July 1, 2006    The Official Newsletter of the New Mexico 4-Wheelers    www.nm4w.org

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Meeting was hosted by Jordan Sousa & Betsy Gunderson at their temporary, but very nice rental home.  Mark Werkmeister called the meeting to order at 6:15 sharp.

Guests:  Mike Robertson & Kathy Wolf -  ’01 Land Rover Discovery; Paul Caskey - ’95 Jeep YJ

Members Present:  Abbate, Baca, Brady, Coe, Greven, Lavy, Marks, Meier, Peeples, Rector, Rodacy, Ryan, Simenson, Sousa, Thompson, Whiston, Wolf.

Secretary’s Report – Lauri Rector:  It was immediately voted and approved to dismiss the reading of the minutes.

Treasurer’s Report – Paul Thompson:  We have $2,570.67 in our coffers and have taken in $695 in registration.  Was that a new GMC dually that Paul & Mary drove to the meeting?  He’s not getting all of his money from us is he?

Vice President’s Report – Jeff Rector:  2 fines for our lovable secretary for u-turns on the Chic Challenge.  And one fine for Betsy Gunderson, she got lost from the rest of us on the same trail.

Trip Chairman’s Report – Jason Lavy:  Memorial Day Run – Chuck said that there were 11 vehicles in attendance for the weekend.  Not a lot of people in the Jemez due to ambiguous information from the Forest Service on closure and fire danger.  Tom Hurt & Paul Thompson lead trails.  They did a lot of trail clearing and could not use chain saws.  

Chic Challenge – I spoke some on this and did not make any notes.  Please refer to the June Trail Tails for the article I wrote.  Mark Wolf said that I did a very good job on leading this trail considering how many Jeeps attended and how long the trail was. 

No upcoming trails were discussed.

Director Environmental Affairs Report – Bob Norton:  Not present.  We are still waiting for draft from the Resource Management Plan about Gordy’s Hill.  Mark Werkmeister is going to the Socorro office on Monday and should get an update.  They are 1½ months overdue on the report. 

Program Chairman’s Report – Jerry Marx:  Not present.

Historian’s Report – Laurye Tanner:  Not present.

Web Master & Editor’s Report – Glenn Bontly:  Not present.

Old Business:  Mark Wolf talked about Summer Quarterly in Ridgway (north of Ouray, CO).  Make your reservations now as there are 2 big events taking place back to back.  The pavilion he reserved will be too small.  A bigger Pavilion has been secured, but was only available on Friday night, so the dinner is being moved to that night.  Cliff Meier needs leaders and tail gunners.  He has maps and packages and lists with him tonight.  Please sign up before you leave and get your packet.  July 15^th & 22^nd have been set aside for pre-running.  Or you can go and pre-run whenever you want.  Mike Coe said to make sure trails are open if you go before July 1^st.  Paca Park (Please check with Mike Coe or Mark Wolf on this, I think that I got the name of the park wrong) is where the dinner will be.  It’s really nice and beautiful.  Everything is really nicely done.  The pavilion is made of stone and wood.  Paul Thompson said that we have 14 vehicles signed up now (which should be about 30 people).  Mike Coe said that he has 90 meals guaranteed.  The caterer that Mike Coe has secured for the dinner has a Smoker grill that is about ½ the size of a rail car.  Mike said that this guy is really into barbequing, he carries a stop watch with him the whole time.  Mike said he is just salivating thinking about it.  He said that there will be all kinds of food at the dinner.  Mike also said to not go 550.  Drop down from Montrose.  His breaks were smoking (Good to know that other people besides Jeff gets them smoking in Colorado).  Mike has brochures on the park where the dinner will be. 

Cliff Meier talked about the trails that he has picked.  There will be lots of trails ran each day.  All are very easy trails and he has hand outs on all trails.  He is in need of 4 more trail leaders and 3 more tail gunners.

I talked about our club’s sponsorship by Tom Wood and the items that they have sent us and asked for discussion on how we should use it.  It was decided to talk about it at the next meeting. 

