WELCOME TO

Welcome to Chucks Place! It's only open once a year, the first weekend of February. Your vehicle will be a little dirtier and worse for wear afterwards, the last 6 miles are an unmarked single lane road through the high desert. This all started about 4 years ago when Chuck and Patricia Foley decided to have a little get together for Chucks birthday. They invited a few of their fellow Tucson, AZ friends and headed for the Santa Rita mountains south of Tucson. We had met Chuck and Patricia the summer of 2000 while boating. They were always towing the 2  hours north to boat, so after hearing about this desert get together, we figured we could do the driving this time. We've attended the last three desert parties and have plans for being there for the next one!

Chuck is an avid hunter and the area the party is held is his familiar stomping grounds. The area is off of the paved roads but you can still get an RV back there, no roughing it here! The first year we stayed in Tucson and made the hour drive to the camp site. The 2nd and 3rd years we attended, we've rented RV's. The RV's are nice because you don't have to make that drive back to town after a long day and evening. But, if you don't own one, sometimes dealing with the rental outlet can be a hassle. Chuck said, "There's a small hotel about 15 miles further south down the paved road." We might have to look at that next year. Best of both worlds for those of us who only own tents! The weather has gone from means to extremes the three events we've attended. From jeans and t-shirts with a little snow higher up on the mountain, to heavy jackets and snow on the ground at camp.

The main activity on the weekends itinerary is ATC riding! There are some good roads to ride as well as some tougher trails that wind up to the top of the mountain. We typically have everything from the Banshee and Raptor monster quads to more civil 4-wheelers along with jacked up golf carts and dirt bikes. Oh yeah, and a mountain bike. We didn't wear the wheels off of that baby! What do you mean "peddle it", where's the throttle? The area also allows us the opportunity to set up a safe shooting range and a lot of folks bring their firearms down for some practice. Click on the pictures for larger views and enjoy some of the details!

Feb. 2001

The first years weather was gorgeous! Temperatures had to of been close to 80 degrees! Here Chuck is giving Tonna a ride on his friend Ron's lifted golf cart. Chuck injured his shoulder right before the weekend and had to have surgery. Not one to let a handicap hinder his party he managed driving and cooking duties without incident!

Even though it's his birthday, Chuck always sets up the "kitchen" at his RV along with the requisite banner! Friday night is traditionally Taco night. Saturday we have three great meals where everyone brings a little something to help out. We fire up a large charcoal grill for dinner that night.

The best moment of the weekend involved two friends, Donnie and Tim and their ATC's. Donnie has a Raptor and Tim has Banshee. Both of these guys drove like the throttle had been replaced with an on/off switch. The whole day, when you saw these two, they were wide open chasing each other up and down the mountain! Later that day, most of us are sitting in camp, kicking back enjoying the day. We hear two ATC's approach at a slow cruise. They come into view, it's Donnie and Tim. Well, what do you know, they're driving like they have some sense. Wrong, as they got closer we noticed one of the front wheels on Donnie's quad is all bent over to one side. Apparently the two had been navigating a river bed at something just under mach speed when they rounded a turn and noticed the river bed made another hard turn. Donnie jams on the brakes and tries his best sprint car slide around the corner. He made it and stopped. Unfortunately, Tim didn't and Donnie was in his way! T-BONE! They both got out of it with a few bumps but both ATC's required some cash injection when they got home. Not to mention I thought I heard a few choice words from their better halves about driving like idiots and inquiring if they have ever owned anything they haven't tore up? Oh, for the record, the answer to that question is "no".   

Feb. 2002

Ah, the central theme for this weekend, COLD! OK, I grew up in the snow back east, but my blood has thinned the last 20 years in the desert! Tonna, Janice, Donnie and I  headed back for our second desert party. This time we also brought another couple with us, Bill & Nancy Griffin. This was our first weekend we rented RV's for this weekend. Tonna and I also thought we'd take one of our dogs with us this time.

Wrapped up in the extra clothes the weekend warranted, Chuck gets ready to go for a ride.

In the evening, Bill decides to use a little extra fir to keep warm!

Yup, little more clothes were required this year.

Donnie riding his Raptor in the safe sane manner we've come to expect from him. But he didn't break anything this weekend.

CLICK DA' BUTTON FOR THE 2003 PARTY!