UTAH ROC mini meet - Pics of first, plans for the next one

I'm sorry this can't give more warning and it's not favoring people in SLC or farther south who seem reluctant to drive north. I'd be mighty unhappy if we drove to Murray to accommodate you and we ended up being the only ones that showed up. This meet is favoring the people who have committed to being there. Right now that's just us and Garth.

NevadaGarth is going to be in SLC this weekend and it was his suggestion of meeting that set me in motion. His schedule only left Saturday night as a viable opening. I decided to meet at Red Robin to follow up on the nice report we got about the recent meet in Oregon.

We'll gather at the Red Robin in Layton. It's just off the freeway, just north of the Layton Hills Mall at 1562 WOODLAND PARK DR, (80l) 779-3511.

http://www.redrobin.com/Mapquest/SA/advantage.asp?transaction=locMap&template=map&name=Red+Robin+-+Layton+Hills&iconID=30418001&address=1562+Woodland+Park+Drive&city=Layton&stateProvince=UT&postalCode=84041&user1=(80l)+779-3511

Be advised that the state of Utah recently renumbered the freeway exits, so they won't necessarily match mapquest exactly. The second Layton exit is the Layton Hills Mall exit. Even coming from the south I would go to the next exit to the north, the Layton/Antelope Drive exit. That way you would just have two right turns to get you to the restaurant and you will skip most of the congestion at the mall and the theaters.

I've heard from djdj, who regretfully can't make it. Hankim is a maybe. I'm hoping he'll be able to swing by. I have only been able to PM or email members who have registered their Zip Codes. If you are in Utah or will be passing through on Sat., you are welcome to join us.

Please PM me (go to my name and click to get the pull down menu, then select "send a personal message") so that I have an idea how big of table we'll need. I'll tell the front people that we are the Ridgeline Club and I'll also have something on the table to identify us. You can also see what BIGGUY looks like on this link. He's pretty easy to spot.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4433&highlight=bayhorse+lake

If you haven't put your Zip Code on the map, this is a good reason to do so. People planning meets can use this information to contact you. Thanks again, SixOp and Lingered_I for your work and quick response to my request.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2235&highlight=code

Come one, come all!! I am looking forward to meeting some other Ridgeline owners.

Maybe we could tell people we are part of an elite testing group. We were given these advanced trucks to run them through the paces.:D

We want pictures!

BUMP. This happens tonight. There's still time to join us.

We had a delightful visit with Nevada Garth this evening, though it got off to a bumpy start for BIGGUY. Just before Garth got there, BG went out to the truck to get some money. On the way back he stepped onto a curb to allow a car more room to pass and caught the edge of the curb with his shoe. His attempt to catch himself propelled him back into the parking lot where he landed on his knee, his hand slipped out and his hit his face into his glasses. The frames of his glasses broke, but luckily he carries a second pair. He's going to have a shiner out of this one.

Garth arrived minutes later. We spent a couple of hours getting to know each other and exchanging stories about our trucks, the ROC, and life in general.

I'll post a few more pics tomorrow. It's late and I just wanted to give the overview tonight.

I want to thank all the Utah ROC members that responded to my PM invitations. There may be more UT members than I contacted. If that is so, please go register your Zip Code on the following thread so that you can get an additional PM invitation for the next local meet.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2235&highlight=code

This is a good idea regardless what state you live in. It gives whoever is organizing the event a great tool to include you.

Ironically, I didn't get a response for the ROCer who lived closest to our meeting point. All the rest have expressed regrets for not coming and possible interest in getting together with more advance notice.

I'm thinking spring time, Heber City or Park City? Early summer we could even meet in Ogden and we could get all of you onto our mountain property at Sourdough. It's just east of Ogden near Causey reservior. Miles of well maintianed dirt roads, ATV trails, fishing on two lakes (one big enough for canoeing or float tubes), wildlife viewing potential (moose common, deer sometimes) and picnic facilities. Let me know what you think or if you have another destination in mind. We're willing to come to SLC too, but that's probably my lowest preference.