New Business: We need nominations for officers, as we will vote at the next meeting.  Mark Werkmeister opened the floor for nominations.  Mark Wolf nominated Kristy Coe for President and unfortunately she declined.  Mark Werkmeister asked Jeff if he wants to run again for Vice President and he said that he doesn’t want to run.  Mark Wolf volunteered.  Chuck Peeples nominated your lovable Secretary for President and she accepted (does she know what she’s getting herself into?).  Mark Werkmeister asked for a volunteer for Secretary and there were no takers.  Mark asked Paul Thompson if he’d be Treasurer for another term and he accepted.  Jason Lavy said that he would rather not be trip chairman again.  Frank G Whiston volunteered for this position.  Director of Environmental is currently held by Bob Norton and he is not here, he may not want to be.  Mark Werkmeister said that he will check with Jerry Marx and Laurye Tanner on their positions as program chairman and historian.  Jordan Sousa thanked us for coming out to bum-f*&#$ing-Egypt (that means out in the middle of nowhere).  He asked if anyone knows about Carson National Forest.  What he really wants is for someone to volunteer to lead trails up there.  It’s someplace he and Betsy would like to go to.  Paul Caskey – ’95 Jeep YJ, is a new member that did not introduce himself initially.  Thanks to Mary Thompson for asking him to stand and introduce himself.  He went to the Memorial Weekend outing.  Jordan Sousa said that Tony Lauder (a prospective member) hasn’t been able to make it to meetings due to conflicts with other personal things, but he hopes to make it to a meeting soon.  Mike Roberts and Kathy Wolf were voted in as new members and got a big welcome from everyone. 

Meeting adjourned at 6:47 pm.

Summer is flying by!  It is almost July already, have you been out and done any four wheeling?  It is hot and very dry here, but the (still) green mountains of Colorado are calling.  I was up in central Colorado again last weekend and the scenery is spectacular.  There is nothing like a historic drought in New Mexico to make the mountains up north look even more lush and inviting than usual.  The wildflowers were just starting into their season with the early varieties in bloom.  Don’t miss the opportunity to join your club and Association for the SWFWDA Summer Quarterly at Ridgway.  What a location!  The world class scenery of the San Juan Mountains just minutes south, hard core opportunities in Montrose just minutes north (not event-sponsored, but available none the less), and a great setting on the Ridgway Reservoir.  When I went through during Memorial Day, the reservoir was nearly full, so the campground is indeed beautiful.  Besides, Mike has promised us epic food for the Friday evening meal!

I finally had the opportunity to help present the Nambe platter to Mike Bilbo.  Look for the article elsewhere in this issue.  After the presentation, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mike and representatives from other user groups, and review the trail systems again.  We will need to continue to monitor the creation of the management plan for the area after the Resource Management Plan Revision gets approved (the BLM is still waiting for its contractor to release the plan for public comment). 

Oh, and one last thought….I won’t be able to make it to the July meeting, so I have to convey this to you here rather than in person:  Please vote for your beautiful, dynamic, and very capable Madame Secretary as your next NM4W President! 

Happy ‘wheeling!

Mark

Legacy—anything handed down by an ancestor or predecessor.

For the Whiston family, the legacy is four-wheeling.  Frank G. (now in his early 30’s) attended his first All-4-Fun at age 1½ with his parents, Frank R. and Donna Whiston.  In July, Frank G. will attend his 30^th All-4-Fun with wife Beth and their 1½ year old daughter Kimberly.  Frank G. remembers when his Dad’s four-wheeling group, Albuquerque Off-Road Club, went out for hide ‘n seek night runs in the Sandia Foothills.  And little Kimberly, who was introduced to four-wheeling at age two months, loves to go out in the Jeep.  When she walks by the Jeep in the garage, she pats it and wants a “ride”.  Yes, four-wheeling is in the Whiston bloodline.

Both Franks learned about NM4W 10 years ago at an NM4W yard/parts sale at our old house near Montgomery & Wyoming.  Due to other priorities (school, career, marriage), it was three years ago that Frank and Beth found time to join the NM4W.  The younger Whistons’ involvement has increased each year.  They’ve led several runs and overnighters, and Frank G. recently volunteered for the Trip Chairman position.  He hopes to bring enthusiasm and fresh ideas, and grow the number and variety of club activities.  Frank recognizes that many long-serving individuals need a break, so he’s stepping up to the plate.  (Thanks, Frank!)

