MLK Day at the Gulches? 19 Jan 09?

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I talked to Skip and his staff at THE GULCHES. They are still OPEN for business on MONDAY but recommended we check weather for area Sunday night because if it rains a lot they will close. I checked extended forecast and MONDAY is still expected to be cold with temps in 40s during day...and plenty of sunshine.



Once again.....I am leaving my home in West Ashley around 6:00am or shortly thereafter. If anyone from Beaufort wants to follow me I will be at CAR WASH at intersection of MAIN ROAD and Hwy 17 around 6:00-6:15am. DBENKE is leaving about the same time for anyone in Mt Pleasant, James Island areas. If anyone in SUmmerville, Ladsen, GooseCreek, etc wants to join a caravan then let myself or DBENKE know by email and/or PM and we will coordinate a spot to meet you like one of the rest stops on I-26 north of town near the Piggly Wiggly warehouse.

OCDBeetle...ProInv is not going to make it unless something changes with training he is schedule to attend on Monday...so you are welcome to give us a yell on when you think you might be near Santee or Columbia to meet up. I have your cell number though to check on your progress and will call it when we get near Columbia just to make sure everything is okay.

Anybody is welcome to join whether they have said anything or not....whether they are member or not...it is just about being around friends and enjoying a beauftiful SC day wheeling at The Gulches. My wife is coming with me......so if your wife or daughters were hesitant....they will have someone to share their pain as well. :D :D

Hope to see you all on Monday and the intent is to be at the GULCHES before 10am...closer to 9am....as it is almost 3.5 hours to drive from Charleston. PM or EMail me if you want my cell phone number in case of emergency...mine or DBenkes will be available upon your request.

Have a nice weekend...
 
I talked to Skip and his staff at THE GULCHES. They are still OPEN for business on MONDAY but recommended we check weather for area Sunday night because if it rains a lot they will close. I checked extended forecast and MONDAY is still expected to be cold with temps in 40s during day...and plenty of sunshine.



Once again.....I am leaving my home in West Ashley around 6:00am or shortly thereafter. If anyone from Beaufort wants to follow me I will be at CAR WASH at intersection of MAIN ROAD and Hwy 17 around 6:00-6:15am. DBENKE is leaving about the same time for anyone in Mt Pleasant, James Island areas. If anyone in SUmmerville, Ladsen, GooseCreek, etc wants to join a caravan then let myself or DBENKE know by email and/or PM and we will coordinate a spot to meet you like one of the rest stops on I-26 north of town near the Piggly Wiggly warehouse.

OCDBeetle...ProInv is not going to make it unless something changes with training he is schedule to attend on Monday...so you are welcome to give us a yell on when you think you might be near Santee or Columbia to meet up. I have your cell number though to check on your progress and will call it when we get near Columbia just to make sure everything is okay.

Anybody is welcome to join whether they have said anything or not....whether they are member or not...it is just about being around friends and enjoying a beauftiful SC day wheeling at The Gulches. My wife is coming with me......so if your wife or daughters were hesitant....they will have someone to share their pain as well. :D :D

Hope to see you all on Monday and the intent is to be at the GULCHES before 10am...closer to 9am....as it is almost 3.5 hours to drive from Charleston. PM or EMail me if you want my cell phone number in case of emergency...mine or DBenkes will be available upon your request.

Have a nice weekend...
 
I just got off the phone with SKIP who owns the Gulches...rain and sleet went through there this morning...which we are getting now. He said it is blue skies and sunshine today since before noon and tomorrow is going to be cold and sunny as well.

He is not opening until 11am but says if we get there early we can pull into area and he is always walking around doing stuff. That being said I might leave closer to 7am. What do you guys think.
If anyone wants to hook up with me and drive up together just let me know where or what exit to stop on I-26....even if it is where 26 and 95 come together for BrickTamlin coming from Beaufort. I will send my cell phone number out by email in a moment in case anyone needs to call. I will also have a spare radio for on the trails with me but if you have them might want to bring them so we can keep together or get help as needed....never know.

