August club ride

[Cass007]

Totally forgot about this. I will be a game time decision depending on when I wake up in the morning. I will let Andy know via text first thing in the AM.

Maybe I can just roll in an hour late like Andy and Avi

 

[surfishjoe]

I’m totally flexabke staying untill Sunday so whatever works you have my cell Chris. Matt your good my buddy has never wheeled before lol! Also I am shaking down a new modification so no worries.

 

[surfishjoe]

Good old camping at Rausch Creek we are the only Toyota’s in the lot come on up guys!

 

[YotaFun]

Maybe I can just roll in an hour late like Andy and Avi

Hey, just played it safe so I would have something to wheel and drive home that day

 

[MATT0404]

I'm not going to make it. My wife came down with sore throat and headache yesterday evening and isn't feeling better this morning. No temp or other symptoms, but playing it safe and staying home. Hope to make the next one.

 

[shmukster]

Not gonna make it today, sent Andy a text message earlier. Weather looks awesome I hope you guys have a great day at Rausch. Looking forward to the commentary and pictures!!!!!

 

[shmukster]

Yeah well about that... All vehicle owners assume total responsibility for all damage,breakage and associated costs for getting home. We will do our best to keep you on the right trails and spot you through though. At least you have a small lift and 33's

I may be a little late with this response but I'd say you'd be far better off going with our club on one of their green trail day runs. Between Andy and myself we can lead a pretty interesting green (blue-green???) day on the trails. Andy knows trails that I am not familiar with and is a great trail leader. Having said all that I'll echo Andy's words in saying that your truck is your responsibility on the trails so be careful about what group you throw in with. Again it seems like a Keystone green trail run would be the perfect scenario for you.

 

[Cass007]

Turned out to be a great day. Weather couldn't have been better, although the park was busier than previous times I've been there. Some kind of Jeep Crawler event on the obstacle course as well as several caravans of 12-20 Jeeps from out of state. They really need more staff at check-in, way too many people in the building at once and there should be people handing out paperwork outside to make inside go simple and smooth ... but I digress.

Was great to see Joe and Brian again. Joe's son JJ was there as usual and we got to meet his younger son Duke as well. The only thing cooler than the name Duke is that kid's hair ... I'm jealous for sure. Brian was a passenger on this trip since he's headed cross country soon and needs his truck to be ready for the trip. Joe had another friend in tow, Bob. He had a later model ('04 I think) 4-Runner with a decent lift and 33s. He had never been out before, so we christened another Newbie. Andy was there as well with Molly as navigator, so four trucks in total.

Right after we started Bob had issues. He couldn't get his rig into Low range. After several minutes of reading the manual, watching YouTube videos and an emergency tech support call (thanks Avi) it seemed to be that the truck had never been put into low since new and the actuator was likely just frozen in place. It is switched electrically, not mechanically.

Bob followed Joe over the little ditch area of big rocks just outside the parking lot on the way down towards Jotter's Way. He banged hard a few times and learned the valuable lesson of the bypass routes. As usual I have no real idea of trails we did as I'm just a follow along guy, but we did some of the trails from the last Green Trail ride for sure.

We ended up having Bob take the bypass after lunch so we could hit up a blue trail that we got some pics of with nice lines. Andy put on a clinic for a large crowd of Jeep spectators. Shortly after that, Bob decided he was ready to head out and then we hit some Blues and a few Black trails. I renewed my distaste for boulder fields and wonder if gearing would help. I also had a rear locker that took way too long to engage it seemed and now the front locker wouldn't engage at all. I really need to get this sorted out, they are my safety blanket.

Here are my pics from the day, I'm sure Andy can offer context on trails and such. Sadly I don't have any pics of Bob's truck, but I'm sure others did.

Joe's hard work fitting the 35s paid off, just a very small rub on some of the rear plastic at full stuff.

 

[Cass007]

Me coming behind Joe on the same line.

 

[Cass007]

Andy getting to be tail gunner instead of trail leader for a change. I think this freed him up to find more fun and challenging lines. Here he is coming over the top of the rocks Joe and I drove around.

 

[Cass007]

Couple more of Andy finishing that run. I also have a vid of him coming up the other side. I will get that uploaded and post it as well.

So as we hopped through rock trails, we passed by Smoothie. It looked incredibly low on water, lowest I had ever seen it and was only maybe 1.5 trucks long. I was sitting at the entrance when I hear Andy on the walkie "do it". Well now I kind of have to, don't I? It was much deeper than I expected, I turned on both lockers just before entering, but neither engaged. Mud and water was up to the mid door and just below the headlights as per Brian. Smoothie ... check, will not try again full with water.

About 3pm we ended up on a trail I knew I had done before, it has a shallow mud area to the left, deeper mud to the right, and a very badly rutted section around the mud on the far right. I know I did this trail in the winter I think and I tried the far right and failed, then @VBRoamer tried the deeper mud section and got stuck (pretty sure @caz was his passenger that day) and @El Dahs winched him out. I'm sure Andy will know the name of the trail.

Anyway, I'm following Joe and he takes the deep section with very little issue. There isn't much water at all, so I figure I will just follow behind. As I do I quickly realize I'm beginning to sink and am losing momentum. I turn the lockers on and the rear actually works. I punch the gas to keep momentum and see some rocks to grab on to and pull me out if I can make it to them. I get the rocks, drive out and am happy to not have to get filthy hooking up the winch. This is how the truck looked when we got back to the parking lot.

I always wondered what some of the Jeep guys must have done when I seem them in the lot like this. Now I know. I was hoping for rain on the ride home, but no luck. It did rain last night though and I now have a very nice little mud ring in the driveway. All in all, a great day.

 

[Cass007]

 

[surfishjoe]

Great write up Chris! Here are my pictures

Coming down pole line

check out the lines on my ARB bumper all trimmed up!

Bob putting his sliders to work

Rock Creek

 

[surfishjoe]

All give some, some give all

campground beer thirty light show

I want to thank Andy, Molly, and Chris for being pt with Bob. He had a great time and learned a lot. I gave him a violation for breaking a rule of wheeling- “make sure your junk works BEFORE heading out on the trail”

I was very impressed with the MTRs road manners were superb and they worked great on the trail. Going to have to do some more work clearing the rear tires on the flares but overall the shake down went well. Looking forward to some fall crawls!

 

[shmukster]

Great writeup Chris, thoroughly enjoyed reading it and seeing all the photos and videos. Truly was the perfect day weather-wise and with a small group of trucks a great day to make some time through the park.