Our adventure started the evening of the 16th. The Jeep inline six-cylinder engine was in production from 1987 through 2006. It’s often just referred to as the 4.0 in the Jeep community. One of its common issues is the cooling system. Being a straight six, it’s a longer engine and prone to head gasket issues if overheated. After work, I replaced the fan clutch. The Jeep has had some trouble regulating temperature, and I have a strong desire to keep it alive.
A fan clutch on this Jeep is a fluid-filled device. It controls the speed of the fan via a temperature-sensitive valve. When it gets hot, it releases fluid into the center of the device that causes an increase in friction and, in return, increases fan speed. These are a common wear and failure item. The Jeep started to overheat when going slow on a backcountry road during our last outing, and I didn’t want the issue to get worse. I installed a new fan clutch, but when I went to put the shroud back on, it wouldn’t fit with the fan installed. The instructional video lied to me. This would have to be dealt with soon.
Saturday the 24th, we took the kid and fur child out for a walk. It was my first trip to Wheeler Farm, but it was a fun one. Rain did so good, meeting the farm animals. She’s so curious but well-behaved. The Monkey had a blast, and it was good to get out of the house and do some walking. I love family time like this. I can sometimes be a stick in the mud when it comes to getting out of the house, but it’s something I’m working on.
Shelby had D&D with friends, so it was a Monkey-and-me evening. She’s been developing a bit of dark humor. No clue where she gets that from... It was my turn to pick the movie. I ordered us some pizza and nuggets, and we tucked in to watch Borderlands. About 15 minutes in, she was unsure of my movie choice, but shortly after, she got into it and agreed it was a good pick. She also learned she likes BBQ sauce. She’s so stubborn sometimes when it comes to trying different things, so that’s something I’m trying to help with along the way.
Sunday morning, it was fan clutch round two. I pulled the four bolts and the fan assembly out. As they say in the automotive world, I have a “zipper” in it—meaning, it wasn’t my first go-around. Once the shroud and fan were back on, it was time to test it out. I was able to sit idle with the A/C on and maintain an agreeable temp while observing the thermostat open and close at the correct times. We call that a win. I then checked over all the fluids in preparation for our Monday adventure. I also busted out the shop vac and air compressor. It was time to really clean some crud out. While it wasn’t my favorite way to pass the time, it felt nice to actually clean out and clean up my Jeep.
Monday morning arrived, and it was time to wake the crew. Shelby had done some grocery and road trip snack shopping. We finished loading up, and Scot showed up. He’d been wanting to go on another adventure with us for a while. It had been far too long since we took him on a Jeep trip.
Our destination was the Tintic Mining District. Nestled in the valleys near Elberta and Eureka, this place is a sickness of mine. Most of the old rails have been pulled up and in the process left behind some amazing trails to drive on.
Our first stop was the train tunnel. It's not incredibly long, but to realize it was made in the late 1800s and still stands is awe-inspiring. If you stop in the tunnel and shine a light to the roof, you’ll still see the soot left behind from trains long since silenced. The view from the top of the tunnel is breathtaking—you can see all the way to the lake.
After our tunnel adventure, I had a surprise in store for my traveling companions. I had located a mine not too far from the tunnel. We followed the old rail line back to Slant Line Rd until I found our turn-off. We were headed to the North Standard Mine. Scot and I did some hiking around the area. We didn’t come across any old shafts or mining equipment, but we found some amazing views and purple chert. Shelby and Monkey were still down below next to the Jeep, so we told them to come check out the rock formation.
Rain was with us but decided she wanted to go see Mom. So she ran down the steep rock pile. She was fine—but the jury’s still out on whether she’s brave or just doesn’t think things through. The view of the valley was really breathtaking. Some people on horseback rode past at a slightly higher elevation and gave us a friendly wave.
We headed back to Slant Line with a few chosen rocks now in the Jeep. Scot and I got out to check out another old mine site along the way. It’s fenced off, and we couldn’t see a shaft, but we did find the concrete supports for the old head frame outside the fence. It was getting warm in the Jeep, so it was time to travel on.
It was Shelby’s turn to offer up a surprise. On our first adventure together, we went to what is basically a human-sized geode of jasper that you can walk into. I hung out with the pup in the Jeep for this one, but Scot, Shelby, and Monkey went to see it. Shelby grabbed a few pics to share and—surprise—they all came back with rocks.
