Got caught in a major flash flood on Sunday at Ocotillo! First off, before you say to yourself what a bunch of idiots we were, everybody on the ride understood the risk involved before we ever left camp. We 5 riders decided to have a little mud fun, and we all knew up front that dealing with mother nature's fury was a possibility. Thankfully, we left the kids all back in camp.

We were at the intersection of Tule Wash and Cross Over Trail. We were going to go up Tule to Pumpkin Patch, then back to The Cove campsite by way of Pumpkin Patch Trail. Tule had had 2 feet of water in it the day before, but was now dry, so we took off up the wash. There was a swarm of vehicles coming (fast!) down Tule. I thought this was a good sign, and indicated that the route was open and ok. Well, we didn't need to go very far to find out why everybody was coming down the wash so fast......about a half mile up we were met by a wall of water! Everybody was fleeing the flood (and nobody bothered to stop and warn us).

So, we beat it back to the intersection, and clearly Cross Over Trail to Shell Reef Expressway was going to be our only way out. It was now raining hard, and the washes were all flowing, but we knew if we hurried we might have a chance. I was first to try crossing a fast flowing stream, and when it was clear that I couldn't make it, I killed my engine so I wouldn't suck any water in the engine (I run an EHS open airbox lid with an Outerwears on it). Well, big mistake! The current just swept me downstream and there was nothing I could do. I thought my bike (400EX) was history, but I finally washed up on a sand bar and was able to start the engine and drive myself out.

Another guy was riding his wife's Blaster (his 250R had an open airbox, so it stayed home). He tried to cross the stream, but sucked water into the air intake. Well, the sand got in his carburator slide and STUCK IT WIDE OPEN. Here he was in the middle of a stream with a machine at full throtle and there was nothing he could do. He tried to head it up the bank but it wheelied out from under him and headed staright for me with no rider on board. I grabbed the handlebars and that swung the machine around, then it did a wheelie and stood up on its grab bar. After fighting with it for a minute, we were finally able to kill the engine. He had to ride back home stuck at full throtle!

We got everybody through that crossing then reached another crossing where the water was undercutting the trail. We knew we couldn't wait the storm out, because the undercut would make the trail to narrow for a quad, and we would be trapped. So, we had to go for it! There was a steep 15 foot descent on extremely slick mud, then another 50 foot climb out of the canyon on the other side. All that, plus 2 feet of fast flowing water at the bottom. Well, we narrowly got through but a whole bunch of Jeeps behind us got left stranded out there because the undercut made the crossing to narrow. Anyway, we all finally got through safely, and returned to camp freezing cold and caked in mud.

I have to say how impressed I was at the performance of our machines! Conventional wisdom says that you need to be on a big bore 4X4 with huge tires in these kind of conditions. Well, our light little sport machines with Holeshot tires did an admirable job (a Blaster, YFZ450, Mojave, and two 400EX's). They got us up hills that were so slick that you couldn't even walk up them (God bless Honda!) And, always carry foul weather riding gear if there is even a hint of rain!

 

WOW!

That's even more exciting than you almost flipping my Outlander the day before! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I was there riding with him the day before, and the rain was torrential, the mud was deep, and it was AWESOME!

I much prefer rain and mud to dust. Here is a picture of me pretending to be in a country western music video (you know the ones with everyone doing donuts in the mud with their trucks)...

http://www.chyba.net/IMG_1485.JPG

 

WOW! Thats a crazy story. Glad you made it out safe.
Thanks for sharing.

 

Glad to hear you guys are ok. Personally I'm gettin real tired of the constant rain! I gotta use 4wd just to get home.

 

Ha! Funny story! Glad you made it out!
Dumont was perfect. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Glad to hear everyone made it out ok. Sounds like it could have been real bad..........

 

After so many years of So.Cals. moving up here, we're more than happy to send you our winter rains!

 

So far this year, Los Angeles has received more rain than Seattle. WTF?

 

ya that's god you guys madeit out safe. I live near oct. wells and it was raining pretty bad up here. i like riding at gordons or at superstition down there near el centro its pretty kick ***[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]