Change on the trail

[BEAR]

Now Im sure thier are some that have been wheelin the CON longer than I have, but I was going through some old pictures from the mid 90's at the box and WOW how the trail has changed in only less than 10 years.

[BEAR]

Memorial Day 1996 or1997 I cant tell.
Notice very few rig and people at the box
AHH the good days

[BEAR]

Shrubs growing at the sluce

[JoshC]

The popularity of our hobby is growing VERY quickly. With our hobby turned sport, we are getting press now too which introduces the sport to even more people.

I believe that the curve has ramped up slowly and we may in fact be in for an even steeper growth curve over the next couple of years.


--JoshC

[Jeepndel]

We had a count conducted in 2001 by a back country sanitation engineer (poop guy). He figured there could be as many as 35, 000 people using the trail in one four month period (on the average).

Many folks see the Rubicon like they would a rafting river --- mostly a one way affair, full of rapids and fun spots, with a pretty good crowd butting up against each other on busy weekends.

Del

[cruzila]

I noticed the clouds in the sky. Sometimes the early weekends will have rain so alot of people stay home on those years. If the sun is out, lookout

[BEAR]

I agree that our hobby turned sport is growing rapidly, but is it a good thing?
Is it just a trendy fad like lowriding in the late 80's or ricers now?
I feel that it will spike up in popularity and then drop once a new trend comes into play, leaving only the true wheelers to enjoy our hobby.

[twn44s]

Originally posted by BEAR
I agree that our hobby turned sport is growing rapidly, but is it a good thing?
Is it just a trendy fad like lowriding in the late 80's or ricers now?
I feel that it will spike up in popularity and then drop once a new trend comes into play, leaving only the true wheelers to enjoy our hobby.

I have been saying the same thing now for at least 4 years

[ROCK HUGGER]

This is an old picture of the little sluice. Look at all the vegetation, it was not removed by nature

[Beat95YJ]

Wow, I have never seen the trail like that! Of course I've only been going since 97. Would be nice to see it like that again.

Oh well, as long as I get to see it I'm happy.

[Chopperman]

one of my customers owns an original flat fender almost no mods at all. He has been wheeling the con for almost all of his life up until about ten years ago he stopped ( his business really took off ). He has watched my rig evolve over the last 4-5 years and has been telling me that it it is way over kill and I'm foolish to build a toyota. I keep telling him that my rig isn't even close to others on the trail. ( I run a 4runner, 37's ect.ect... ) and that 44" tires are not uncommon now. I've been telling him how much the box has changed and how diificult it is, he just laughs at me and says... " I'll take my stock flatty and wheel in and out of the box, without spinning a tire " He has absolutely no idea how much the trail, rigs and people have changed...

He always makes me laugh a little.........

[Jeepndel]

Hey Chopperman, sounds like your customer buddy wheeled back in the *good old days.* Yea, well, I keep telling myself THESE are the good old days for me.

BUT, remember this advice my old grand-dad used to give me: you're better off letting the old timers remember the good old days the way they want, rather than trying to convince them their days are gone. You can never go back to the way it was....because it is the way it is now.

How much coffee have I had this morning????

Del

[Jeepndel]

Along the same lines of the Sluice having vegetation in the rocks, here's one for ya.

My wheeling buddy used to do Surprise Canyon, CA in a long wheel base International Travel-All without much problem.

and I've met the guy (Big Hands George) that drove the Pontiac (or Buick, I get them mixed up) up Surprise Canyon quite regularly in the old days.

Of course, after the big storms, Surprise Canyon became a winching exercise. Now it has a gate (that we're fighting).

The *good old days* don't stay the same for long.
Enjoy your days while you can.
Del

[Bartcore]

In 1991 My boy scout troop hiked to the little sluice. That place sure looks different, I wonder what it will look like in another 10 years? Hopefully things wont change for the worst.

[BEAR]

Originally posted by twn44s


I have been saying the same thing now for at least 4 years

Patience my friend, It could take a while longer

Personally I think comps are bringing people into this hobby for the wrong reasons.
To be honest, If the "box" was closed for a coulpe of years, It wouldnt break my heart, not sayin that I dont enjoy it but if it came down to the trail or the "box" i would choose the box in a minute, hell I usually bypass it because thier are so many people there its like a rock concert

The reason I started "WHEELIN" in the first place was to get away from people and enjoy nature

[Rockcrusher]

Somewhere, in our boxes of "artifacts", me and JeepWidder may still have a few reels of 8mm film that were shot on the 'Con in the 50's, 60's & early 70's. There might even be a few frames of me negotiating the switchback at the top of Big Sluice in Old Yeller, a '63 Ford F250 I owned in another lifetime . . . I still call that particular spot on the trail "45 Point Turn".

I'll dig around and see what I can find . . .

[smurfsdad]

Here is Cadillac Hill in 78 maybe 79