Rubicon.. Am I nuts

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Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Atventure Junkie » Fri Jul 09, 2010 4:34 pm

This is my 1st post, and I read over some of the posts before I sent this sounds like lots of you have good experiences with Rubicon.

I am a Colorado Mountain guy who turned ATV Junkie a couple of years ago, and am lucky enough to have my back yard as a playground. I am thinking of riding along with a group of Jeep rock crawlers riding the Rubicon trail in August watching them break things and taking photos and video. Although I have been Mountain Biking for decades in Moab, I have been more timid with the ATVs since rolling a couple of times and stick to the less technical rides. One person I spoke to about Rubicon, said he thought there were easier bypasses to the extreme parts of Rubicon, but have no idea what that actually means. Can one of you veterans comment on this?

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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby ATV'er » Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:13 am

The rubicon isnt really to hard. There are a few technical areas but there are by passes on most of all the tough areas. Let us know what dates you will be on the Rubicon because some of us are up there alot.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Ken » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:19 am

1) Is it technical? Yeah.

2) Can you roll it? Yeah.

3) Can you bypass the harder parts? Yeah.

4) Can you run the trail without incident if you're careful? Yeah.

In order to accomplish #4, I would recommend having someone familiar tag along. The Jeep guys won't get it. Sections that a Jeep struggles, will be cake. Sections the Jeep guys hardly notice, you'll be asking for a spotter.

On pretty much any given weekend....someone on this board will be able to go.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Ken » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:19 am

Oh.. and yeah, you're nuts. But you won't regret it.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Atventure Junkie » Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:16 am

Guys, Thanks for the insight. Needed a reality check, I appreciate it.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Kodiak » Wed Jul 14, 2010 4:44 pm

so does that mean you decided to run it?
it's one of my favorite trails for sure.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Ken » Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:03 am

He should!! Won't regret it...just need to do it properly....have someone knowledgeable tag along.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby roon101 » Mon Jul 19, 2010 10:20 am

rubicon is fun as hell.
when i see ppl run it solo i am like mmm not such a good idea but
it is doable with out a doubt just watch your lines.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby doulos » Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:21 pm

Reading all the horror stories about the Rangers and tickets makes me leery about even going there. I can't believe all the ridiculous laws! :(
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Ken » Sun Feb 19, 2012 10:23 am

doulos wrote:Reading all the horror stories about the Rangers and tickets makes me leery about even going there. I can't believe all the ridiculous laws! :(
Ok...let's separate fact...from Fiction. I am on the Board of Directors of the Rubicon Trail Foundation. 95% of what you read....specifically on Pirate...are from people who want the Rubicon to return to 1997. They need a reality check....the Rubicon isn't returning to 1997 for them, just like it isn't returning to 1984 for guys like me. Secondly, a fair portion of those same people....are the ones that put the trail in the spot light, that we have now. The trail is MUCH farther from closure now, than it was in 2004 because of the behavior that was prevalent between 1992 and 2004. Thanks to the Foundation and the County that have spent a lot of money on education and enforcement, that we are in a much better position to enjoy this trail for years and years to come.


Soooooooooooooooo. That said....What have you heard, that gives you that impression??

There was ONE GUY....one...SINGLE officer that did write a fair amount of tickets. The Sheriff of ELDO forced him to do ride-a-longs with his officers....and last I heard, he transferred to another forest.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby doulos » Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:38 pm

Thanks Ken.

Most of what I hear is about aggressive LE harassing riders and giving tickets. I live in Sparks and don't mind buying a California permit but I sure don't like the thought of being stopped, having my wheel width measured, muffler decibels checked etc. Ending up on a road that isn't on the map and getting cited is another one. That's what I've read and been told to expect. :shock: Please tell me that's not how it is! #-o
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Ken » Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:49 pm

