It’s amazing when large groups of people show up for the annual weekend of the TDS Desert Safari and camp where the event used to be. Don’t you people realize the event was moved two years ago to 20 miles away?
I guess it’s the draw of North Marina Drive and the area’s tradition that keeps fellow four-wheelers and the Social Climbers coming.

While “Bohemian Beach” and “Aroma Beach” were leading our on-line poll to rename the old cement plant, a suggestion of “FaqueAss Flats” was too appropriate to pass up. Most of us camped at the Flats, while others chose the Salton Sea RV Park. Shuttles moved the women around from the Flats to the RV Park to the casino while the guys went out to grind gears and mash metal.

Most of our wheeling consisted of finding the narrowest, deepest notch available to twist suspension and scrape quarter panels. Andy won the award for the worst break when he separated his YJ’s left front knuckle from the housing. Great ingenuity got him going, but the broken ball joints and shattered u-joint ended his weekend of driving.

Mike missed a day of wheeling when he noticed a broken front u-joint during a suspension looksee. He actually had to break camp twice and drive his motorhome for parts.

Steve also had a few mechanical incidents (driveshaft, windshield, mirror, and left front tire) while wheeling in a notch that gave us two hours of “what the hell is he doing” entertainment. Basically, Steve laid the Scorpion on it’s side and blazed a notch that was only wide enough for two people to walk through side-by-side. A quick trip to Steve’s motorhome to fetch a driveshaft and some unique winching by Rick Pewe and Jimmy Nylund got Steve in motion again.

After we were out of the notches, we headed over to the old TDS site and were amazed at the number of four-wheelers there. Like swallows to the nest, off roaders return to this site on this weekend year after year. Great memories in this set of hills.

A late Saturday run earned Richard and Mike some new rock rash as they attempted to recreate Steve’s run-it-on-it’s-side style of wheeling. Winching and strapping saw them through just after dark.

Along with Sunday came wind. Many of us broke camp early and headed home. See you next trip!

Attendees: Glenn & Karen; Richard; George & Sherry; Steve, Mary, Connor & Shannon; Tom, Lawana & Jason; Rocky & Patti; Andy, Donna & Brian; Ed & Jeni; Mike; Jimmy; and Rick