Although both Frank and Beth spent their formative years in Albuquerque (Frank was born here and Beth moved from Phoenix at age eight), they met through email.  Their paths had probably crossed since they attended TVI and UNM, and even worked at the same Northeast Heights shopping center at the same time.  Beth said they corresponded by email for several months before getting up the nerve to meet in person.

They welcomed Kimberly into the world on December 19, 2004.  A red-headed, energetic toddler, Kimberly loves to share (toys, food, even her blankie).  She’s learned to say Bronco, but hasn’t quite mastered the word Jeep; Dad’s working on that.

Frank enjoys his work as a Test Engineer at Sandia National Labs.  He started as a Mechanical Designer and has been at the labs for five years.  Prior to becoming a stay-at-home mom, Beth was a first grade teacher at Hubert Humphrey Elementary.  Now she and Kimberly stay busy with a play group and a Moms Club.  In fact, Beth was recently named to the Board of Directors of the International Moms Club Albuquerque Chapter.  The group holds social events, provides community service, and offers support for stay-at-home moms.

Frank believes their 2004 Jeep Unlimited was the first one sold in Albuquerque.  Beth remembers coming home from work and seeing a silver Jeep in the driveway with Frank underneath.  He innocently explained that he’d just taken it out for a test drive.  Beth agreed to drive it back to the dealer—but liked it so much that the dealer never got it back!

When it came time for Jeep modifications, Frank took a different route that he’d taken with his Ranger.  With the truck, he installed gears and lockers, but didn’t protect the body.  With the Jeep, bumpers and rocker guards went on first.  Next came custom suspension consisting of Curry J arms and triangulated rear suspension, high pinion Dana 44 front, 4.88 gears front and rear, Detroit Electrac lockers, and 35” tires.  The tires came courtesy of the 2005 Chile Challenge raffle, “Perfect timing,” adds Frank.  Is the Jeep done?  Frank said never, and Beth said that wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear.

Beth and Frank both love exploring the outdoors and camping.  Growing up, Beth’s family loaded up the Suburban and went tent camping.  It was fun—but as an adult she’s perfectly content to “rough it” in their motorhome with the Unlimited in tow.  The family cats, Bali and Socks, get to tag along on the RV trips.  Beth also enjoys meeting the NM4W families and she’s tickled that Kimberly is getting so many potential playmates.  At home, Beth enjoys scrapbooking and walking in the neighborhood with Kimberly (she loves her wagon rides). 

Favorite trails?  Beth had fun on Spring Creek (near Georgetown, CO) because of the scenery and how well the Ranger handled the big rocks.  Frank likes Grizzly Lake (near Salida, CO) because it was the first trail he ran after putting front lockers on the Ranger.  Some other favorite All-4-Fun locales have been Fairplay and Leadville (Frank G. remembers pulling Dad out of a mud bog).

Future trips?  Frank hopes to reschedule an “exploratory” run in the Zuni Mountains when the forest reopens (hopefully by Fall).  He’d also like to do Canyonlands, since Beth hasn’t seen that part of Utah.  As Trip Chairman, Frank says he’ll encourage exploratory trips, especially for novice trail leaders.  He wants trail leaders to have fun--not be stressed.  The Whistons want to share in the fun and future of four-wheeling.  It’s a legacy thing!

When attending a club trail ride, it is a very comfortable experience.  We have a trail leader that has taken all of the responsibility for knowing where we are going and how to get us back.  Ahh, we can all just follow along and enjoy the scenery and/or the challenge of obstacles along the trail.  Have you ever thought that you would like to re-visit the area sometime on your own?  Lets think about how we could figure out how to retrace these steps as a leader a month or two later.

Maybe it would be a good idea to record the path taken with a GPS receiver.  Global Positioning System, or GPS, devices are wonderful instruments.  They allow you to pinpoint your location to within a few yards, no matter where you are on planet Earth!  How about looking at the scenery for landmarks that you can remember?  Another thing to think about is looking at the trail itself.  How well traveled is it?  How does the apparent traffic level of the trail that you are on compare to other trails that take off from it?  Oh, I know, let’s mark a waypoint at each intersection where we would have to make a decision the next time we come.  On top of that, I’ll note the name of the waypoint and record something like “left turn at the Y with the rock that looks like a dog on the right.”   I think that I will even take a picture of the intersection with my digital camera.  That way, I could use it and my GPS data to create myself a trail guide when I lead a trip the next time.