The ONE guy....was, by many considered a harasser. I've seen him on the trail twice...once before his wings were clipped...and once when he was forced to ride along. I've learned a lot doing all this political mumbo jumbo....the Sheriff grants law enforcement powers to organizations like the USFS Law Enforcement, to which this guy belonged. After numerous complaints and court appearances where judges threw out his tickets....D'Agostini said that's enough...I don't want someone like that on the trail...from what I've learned....he basically told the USFS, that guy rides along with one of my officers...or you lose your enforcement ability. So, hence he ended up shotgun in a Sheriff 4X4. Just so you know...I've heard stories where he was a "dick"..like I heard the one person complain on Pirate, the story was...they're on Ice House...returning from the trail...they had rolled over..and broke their wind shield.....Supposedly, he gave them a ticket for cracked windshield....truth was....it was already cracked...and they were getting the ticket GOING to the trail...not returning....so, there's always two sides...That said...He was without doubt...a prolific ticket writer during his tenure there. Bad thing? I don't know...a lot of the people unwilling to change...moved to the Fordyce...which eventually...will have the closure spotlight at some point...I have no doubt.

There are several agencies on the trail in the summer...obviously the big weekends, you'll see the most....CHP occasionally at the entrance.....USFS....Cal Parks (those guys are great) and Sheriff on ATV or Jeep. Yeah...it's a lot sometimes....but, the message had to get out....and it is.....that the Rubicon isn't some "lawless area" that many treated, sadly. In 2004, I joined Rubicon Trail Patrol....no, we don't give tickets....but there wasn't nearly the presence on the trail...so we would go out...hand out brochures, pick up trash on the trail and let people know what the LEO's would be giving tickets for, so they wouldn't get one. I took over RTP in 2006 and ran it until 2011. The BIGGEST change needed on the trail.....POO, trash and drinking. People forget, the Rubicon trail THANKFULLY, is a county road. The good part is...the USFS has no jurisdiction to close it.....but....they can F with the space on either side of the road...and they have. The bad part, or big change for many users...and I won't lie...I was one in my youth....Driving the trail...Beer in the bar buoy...often with a buzz on. The same laws on I80, apply on the trail in terms of intoxication and open containers. That said....in my conversations with LEO over the years....I've heard of only ONE DUI. Open Container? They'll get you...but drunk? No. One...it's very hard to enforce, given the time it takes to get you off the trail to process and test. Secondly, they really don't want to bother with it. One Sheriff told me....he had one guy, that was SUCH a dick while drunk....that he handcuffed the guy to a tree...and he sat there with him until he sobered up...and let him go. I've heard that one DUI, was a similar..belligerent suspect....basically...he asked for it!

CalParks are out there the most...They...are awesome. Ken rides a trials bike...and he cruises up and down the trail...all day. Super nice guy....ex-Silicon Valley techie...who said F it...and would rather work for Cal Park..and have fun. But all of them...are super nice people....just like Trail Patrol...they make sure people are aware of the issues....chit chat with people....and make sure people have valid Green Stickers. Of course on Pirate...the same guy that posted...."if any LEO talks to me...i'll make my intentions clear"...also threatened to kill most of the Foundation board members...and me. He's banned on Pirate. So consider that source....As for tickets, Green Stickers and no helmets on ATV are most of them. Sorry, but if you're on the Rubicon on an ATV without a helmet...you deserve a ticket...cause you're one split second from dying or being a vegetable. Ask me how I know!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JasrLRGkJn4&hd=1

Anyway....Yes...they're out there....Odds are on regular weekends...you probably won't see any or maybe see a couple hanging out a the Box. Unless you do something INCREDIBLY stupid....the most you'll get is a "how's it going".
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby hemingray » Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:40 pm

Great explanation Ken! I too was pretty leery of ever wanting to ride it, but it sounds a lot better from you than what I've "heard". My only rule for going over there sometime is to not break anything. I'd still like to see it someday.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Ken » Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:37 pm

It's worth all the political mumbo jumbo...and abuse on the machine.

Don't worry Dave...we'll make sure you arrive back at the Trailer in one piece.
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Re: Rubicon.. Am I nuts

Postby Ken » Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:39 pm

BTW...once we have a firm date, I'll make an official announcement....but I've been working with the TV show Destination Polaris and Jeff at Auburn Powersports...and it looks like we're going to take them on the trail in June. Pretty cool.

If you all recall....El Dorado called me 18 months ago to take Dirt Trax TV through....but I was in Charleston...So Scott came through..and guided them through. But they never showed him or talked to him.
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