I am bringing drinks up tomorrow left from our work day.....if anyone wants. See you there....

Right now it looks like the group will be...

1. Brock
2. Dbenke
3. OCD Beetle

Not positive but hoping the following can make it as well
4. Brick Tamlin
5. BBQ Boy

I am looking to leave around 6:45 or 7:00am now with the later OPENing time from SKIP. Dress warm and see you guys there.

I have some UC stickers and some other stickers I received from UC yesterday....and a DVD of the 2 Roads to Taupo which has two FJ Cruisers racing in the Taupo 1000 in New Zealand. If any FJ guys want it let me know ....or we can just pass it around for everyone to see.
 
Hey,
You guys have fun. Make sure Brock has his grappling hook recovery hitch just in case. I have cleared my weekend in Feb so that still better happen. Have a good time.
 
Thanks Mag.....wish you could make it....but make sure you do it for both the meeting and the wheeling trip? I know the guys in Upstate are still trying to work out Cullowhee but if nothing else we will go to Northern Georgia, the Gulches or the new place in Liberty. Cant wait until Cullowhee and Uwharrie are fully open. :D :D :D :D
 
Well.......morning was chilly with threat of snow at THE GULCHES. Took off around 7:15am and picked up nephew (9 years old) and headed up I26. Got call from DBENKE that he was having problems with his CJ....sounded carb related but who knows...could be ignition as well...losing power during acceleration or highway speeds...so he turned around to nurse it home.

I kept going...alone....unafraid...and not sure what to expect as it was my first Gulches run. Fog lifted near Orangeburg and sunshine was abound until I go south of Newberry College where it clouded up again but stayed around 39-41*F. No rain, no snow, no sleet....but also no sunshine. After 6 inches of rain a couple weeks ago....and then the little 1/2 inch yesterday was enough to throw the place into a sticky mess...but was still wheeling ready just more for aggressive mud terrains...my Terra Grapplers have served me well in rocks, dirt, sand, and deep mud before...but the kind of mud at gulches screams for aggressive mud terrains...not the so so or hybrid MT/AT versions.

Saw a silver FJ at gas station in Columbia with four lights on top...but that was about it for LC sightings this morning. I got to Indian Mount Road and a silver FJ pulled on it behind me....and we both ended up at Gulches.

It was BRICK TAMLIN, one of our new members. He is at Parris Island and a recruit of MAGLIGHT. We both hit the parking lot at the same time....exchanged greetings and talked a bit and then went in to register and sign waivers and get the download of info from SKIP. We were the ONLY ones there all day until right before 2:00pm when a rock buggy and a jeep cherokee showed up.

We ran all the RED trails that were open.....two or thre BLUE trails...and two BLACK trails. Trail 2 was muddy muddy muddy with that slick, sticky, red clay gumbo. My Nitto Terra Grapplers were full and acting like ice skates...as my ass end went to the left and right at 5 miles an hour tops. BRICKTAMLINs FJ did a bit better as he had SSRs on it....he only had rear locker and not ATrac but told him how to get it without paying the dealer so sure he will have it next time.

We looped around the big loop of 2/2A...turned around and did 14, 15, 16, 26, 8, 9, 1, 20. There were a couple that I would of tried if it was dry.....the top end of 26 around 21 was impassable due to deep mud.....I would have tried Heartbreaker as well as it appears to be tight and mostly off camber but a deep hole with silt mud was at beginning. It was a fun time as we spent about 3 hours on the trails before it got to where we either would do them over or try something harder and risk damage whether it was sliding into a tree or breaking something. So we did some hero shots on tires and pipes...and called it a day. Skip was very hospitable....aired back up...washed mud off tires...shook hands and vowed to be back when it was dry and dusty to try some of the more challenging trails.

As it was....14, 15, 16, 56 were challenging as they were steep climbs and descents with the saturated ground my Nittos filled up right away...and needed to get enough wheel spin to clean them....I wished. LOL BRICKTAMLIN did a little better but even he was slipping and filling up.

