Round about 1985, and I've only owned the EB for 2 years and just got my learner's permit. My dad and I are in canyonlands national Park and we decide that we'd like to drive the white rim trail. Permits were required even back then and the Ranger casually said "it's okay, you might want to put it in low range now and again."
So we set out with our first nights camp plan for the bottom of Lathrop canyon.
The white room trail proved to be almost exactly what the ranger said, dirt and rocks with low range now and again. Lathrop canyon was a steep descent to a nice campground where we were disconcerted to see a few of Jeeps ahead of us.
Remember however that it's 1985 and motors were pretty anemic at the time, yet the old EB had its 302 which had been somewhat improved upon.
There was one choice campsite right next to the river and the remainder were somewhat back from the water.
One at a time the Jeeps took their turn attempting to access the choice campsite but none of them were able to climb out of the sand wash leading to the campsite. Quite politely, the group let us take our turn as well, I selected low range second gear (with the stock three speed and Goodyear high traction bias ply tires) and hammered it right in the middle before the climb out of the sand wash.
We went right up and had the choice campsite for the night. This is probably when I knew the Bronco was my forever vehicle.
As an aside, it turned out that our pork chops had gone bad in the ice chest. Fortunately we had fishing gear and several catfish came to our rescue providing dinner not only that night but for the next two nights on the White rim trail.
So we set out with our first nights camp plan for the bottom of Lathrop canyon.
The white room trail proved to be almost exactly what the ranger said, dirt and rocks with low range now and again. Lathrop canyon was a steep descent to a nice campground where we were disconcerted to see a few of Jeeps ahead of us.
Remember however that it's 1985 and motors were pretty anemic at the time, yet the old EB had its 302 which had been somewhat improved upon.
There was one choice campsite right next to the river and the remainder were somewhat back from the water.
One at a time the Jeeps took their turn attempting to access the choice campsite but none of them were able to climb out of the sand wash leading to the campsite. Quite politely, the group let us take our turn as well, I selected low range second gear (with the stock three speed and Goodyear high traction bias ply tires) and hammered it right in the middle before the climb out of the sand wash.
We went right up and had the choice campsite for the night. This is probably when I knew the Bronco was my forever vehicle.
As an aside, it turned out that our pork chops had gone bad in the ice chest. Fortunately we had fishing gear and several catfish came to our rescue providing dinner not only that night but for the next two nights on the White rim trail.