Meeting at night is less than ideal when it comes to documenting the meet part of it when we're out admiring each other's trucks. I did the best I could with the light available. I even took my spotlight, but it didn't make much difference.

It is the sign of true Ridgeline lovers that we would spend as much time as we did in the parking lot checking out what we've done/still plan to do with our trucks. It's a sign of fanatics that we would do this in the brisk cold wind that kicked up while we had dinner. The front definitely moved in right while we were in the parking lot. It was calm outside by the time we got home.

I'm having trouble getting five photos to upload into one post, so I'm going to see if the other two will work in this post.

Wow, it is always neat when people get together to share something they are pationate about. I was out with my wife on Friday while she was showing a bunch of college students an observatory in MA. She is a major astronomy person. To the point that one of the votes against the Ridgeline at first was that the 8" telescope box doesn't fit in the trunk. Darn that little shelf.

Pics of the table decoration I hastily put together to make it easier for Garth to pick us out. Not to worry. He recognized BIGGUY and he wore his Ridgeline cap.

Thanks to the ROC members who unwittingly provided me with some fine photos to use on my RL Awards, ROC tree. BLUE (ours) and silver (Garth's) outnumbered the other colors, but I made sure to have each color represented.

The rest of the table decoration pics.

Cool Truckin'. And you even had your own live bear. :D

That's one sharp lookin' Red Ridgeline in those pics:cool:

Glad I could help decorate the table.

Looks like a good time. Thanks for posting the photos.

Park City would be nice....my wife would actually like to go up there and what better reason for me?! :D

Keep us posted on the date(s). Try not to conflict with the AZ meet in late March/early April :eek: so I can seriously consider the trip up north!!

I think you all can see why I have twice (this make three) posted that BIGGUY and Truckin' should be the next Ridgeline of the Month.

How many of us would have gone to the trouble of making a table decoration and mini-banner to let the visitor(s) know which table the get together was at? Or how many of us would stick around to discuss camping trips and the Ridgeline after getting a shiner and a dinged up knee/shin?

This just goes to show you the commitment and dedication these two have to the ROC. We sat and talked for close to three hours before getting chilled outside looking over each other's trucks.

The next time BIGGUY and Truckin' are at a ROC meet, I suggest you ask them what kind of animals they have seen on their many camping trips. They are great people to just sit with and talk to!

I enjoyed the dinner and conversation BIGGUY and Truckin'. Thank you and take care of yourselves.

Yeah, Truckin, nevadagarth and Bigguy thank you so much for the awesome photos of your mini meet! I have to agree 100% with the Capt. “it is always neat when people get together to share something they are passionate about.” Hope you all had a wonderful time and maybe someday we can all meet at a National Ridgeline Rally. BTW, Garth, “your sills are in the mail!” Thanks again guys! ROC-on!:D :p :D

Ron (5S Dude)

BIGGUY - sorry about your Shiner!!! Glad that you are ok.

Truckin' - Thanks for posting! Looks like it was a great time and your table decoration is awesome!!!!!

NevadaGarth - Great to put a face with the name.

Thanks for sharing.

Sorry I couldn't make it. I was moonlightling at Brighton teaching 4-7 year olds how to ski, and didn't make it down until later.

Let me know if you plan on another one. And for those out-of-state ROC members, come skiing in Utah, the Greatest Snow on Earth! We've had almost 300" of snow already in the mountains! Unfortunately, I don't know of any car rental company that rents RLs.

That's one sharp lookin' Red Ridgeline in those pics:cool:

Glad I could help decorate the table.

I thank you. It's a wonderful picture.

Sorry I couldn't make it. I was moonlightling at Brighton teaching 4-7 year olds how to ski, and didn't make it down until later.

