Builds Gerry's Build thread: "If it happens again I'm buying an Abrams" (2 Viewers)

[MongooseGA]

Back home from CRockies just a bit ago. Full trip report to follow.

Gerry was amazing and did the 3400 mile trip without a hiccup from her. All issues experienced in the weeks leading up to our departure were completely gone.

 

[MongooseGA]

OK here's a long one.

So the last week was a whirlwind and we loved it.

Left Atlanta Tuesday morning at 4AM, and had to pull over somewhere in Tennessee. The PF tire was having a horrible vibration issue. Totally inconsistent, and becoming more prononced as we went. I swapped over the spare on the shoulder of I75. After 14 hours we stayed in MiddleOfNowhere, Kansas that night. Maybe it was an off day, but I suspect that there aren't many full-length school busses in this area. We left the KS hotel at 4AM on Wednesday and headed west. I've not really had to contend with being out of range of services like fuel stops before, so we were treated to a little bit of butthole puckering as we coasted into the pumps about 15 miles beyond 0 on the trip computer. This was in eastern CO along 160/10. Thank goodness I swapped my tank recently. Stopped in Pagosa Springs, CO for lunch and picked up some Colorado Hobby Plants before getting to Silvteron. About 12 hours this day.

More to follow.

 

[MongooseGA]

This was my first real experience needing to run the truck in low gear to accomplish what I wanted. I grew up at flat sea level, and we're only about 1000' here with gentle hills. I feel much more familiar with the truck after the drive in to the event. A little bit of fuel burbling by the time we got to camp but nothing terrible and it subsided about 10 minutes after parking.

Thursday was the first day of trail riding. I can't overstate how profound the scenery was for me. I'm no little girl, but dammit did I get a little misty-eyed. BlackBear Pass was my intro to the area, so we started off swinging.

Unfortunately, we ended up behind another Toyota group who'd rolled a Tacoma just past the one-way point on the trail, and just before the switchbacks. This held us up for 3-4 hours, so we had to skip on running Imogene. I could expand on the rollover, but not much of it puts that particular group in a positive light. Nobody was hurt, just egos.

One the way back to camp we took Ophir pass. This was also really pretty. Tall Kyle popped a radiator at the very peak of the trail, but was luckily able to effectively coast it down with no engine and using the brakes. Crossfit Zach flat towed him in to camp at the bottom of the mountain.

The O'Reilly's in Durango miraculously had a radiator in stock for a 100. So I took Tall Kyle to pick it up. On the way back to Silverton, a deer decided to T-bone me. Like, ran smack in to the driver's side of my truck. We stopped, assessed damage, and thought of what to do while the window-licker deer was in its throes behind us. I'm no hippy, but I hated the idea of leaving it suffering. Incredibly, a local in a pick up pulled up almost immediately and took it home, which made me feel much better about the situation. Total damage to the truck- broken driver's mirror glass and a few small dents. Honestly, I wasn't even mad about it.

 

[MongooseGA]

So Thursday was a roller coaster. Friday was smooth, but a very long day. Alpine Loop consisted of Engineer Pass, some of Hurricane, cinnamon pass, and some others. This took us through Telluride on the way back to camp. Again, gorgeous. I don't even know why we drove home after this. I guess my cat was still here at the house.

View attachment 3690566

My future MIL lives in Pueblo, CO about six hours from Silverton. We left CRockies on Saturday morning and drove to visit. The scenery change from the green and peaks in Silverton/Telluride to the desertscapes was really cool. Again, this is a first for me other than flying over it before. In the background from Mom's home- I believe this is Pike's Peak.

Left MIL's place Sunday morning, and had a short 9 hour day to our hotel in Parsons, KS. A banging steak and cheese burrito and XX Amber at the only place open in town was the perfect end to the day.

Monday (yesterday) we hoofed it about 13 hours. Again, not a hiccup from the truck. Cruise was perfect, throttle was perfect, trans was perfect. We got to drive through the soon-becoming-a-ghost-town of Cairo, IL. We'd seen lots of signage for its historic district and had been looking forward to it. When we arrived, I said "This place is a s***hole", so we googled the history and learned more about it. I've seen ghost towns, but never been through a town in the final throes of its life. Kind of sad, kind of neat. We arrived home in the mid afternoon to a pissed off cat. The neighbor came by to return our key and fill us in on the pissed off cat. Delivery pizza, sweet tea and vodka, and a big sigh of relief for completing such a trip. GA,TN,KY,IL,MO,KS,CO. 3600 miles.

My rebuilt cluster arrived while we were gone, but there was an error in the odometer correction. It's going back tomorrow to finalize. I did check it out in the truck though, and it's beautiful. The lights and colors are crisp, and I pat myself on the back for my genius idea of having them change the "D" indicator light to red. No pics, I'll post some when it's back in again.

Mileage is 344,750.

