Your Bio

Hey, all. My nick is "Cal Wheeler", and I am an Outdoors-Loving, Off-Roading Fanatic. I love Jeeps and ATVs and exploring the trails available to this type of recreation. I love hiking, rock climbing, and camping, too. There is enough wilderness for all types of recreation. I practice Treading Lightly and respect all users of American backroads, parks and trails, including the wildlife: flora *and* fauna. I've explored the Oregon Dunes, Vancouver Island, BC forestry roads, Pismo, Hungry Valley, Johnson Valley, Utah's Paiute Trail, Stoddard Wells, Truckhaven, the Rubicon, Anza Borrego, and a few others.

I'm also a total gadget freak; check out the Rino GPS unit and the Bluetooth GPS-equipped Sony Vaio U3 mounted on my front pack. (The Ventura County Axlesnappers call me "Gizmo") Join me on some of my travels; maybe you'll discover something new about a place you've never seen!

Around the World

Galleries

Dusy '09 :

Dusy '09

Updated: Nov 04, 2009 3:05pm PST

'08 Paiute Trail Trip : Cal took his new '07 Can Am Outty 800 to the Paiute!

'08 Paiute Trail Trip

Cal took his new '07 Can Am Outty 800 to the Paiute!

Updated: Nov 04, 2009 2:47pm PST

'09 Glamis Trip :

'09 Glamis Trip

Updated: Nov 04, 2009 2:41pm PST

Cal's '07 Duramax Mods : Pics of mods to my '07 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD. As featured on The Diesel Place.com

Cal's '07 Duramax Mods

Pics of mods to my '07 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD. As featured on The Die ...

Updated: May 15, 2007 7:39pm PST

My 2006 Paiute Trail trip : Pictorial highlights from my 2006 trip to Utah's amazing Paiute Trail system, a Mecca for ATV enthusiasts.

My 2006 Paiute Trail trip

Pictorial highlights from my 2006 trip to Utah's amazing Paiute Trail ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2006 5:14pm PST

My Paiute ATV Trail & Zion & Coral Dunes Trip : Every September, an ATV Jamboree is held on the Paiute Trail in Utah. The main trail is 275 miles long, with thousands more miles of side and spur trails, in elevations ranging from 5,000 to over 11,000 feet. For this year (2005) I trailered both utility and sport quads up. My Yamaha Wolverine 350 was set up with racks, containers, and tons of camping equipment, for nights out on the trail. My Suzuki LTZ 400 was kept light and fast for zipping around for shorter exploratory trips. After I'd had enough trail riding, I took a side trip through Zion National Park, and then to Coral Pink Sand Dunes for some wide-open duning fun. 

The Paiute Trail is absolutely beautiful this time of year, as you can see. The cool part is that you can plan a trip on the rail, camp out as often as you like, or dip into one of the many towns along the trail and ride right into town to replenish fuel, food, and supplies...or get your rig fixed, as Joe Dalton did in Circleville after I broke the four attachment points on my rear cargo rack! If you' like to find out more about the Paiute Trail, surf over to  http://www.marysvale.org/ or  http://www.atvutah.com/ .

Zion National Park is a great natural wonder even if you only drive through it on Highway 9, as I did. At some other point, I'll stay for a few days and do some hiking and exploring. Truly phenomenal rock formations, cliff faces, and human engineering come together to make this a fascinating place to visit.

The Coral Pink Sand Dunes are less than 30 miles away from Zion, and provide beautiful scenery as well as some challenging hills and thrills. The sand is dusty, light, and flour-like. Very different than Pismo or the Oregon Dunes.  Go during the middle of the week and have it practically all to yourself! Keep in mind that it's a mixed-use park, and many visitors come on foot, so respect them and keep the 100 foot distance or better. That way everyone can enjoy the same space! Check it out!

My Paiute ATV Trail & Zion & Coral Dunes Trip

Every September, an ATV Jamboree is held on the Paiute Trail in Utah. ...

Updated: Oct 03, 2005 11:36pm PST

Calico (Odessa/Doran Canyon) Trail : Just Northeast of Barstow, CA lies the "Ghost Town" of Calico, and the challenging entrance of the "Doran Scenic Drive" route. Some very cool, awesome rock formations, and tons of mines at the top of this route.

Calico (Odessa/Doran Canyon) Trail

Just Northeast of Barstow, CA lies the "Ghost Town" of Calico, and the ...

Updated: Oct 03, 2005 11:34pm PST

The Rubicon Trail : In September '04, I packed up my Jeep, joined the Ventura County Axle Snappers, and hit the Famed Rubicon Trail...BACKWARDS!

No, we didn't drive it in reverse; but we did approach it from the Tahoe side. I haven't yet seen anyone plot their actual route on the 'Con on the Web, so here's mine.

The Rubicon Trail

In September '04, I packed up my Jeep, joined the Ventura County Axle ...

Updated: Oct 03, 2005 10:40pm PST

Miller Jeep Trail : The Lockwood/Miller run is a pair of Black Diamond Jeep trails that will take you on a 15 mile journey from Stauffer, California (southwest of Frazier Park) to the top of Alamo Mountain. Reasonably challenging, especially steep and rocky right towards the top!

Miller Jeep Trail

The Lockwood/Miller run is a pair of Black Diamond Jeep trails that wi ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2005 3:12am PST

The Last Chance V-Notch : "V-Notch" is a challenging little option on Last Chance Canyon Road in Red Rock State Park, near Mojave California. This was the first real test of Cal's initial major YJ mods.

The Last Chance V-Notch

"V-Notch" is a challenging little option on Last Chance Canyon Road in ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2005 3:04am PST