Ross and Alice

I've talked to several Zuki 450 owners that have the Cherry bomb, aftermarket pipe ect and they all have claimed that the YFZ with a little performance work is a faster unit. Is this true, or just the luck of the draw that I talked to the negative bunch? Any compairson tests available yet? The Zuki sure seems nice.

Meiko, Champion Gopher Catcher

I want to put Sand Haulers on my sons YFZ, he has sand stars now. What is the best size wheel and tire for stock gearing, that is; stock sproket counts ? Thanks

Thanks everyone for the kind replies. So far it's 2 weeks of bliss!!!

We used to go before the casinos started ripping off everyone with high room rates and high minimums on the tables. Laughlin is/was all about bargains, or is supposed to be IOHO's. The alternative ride is to Cambria.

Our s2000 is starting to show "parking lot bumper" rash. Ya get it in parking lots, pulling outta driveways, speed bumps ect. Ya can't be more careful than me,, and it still gets ya.

I just rolled 36.000 miles on my Toyota electric RAV. It's been 100% solar re-charged for nothing more than bragging rites that I never used any fossil fuel connected outlets. I have a solar panel carport at work and have used it exclusively. The tires are still new looking, I've changed the MiNh batteries twice. Toyota wants a 14 hr labor charge for the batteries, but with my friend Trini, we knocked it out in about 2. The regenerative brakes were really sloppy, klunky and oddly enough "grinding" the first 15K, but Toyota had a little fix for that and they are now supurb smooth and quiet. With the A/C or heat and radio on, I can go about 90 miles on a charge. I have gone over 120 miles on a single charge. Runs on the freeway with the big dogs, plenty of power and speed. You'd never know you're driveing in a electric car except for the fact it is quiet. It needs something like a soft sounding bicycle bell to warn people that step in front of you in parking lots. Cats and dogs hear it coming. The drawback with electric cars are they need a special charger to re-up that batts,, ya can't just plug in at any outlet. Rumor is that the Mfgs wanted it that way as a nuisance. It's been great,, I'm going to miss it because Toyota has givin' up on electrics. I'll keep it as long as I can.

Jay Walkers and split second blind lane changers in Las Vegas. Seems to be a major past time there. Almost killed a few of them last week. They duck outta the greenbelt bushes jump into the street not looking, and if it wasn't for 4 wheel power discs, ABS and stability control,, they'd be a few more funerals this week. Pedestrians in LV are like PWC's on Lake Mojave,, don't look before they leap.

The LEOS arrested the guy, Station Security escourted the assaulted girl off crying,,, I gave a report to the Sheriffs,, then caught my train home. I guess if it goes to trial,, then I'll hear something. The Sheriffs said they get assaults like that from time to time. They said the guy was probably under the influence of a controlled or illegal substance. I'll probably never see the windbreaker again, It was custom embroidered, and my last one.

I just missed my train at LA's Union Station, and it was and hour and 20 minutes until the next train North. I headed to TRAX restaurant and bar within the train station to have a beer and watch the Laker game while waiting for the 2:55 to depart. I'll get back to that. The most beautiful girls on earth travel on the Amtrack Surfliner and Metro Red line. Ya see them all over the station and the trains are full of them. We call them ZYLOS because they are perfect looks, and thin xylophone skeleton frames. They look perfect in every way. Often, almost always they work for a clothing company, retailer, designer,, something along those lines and they are headed into,, and back outta the clothing district in LA. Usually they head South to the beach cities, or North to the beach cities. The trains serve that purpose well, perfectly in fact. OK,, back to TRAX bar and grill inside Union Station: I sit down, the bartender gives me a beer and I'm watching the Lakers. One of these excellent clothing district girls walks in, Maybe 80 lbs, dressed in a V neck top, tight jeans, and carrying the usual big cloth bag of stuff chix in the clothing biz haul around. She gets a glass of wine, and sits at the booth next to the bar. She's a looker,, a 22 year old knockout. A few minutes later, a guy in a suit sits at the bar, orders a drink, flips the bartender a credit card. No BFD,, but then,,, A few minutes pass, and the guy jumps off the bar stool,, and pulls the top and bra off the girl sitting at the booth. He's putting his face all over hers and she's screaming, and fighting him off. Her bra and top off completely, and then the bartender grabs the guys coat trying to pull him off.. I jump in and get the guy on the ground and we start to roll and tumble,, the assaulted girl runs from the bar,, and the guy and I are wrestling,,, I yell to the bartender go to track 3 and get the Sheriffs, it's where they hang out with the bomb dogs. He takes off and the guy I'm wrestling with is trying to break free, grab my hair, and trying to head butt my face. I just had an $11 K nose job,, and ain't no way this dude is going to break my beak,,, so I start beating his head against the tile floor of the bar. My full 210 lbs on this guys head. Finally the sheriffs show up with the dogs, get the guy under control,, and hook him up, and we do the LEO paperwork. The bartender brought me two free shots of Jack while I was talking to the LEOS. Then a little girl,, maybe 10 years old walks up to me with her hand clentched and says: "Does Alice Love Ross Forever mean anything to you". I look down and notice my new wedding band is gone, I said the her "Yes", she opened her hand and had my band. That was the inscription inside my band. I lost it in the skuffel. My neck is killing me, and I think I blew my knee out in the incident. That poor girl that was assaulted,, she left hysterical wearing my windbreaker,,,

