I am not very familiar with this trial by the way. I took the Rubicon about half way up the main trail a couple of years ago, but since it was pretty much paved I turned back. On this day, I was introduced to a nice net work of fun rocky, muddy, sticky trails. As we made our way up the mountain we took a few short breaks to take pictures and enjoy the views. We even made a stop near the water tower to check out some old bunkers. Pretty creepy places. If anyone knows about these buildings and what they were used for I would like know myself. One looked like a jail, the other was more like a torture chamber.

After we left the torture chamber we planed to run one more trail that turned south east by the water tower and dead ended then come home. This is the trial that got interesting. Getting down the trail was no problem, but I noticed my rear end shifting a lot. I just took that movement as my wheels shifting off the small rocks. At the end of the trial I got hung a set of small boulders. I had no traction due to the new mud slicks I had acquired traversing the trails saddle. 30 minuets of changing lines and try try again's.... I broke out the tow strap for a little assistance from Chris' XJ. No problem, obstacle cleared. The following 30 minuets were spent listening to smack being talked on the radio about being recovered by a Jeep.

What to do... CALL RALPHIE!

With help on the way, and not wanting to accept defeat I climbed in the FJ and started up the hill with my mud slicks. After a lot of spotting, rock stacking, slipping sliding, banging, and pounding on the skinny peddle I made it out! By this time Ralphie was in simplex range so I relayed the situation to him. Now, lets see if we can get Chris out. He has managed to slide to left side of the trail where there not rocks for traction, and the sticky clay that was bout 3 inches deep. Back to moving rocks and hammering the gas. 45min later he too was at the top. Ralphie was pretty much at the trail head by this time, but he decided to stay there and just wait for us.
On the way out we chatted with a CBP agent to conferm our direction since niether of had been on the side of the trail. Turns out Border Patrol got a nice entertaining show of our recovery

20 min later Chris and I were back on pavement. It was great day of wheeling and I have a new respect and out look on the Otay Truck Trail. Lessons learned... No matter how easy the trial was the day before, if the elements have changed CHECK THE TRAIL. What was nice solid dirt then, could be life sucking clay that will rob you of tread and traction and really make your day interseting.
"Otay is supposed to be easy... unless it's wet" -Ralphie