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Day 7- Poison Spider Mesa (#7), Golden Spike (#3), and Gold Bar Rim (#12)

     This by far was the longest and toughest day that we had. We had all mentally prepared for that as well. We added a member to our group. Mike Provanzano, a professional photographer from Winston-Salem NC, rode along with John Stowe and took some spectacular shots of the trip. We didn’t tell him John’s nickname (Mr. Excitement) until it was too late for him to back out. In the first mile of Poison Spider Mesa trail we spotted two Charlotteans walking down the trail. Their rental Jeep had not held up to the punishment of the first mile of the trail. An axle twisted in two. So we offered to haul their high lift Jack and a gear bag back to them that night. No matter what anyone says we never touched their Doritos, they must have blown away. About halfway into the trail we encountered the gravestone of a 7 year old girl who had died back in 1896 due to a lethal bite from a spider, thus the name Poison Spider Mesa.

   We then picked up Golden Spike where it started raining. We broke out the rain gear, and I had noticed that my new 4-link system in the rear had come out of adjustment. That’s what happens when you put antiseize on the heims and not loctite. We adjusted the rods in short order and were on our way. It was on Golden Spike trail that we encountered the steepest climbs and descents thus far. About two miles into Golden spike there were some major obstacles, and Joe’s rear pin yoke gave way on one of them. We didn’t have the parts or tools to fix it so Wes strapped Joe up and dragged him through the rest of the obstacles on the trail. We, of course stopped for the obligatory pictures of the vehicles going through the Golden Crack. Mike really got some fantastic photos there.

   It was on to Gold Bar Rim where there were a lot of trails beside the trails. Note to self: anytime Rim is in the trail name there will be cliffs less than 2 feet from the side of the trail. We were making good time, even with Wes pulling Joe along, when, coming down a rocky hill, John’s Jeep sheared a spring mount retaining pin pushing the differential into the oil pan ripping a hole in the oil pan. So we got the spring pin fixed and I strapped John to the back of the Bronco and pulled him out. About 2 miles later at the end of the trail my serpentine belt    gave way so Wes went and got the trailer to get John and I home, while Joe limped back to town in front wheel drive. It was dark by then and we decided to make tomorrow a wrenching day. All of our vehicles needed some TLC.

Photos Courtesy of Mike Provanzano

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