Alice and I just rolled in from our wedding in Las Vegas. It went teriffic. Rich B and Holly, YFZ Bob and Carol, Sandemon & Kathy, Steve and Terry, so cool you all made it, and made it a success. We spent the week in 'Vegas, and busted up the trip by staying at a few different hotels for a few days each,, lots of shows,, some gaming,, nice restaurants,, the pools ect. The weather was in the high 80's so top down runs around town were a nice break from the long winter we're coming out of. Of course we encountered new Audi owners on the I 15 that wish they bought the BMW's that were passing them and we got the Honda up to 115+ a few times. The Suite at "THE hotel" at the Mandlay Bay was a nice one, the Stratosphere was huge but moldy, dated & shopworn. Really behind the times. The best overall experience was with the Hard Rock. They gave us their biggest Suite normally for high rollers, and I got it for $69 a nite! The Hard Rock Suite was huge, had Bose' sound systems throughout, Plasma TV's everyplace, 2 bathrooms, Jacuzzi tubs, bar,, ect ect,,on and on,, pool view,, The Hard Rock has tightened up their machines and table rules, but the comp'd drinks flow,, the staff teriffic. Nice pool area at the Hard Rock,, nice staff, slide ect. We went to Mystere' at the Treasure Island and what a show!! Seemed something was missing over the last time I saw it. Damfino. Celine Dion, and Manilo were about $256 a person if you can get them, we passed. Mac King is a locals favorite and affordable, and very good. Of course lunch at the Fireside at the Peppermill,, and dinner with entertainment at the really nice Bootlegger off Blue Diamond. At the Bootlegger, they sat us with NHP, and LVPD leos on a dinner break and we talked for a spell. Ya never know who may show up to sing with the band at the Bootlegger, and a few Rock and Roll hall of famers did that nite. Ruth Brown opened up the set. "THE hotel" is an exclusive hotel within the hotel at Mandlay Bay and was awsum,, but the pool was chaos, awful in fact. Avoid this place if you seek a nice 'Vegas pool experience, and the staff had brutal old 'Vegas surly attitudes. The have a bikini top optional pool area, and Alice being Swiss with a nice rack has no problem or shyness showing her double blessings, but they wanted $200 for us to get into that area. Alice said most the girls in there were "pros" catering 12 oz $19 beers to the no life nerds, and it was chintzy, so we left. Ya want a frozen Drink anytime,, or a Screwdriver,, or a Bloody Mary in the morning at the Mandlay Bay ,, forget it,, it'll never happen. They're catering to the under 23 year old Martini Crowd. Tight gaming table rules,, very tight machines,, stingy with the comp drinks, and like I said,, the pool sux,, just packed with fat women with kids & a pool staff with a s#!* attitude. We went to Margaritaville at the Flamingo. The LEOS at the Bootlegger said the under 23 yr old Martini crowd is becoming more violent & the LV hotels are really catering to them. We saw what they were talking about at Margaritaville. It was so chaotic the band never took the stage, but once they tried, then quickly exited before they started the set. Maybe a hot, mid week afternoon for a quick beer is the best way to hit it there. Though the pool and room sucked at the Stratosphere, the staff was awsum,, the chapel at the top a breathtaking full view,, the gameing tables "loose" compaired to the rest, and the machines lively. Avoid the "Crapless Craps". Gaming player websites all claim the house advantage is astronomical. Alice bought this at the Las Vegas Nordstroms. The fad is now renting gowns, but for the same money a girl can buy a gown, so that's what Alice did at Nordstroms. The girls hung up their dresses and let the hot shower run to loose the wrinkles, it worked! Front room of our suite at "THE" hotel. The chapel in the sky at the Strat is the place to go. Awsum view from the chapel,, excellent staff,, everyone loved it. We threw an open host bar at the "Top of the Strat" lounge after the ceremony and it was awsum. Then onto dinner and another host bar at our huge shopworn Strat Suite. Alice couldn't loose gambling. We always loose $$ on Vegas trips. She won at almost every machine she played outside of the Mandlay Bay. I had a few good runs on the craps table. Held the dice for over a half hour according to the other gamblers. A view from our suite at the Hard Rock. Ya gotta take your squeeze by the Peppermill Fireside lounge for a drink, this place is awsum!!!!!!