I will post a couple pics later...time to eat something now. Great meeting BRICKTAMLIN and doing some wheeling....also nice being only two vehicles in GULCHES all day until we were about to leave....

Looks like calling for snow flurries here tomorrow...:D :D

Gotta love our weather.....Maybe we can all get up there together during our scheduled trip as a club in April that is on the calendar. Make your plans NOW! :D
 
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Got back OK. Rebuilt carb and drove it again. same problem.Came back home and started messing w/ the dist. Advanced the timing a little, still no spark knock. did this two more times w still no spark knock.
Drove it and it drives fine now.:bang::bang:
How does a distributer move that much?? I had to loosen the clamp to adjust it.
Anyway, it's fine now, ready for next time. :steer:
I did find a set of 4"lift springs today for $75. Time to pull both axles and put in the 4.88's new springs, and the 37's :clap:
 
Here are a couple pics....only two of us there so they are limited but we had a blast....


Here are our two rigs after on turn on Trails 1 and 2/2A. They were slippery as hell with some near misses on trees and lots of steering input resulting in absolutely no reaction...reminded me of being on ice. For the new guys....the brick FJ belongs to BROCK.......the silver FJ belongs to BRICK TAMLIN

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Next we did 15, 14 and then 16....two of them....were steep climbs out of bottom along Reedy River. I got half way up the one....no further...tried three times and said i would try one more time and pull the winch to get up and then help him up. Put on locker....got some momentum...and let the ATrac, Locker and wonders of modern traction control work for me as I bounced and slid up the hill. SUCCESS. Then BrickTamlin followed as well...

I think this is one after we finished 14....
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This is 13 or 15...cant remember...all three start in river bottom and climb up steep. When dry I bet it is fun...a little pucker factor for me with my Terra Grapplers full of clay going up. Here you see BRICKTAMLIN making short work of it with his Super Swamper Radials....
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We went back and ran a few more...did all the reds....most of the blues...and a couple others. Then we ate some burgers and dogs....talked about how BRICKTAMLIN can do the ATRAC hack by buying a switch and hooking it up to get ATRAC without paying dealer for it....we talked about SCUBA MOD, rock sliders as his next purchase and our trucks.... He is going to be training recruits for next three months or more so this was his last trip wheeling until maybe April when things let up some....but look for him this Spring and Summer for sure.

We went checked out some other trails I want to do when it is dry like Heartbreaker, the whole 26, 21, 17 and a few of the others that were closed to keep them from getting tore up. Skip said they had 6 inches of rain a week or two ago and not all drained away yet...then it froze so water came to top....but got tacky as day went on.

Then we took some hero shots on pipes, tires, etc....where he tested his stock front skids and transfer case skid/bar LOL....and his front bumper got a little scuff.
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and mine.....our tires were so full of mud that would not come loose we spun most the time on them.

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Giving props to my Demello and Titan winch, Budbuilt skids and sliders and some very very slick clay bound Nittos.

Even though this is the first time since I had FJ I wished I had a set of Xtreme MTZ or BFG KM2 or Hankook MTs......I thought the Nittos still did a very good job. I did not get stuck and it was some slippery nasty red clay dung for sure....I was thinking back to jeeps of various builds with General Grabbers, BFG ATs, Bridgestone REVO AT and more BFG ATs.....and do not think I could have done them with those tires at all once they got full of the mud. The loop down Trail 1 and 2 was all over the place with slipping and sliding and seriously worried about going into one of the infamous 5 foot deep holes he warned us about. Then I was still able to climb every red and blue trail out there that was open.... It was a good day for sure.

Wish you guys would have been able to make it and I warned SKIP we would be back in force this Spring and Summer to try it DRY!! :D :D

Also mad props to BRICK TAMLIN for making the long journey up from Beaufort/PI.....and back. Without him there I likely would not have done anything maybe other than the outer loop on 1 and 2.....as it was too easy to get stuck back there. Thanks Brick for coming....you were a sight for sore eyes for sure....:popcorn:
 
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I would be remiss if I did not mention someone that epitomizes how the club is to its members.....no matter location or what is needed.

