Club Ride Soon & i can't believe I'm missing the Crawl! LET'S WHEEL! - Page 2

bhmmapping · 10-15-09, 11:50 AM

I'm out for the first weekend in November(Daughter's first birthday party.) there were some tough looking trails at Stoney Lonesome that we didn't even consider the day we were out there. Most of them looked like they had just been cut and looked like the dirt was too fresh to make it up and too steep to back down. If I had a winch or if someone else made it up first I would have tried them.

ClankBang · 10-15-09, 01:06 PM

Dang it! Just realized I can't go the first weekend either, wifes out of town and I have baby duty. If you all end up going that weekend I will meet you all for dinner, camping, beers what ever, but can't wheel with a 1 year old.

matt32 · 10-15-09, 02:37 PM

I don't see any reason we can't move it to the next weekend. So do we want to say the weekend of 13-15? BTW cross promoting again on the FJ forum.

dragr1 · 10-15-09, 08:33 PM

Down for either weekend I think. Is the campground at Stony done yet? They were supposed to have RV hookups at some point.

matt32 · 10-15-09, 08:47 PM

As far as I know they aren't done yet but maybe if they knew a group was coming it would motivate them some. Not likely but hey who knows.

matt32 · 10-16-09, 07:54 AM

Okay just called Stoney Lonesome and they are not set up for camping. The lady I spoke with said they ran into some perk problems. She said if you had an RV that was self contained you could camp for 13.00 a night but no tent/primitive camping. She mentioned Smith Lake park for camping.

Land Speeder · 10-16-09, 08:29 AM

so... RV's can park with no hook-ups but tents can't?
If there's a chance of rain, then I'll just grab a hotel close. otherwise, I'd just camp on Saturday evening.

matt32 · 10-16-09, 08:37 AM

Yep that's what she said which I thought was strange. I guess being county run they have some liability to deal with since there is no water. I have found a couple of RV/Campgrounds in the area but everybody's phone has been disconnected.

Land Speeder · 10-16-09, 08:38 AM

hmmm... Smith Lake guest policies # 6.... that might be a tough one. Anyone ever camped there? I'm just wondering how strict it is exactly. I'm not too rowdy nor play loud music, but plan on being up past 10PM and plan on havign beverages at a fire... just wondering how strict this place is.

Also how close?
brett, would you be bringing the 1st or 3rd gen? I assume either would be road worthy to get to the park since I've ridden in both on the road!

matt32 · 10-16-09, 08:41 AM

There are two that are off HWY 69 but the phones no worky. Both of them are like 5-6 miles from the park. I think Smith Lake Park is 10-12 miles away. I think it is off exit 304 and Stoney is off exit 299.

Elbert · 10-16-09, 12:48 PM

smith lake park is off the next exit north of the Jasper Exit...and as it's name relates...its on Smith Lake. It would be at least a 20 min drive from smith lake park to the RV park. Potentially a shorter drive through the county roads if you did not want to come down the interstate. I think most of the camp sites at whatever other parks are avaliable are setup for "trailers / motor home" type stuff.

I don't know how strict the park at smith lake is.... I would assume as long as you're not bothering other folks with noise ..etc you would be ok. Don't know anything about the facilities down there...

Last time I was at Smith Lake park (a few years ago).... they had numerous "primitive sites" for camping, at least that's the way it was as I recall. What's down there now I don't know.

If you're going to do the motel thing...I would find one up at the Hwy 157 exit....where Cracker-Barrel is and a number of other fast food places are. There might be some other camp sites around the Lake Area but I'm not familar with any.

BamaBleach · 10-16-09, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClankBang

Just as a side note; isn't skyline opening up soon?

Already is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Land Speeder

I like the Skyline idea, but would rather attend when that other ride happens up there...

I usually host an annual Skyline ride every February. I plan to do the same this year.

I'd be happy to lead a small group up there sometime but my Cruiser is in a thousand pieces right now.

Elbert · 10-16-09, 05:48 PM

Cool...

Skyline is the place... I'm in on any rides up there too. Maybe I will not have breakage next time around. Got brakes fixed, got mud tires, got winch working... got issue with axles and LSD fixed, and so far the clutch slave cylinder has not come out since I got an adjustable rod version and we cut that down a little. THe stock slave cylinder rod wants to over-extend when you get on rough stuff (small rocks), anyway since I insalled the "custom" slave rod...its not been a problem.

Still have to use bungie cord on transfer case shifter to keep it from popping out of 4wheel drive..have not figured out why this happening. We are going to split the TC again as it leaks and we need to re-seal the main two sides. Maybe we'll figure out what the deal is then. I belive we installed the marlin "high pressure" springs for the detent balls too. Its aggrivating to use a bungie cord to make the &$&% thing stay in 4wheel drive.

I would like to go up there with a group too....to make sure my $hi* works before next large group run....

matt32 · 10-16-09, 06:04 PM

I'm game for a Skyline ride also but I'll have to tag along with somebody. When in Feb. is the ride being planned?

dragr1 · 10-16-09, 06:18 PM

I'm looking better for that second weekend in Nov. now (13-15), 4runner may undergo some surgery the weekend before that.

Eric, I'll be bringing the '85, unless someone wants to buy the '96, then I'll bring both!

BamaBleach · 10-16-09, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt32

When in Feb. is the ride being planned?

It's usually the 3rd or 4th weekend in Feb.

It's the best time to be up there because the trails get more challenging after a winter of travel and it's between deer and turkey season.

Most of us locals try to be respectful of the hunters and keep traffic down on the trails when there is a hunt going on.

matt32 · 10-16-09, 07:43 PM

I will try to keep those weekends open then.

Elbert · 10-17-09, 11:26 PM

you can run go along with us if you want....

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt32

I'm game for a Skyline ride also but I'll have to tag along with somebody. When in Feb. is the ride being planned?

Elbert · 10-17-09, 11:27 PM

be nice if we could get a few trucks and go to skyline before the large run...later on.

87tlc60 · 10-20-09, 07:09 AM

I'm in for Nov 13-15.

Land Speeder · 10-20-09, 07:14 AM

I think financially the 13th-15th looks better for me as well.
MAYBE the truck will run decent by then also, the ef'in money pit... i could have parted together a truck for cheaper... these damn 1FZE and A442's ain't worth crap compared to the 3FE and A440... What's the difference between the A440 and A442 you ask? The single friggin' thing that broke! Speed sensor, a $250 item...

matt32 · 10-20-09, 07:58 AM

Head count request so I can figure out what to cook. Are we looking 10-15 trucks maybe?

Land Speeder · 10-20-09, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt32

Head count request so I can figure out what to cook. Are we looking 10-15 trucks maybe?

Doubt we get that many... I'd be blown away if more than 10 trucks showed up.

Elbert · 10-20-09, 06:10 PM

I'm in for when-ever...unless something comes up between now and then. Let me know what to bring or I can certainly chip in on supplies or whatever.

Elbert · 10-20-09, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaBleach

It's usually the 3rd or 4th weekend in Feb.

It's the best time to be up there because the trails get more challenging after a winter of travel and it's between deer and turkey season.

Most of us locals try to be respectful of the hunters and keep traffic down on the trails when there is a hunt going on.

Phil,

Since I'm not much of a hunter....does hunting season last from this point forward through Feb? Is there no gaps in the various hunting seasons between now and then? I would like to go to skyline prior to the Feb "big run" as long as it does not interfere with the local hunting scene.

Elbert

dragr1 · 10-20-09, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elbert

Phil,

Since I'm not much of a hunter....does hunting season last from this point forward through Feb? Is there no gaps in the various hunting seasons between now and then? I would like to go to skyline prior to the Feb "big run" as long as it does not interfere with the local hunting scene.

Elbert

Jeremy pipe in on this one, deer season is in now for bow and gun season starts Nov 17 till Jan 31, then turkey season is later in the spring.

87tlc60 · 10-20-09, 08:15 PM

Deer....Oct 15 starts bow season. Smokepole is the week prior to Rifle. Rifle opens Nov 15 and runs to Jan 31. These are the Season dates. Management Areas (Skyline) and Nat'l Forrest run same, but are limited on Smokepole and Rifle. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has the specific dates for the WMA's and NF's.

Turkey....starts late late Mar to end of Apr. It is different per county.

Land Speeder · 10-20-09, 10:10 PM

If you say smokepole one more time in this thread then terryjmatthew may attend the ride...

dragr1 · 10-21-09, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Land Speeder

If you say smokepole one more time in this thread then terryjmatthew may attend the ride...

Smokepole pole smoker

BamaBleach · 10-26-09, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elbert

Phil,

Since I'm not much of a hunter....does hunting season last from this point forward through Feb? Is there no gaps in the various hunting seasons between now and then? I would like to go to skyline prior to the Feb "big run" as long as it does not interfere with the local hunting scene.

Elbert

It's currently bow season and it's not that crowded up there. You can bow hunt the WMA anytime during the bow hunting season but the rules are different for rifle season. They have special days to hunt with guns (rifle & muzzleloader) and those days are going to be super busy days on the WMA. You can go to Outdoor Alabama's website to get the schedule.

We also do a good bit of night riding up there during the hunting season and that's always fun.