Having just returned home after spending the past week at Wind Rock enjoying the trails with Cruiser community, I would like to share a few cautionary thoughts to those that are considering attending. [I was there to attend the Great Smokey Mountain Trail Ride (GSMTR) which is a TLCA sponsored event hosted by the STLCA chapter.]
(1) The event host advised all trucks be equipped with sliders and front/rear recovery points as basic precautionary measures to run the trails. The same advice holds for the meet-n-greet.
(2) Trail numbering convention identifies many trails with G#. This signifies that, during oil well maintenance, logging or other commercial activity, the trail will be effectively be maintained as a gravel road to support large commercial vehicles. Currently; very limited heavy commercial activity has been going on, so most of the G-trails have not received maintenance recently and may not by September. Consequently, please treat these G-trails with respect and caution. For example yesterday, a trail ready FJCruiser (sliders, front bullbar/w winch, steel rear bumper, lockers, lift, 35" tires, experienced driver) encountered a washout on G40 which required hugging a rock outcropping to avoid rolling over in crossing the wash out. The rock outcropping went over the slider and pushed in the sheet metal on the two side doors. Sheet metal damage was great outcome compared to a roll over.
Please don't view my cautions as negatives for this event or the park. Rather I see this as full disclosure to allow planning and preparations (your truck & yourself) to enjoy this event fully. If the park or surrounding WMAs contain risks and potential challenges that you would not enjoy tackling in your 70 series, the area is loaded with history and sights that you can enjoy outside the park while enjoying the Cruisers and Cruiser community with the meet-n-greet. It was my pleasure to enjoy the Wind Rock trails and Cruiser community for 6 days. My daughter, grandson and I had a blast; but work beckons ... otherwise I would probably still have a blast there.
I hope you can make it out for the event. Regrettably, I do not expect to be able to attend this year since it falls on my wedding anniversary.
PS FYI Here is a shot taken on trail 11 which was fun and easy. This section had rocks big enough to cause damage but our group readily picked lines that avoided any damage or issue to anyone.
(1) The event host advised all trucks be equipped with sliders and front/rear recovery points as basic precautionary measures to run the trails. The same advice holds for the meet-n-greet.
(2) Trail numbering convention identifies many trails with G#. This signifies that, during oil well maintenance, logging or other commercial activity, the trail will be effectively be maintained as a gravel road to support large commercial vehicles. Currently; very limited heavy commercial activity has been going on, so most of the G-trails have not received maintenance recently and may not by September. Consequently, please treat these G-trails with respect and caution. For example yesterday, a trail ready FJCruiser (sliders, front bullbar/w winch, steel rear bumper, lockers, lift, 35" tires, experienced driver) encountered a washout on G40 which required hugging a rock outcropping to avoid rolling over in crossing the wash out. The rock outcropping went over the slider and pushed in the sheet metal on the two side doors. Sheet metal damage was great outcome compared to a roll over.
Please don't view my cautions as negatives for this event or the park. Rather I see this as full disclosure to allow planning and preparations (your truck & yourself) to enjoy this event fully. If the park or surrounding WMAs contain risks and potential challenges that you would not enjoy tackling in your 70 series, the area is loaded with history and sights that you can enjoy outside the park while enjoying the Cruisers and Cruiser community with the meet-n-greet. It was my pleasure to enjoy the Wind Rock trails and Cruiser community for 6 days. My daughter, grandson and I had a blast; but work beckons ... otherwise I would probably still have a blast there.
I hope you can make it out for the event. Regrettably, I do not expect to be able to attend this year since it falls on my wedding anniversary.
PS FYI Here is a shot taken on trail 11 which was fun and easy. This section had rocks big enough to cause damage but our group readily picked lines that avoided any damage or issue to anyone.
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