yes

The caution tape gripe is when it stretches an unreasonable distance from the camped RV's. People take whole 10 football field size areas beyond their camp area, from finger to finger. The author of this thread is right on with their gripe about the tape. Also a 3 year old behind the wheel of a 19 MPH 2000lb easy go is crazy. The child could easily kill someone. Sandemon has the best, most convincing arguement for tape / age restrictions. Many who gripe about the most about rules never show to the meetings. I'm all for them and back Sandemon 100%. I also want 1 hour daily where only I'm allowed to ride, and the rest of you have to stay in your RV's, no beer or TV or candy. If you don't drink beer, then no talking. Then, like the roller rink, it's couples only,, then girls on the dunes only,, then everybody does the hokey pokey on quads at the rockpile.

Nice pix

Heading to work in 1 hour, taking 6 Year Old Maynard with me. Get triple time, + $48 tax free for meals (plus eat free from the Studio Craft Services Catering truck). Plus $179 tax free zone pay. The only way to screw the Govt is to work for them.

The thing that amazes me Don is that when I get up early at Dumont, people walking their dogs want to talk over coffee. Experience it all the time, especially at the Little Dunes. I chat with them and I hear their Glamis Horror stories, and why these incidences drove them to Dumont. Then sometime later, their camp is doing the nonsense that they claimed ran them outta Glamis to Dumont in the first place. Nothing like a drunken 9 year old in a dune buggie running over our campfire and beach chairs, a 6 year old in a 2000lb ez go golf cart center punching my Prowler,,, seen it, and we'll see it again. At least the rules can get the un-attending un responsible parents locked up. Rules are for everybody but them.

Sandemon just returned from the meeting, and rules of taping / coneing off areas are coming. Only a certain distance from your specific rig will be allowed. I do 15 feet, don't remember what John said but It will be enforced. A few weeks ago we had no choice but to ride through taped off areas. It has gotten ridiculous. Two entire fingers were taped off from the top of the finger to the top on another finger,, the entire flat camp area between. Also minmum ages of drivers of golf carts and Rhino type vehicles is coming, which is really needed. I've seen 3 years olds behind them like they're power wheels, and had one slam into the side of our RV. The parents havent paid us yet for the repairs, and we don't expect them tto short of small claims court. Hate to see rules because then they spread like a cancer and start including other things as well over time. But the tape and cones have gone too far. I cone out about 15 feet because people come very close to our RV and I don't want one of the kids getting hit walking oround it. We usually camp some distance out,, and they still buzz us. This season I collected more glass bottles across the dunes than all other past years combined, and we went few times this year. I'd love to see stricter enforcement fo the glass issue.

"17 psi is the Magic Number if 22 won't do", though you may not need it,, hold that thought. We camp just above the checkin/ticket purchase station and it's a good place for first time visitors to camp because it is hard pack, very coarse sand. At the top of the entrance hill do a 90 degree turn and there you are. Can't help you this weekend because we won't be out until April 7th, but in the unlikely event you get stuck, people are always willing to help out. You should be fine.

To the Lion Inn, for a Sand and Blood Cocktail, and Goulash lunch

Sorry to read of your loss. That sux.

I stand by them words, ain't no one keep up with YFZ Bob across the dunes. Bring your Blue Cross card when ya ride with him,, and friends willing to scrape ya off the side of a razor. I can drink more beer than anyone though, and that's about it for me. Fastest cat on DDR, and the lump under the covers is my daughter who can out sleep ANYONE.

If I lived in the heat I'd add solar elect to the house,, and then A/C the garage too, and forget swamp coolers. If ya slightly oversize the solar elect panels, they'll reverse the meter enough to recover the cost of nite time cooling as well. If you go electric heat, & elect water heater,,, then it works year round. A good investment if you take in all the power company incentives and rebates and tax advantages. I'd love to line in AZ or Nev.

Anyone ever go to the Boot Legger? Do they have Karaoki? (or however it's spelled) Is the food good or is it Fart and Smile ( nuked Smart and Final)

Sounds good,, look forward to meeting you guys.

I'm lucky enough to be able to take a very early retirement and plan to be involved in Dune user awareness as my main concern beyond my family. Banners on my RV parked above the entrance,, talking to people at comp with a biz card, generally getting into circulation and perhaps open some eyes. Their are people we meet that clean up other camp sites that have no clue of the ASA,, or DSD or this site,,, or of any of the CBD legal issues. Just good people that care for the dunes. Even wealthy blue bloods wth high dollar rigs, get their kids and go clean up after other jerks. We jump in and help. See it often. But lots of bad ones too, and that sux.