Thanks for checking in. I was hoping you'd have a short day and be able to join us. We'll plan the next one well enough in advance that we'll get to meet each other. I'm sure we're going to have S. Utah exploration stories to compare. What are your thoughts on the next Utah meet?

mm19, Park City would be fine if we could find a place to park. Local joke, especially with Sundance starting tomorrow. It would be wild to get you and your wife up north to our meet. I'll keep an eye on the timing of the AZ meet.

Thanks for checking in. I was hoping you'd have a short day and be able to join us. We'll plan the next one well enough in advance that we'll get to meet each other. I'm sure we're going to have S. Utah exploration stories to compare. What are your thoughts on the next Utah meet?

I imagine it'll have to be on the Wasatch Front somewhere; it depends on where other ROC members live. If we have some folks in Utah County, we might want to have it somewhere in Salt Lake. Layton isn't that far, and I don't mind the drive. I was just kidding about the "long" drive.

I'd like to hear from other Utah ROC members. Are there others that post regularly?

Hankim, there are five of us in a cluster on the Wasatch Front who have listed our zip codes. In addition we have one owner in Cedar City and one in Hurricane. I'm sure there are other Utahns who've joined the ROC, but unless they post their zip it's hard to know who they are. (If you haven't registered your zip, please do so now.)

I'm partial to going to the back side of the mountains. Maybe even to one of the ski resorts that runs a restaurant in the off season. Heber City or Park City would be fine too. Does anyone have a favorite place outside but near SLC?

Ruth's Diner up Emigration Canyon would be a great place; great atmosphere, great food, a perfect place for a ROC meet. Park City, it'd be okay, but everything there is overpriced and a little too trendy for my tastes (you should check it out now, during Sundance). There's some nice places in Heber. And we could go upto Alta or Snowbird up Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Hey, why don't we make a run to Wendover? :D

Ruth's is awesome. I'm leaning toward one of the ski resorts off season because of the scenic value for our group truck pics and the big open parking lots to line up in. I've never been to Snowbird and I hear the food is great up there. Since you're a skier, have you been to all the resorts around SLC? Which would you consider the most scenic? Alta and Albion basin is nice, but I don't ski so I can't make a comparison to other resorts.

I would love to be at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City this week. We went once in the very early days, but we stayed overnight in a hotel and didn't have to worry too much about parking. That is the ONLY way I'd go again.

Park City is so tightly packed. I would worry we couldn't find a place to park our trucks near each other. Deer Valley might be better for that.

How about Sundance, the ski resort? I'd be game for that too. Again, I'm thinking in terms of space, good food, and scenic value. Getting up on the mountain somewhere sounds grand.

I don't know anything about the places to eat in Heber City. It would at least get us out of the congestion of Park City.

I want to have a local meet to get as many of us together to get acquainted before we plan anything more elaborate, like going to Wendover. I think that may be a grand idea down the road (literally) a bit.

Park City would be nice....my wife would actually like to go up there and what better reason for me?! :D


Kevin, Sundance is just south of Park City about 40 miles. I think it's much prettier. You could definitely make Park City part of your trip if you make it up here.

You said you've got the first part of June off, but didn't say if that was a good time to come up here or if you have other plans that would conflict with a trip to Utah. PM me with what might work for you. It would be fun to see you again. :cool:

Sundance is a great idea. Great location but I'm not sure that there is a restaurant open in the summer. They have a really cool bar that has some historical tie to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I don't remember the details, but it might be fun to tie something like that into a meet. Keep me posted as I would love to participate in a meet.
Snowbird has restaurants that are open year-round and there will be snow in the background most of the summer....
I will keep chewing on this in the back of my mind. There has to be an ideal place where we can get some great photos of multiple trucks.

Riverfisher, thanks for responding. I've been feeling a bit ignored by the rest of the Utah ROCers. I certainly don't want to plan a meet and have no one show up.

Did you look at the other thread I made about the idea?

