Can't wait, Love reading about the old days. Not that I'm Old. 
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- Thread starter greentruck
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- Thread starter
- #42
The Wild Irishman???
Well, Ron, PabloCruise, et all, here are some pics of the Great 1977 Colorado via FJ55 Tour. I have more of various scenery, tourist attractions, etc, but nothing all that remarkable. Except these shots of the Green Dragon and few more.
I'll start at the beginning, packing in Pic 1. It's too neat and clean to be the end of the trip. And I see that my memory failed me already. The roof rack (ManAFre? or bought from there and some other brand? EDIT: Con-Ferr?) is already on. OK, there you go, the memory is a very flaky thing. But the pics are helping. The rack does account for my wondering how we kept everything dry and we still managed to sleep inside that one night. Some of it was wrapped up top, likely my old Coleman stove, etc.
The next two pics don't have a truck, just my buddy Dave and some cabins that we _thought_ was the Wild Irishman. Even with the help of Ige's comments, I'm still not sure where we were. Maybe someone recognizes the cabins, circa 1977? It was right at the tree line, so maybe 11,000 feet? And that hulk of a Weasel was somewhere along the trail to or from it.
Dave was brushing his teeth or washing dishes, both no no's in the lake I've known for several decades now, but we were a bit uncouth. It is a great pic, thought it's make a good postcard for Colorado.
In Pic 4, there I am. And I have hair! Wow, that's rare
at least up top. Definitely the good old days there, as it soon fell out.
In Pic 4 and Pic 5, Hoosier Pass, you can see something else I'd forgotten. The spare is relocated up top, which means that the truck is sporting a 50 gallon tank already, something else I thought came later, but I guess not. And we also had the CB in case of need, a pretty common fixture in the mid-70s and handy to have in the days before cell phones. Those KC Hi Lites worked pretty well, too, although they were a pretty good load on the alternator. That last evening coming back to Gunnison from Lake City was a memorable run on a great road with them lighting the way. Not quite street legal IIRC.
The inside joke on Hoosier Pass is that we're both Hoosiers.
Well, Ron, PabloCruise, et all, here are some pics of the Great 1977 Colorado via FJ55 Tour. I have more of various scenery, tourist attractions, etc, but nothing all that remarkable. Except these shots of the Green Dragon and few more.
I'll start at the beginning, packing in Pic 1. It's too neat and clean to be the end of the trip. And I see that my memory failed me already. The roof rack (ManAFre? or bought from there and some other brand? EDIT: Con-Ferr?) is already on. OK, there you go, the memory is a very flaky thing. But the pics are helping. The rack does account for my wondering how we kept everything dry and we still managed to sleep inside that one night. Some of it was wrapped up top, likely my old Coleman stove, etc.
The next two pics don't have a truck, just my buddy Dave and some cabins that we _thought_ was the Wild Irishman. Even with the help of Ige's comments, I'm still not sure where we were. Maybe someone recognizes the cabins, circa 1977? It was right at the tree line, so maybe 11,000 feet? And that hulk of a Weasel was somewhere along the trail to or from it.
Dave was brushing his teeth or washing dishes, both no no's in the lake I've known for several decades now, but we were a bit uncouth. It is a great pic, thought it's make a good postcard for Colorado.
In Pic 4, there I am. And I have hair! Wow, that's rare
at least up top. Definitely the good old days there, as it soon fell out.In Pic 4 and Pic 5, Hoosier Pass, you can see something else I'd forgotten. The spare is relocated up top, which means that the truck is sporting a 50 gallon tank already, something else I thought came later, but I guess not. And we also had the CB in case of need, a pretty common fixture in the mid-70s and handy to have in the days before cell phones. Those KC Hi Lites worked pretty well, too, although they were a pretty good load on the alternator. That last evening coming back to Gunnison from Lake City was a memorable run on a great road with them lighting the way. Not quite street legal IIRC.
The inside joke on Hoosier Pass is that we're both Hoosiers.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #43
And here are the last 3, one of which is familiar from my avatar.
The first see the Dragon not feeling well. Something else my memory blotted out was the several times we had issues with fuel feeding from the tank. Maybe it was the big tank, as it never did quite go away, although changing the relief valve in the evap control system seemed to help. Some might say it was vapor lock, but I don't think so. It was always associated with the tank pressurizing or vacumizing, never quite was sure which. Unscrew the gas cap and whoosh! Some folks complain of a similar issue with high altitude and their 80 series, but I haven't had the chance to try yet. Anyway, it always seemed to sort itself out and I think loosening the cap was the only thing we could really do anyway.
The second pic here is me at Animas Forks, from which my avatar is clipped.
Finally, this was right before we encountered the sheep, just past the summit here of Cinnamon Pass, basically when we turned around and point it back toward the Midwest. Things were less complicated back then, the tires shorter, the adventure maybe a little more tangible or maybe we were just young and lucky enough to have a great truck to have a great trip to some interesting places. It was fun!
The first see the Dragon not feeling well. Something else my memory blotted out was the several times we had issues with fuel feeding from the tank. Maybe it was the big tank, as it never did quite go away, although changing the relief valve in the evap control system seemed to help. Some might say it was vapor lock, but I don't think so. It was always associated with the tank pressurizing or vacumizing, never quite was sure which. Unscrew the gas cap and whoosh! Some folks complain of a similar issue with high altitude and their 80 series, but I haven't had the chance to try yet. Anyway, it always seemed to sort itself out and I think loosening the cap was the only thing we could really do anyway.
The second pic here is me at Animas Forks, from which my avatar is clipped.
Finally, this was right before we encountered the sheep, just past the summit here of Cinnamon Pass, basically when we turned around and point it back toward the Midwest. Things were less complicated back then, the tires shorter, the adventure maybe a little more tangible or maybe we were just young and lucky enough to have a great truck to have a great trip to some interesting places. It was fun!
Mike,
Great pictures and story. We all had hair back then, now-not so much.
Do you still keep in touch with your buddy Dave?
Great pictures and story. We all had hair back then, now-not so much.
Do you still keep in touch with your buddy Dave?
- Thread starter
- #45
Ron,
Glad you enjoyed them. Made me feel a little younger.;p
I lost track of Dave some time back, something to do with woman problems there for awhile (mine!
) interfering with most everything else in life, but that's all way in the past now. Maybe the internet will reunite us?
Dave Adam, if you're out there, look Bluebeard up via PM here on MUD.
There, that might do it.
Glad you enjoyed them. Made me feel a little younger.;p
I lost track of Dave some time back, something to do with woman problems there for awhile (mine!
) interfering with most everything else in life, but that's all way in the past now. Maybe the internet will reunite us?Dave Adam, if you're out there, look Bluebeard up via PM here on MUD.
There, that might do it.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
Great pictures Mike - hope you get back in touch with your buddy Dave!
Sounds like an epic trip!
Sounds like an epic trip!
Great photos and read
- Thread starter
- #48
Guys and gals, once again, thanks for your kind comments and interesting discussion. I've now started a thread with whatever else I can dig up over here:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj55-iron-...e-70s-pig-build-green-dragon.html#post8739063
https://forum.ih8mud.com/fj55-iron-...e-70s-pig-build-green-dragon.html#post8739063
