Rubicon Trail Meeting in Reno – update

Posted: February 26, 2022 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Maintenance, Travel | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

The Reno Off-Road and Motorsports Expo is happing March 23-27 at the convention center. On Saturday the 26th, there will be a meeting at 9am about everything Rubicon. Attending the meeting is free. El Dorado County is heading up the meeting. Below is a list of all of the groups and agencies that have been invited to the meeting. I do not know who has accepted the invitation or who has declined.

Questions to be asked: What maintenance is planned for the trail in 2022? Will there be an Adopt-a-Trail program for the Tahoe side? When will the staging area bathrooms open/close? Where are we with the small mud hole bypass? Where are we with the suggested larger shelf road bypass? How are parking issues at the staging area going to be solved? Can we stop or prevent future trail closures for fires well away from the trail? How do we volunteer to do trail maintenance on the Tahoe side?

That’s not my entire list of questions. If you have a specific question to ask and can’t make the meeting, let me know and I’ll add it to my list.

.

El Dorado County Parks & Trails

Tahoe National Forest, Truckee Ranger District

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Eldorado National Forest

Placer County (ask for Peter Kraatz)

CA State Parks OHMVR Division

Rubicon Trail Foundation (RTF)

Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR)

CA Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA)

CA Four Wheel Drive Association (Cal-4)

NV Four Wheel Drive Association (NV-4)

Local clubs:

  • Hills Angels (Reno/Sparks)
  • Lake Tahoe Hi-Lo’s (Tahoe)
  • Tahoe Donner 4-Wheelers (Truckee)
  • Sierra Stompers (Minden/Gardnerville)

.

I’ll be hanging out at my booth at the Expo all week. Stop by and let me know what’s on your mind.

.

Rubicon Ronin

Trailer hubs updated

Posted: February 20, 2022 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: | Leave a comment

So, having bought a TJ many years ago, as my go to trail rig; then selling the old trail ready CJ just a few years ago; then getting my project CJ ready for sale, last week. It was time to update the Jeep trailer from 5 on 5.5 hubs/rims to 5 on 4.5 to match the TJ.

Here’s the trailer behind the old trail rig CJ7, pictured at the Miller Lake campsite. All wheels 5 on 5.5.

I found an old trailer axle on Craigslist that was 5 on 4.5. the plan was to cut it, narrow it to fit and even do a portal type design to get more clearance. That didn’t quite work out.

So, the next step was to get the 5 on 4.5 hubs on the existing trailer axle. Below: old 5 on 5.5, spindle from Craigslist axle, 5 on 4.5 Craigslist hub.

But the spindles are different:

No problem. Swap out with different bearings to fit the different spindle. I bought new bearings and went to take about the 5 on 4.5 hubs to insert the new bearings. They didn’t want to come apart and upon a closer inspection, I realized the two hubs were different!

Bite the bullet, buy brand new hubs, bearing kit and get it done. And it is done and ready for trail maintenance or all the girlfriend’s camping gear.

I now have tires/wheels on my trailer that match in size to those on my Jeep. Worse-case scenario, I take a wheel off the trailer and leave the trailer on the side of the trail. Yes, I carry a full-size spare, as shown, while on the trail.

The wheel is shifted back in the fender a little bit. (The CJ in the back just got sold. It’s being picked up today.)

The next step is to place a plate on the spring perch to shift the wheel forward and inch. Something like this one but much narrower to match the spring pack.

But that can wait until next month.

.

Rubicon Ronin

.

Rather than start a new post, I’ll add the update here.

Here are the spring relocation plates I’ll use on the trailer. I made these. The two different holes allow for a 3/4″ or a 1″ shift. I went with the full 1″ shift.

Here’s a before picture. When I got the trailer, I needed more room for the 33″ tires, so I did a spring over lift. Driver’s side pictured. This is not the original axle. That one was destroyed on an FOTR Rubicon Trail maintenance effort, not by me, I had loaned it out to a good friend. Yes, we’re still good friends.

Here’s where is goes. Passenger side.

Here it is back together.

The curve in the plate was to match a normal leaf spring curve. With this odd set-up of a spring over with no spring perch, it went in upside down. but it works.

The wheel is now much more centered in the opening. Not a big deal but it looks better.

.

