Raptor Run 2 - Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 2010-02-13 & 14

[MagicMtnDan]

Raptor Run 2 was a big success and it was the largest known gathering of Raptors and their owners. We had 10 vehicles: 9 Raptors plus a Chevy crew cab.

Brian suggested this expedition to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Ocotillo Wells and so we did it. We had great weather, great people and great trucks in a beautiful desert, the ideal place to run Raptors.

Participants included:

1. Brian - Orange (white Raptor)
2. Dan - LA County (black Raptor)
3. Justin S. - Thousand Oaks (white Raptor)
4. Justin C. - NorCal (blue Raptor)
5. Mark - Nevada (orange Raptor)
6. Chad - Vegas (white Raptor)
7. Jason - NorCal (white Raptor
8. Tim - LA County (blue Raptor)
9. Jeffrey - SoCal (blue Raptor)
10. Kyle - SoCal (Chevy Silverado 4 door)

Jason and Joy Joy took pics and they are posted here

These first pics were taken at Shell Reef in Ocotillo Wells:







Mark T from Henderson, Nevada, made the drive:



Chad came from Las Vegas; it was great to meet him:

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Tim and his wife Kilja were first time participants in a Raptor get-together. This was Tim's first time driving offroad but he was impressed enough with his Raptor's performance that he came out for Raptor Run 3 and had a great time (he's hooked now!).



More pics from Shell Reef:



Ociotillo Wells dirt bikers check out the Raptors. "Are you guys with Ford testing the Raptors?"





On the trail:



Roll Call...

Tim & Kilja:



Jason & Joy Joy:



Justin C.



Chad:



Mark:



Jeffrey & his dad Karl:



Justin S.:



Brian:



Sadie:

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Fonts Point - scenic overlook with view of the Borrego Badlands



BigJ & J-J survey the desert from above:



Around the campfire - Justin S. from T.Oaks:



Justin C. and Lisa from NorCal:



Only the finest foods for our group:



Justin S. and Brian yuk it up:



Kyle, Nathan and Justin:



Carissa, Brian's navigator:





Campsite guard dog in the morning:







On Saturday Mark's Raptor's axle broke and we got him and his Raptor back into town where Mark made arrangements to have it flatbedded to a Ford dealer for repair. (Mark got home, the repair was done in a few days and Ford and the dealer supported Mark and provided him with good service and they were very interested to learn from this and determine what caused it). Mark made the long drive back to Nevada in a borrowed car not the way he or we expected him to go home.

Tim and Kilja left on Saturday and headed back for civlization for some Valentine's Day plans. It was good to have them join us for the day.

Dave came out on Sunday morning; he met us at Tamarisk Campground driving his Tuxedo Black Raptor. Dave's a knowledgeable guy with a good tool box which would come in very handy later in the day...

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Back out on the trail:



Nathan, Dave and Kyle:



Kyle's Silverado:











Unfortunately, Kyle's Silverado got tired and broke its U-Joint so it could rest in a wash:









They guys removed the drive shaft and U-Joint (Kyle, Nathan, and David with Brian's support)





It's a good thing it wasn't May or June - working on a truck in the desert heat would've been tough:







They guys moved Kyle's truck and then parked it and jumped into Brian's Raptor for the drive to an auto parts store that said they had a new U-Joint. They picked up a new one, made the drive back and did a trailside repair getting Kyle back on the road at dusk.

Well done guys! Very resourceful and a better ending to what could have been a bigger problem...



It was a great trip with some unplanned issues (Mark's Raptor breaking its rear axle on Saturday and Kyle's Chevy breaking its U-Joint). These things happen on the trail but the good news is they weren't alone and when you're offroading you always render assistance because next time it could be you.

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Videos from Raptor Run 2 -

We found a big sweeping bend and Justin S. and Kyle drove around it while the rest of us watched and some took videos. Here are a couple - turn up the volume!

Kyle in his Silverado flying around the bend

Justin S. in his white Raptor flying around the bend raising a rooster tail or 4