It was time to head to Eureka. On the drive down the trail, I stopped and vocalized that I thought we just passed our turn. Shelby was pretty sure we had left the way we were going before, so in the spirit of adventure, we carried on.
Partway up that trail, we encountered another Jeep. They stopped us and asked if we knew how to get to the tunnel. I gave them directions. They told us the trail ahead gets narrow in some places. I had located a link that showed the old rail lines in the area in real time on Google Maps. We were indeed on the old rail bed. We kept going, and I realized this rail bed would take us to our next stop.
Partway through, the trail developed a sharp angle. We were right next to a steep drop—it was fine. I stopped and took it all in so I could analyze the situation. While the angle was not fun, it was safe.
We headed to Eureka on the same path the steam trains took. If you’re driving into Eureka from Elberta, you go through a canyon. Off to your right, you’ll see some power lines a good ways up. Those lines follow the old rail bed. That’s what we drove on. I probably won’t take that trail in a Jeep again, but it was one hell of an adventure.
We stopped at the remains of an old lime quarry. This is where they used to load the rail cars. There were a few piles of lime still kicking around, along with some concrete and metal ruins scattered about. Not the most breathtaking part of the journey, but a fun stop. We also tried to go to the ruins of the old schoolhouse, but it’s now private property and fenced off. I did snag a pic of the foundation, though.
I have a deep love for the town of Eureka. Its historic main street and open lands all around give my heart the flutters. If I could live out that way and support myself, I’d move in a heartbeat. Eureka is about seventy miles southwest of Salt Lake. It was incorporated in 1892. Its main street has some awe-inspiring historic buildings. Look—I’m a history nerd. I don’t apologize for this fact, and I thrive on outings like these.
Our favorite stop, the Tintic Hills Motor Clothes Emporium, was sadly closed that day. But the Company Store was open! I had the pleasure of visiting it before with the Monkey. Shelby and Scot had never had the opportunity until now. The Monkey met a new friend she was pretty unsure of. Scot hung out with the pup while we browsed. I purchased an antique glass power pole insulator. I grew up with them in the house, and for some reason, they always give me happy, sentimental feelings. After I purchased my treasure, I traded places with Scot. Not long after, all three of my traveling companions came out with treasures in hand.
We loaded up again and headed to our next new experience: the Silver City Cemetery. The Monkey walked with me as I looked at the old gravestones. She commented on how empty the cemetery felt. I told her that back in the 1800s and 1900s, it was common to have wooden headstones. So while we didn’t see many grave markers, it’s entirely possible it was more full than it appeared. I showed her some of the dates on the still-legible stones and explained that they were well over 100 years old. That news shocked her, and she walked with a bit more awe when viewing the cemetery.
Our last stop on this mining town adventure was the Tintic Smelter. We’d caught sight of it on our last adventure over a year ago. We were on a back road packed with snow, and it caught our eyes heading back to town. The smelter was built in 1908 and dismantled in 1915. Its remains are truly massive. Rain made me a bit nervous—this place has some large drops. After her downhill dash, I wasn’t eager to test her brave-to-smart ratio again. It was nearly three, and we’d been adventuring since 9 that morning.
We loaded up and started heading toward Orem to return the Monkey to her mom. We stopped for a bite to eat along the way—we were all pretty hungry by this point. We dropped the Monkey off and showed her mom the rocks we collected. Then it was time for the drive back to Salt Lake. We arrived at home and Scot headed out. We were all exhausted.
Shelby ordered some DoorDash. I’m not ashamed to admit I fell asleep by 7:30 that evening. I feel like we really got the most out of our long weekend. I feel truly lucky to have the family that I do. It was amazing making memories together. Weekends like this, where we get to see new things and explore the remains of Utah’s past, are some of my favorite. Trips like this make all the stress of day-to-day life, bills, and adult choices worth it.
The joy I felt this weekend couldn’t be replaced by a new shiny vehicle, watching a movie, or really any other material item. Life gets far too repetitive and depressing if you don’t take time to adventure every now and then. I can’t wait to find new places to explore. However, Eureka will always remain one of my favorite destinations.
Bishop :(:
Over 200k and till going!
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