Ridge,
Truly one of the most gripping off road travelogs I've read in years. I like your indominable trait of forward motion. Just sit there a while a figure out how to accomplish your goals. In my 50 years of hard core four wheel driving, I'm remembering a race across the southwest desert called POR, "Press On Regardless". Somehow, it's you. I also remember some of the very best trips ever were ones where we were living so close to the edge, under equipped, clueless about what lies ahead and ready to make it work, regardless. That's attitude. At least you didn't wind up like this on Backjack: Mark's rig:
or this: These are two different CJ-8's built two weeks apart in 1982; built up, and then trashed on hard core trails. This is my rig on JackHammer:
The other good thing about using a long WB rig in the southwest is that it's mostly sandstone. This did obviously ease the hurt on your rocker panels, which appear to have minimal damage. While I've been pulling jeep trailers off road for decades, I know that, like you, a pintle is probably the best connection for extreme range of motion. But, those G.I. surplus trailers are VERY heavy. I'm surprised you did as we'll as you did with all that unpowered axle weight. My tiny old WWII, M-100 jeep trailer weighed around 600 pounds and was a boat anchor on and off road. I can't imagine how heavy the deuce and a half variant is. The only thing i can come up with is your great off road technique and those great big wheels and tires with little rolling resistance, over rocks and undulating surfaces. Here is one of the five jeep trailers I've owned: A 1955 Bradley; weight 300 pounds with pintle: This at the beginning of the Mojave Road.
Again, Kudos for a great trip and pictorial.
jefe