GPS receivers are great fun, they are very useful tools, and they are easily obtained at reasonable cost.  But be careful!  Don't rely on a GPS until you first prepare yourself with the knowledge and skills required to find your way with simple tools like a map and compass.  Map reading and navigational skills are developed by practice.  I would suggest buying maps of any area that you might be interested in returning to on your own or as a leader.  (On your own meaning in a small group, never wheel alone.)  It is easiest to read a map if the map is oriented to the surrounding landscape.  If you see a valley on your left, then the valley shows on the left on the map.  You can do this by eye or with a compass.  Lay the map on the ground or hold it horizontally.  Rotate the map until recognized features on the ground roughly align with those on the map.  With the map oriented, look around for prominent features such as mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, etc.  Make a mental note of the geographical features you will be traveling along and seeing during the day.  If you keep the terrain in your mind, you will usually have a general idea of where you are just by looking around.

Topographic maps can be particularly useful to help orient using the surrounding landscape.  Topo maps utilize contour lines to depict the 3-dimensional character of the terrain on a 2-dimensional map.  Contour lines drawn on the map represent equal points of height above sea level.  On multi-colored maps, contour lines are generally represented in brown.  The map legend will indicate the contour interval—the distance in feet (meters, etc.) between each contour line.  There will be heavier contour lines every 4th or 5th contour line that are labeled with the height above sea level.

A topographic map, by itself, isn't much good if you can't point to where you are on it.  Similarly, a GPS unit isn't worth much unless you can read the coordinates of your location and then find that place on the map.  That's happiness.  Here's me . . . there's the river . . . there are these two hills . . . there's where I want to go.  Most maps display latitude and longitude at the edges which can be used with GPS data in order to determine your location on it.  Get used to working from map to GPS and GPS to map—with a little compass work thrown in for good (safety) measure and you're a 4x4 Navigator.

As most of you folks know, we are hosting the SWFWDA Summer Quarterly in Ridgway, CO July 27-29, 2006.  Cliff Meier is working very hard to make sure there are plenty of trails available for all who journey to the event.  If you can help out, PLEASE contact Cliff at 281-3704 and sign up as a trail leader or tail gunner.  All of these trails can be done in a stock 4-wheel drive vehicle.  In fact, I believe all that is left is easy and moderate trails.  The scenery there is spectacular!  Cliff has excellent maps and guide information available for every leader, so don’t be afraid if you’ve never been there.  All that is asked of you is to make sure you pre-run so you know what turns to make when you lead someone else during the event.

Mike Coe has found a most excellent cook to cater our meal on Friday night, July 28^th.  We originally reserved Saturday night for this dinner, but after Mike visited the park he found that the picnic area we had reserved was way too small for all of us.  There’s a larger, beautiful area in the park, but it was only available Friday night, so we went for that.  Mike tells me it is all stone and wood, a very nice setting for dinner.  This park is on the Uncompahgre River, so bring your bug repellant and enjoy a beautiful evening.

All of the volunteers that are helping put this on are much appreciated.  Marcia is diligently working with Paul Thompson with registration.  Marcia processes the registrations and Paul deposits the checks.  Please make sure to send in your registration if you are going to the event.  The costs are associated with rental of the pavilion for the dinner and the costs of the meals.  We will also be hosting the SWFWDA meeting, which is an election meeting.  There are several positions open if anyone is interested.  Just contact me.

I didn’t mention all of the volunteers, but wanted to thank everyone who is signed up to lead/tail gun a trail and those who are working other angles.  Ed Kausche had the hardest job with finding a place to hold the event.  It took several phone calls and lots of his time.  I’m positive the event will be a good one.  The New Mexico 4-Wheelers are well organized and it shows when an event like this goes well.  Let’s keep up the good work!  A big round of thanks to everyone!