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7196

I'm pretty sure we're going to find snow on the backside of Timpanogas too. There's been too much snow this year for it all to melt. I'm wondering if the Alpine loop road will even be open in June. It would be helpful to get some feedback from the Utah County owners.

Vincente Fox is in Utah next couple days,see what those Ridgelines will do k?

TRUCKIN- I received your PM about the Utah ROC mini-meet. I will be replying shortly. I had another idea for a location. We would have to wait until late July for the road to be passable, but Guardsman Pass would be a great photo-op. If you are not familiar, it is the road that connects Big Cottonwood Canyon with both Park City and Heber. Right at the top, there is a big spot where we could park 6-7 trucks and take some awesome pictures. It is high enough that you can see forever. The road up big cottonwood canyon (where Brighton and Solitude are located) is paved nearly to the top of the ridgeline (no pun intended). It is a couple of miles of dirt road to the top. Then going down the other side, you can choose to drop into the backside of Park City by Deer Valley (we could go eat at the Mount Air Cafe in Park City) or drop into the backside of Heber through Midway near Wasatch Mountain State Park. Unless I am mistaken, there is a Sonic Drive Inn located in Heber. Not the greatest fast food, but it is all carhop style which may be cool for a bunch of trucks.

RiverFisher, thanks for your suggestions. I have no way to make a decision between the roads, as I haven't been on any of them. I know the Alpine loop is a few area but I hope $3.00 wouldn't deter anyone. I found a good website about that road that intrigued me and my niece reported that it's a pretty drive. That's the extent of the reason I suggested it.

Obviously, we have no fear of getting our truck dirty, but there might be some that would rather stay on the pavement. That's one reason I thought meeting for lunch before heading out for our adventure might be wise. It would give us a central and hopefully, easily identifiable place to meet. Then those who were short on time or not wanting the challenge of dirt roads could double up and leave their truck behind (as Toobuku did in Sedona) or head out for whatever they wanted to do. Of course I'd want a photo shoot opportunity with as many trucks as possible, that's one reason I thought that a ski resort would be a good place to use as a gathering place. That was until I looked at the menu prices at Sundance. :eek:

I also liked your suggestion of doing a barbeque so that we're actually out enjoying the environment. It seemed that the park at the start of the Alpine loop by Sundance had BBQ facilities, but I'm not positive. It was so covered with snow and I wasn't thinking of a BBQ the day we drove up there. djdj, do you know about that?

Perhaps there are BBQ facilities on the side where we'd start the Guardsman Pass run. Are you aware of any?

Would one of you that lives closer be willing to take a drive before we get together to confirm road conditions? Is the BLM the best place to check to see if the roads are free of snow yet?

Any other ideas or suggestions? Aiming for a Sat. in July, do we want to avoid the 22nd because of it being the state holiday weekend, or will that matter to anyone? Will it make the mountain roads more crowded?

The holiday weekend may complicate things as far as finding a bbq spot as well as pure numbers of people heading for the hills. It might be better to wait a week and shoot for the 29th.
I would be happy to recon some roads in early July. That is kind of like asking a dog if he wants to play ball.
As for bbq/picnic spots on guardsman, it is very limited. Mostly just a road surrounded by private property. The alpine loop would be a better bet in that regard, except for the holiday weekend. That canyon is full of camping and picnic areas. Not as many on the Sundance side, but there are plenty.

DjDj-I was thinking of driving up to Silver lake above Tibble. That would afford some nice pictures with a lake in the background. What do you think?

I would be happy to recon some roads in early July. That is kind of like asking a dog if he wants to play ball.

Great, thanks for that offer. It will be good to have a report from you with the thought of a few of us getting together in mind as you look over the road and BBQ opportunities.

I think your point of avoiding the holiday weekend is right on the money. We are staying home this weekend and try to avoid travel on holiday weekends. However, we have been known to leave Utah on the weekend of the 24th to surrounding states where it's not a holiday.