 

[Trapper50cal]

Bummer about the hold-up on BBP, and a real bummer that it made you miss Imogene. But you made the best of it, which I salute!
No accounting for those knucklehead mule deer, they do the strangest stuff sometimes, although there are many in town that are
so domesticated that they understand when to cross and know to stay clear of the cars. Guess this one didn't get the memo.
Glad it got harvested right away.

Sounds like you had a great time all in all!

 

[MongooseGA]

It was an absolute blast and I can't thank Lee @ga12r1 (and his wife and mom!) enough for putting on the event. It was the push I needed to have a friend running the event to get my butt out there. We will be back. Next time, with more time.

 

[chamyota]

It was an absolute blast and I can't thank Lee @ga12r1 (and his wife and mom!) enough for putting on the event. It was the push I needed to have a friend running the event to get my butt out there. We will be back. Next time, with more time.

I've been following the photos of y'all all over and it looked amazing.

I plan on going next year. Judging by the photos it looks like a stock rig could do all that stuff right?

 

[MongooseGA]

I've been following the photos of y'all all over and it looked amazing.

I plan on going next year. Judging by the photos it looks like a stock rig could do all that stuff right?

Absolutely, yes.

 

[chamyota]

Absolutely, yes.

Very happy to hear this. I dont plan on adding any mods to my LC unless i need them. Learned my lesson on my 2005 Tacoma i've got built to the moon.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Looks like an amazing trip. That area is truly breath-taking! Glad all of your planning worked out and the truck performed flawlessly!

 

[HokieCruiser]

Pics are amazing! Looks like an insane trail ride...I just took my 100 series on a 3k+ trip from VA to TX and back...holy hell that was an expensive gas bill, zero issues from the old girl though, I was impressed (so was the wife).

 

[MongooseGA]

Very happy to hear this. I dont plan on adding any mods to my LC unless i need them. Learned my lesson on my 2005 Tacoma i've got built to the moon.

Based on the trails I ran only, they were cake. I'm used to trails here in the southeast being much more difficult. Mud, roots, worn rocks, trees in the way, and clay. Out there, the ground is sand paper. Tires stick to it. It's a very different type of wheeling but from my limited experience, it was easy.

 

[MongooseGA]

Changed oil today. Mileage 344,870.

 

[MechE30]

I’m happy to know my nickname is Tall Kyle.
Thanks again for the ride into town, you’re one hell of a gentleman.

 

[MongooseGA]

I’m happy to know my nickname is Tall Kyle.
Thanks again for the ride into town, you’re one hell of a gentleman.

Gotta differentiate from "Lost corn hole tournament" Kyle.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

What are your thoughts about the Nitto RGs?

 

[MongooseGA]

What are your thoughts about the Nitto RGs?

Mostly, I like them. They were pretty good on trails but admittedly, the trails weren't much of a test for them.

I had them installed with balancing beads. I used them in the 35s and they actually worked well, but the Nittos either did not like the beads, or there was an issue with the beads, or something else. I had to swap the PF tire on the first leg of our trip for the spare as the balance was wildly inconsistent over the span of hours and different road surfaces, going from "that feels pretty nice" to "holy s*** I know I double checked the lug nuts". Very strange. I literally just got home from having them all dismounted, had the beads sucked out, and redone with conventional weights. I only got to about 60MPH on the way home but they feel fine at this time. I can update after some 75-80+ highway driving.

 

[chamyota]

Based on the trails I ran only, they were cake. I'm used to trails here in the southeast being much more difficult. Mud, roots, worn rocks, trees in the way, and clay. Out there, the ground is sand paper. Tires stick to it. It's a very different type of wheeling but from my limited experience, it was easy.

Intresting. Hopefully some folks from the west come to WIndrock and see what east coast wheeling is about. I thought for sure i was gonna need to add some skids or sliders to the 100 but i reckon i'll just leave her alone.

Sandpaper traction doesnt exist here lol.

 

[MongooseGA]

Intresting. Hopefully some folks from the west come to WIndrock and see what east coast wheeling is about. I thought for sure i was gonna need to add some skids or sliders to the 100 but i reckon i'll just leave her alone.

Sandpaper traction doesnt exist here lol.

Yeah we get hot peanut butter here. Momentum is a big factor in clearing obstacles. It was refreshing to have dry, grippy trails underfoot.

 

[MongooseGA]

I had discount pull the 5 Nittos off yesterday, suck out the beads and reinstall with conventional weights. On the highway today, they're much smoother. I'm satisfied.


Was touring 2 of my renovations with my contractor today. While leaving one neighborhood to go to the next, he wasn't paying attention at the exit and idle speed ran in to me. The Trail Tailor bumper has nary a scratch but the outer passenger tail light lens got crunched. His F150 will need a light and plastic bumper.

Sigh. It's not a big deal but damn... this makes 3 times someone or something has just run in to her in the last year, 2 of which in the last week. At least my bulbs can be swapped over.

He felt terrible but I reminded him that I've done worse to her myself for the sake of fun.

Rolled 345k today.