Rubicon Ronin

Eldorado Forest OHV Virtual Open House

Posted: February 12, 2022 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Okay, I missed the Tahoe NF email about their open house. It was on the 10th. Here’s your opportunity to be included in the ENF open house. It’s on the 23rd:

Eldorado National Forest Virtual Open House to discuss
Off-Highway Vehicle grant applications

PLACERVILLE, Calif. – The Eldorado National Forest (ENF) is requesting public input for the California 2022 State Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program application cycle. The Grants Program is an annual program that provides for off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation in the State of California by providing financial assistance to eligible agencies and organizations that develop, maintain, operate, expand, support, or contribute to well managed high-quality OHV recreation areas, roads, and trails. Also as important, the Grants Program seeks to responsibly maintain the wildlife, soils, and habitat of project areas in a manner that will sustain long-term OHV recreation.

The Forest will host a virtual open house on February 23, 2022, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. using Microsoft Teams. The public may join the meeting using the information listed below. Current application proposals need to reflect current needs and will be informed by prior year monitoring and accomplishments, upcoming projects being planned, and disaster relief efforts following the Caldor fire. Members of the public are encouraged to come with suggestions to assist the ENF’s project development for the upcoming grant application cycle as your ideas and input are important for developing our proposals.

The ENF has been successful in being awarded grants from the OHMVR Division in previous grant cycles. The grants have helped address trail repair and clearing of downed trees on over 300 miles of OHV routes and law enforcement patrol on an additional 900 miles of native surface roads on the Forest, provided for the printing of free Motor Vehicle Use Maps, OHV campground and trailhead maintenance, as well as other planning, development, and restoration activities.

Once completed, the preliminary grant applications will be available on the OHMVR website on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, through Monday, May 2, 2022, for review and comment. To review the grant applications submitted go to http://olga.ohv.parks.ca.gov/egrams_ohmvr/user/home.aspx.

The public may provide electronic comments to the Eldorado National Forest (applicant) by e-mailing both Michelle Zuro-Kreimer at michelle.zuro-kreimer@usda.gov and carbon copying (cc) the OHMVR Division at OHV.Grants@parks.ca.gov.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)
+1 323-886-7051,647007738# United States, Los Angeles
Phone Conference ID: 647 007 738#

How to Join the meeting:

• You do not need to have a Microsoft Account to attend
• If you are going to attend via computer or via mobile app, you will need to use a MODERN browser, such as
• Microsoft Edge
• Google Chrome
• Firefox
• If you wish to attend via computer or via mobile app, click on the “Click here to join the meeting” link
• You will be taken to a page where you can choose to either join on the web or download the desktop app and then join.
• If you already have the desktop app installed, the meeting will open automatically
• If you do not have access to a computer or mobile device, you may call in via the provided phone number
• Do NOT attend the meeting using both methods (computer/mobile app or phone), you will have feedback and echoes
• If you have hearing needs, you can turn on Live Captioning (managed by a bot)
• Once you enter the meeting you can click on the three little dots on the control bar to open the More actions menu
• Click on cc Turn on live captions

#

TNF Grant Meeting – TONIGHT!

Posted: February 10, 2022 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Sorry for the late notice but I just found this in my JUNK folder:

.

Feb. 1, 2022, NEVADA CITY, Calif. – The Tahoe National Forest will host a virtual presentation 6:30 p.m. February 10 for those interested in providing input on California OHV grant applications.

The Tahoe NF is preparing its annual application to the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. The annual application requests funding for trail and OHV facilities maintenance, law enforcement, education and safety, and OHV facility and trail planing.

The hour-long meeting will allow the public to learn more about the grant process and how to provide input.

The meeting will be hosted via Microsoft Teams (https://bit.ly/3s4GAx8). Those interested in attending do not need a Teams account to access the presentation.

“I encourage anyone interested in the OHV program to join in this presentation by the forest and district trail managers, and provide their ideas on these proposals,” said Trails Program Coordinator Joe Chavez.

The annual grants provide important funds for the Tahoe NF to develop and maintain trails and trailheads. This includes repairing winter storm damage, restoring trailside environments, covering patrol units, educating trail users and monitoring OHV areas.

When finalized, the grants will be available for public review and comment on the State of California’s website from March 8, 2022 to May 2, 2022.

Comments can be submitted during the meeting via the Microsoft Teams chat function, or via email to joe.chavez@usda.gov.

Comments can also be mailed to the following address prior to February 24:

Joe Chavez, Forest Trails Program Coordinator

Tahoe National Forest

631 Coyote St.

Nevada City, CA, 95959

Updated email address

Posted: February 10, 2022 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , | Leave a comment

TheOtherRubicon@charter.net is the current email address for this website and should now be working.

My apologies to those of you who have tried to email me recently and were unable to do so.

If you have questions or comments about the Rubicon or the content of this website, please let me know.

.

Rubicon Ronin