't start counting miles until the rocks but the Loon trail head to Lake Tahoe is suppose to be 18 miles total. Several folks on Pirate claim a day run, some a 2 day but they say for average person, decent wheeler, never hit the Rubicon and not in a rock buggy, 3 days should be plenty to wheel, watch, hike, camp, ect.

Ill try and get some Google map stuff up in the next few days to show an idea of the possible routes. My map program at work is where I do most of my figures. It allows for Average speed, mpg, tank capacity, how long you want to stop and how often and other variables along with setting a start and end time for each day.

[BigJerm]

added a map and website. I plan to keep this updated as I can

[StevenH]

This is a trip I want to go on.

When it gets a lot closer to time to go, we can find a group to take us through there if that's what we want to do. Some guys with experience out there with us...

I say pack some fuel, a 5 gallon can should do it

It's a no-brainer but spare front/rear shafts, ujoints  spare whatever you can take

Survival style wheelin also. Aint' no place to show off  ;D

I don't know what to expect. Is it a lot of hype or is the Rubicon really that hard?

[Jimmy]

I would definitely be interested, however, personally, I'd rather hit Moab if I had to pick a spot to drive cross country for. I'd also be game for hauling instead of driving!

[BigJerm]

Steven I have read some stories where guys in Monteros on 33's and lift made it through. Took on body damage, had to do some winching but made it. Seems there is a bypass (and I use that loosely because they are not super easy) around the tough obstacles. Really I want to do it more for the historical part. This is an old road, used well over 100 years old now and is still considered a road and I want to be able to say I had the chance to ride it.

The Rubicon seems to be under attack always too so who knows how long before it is gone.
gone.

[DILYSI Dave]

Hmm....

Fly into San-Fran.  Buy a decent Jeep off of autotrader / craigslist.  Rubicon.  Drive back to San-Fran.  Sell on craigslist.  Fly home.

[DOUG]

Hmm....
Fly into San-Fran.  Buy a decent Jeep off of autotrader / craigslist.  Rubicon.  Drive back to San-Fran.  Sell on craigslist.  Fly home.

Dave, good point!  That might be the easiest and least expensive method to ride the Rubicon.  Jeremy wants to see the country too, so he's planning a road trip.
I stopped by your booth in Vegas, and left a card for you.  They said you were at the other Venue.

[Krawler00]

Moab over Rubicon Jimmy? Moab is too easy. ;D Rubicon looks a bit more challenging to me.

[urdaddyjeep]

just fly into salt lake shorter trip... or try reno...

[Will]

Moab over Rubicon Jimmy? Moab is too easy. ;D Rubicon looks a bit more challenging to me.

The ***K you say!?!  Jimmy and I were looking at some Moab pics on Tuesday and... let's just say there's plenty of stuff to completely screw us up. However, I think I would enjoy the Rubicon a little more. WHY NOT BOTH? the extra distance to the Rubicon is minuscule if you're already going to Moab.