Strange Trail Sighting
 

I went to Los Padres National Forest (Southern California) this weekend with my 13-year old daughter and ran into a really strange looking fruit/vegetable. It was laying all by itself on the dirt trail called Pine Mountain Summit Trail. We found it at about 5,000+ feet. I looked around to see if it would've came from any of the trees or shrubs around it, but nothing stood out. Can anyone tell me what this thing is?

http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_07.jpg

Some of the other photos from our trrip.

Wheeler Gorge Entrance
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_01.jpg

My rig before it got real dirty!
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_02.jpg

My beautiful daughter (they grow up so fast!)
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_03.jpg

Neat rock formation
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_04.jpg

A pic of my 4Runner just before we started on the Pine Mountain Summit Trail
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_05.jpg

Me at the top of the summit
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_06.jpg

Starting our decent
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_08.jpg

I liked the way the rocks looked!
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_09.jpg

Strange how there were holes, looks like pumice or something. And where the hell does that ramp lead?
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_10.jpg

Found it...
 

I spent awhile on the internet and luckily found somone with a photo called "spiny green fruit". It's called a California Manroot or a Wild Cucumber. Some info on it can be found at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Manroot

I guess I answered my own question. Thanks for looking.

nice pics. I really envy the scenary out West :bigok:

Thanks... we took a total of 85 pics that trip. It was a beautiful day in the mountains. I'm going to start building a site just for the 4Runner and the trips we take. That way anyone can look at more pics if they choose to and I won't annoy everyone with pics they don't want to see. :yawn:

You should have climbed up there and checked it out as it looks like either a cave entrance, entrance to a crevice pathway, or a lookout post. Now you'll never know and will always have that question ("And where the hell does that ramp lead?") in the back of your mind.

Nice pics, it's always great to get out with the family and enjoy some of the world's beauty together. :great:

That's not a fruit, it's the flux-capacitor for your tranny! Go back and get it. If you can't just buy me a plane ticket, let me borrow your awesome rig and I'll get if for you...I'm just a nice person who wants to help. :-)

Cool Pictures!

{they grow up so fast}

Indeed. My daughter just got her driver's license. I'm still in shock. (and fear...)

Manroot.....heh

oh everyone LOVES pics here...maybe this just shoulda been in the "Offroad trip reports forum" for more feedback if thats waht you meant

Those pics bring back memories of when i lived in California. Thanks for sharing but next time lets see a picture of you standing on that ramp and let us know where it goes! :)

Shock and Fear......HMMMM just wait til your insurance company finds out....

Shock and Fear will be replaced with Broke and Homeless......

:good: :laugh:

I am not the only one that giggled at that. I would take a picture of a
Massachusetts Manroot but it is against YT rules to post it...Nice pics, damn do I need a more scenic place to wheel!

Aahh, just move to NH! :lol:


Sorry, had to slip in a m joke even though I haven't lived in NH for about 8 years.. :bigok:

:roll:

http://www.roadrunner4wheelers.org/devil1999/011.jpg

Welcome to Arizona.

That's wierd, this rock formation looks really similar to the fake one at disney california adventure-
http://www.c21allens.com/YotaTech/PM_04.jpg

and the fake one-
http://www.travelswithtigger.com/dca...izzly_peak.jpg

Okay, I had to add one...

http://www.joe-ks.com/archives_feb2004/Lucky.jpg

So where are the picture AFTER your truck got really dirty!? :smokin:

We got a jumper !!!! Is that Truck trying to commit suicide?????

I don't know, but the driver is probably telling everyone in the Suburban, "Now, lean to the left or we're screwed!"

And another Strange Trail Sighting:

http://www.joe-ks.com/archives_may2001/DeerHunter.jpg

No dirty truck pics
 

I had my truck washed inside and out (amazing how much dust gets inside) the next day. It was my wife's b-day, so I took her to Santa Barbara for her b-day in the shiny truck! Dirty truck just wouldn't have been as appealing to her. :great:

is it baby cactus? the spiky fruit thing that is...

No, it's not baby cactus... its' (wait for it guys) California MANROOT (ok, now you all can laugh!). For more info on the California MANROOT (I'll wait till you all stop looking down and laughing), see the 2nd post way at the top. It has a link to more info.

I can see a new Yotatech sticker coming out from this.... "MANROOT Expedition Vehicle".

Talk about getting some funny looks from other drivers.....sheesh!!!! :)

It just can't live with itself knowing it's not a Toyota :great: