[slickrock]

Well, camping at ******* Meadows (sorry I am keeping it a secret) just outside of Yosemite National was great as usual. On average we caught, between the 3 of us, about 100 (this is no lie) a day brown trout with a mix of a few Rainbows. All of these were caught between 4 inches and maybe 3 feet deep with a width of between 12 inches and 10 feet. Most were around 6 to 10 inches, good for pan fry and a few big daddies. We kept 5 a day each as the limit made easier with barbless hooks.

This was the cruiser’s first shake down trip. I had my trailer loaded down and overall, the Cruiser did great except for the steep inclines and rutted rocky forest roads. I found 2 low in 3rd was perfect for steep stuff and keeping the rpms low and engine cool, although it was slow going but it’s camping so who cares and no one else was on the roads or trials. Three dogs kept the back filled so all the gear, except a cooler, was stored in the trailer. My father was with us in his truck and I like to have everything I need including tools, 10 gallons of gas, and 15 gallons of water and enough food and beverage to keep a king happy along with convinces like chairs, tents, and all other “I’m getting old and want to be comfortable” gear which caused a lot of weight to be dragging behind us. No worries as I built the trailer surprising well and it tracks right behind me with no pulling or scary issues. For its first run, I couldn’t be happier.

I don't have a lot of pictures of the wheeling part as I was driver and camera guy, but the most difficult was an intermediate trail to get to the stream I usually take a motorcycle into.

Everything was great until we started to head back home. Image dropping from 7000 feet to 220 feet in about 25ish miles. Most of the road was dirt, washboard, and short wheel base killer, except for the last 10 miles. Then it was a 15 to 20 degree down hill or more with right angle turns and 1000 foot straight drop offs. I cruised in 2 low in high or 2nd gear and let the engine brake me. Everything was fine, no issues, until a jerk with a Dodge and a 20 foot travel trailer was coming up the hill and decided to take a blind corner on my side of the down hill road. He had no business taking a trailer up there let alone not thinking about taking blind turns on the wrong side of the road because he was too wide to stay on his side. With the trailer and a tight turn, I couldn't use my brakes for fear of pushing myself into him, so I had to hit the shoulder (this part of the road was partially paved) at about 25 mps. The only thing on pavement was the driver side tires and the rest was in a ditch or up the embankment.

Unfortunately for me, baseball and basket ball rocks were all over the place and one kicked up and hit my T fitting on my rear brake lines. I actually thought it was my Aussie locker kicking so I didn't think much about it and dried my butt off from the leakage that the fear left behind and continued on. Everything seemed OK and we continued down to North Fork about 7 miles from town. Brakes were fine until I hit a 4 way stop and only had about 30% braking power. Luckily no one was coming the other way. We actually were stopping for Pizza and figured the brakes were over heating from the trailer and down grade and didn't think anything of it.

Fast forward an hour and about 20 miles from Fresno. No brakes. I figured my push rod in the booster just backed off a bit from vibration and I adjusted it. Good brakes and kept going for about 5 miles until no more brakes. Figured it wasn't adjusted right and redid. No go. Made it to AVE 12 on HWY 41 with no brakes again so I got out and saw that my rear T fitting had fluid all over it. I was able to crank down one fitting (about 2 turns) and sealed the leak but by that time I had air in the lines and possible booster or master damage. So we limped (SLOWLY) into Fresno and unloaded the trailer at my buddy’s house (he was with me) and AAA with a flat bed got me home the 40 miles I had left.

If I could I would go back and find the Dodge guy to pay to fix my damage, but you know that is not possible let alone trying to find the guy. So I have some work to do. Until then, Enjoy the pictures and sorry about the poser shots.

[cajun65]

Sorry to hear about that. Glad to hear you had such a good fishing/wheeling/bonding trip. Hope the repairs and work to get her back on the road are quick and inexpensive.

AWESOME pics.

['74 UA FJ]

Why do you think you would have master or booster damage? I would think just replace the tee fitting if it needs to be and bleed and bleed.

[slickrock]

I am going worst case . . . I hope it is something as simple as trapped air, but as with Murphy's Law and messing with the booster along the way and the rig only stopping with the passenger side front tire now, who knows . . .

[CJF]

Originally Posted by slickrock

On average we caught, between the 3 of us, about 100 (this is no lie) a day brown trout with a mix of a few Rainbows.

Way more likely that they were brookies. How 'bout some fish pic's, or are they already in TUFT?

Looks like fun,

Curtis

[NorCalDoug]

sucks about the brakes...but it sounds like y'all had a good time.

[bogus one]

I know where you were.

Going up there the weekend before 4th of July.

How's the trail going in?

[slickrock]

Originally Posted by bogus one

I know where you were.

Going up there the weekend before 4th of July.

How's the trail going in?

It is fine. Open and no problems coming in from the North West side. If you want to go out the East side, just after the stream crossing there are a few deep ruts leading towards the grave yard and pack station that a normal truck would have clearance issues. But in a cruiser with 31+ tires you should be fine.

The water will be dried up by the end of the month or a week or so after so bring potable water if you are going up later than that. Upper Chiquito is flowing well and will have much more water in it.

Get in touch with me. I want to go bac.
Dan