Off Roadeo trip, 3000 miles in 12 days

[SBGrad]

-I- was perfectly happy driving up to Moab and back, but my wife always says if we're going on a trip, she's wants to get her money's worth. Besides Moab, we did Vegas, Glenwood Springs CO, Taos, Santa Fe and Gallup NM, and Phoenix before we returned home to California.

The Badlands did everything we asked, with no problems. Worst gas mileage (tank) was 23.something between Vegas and Salina UT; best mileage ( tank) was 34.something between Minturn CO and Taos NM.

The Off Roadeo was a blast and a half. We went the day before the eclipse, and there were 8 Sports and 24 big Broncos ( they do a different course, we never saw them). We had a great guide (Tyler) and he showed us every GOAT mode, all the buttons around the GOAT dial, how the paddle shifters worked; and he patiently answered dozens of questions.

I just can't recommend going to Off Roadeo enough.

Things we saw/ did along the way: dinosaur tracks in Moab, hiked up a butte in Canyonlands NP during the eclipse, visited Doc Holliday's grave in Glenwood Springs, saw Bighorn Sheep and Pronghorn in NM. Saw an 1850s fort that protected wagon train settlers. Went to Los Alamos to see some of the places from the Manhattan Project. Visited Trinity Site, the location of the first atom bomb explosion. Crossed the Continental Divide 4 times.

We've been home 3 1/2 days and we're still recovering.

As I said, the Bronco performed great, this trip is exactly why we bought it.

Turnaround point for Off Roadeo at boundary fence for Arches NP

Biggest obstacle during Off Roadeo-- rock crawl mode, and differential engaged

View of Delicate Arch (UT license plate) from turnaround

Rear end of Badlands after adding Off Roadeo sticker

Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track Site, N of Moab

Aztec Butte Canyonlands NP

Eclipse pinhole camera caused by sun shining thru bush

Pronghorn Antelope + Santa Fe Trail, Ft Union NM. 3000 wagons/year went thru Ft Union.

La Vista Verde trailhead, near Rio Grande River, Carson/Taos New Mexico

Bandelier NM, near Los Alamos

Prairie Dog, Valles Caldera National Preserve, near Los Alamos

Trinity Site, White Sands Missile Range

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[Mark S.]

Cool pics; thanks for sharing. Southern Utah is a magical place. I took these photos of wall paintings in a canyon on the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail near Boulder. These have been dated to 1200 AD; no one really knows why they're there.

 

[Wandering Pinto]

Yes the Bronco off Roadeo in Moab was great! We had Mellisa Clark as our guide,she was great also. We did 4 days of trail riding in Moab,so much want to return to do some more off roading.

 

[schneid]

Loved the "whistle pig" photo!

 

[SBGrad]

Loved the "whistle pig" photo!

Ahhh, that is the close cousin of the whistle pig, it's a prairie dog at Valles Caldera National Preserve. There are numerous prairie dog colonies and a few hundred elk in the very large volcano crater.

We actually had to drive through the modern weapons lab at Los Alamos to get there. After the armed gate guard asks for ID, where you're going and if there are any weapons in your vehicle, he gives you the rules: no drone flying, no photos AT ALL, and DON'T TURN OFF THE HIGHWAY UNTIL YOU ARE OFF LAB PROPERTY.

Believe me, we obeyed the rules.

 

[schneid]

Then is a whistle pig a Marmet? Been gone for a while.

 

[Fuzzbear]

I would love to do this, but I'd probably have to go sometime between November and February, and I'm guessing the weather isn't fun then, eh?

Where'd you get the pony logo you added to the lift gate? Been wanting one myself.

 

[SBGrad]

I would love to do this, but I'd probably have to go sometime between November and February, and I'm guessing the weather isn't fun then, eh?

Where'd you get the pony logo you added to the lift gate? Been wanting one myself.

I asked our trail guide if Off Roadeo was year round, and he said they're running all year except for 6 weeks for the holidays. Not sure what the weather is like.

Pony came from Amazon...https://www.amazon.com/earnhap-Bucking-Tailgate-All-Metal-Accessories/dp/B0B9XHSNQF?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

All sorts of options for colors and materials if you do a little searching

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