Oh!  If you haven’t yet reserved your camping space at the Ridgway State Park, I would suggest you do it soon!  That place fills up fast!

 Driving style has a big impact on fuel economy.  Backing off can save big.

 By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff
May 2, 2006: 3:20 PM EDT

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - You can get 35 percent better fuel mileage out of your current vehicle by using a device most drivers already have.  That would be your right foot.

Most drivers agonizing over the cost of gasoline fail to realize the enormous impact their driving style has on fuel consumption.

During the last run-up in fuel prices, we wrote about Edmunds.com's tests of common fuel-saving driving tips.  Some common tips, it turned out, had little or no effect on fuel economy.  (Edmunds.com provides data and content for CNN.com's automotive Websites.)

For example, using the air conditioner at highway speeds had no appreciable effect on fuel economy compared to rolling down the windows.

Keeping your tires properly inflated, while important for safety, has only a small effect on fuel mileage, according to Edmunds.com's tests.

Using cruise control on the highway, though, really does have a noticeable effect on fuel economy.  In Edmunds.com's test using a Land Rover LR3 and a Ford Mustang, the Land Rover got almost 14 percent better mileage using cruise control set at 70 miles per hour rather than cruising at driver-controlled speeds between 65 and 75 miles per hour.  The Mustang got 4.5 percent better mileage.

Using cruise control cuts down on unnecessary speed changes which can eat up gas, and it prevents "speed creep", the tendency for a driver's average speed to gradually increase with time spent on the road.  (In that way, it can save you from an expensive speeding ticket, as well.)

If you want a big gain in fuel mileage, though, you need to seriously lay off the pedals when driving around town.  Accelerating more slowly away from green lights and stopping more gradually for red lights cut fuel consumption in Edmunds.com's tests by 35.4 percent for the Land Rover and 27.1 percent for the Mustang.

Slamming down the gas pedal pushes more fuel into the engine while it also keeps the engine running faster.

You can also save a lot of gas by just lifting your foot off the accelerator as soon as possible when approaching a yellow or red light or a stop sign.

For one thing, letting up on the gas sooner gives your car more coasting time.

By the way, when we say "accelerating hard" and "stopping abruptly", we aren't necessarily talking about juvenile tire-squealing antics.  If you start keeping a conscious eye on how you drive, you may realize that you've been hot-rodding around for years without realizing it.

In Edmunds.com's tests, they slowed acceleration times down to a 20-second run from zero to sixty miles per hour.  Compared to the kind of zero-to-sixty times we hear car makers bragging about these days, 20 seconds may sound impossibly slow.  In fact, it is slow.  But, while it won't get your pulse pounding, it will get you safely onto the highway.

Since most drivers don't have a stopwatch handy to time their acceleration, Cole Quinnel, a spokesman for Chrysler Corp. engineers, advises not pressing the gas pedal down by more than an inch unless you really have to.  Using that approach, the difference in fuel economy will be appreciable.

Let's say that your car currently gets 22 miles per gallon overall.  If this laid-back driving style gets you just 30 percent more in fuel mileage, which Edmunds.com's tests indicate it could, you'd see that increase to about 30 miles per gallon.

It's not easy, though.  For most people, driving this way will feel, to say the least, awkward.  When I tried Quinnel's high-mileage driving advice, it was difficult to maintain this disciplined approach to acceleration and deceleration without consistent effort.  The minute I let my concentration slip -- Zoom! -- off I'd go again in a gas-wasting rush, just like I usually do.

And, to be perfectly honest, it was a little embarrassing to drive that way.  Every molecule of testosterone in my body was begging to be excused for the day.

But, in a couple of short drives, the car was using significantly less gas per mile, even with my occasional slip-up.  Maybe if I keep it up, I can soothe my dented ego with a little cash in my wallet.

Ford Engineer Says Tonneau Covers Provide 5-10% Fuel Savings

 Tailgate Talk By Bruce Smith

Some questions never seem to be answered satisfactorily.  For years humanity has grappled with burning issues such as "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" and "if a tree falls over in the forest and hits an import and no one is there to hear it, does it make any noise?"

Another Favorite for truck customers is whether or not the removal of the truck's tailgate in anyway impacts fuel economy.

