45th annual Tierra del Sol Safari, March 2-4th

[pinzwheeling]

Anyone going? I'll be there with a couple of Jeep / Toyota friends, but I could definately make some space if someone wants to join in.

The event starts on Friday, March 2 at 12:00 for registration and ends on Sunday afternoon. This year it's going to take place in Octotillo Wells instead of truckhaven. Well over a thousand wheelers will be there in all sorts of vehicles, so it should be cool. I've never been, but it's been one of those events I've always wanted to go to.

Not that I'd mind being the only Pinz, but it sure would be cool to get some of you vets out there to really show your stuff.

Let me know, we can all camp together if we can figure a place to meet.

Here's the link
http://www.tds4x4.com/safariinfo.htm

[pinzwheeling]

Wow, talk about a whole gaggle of 4 wheelers! Interesting event, not necessarily a wheeling event so much as an event to show how large the four wheeling community in general is. I would guess that there were roughly 2000 people there, maybe more. The main area was about a ½ square mile, with vehicles of almost every type there. The majority of the vehicles there were Jeeps, I would say roughly 85-90% of them. However, everyone was real interested in the Pinz; I was asked by at least a dozen people if they could take pictures of it, and that was only when I was standing around.

Day 1, my group of folks decided to get away from the main group and we wandered off towards Truckhaven to play around. My buddy just bought a new 4 door Jeep Rubicon and wanted to try it out. After about 10 minutes, the tow strap came out and I got to pull his high centered Jeep of an obstacle

Day 2 was the Tierra del Sol “Rough Run”. This was a run that required at least one locker and possible body damage. There were 32 vehicles on this run, all Jeeps except for me, a Suzuki Samaurai, one older Four Runner and an old RamCharger. We went through Split Mountain Road and attacked a pretty nice trail called “Knock on Wood”. I was about 7th in line, and after the new Rubicon in front of me finally stopped digging holes and took the strap, I got ready to make my run. With a load of 9 people, we climbed to the top without ever slowing down and honked the horn on the way up to the enjoyment of everyone there. About 7 or 8 vehicles got stuck, everyone was pretty amazed how an IFS vehicle could climb this run with no effort. again.

On the way back, we had to rescue a Toyota Tacoma that was buried in sand, three total tugs for the weekend, and the entire weekend the Pinz performed perfectly. I’ll post some pics later on today as people send them to me.

[krick3tt]

Mike,
It is good that you could represent the absent pinzes with your fine vehicle.
That yellow really shows up.
Towing out other 'merican' vehicles is sure going to elevate the cost of pinzes when the buying spree begins. Good that we have one now.
Would have liked to be in on that weekend but the surgery on my hand has placed me in the 'not going to drive a pinz for awhile' group.
All is well, I have an automatic tranny car for daily use.
I went to the San Diego 4wheelers Superstition event last year and the pinz did draw a lot of attention.

Cheers,
Morris

[pinzwheeling]

Here's the link to some pics.
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r187 ... %20Safari/

[M Wehrman]

Must have been fun to strut your stuff with the "younger siblings" i.e. Daimler family. I keeping having these Disney flashbacks when I see those pics... That's it!!. ....BEAUTY, and the beasts!!!!
Mark

[pinzwheeling]

BTW, we caught some major air (witnesses inside the back said about 3 feet up) totally by accident. I was hitting those whoops faster and faster as the shocks got dialed in, and we hit what turned out to be a jump, not a whoop. Needless to say, everyone was impressed (except me, I was terrified). I vetoed the vote to do it again much to the dissapointment of my 7 passengers. I figured I was better off not pushing my luck. Of course noone got it on video, but it was still cool.

I also managed to peg the inclinometer which stops at 45 degrees. Luckily, I didn't tip over, but I sure thought it was going as did everyone inside and out. And no, it wasn't on purpose, it was me taking a stupid line and then slipping into a crack. I was stuck there for a few seconds; leaning my body as much as I could to the right, and while waiting for the Pinz to decide whether to take a nap on it's left side or keep going, I had time to take a quick glance at the mercury passing the 45 degree mark.

Love my Pinz!