the great BIG Bear
I just read this thread as I have been away from the internet for a few day, boy is it nice to have the cell phone off. This was a sweet run, I think that I am never going wheeling on the weekends again, there was no one on the train, I MEAN NO ONE. We had all of big bear to our selves. We meet up after getting lost and highland and main and then drove part way up the hill until we found a better place to drop off Tim’s car (for a man that has 3 land cruisers you would not be able to tell be the amount he drives them). Tim got in to Marks RUFTOY’S and we headed up the road, if I ever needed a reminder of the work that Mark can do to a Land Cruiser motor it was shown on the way up the 330 to hwy 18. After Mark waited for me to get to the top we filled up the trucks on last time and headed to Holcomd Creek trail, getting lost on the way took us past a nice looking lake that I don’t know what is called, were we felt the cruiser love driving by kids and men alike that stopped and waved with smiles ear to ear. We found the trail head with little back tracking, and mark took the lead, winding down a dirt road for about 30 minutes. Off to our right we saw the welcomed diamond rated trail “Holcomb Creek trail”
Dropping the air in the tires down to 15 psi, was the first order of business the second was the male jokes that I would rater not put into text. Mark took the lead, after I made a crack about age before beauty (Mark is in his 40’s where I act like I am 12 but really in the 20’s). I should also be noted that Mark picks great line off road, I had done miller before and he made it look easy. He was in top form as we on Holcomb Creek, the trail meanders past some rock that would have removed my running boards if I had not lifted the truck and taken them off. Passing a waterfall on the left Mark & Tim stopped in a wide spot and we all got out. I was leading us down to the waterfall when Mark asked if I had know that I just walked through poison oak, after I told him that I was not allergic to poison oak he felt that Tim should take the lead. Back on the trail we took on a few off camber situations that made me cringe, and passed though the last rock garden. Mark, who had done the trail before, said that this was as good as any place to eat lunch. We sat around a willow tree next to the creek eating and talking for he next two hours.
After lunch we went on to John Bull Trail, what a breath taking trail. Of course there where more rock that I knew what to do with out power steering and after about 1 mi my arms were numb we stopped again and looked out in to Johnston Valley some thunder heads where passing by and it looked cool. In the trucks again be went down the trail until I found out what happens when a tree gets in your way that’s older then you, I an will give you a hint they don’t move. After a little trail repair (lowering the windscreen) we made it back to the hwy 18 and tried to find a store that sold glasses. Note to self bring sunglasses every time you go wheeling. Stopping a KFC to grab a bite to eat I could see that therapy that had changed Mark over the course of the day. If felt great to help a friend out in this way.
I wasn’t until I got gas that I realized the full effects of the tree damage, that F****** tree move my door pillar back about 2” bending it a the base. It separated the cowl and bent it, oh and last but not least it crunched my freshly painted fender. I would do it all over and maybe roll the truck for a friend like mark.
Ian has a matching impression on his fender and windshield. He musta had lots of fun driving back to Costa Mesa with the windshield down since the hinge broke! 
I wish I wouldn't have forgotten to take my high lift off before driving into my car port. 
Needless to say, I need to re attach the left side of my swing out carrier once it's fab'd up. Sheared the spindle off right at the bumper. 