Judging by the numbers of tail-less trucks driving down the highway, one would assume that their owners must have figured out driving with the tailgate down gives better fuel mileage.  And that kind of makes sense; the wind rushes over the cab and hits the tailgate, so it ahs to slow the truck down and reduce the fuel economy, right?

But as many customers already know, modifications may be visually appealing but may not always be cost effective.  At least that's what the automotive designers find when they start placing pickup trucks in wind tunnels.

Bursting Their Bubble -- According to design experts, the truck tailgate is designed to create a cushion of air in the bed that aerodynamic engineers called a "seperated bubble" (the real nerdy ones refer to it as "Locked Vortex Flow.")  Jargon aside, this invisible bubble of air actually helps deflect the faster moving wind coming over the cab so it passes over the truck's raised tailgate, keeping drag behind the truck minimized.

"Putting the tailgate in the down position tends to increase turbulence and drag of the open box," explained Jack Williams, of Ford Aero Systems Engineering.  "We've seen drag increase as much as .5 to 1 percent.  Flow-through, web-like fabric replacement tailgates tend to increase drag even more; we've seen increases as much as 4 to 5 percent."  In a nutshell, all of that extra drag translates into worse fuel economy for the vehicle.

Dr. Edward Fitzgerald, an aerodynamics expert and a jet engine designer with Boeing, added that the effect is actually magnified with speed increases, so that 1 percent increase in drag with the tailgate down as city speeds has much more adverse effects on fuel economy at 70-75 mph on the open road.

Contrary to another popular myth, pickup size doesn't matter. Toyota engineers report that although the haven't done any EPA testing, they speculate dropping the tailgate can actually decrease fuel economy depending on the cab and bed configuration of the pickup.

As If That Weren't Enough -- Another concern with having the tailgate down or removed completely is the damage done to the tailgates exposed hinges and inner workings.

Driving with the tailgate open has been likened by some to slamming it closed repeatedly for whatever amount of time your customers are driving down the road.  The bumpier the road, the worse the abuse.

According to many of those same experts, the best way to improve a pickup's fuel economy is to leave the tailgate up and cover the bed with a quality after market tonneau cover.

"Tonneau covers on pickup boxes reduce aerodynamic drag" said Ford's Jack Williams.  "We've seen reductions of about 8 to 10 percent on the F150, which means the average fuel economy improvements for the EPA city/highway cycle(test) is about 2 percent.

"The average steady-state (cruise control) fuel economy improvement at highway speeds is close to 5 percent."

Adding a tonneau could mean an improvement in fuel mileage that is the equivalent of a free gallon of gas for every 20 gallons used.

Aluminum Cans: Our club saves and recycles aluminum cans.  Money from the sale of cans goes into our club treasury.  Please bring your crushed aluminum cans to each meeting, and somebody will take them to the recycling center.

To Our Guests: If you attend a club meeting or event and provide us with your e-mail address, you will be added to our guest e-mail list, and will receive monthly notifications of when the Trail Tales newsletter is posted on our Club web site.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the New Mexico 4-Wheelers, please contact one of our officers for membership requirements, or visit our web site at www.nm4w.org/join-the-club.htm.

Trail Tales on the Web Site: In a continuing effort help save natural resources and to control costs, you are encouraged to read the Trail Tales newsletter on the Club Web Site in lieu of receiving a hard copy in the mail.  Around the first of each month, the current issue of Trail Tales is posted at www.nm4w.org/newsletters.htm and an e-mail notification is sent to all club members.  In addition, a minimum of 2 years of back issues of our newsletter is also available on the web site.  So if you want to help “save some trees”, please send an e-mail to TrailTales@nm4w.org stating that you do not need to receive the hard copy of the newsletter.  Thanks for your participation in this program.

Submission Due Date: The Trail Tales is published on the first of each month.  Submissions for each issue must be received by the Editor not later than the 25^th of the prior month.  Submissions can be sent to TrailTales@nm4w.org, or Trail Tales, 21 Rattlesnake Ridge, Tijeras, NM 87059.

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Trail Tales
21 Rattlesnake Ridge
Tijeras, NM 87059-7440

TrailTales@nm4w.org