I got a call as I was in front of office at GULCHES from a number I did not recognize but answered anyhow as it might be someone wanting to wheel with us I dont know that saw the thread....

It was Marshall....offering his assistance if anyone needed help or assistance of any kind while we were there at the Gulches as he is about 45 minutes away.

Thanks Marshall for the offer and thank goodness it was not needed....but many times I have seen this offer of kindness and also some works of kindness whether it was someone working on a 40 fuel line on Upper Bald.....to DBENKE trailering WildBill home when Bonnie got hurt at Uwharrie. The people are what makes the Upstate Cruisers (and LCLC) so special.....the vehicles are the catalyst but without GOOD PEOPLE with GOOD HEARTS and INTENTIONS it means nothing.

Thank you sincerely.
 
2....myself and new member BRICKTAMLIN. Everyone has lives and jobs so that is okay....one day we will be able to get a good showing for a trail run and a few meetings.

I was very glad at our turnout for Volunteer Day with US Forestry Service especially since it was our first time with them. That was much more important than getting muddy and testing our rigs at the gulches in the big scheme of things.
 
dbenke said:
Got back OK. Rebuilt carb and drove it again. same problem.Came back home and started messing w/ the dist. Advanced the timing a little, still no spark knock. did this two more times w still no spark knock.
Drove it and it drives fine now.:bang::bang:
How does a distributer move that much?? I had to loosen the clamp to adjust it.
Anyway, it's fine now, ready for next time. :steer:
I did find a set of 4"lift springs today for $75. Time to pull both axles and put in the 4.88's new springs, and the 37's :clap:
Click to expand...


Dont forget to rebuild that starter before next run as well....cant have you killing your battery almost like at Uwharrie...and check that clutch. LOL

Glad you got it figured out...my first thought was a vaccume hose or something like clogged jet on carb....then thought..maybe it was electrical wth ignition or something not advancing with increase in RPMs to provide spark....but not being a mechanic that is all I can do.....ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACK :D :D
 
That clay at Gulches is just as I remember it. Slick and thick and filling up my tires.
With my front locked, it was almost impossible to turn w/out backing up to line up first.
Sorry I missed it, but I'm going to go ahead and disable it for a while to upgrade.
Should look like BenMara's 80 shortly.
 
you painting it greem.....and putting a dent in rear quarter panel ?? :D :D



Yeah after we aired up with SKIPS compressor he asked us to wash our tires so mud is not tracked a mile down the road as the county gives him a hard time. That clay would not budge with a regular soaking....had to get a focuses spray pattern and the clay came out as if I had a tire cutter and was cutting new tread grooves...came out in perfect tread lugs....if they came out.

Not heard from BRICKTAMLIN...hope he made it back okay as he had a little further to go than I did. Great meeting him...
 
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Brock,

I'm glad to hear you had a great time. The mud there is ridiculous. I ended up leaving around 3 saturday bc the frozen mud started thawing out and I have bfg m/t. Thats funny that guy that rolled that cherokee was only test driving it. He was dogging the crap out of it trying to get it up that hill. A few minutes after he rolled, a guy in another jeep drove up on them and offered the guy $500 bucks for it right on the spot. LOL
 
All I can say is "wow"....Thats some serious mud/clay/plaster/something.....

Glad you two represented the lot of us that werent able to head out on Monday...

The pics look great too. I didnt know this was the first Gulches drive for you Brock. Looks like you had fun checking it out....
Sorry I missed out....well...maybe not with the mud....:)...
 
Too many more trips to wheel like that and I may be looking at some KM2, MudGrapplers, Hankook or XTreme MTZ tires to replace these for those sticky times.... matter of fact I got a line on 5 brand new oem steelies for the FJ...I could maybe put a set on if I can win, beg, borrow or steal a set. LOL
 
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