East Siiide!
You guys kill me. Of the 35 or so bars you highlighted in "A Little Ambiance" (May '09), something like 25 of them were in California, Arizona, Utah, and so on. You threw in a few Midwestern joints for laughs.
Two stinkin' bars in the Eastern USA are all you could come up with? Get real. And one of them, Bennington, Vermont, is the Yuppie capital of the world. The Escalades outnumber the Jeeps 20 to 1 there.
Plenty of trails and forests nearby Bennington? Yeah, right. There's plenty of water when you are on the beach too, just try to take a drink.
At least the Jersey bar is out in the scrub, even if it is less than 30 miles from Philly.
Yep, I'll have to stop in at Woody's in Moab next time I'm out for a day of rockcrawling in Utah from my home in Pennsylvania.
OK, you asked for it. Try the Drunkin Monkey in Ashland, Pennsylvania, after a day of wheeling in the burning strip mines around Centralia.
Don't tell anyone you're from California though. You never know how they'll react.Russ ScaramastraReading, Pennsylvania
More Bars
Loved "A Little Ambiance" (May '09). I stop at the bars in Crown King and Cleator, Arizona all the time. I think you missed a great one though. It's called Wild Horse bar on Carefree Highway near Lake Pleasant in Peoria, Arizona. The sign reads Burger, Beer and Bait. Trails near there are backroads to Crown King, Castle Creek, Buckhorn and Walker Gulch.Larry BedeneVia e-mail
Colorado Lush List
Add Smugglers Brew Pub and Grill and The Last Dollar Saloon to your off-road bars list. Both are in Telluride, Colorado. The infamous Black Bear Pass and Imogene Pass can be seen from the front door of The Last Dollar Saloon. Yankee Boy Basin and Ohpir Pass are close as well.Marc Thompson Telluride, Colorado
We Forgot!
I'm surprised you forgot to add your favorite hang out when you're at Glamis! Add Boardmanville to the bar list. It's the original bikers bar from the 1970s. Now it's a family destination for food and drink. I went there with my '70 DT-1 Yamaha; high-lights were the cold beer, outside shower (again original wet T-shirt contest) and the dollar bills stapled to the walls. It's still a good family lunch destination when driving the dunes at Glamis. They like NASCAR and the Intimidator. Here's the coordinates: 32.985633 -115.034511.
Also add the Jawbone Canyon Store in Cantil, California. Back in the 1980s when I use to ride and race 465 Yamaha dirt bikes this was a great location to ride, hill climb and hang out with friends in camp.
Now that I'm older and wiser the Jeep and motorhome makes life more comfortable, but I'm still camping and Jeeping in the desert. The Jawbone Canyon and Dove Springs areas offer many great trails and hills. Also near by are Nightmare Gulch and Last Chance Canyon, these trails offer waterfalls, off-camber trails and excellent views.Brent PalmerTri-County Social Club
More Beer
I just read "A Little Ambiance" (May '09). What about Pappy & Harriots (pappyandharriets.com) in Pioneertown? It's almost in your backyard. Nothing like it to wash the dust out after a trip down Burns or Rattlesnake canyon. Where else can you find bikers, dirt bikers, Jeepers and horse riders all drinking in harmony?Gary PetzerVia e-mail
From The Horses' Mouth
We are the owners of the Crown King Saloon and would like to thank you for including our Saloon in "A Little Ambiance" (May '09). There was just one thing we noticed that was incorrect. You do not have to have a four-wheel-drive in order to get up here if you come up the main way through Cleator, Arizona. You only need a 4x4 if you come up the back way through Lake Pleasant.Mike and Dawn ColtCrown King SaloonCrown King, Arizona