Builds My first '40 and the venture (2 Viewers)

[OlYellr]

Bruno’s cannonball…(pic by @Plains Cruiser)

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Monday Aug 4th:

(Sunday night at KOA - forgot to add and don't want to just edit - Dinner plans for the week was set in stone before the trip — the NE crew would rotate cooking duties. My night was burgers, backed up by a pot of my baked beans. I made them Thursday night before we left. This was partly to be prepared, partly to avoid helping Rus get his rig back together. (Teamwork is important, but so are the baked beans.))

We all gathered for check-in Monday morning, got our packets, sat through the safety briefing, and watched a large chunk of folks launch out of there like last one out is a rotten egg. My style (Adopted from Ian last year) is a little more… deliberate. Not lazy, just “tactical patience” — let the eager crowd clog the first few miles of trail while I sip coffee, get ice for the cooler, and just enjoy it all.

Today’s ride: Red Mountain (both segments). My master plan for the week was/is to start with easier trails and gradually work up to the gnarlier stuff — kind of like couch-to-5K, except it’s more like couch-to-axle-deep. This way the folks new to the rocks and ruts can build confidence before I accidentally lead them somewhere they need a winch, spotters, headlights, and a therapist.

Neil/@TexasLandCruiser joined the group. Red Mountain is, in my opinion, easy-peasy. Nothing scary, just some bumps, some mountain views, and a few spots where your drink might spill if you’re careless. It’s just mountain eye-candy with occasional “oh right, I should steer” moments.

90% through, we hit a trail closure. Total bummer, because just ahead was a perfect photo op — your rig reflected in a glassy mountain lake like it’s posing for a Toyota Trails Magazine. Instead, we double back and pop out by the highway.

We’re parked perpendicular to the road, debating if we can sneak in from the south side to reach the lake, when a gorgeous 70 Series Land Cruiser pulls off the highway. I wander over, and the driver’s holding a paper map of Colorado… the Denver area. Which, newsflash, is not where we are. I ask if he’s here for Solid Axle Summit — nope. Turns out he’s from Germany, has been roaming Canada and the U.S., and needs to be in Colorado Springs by Saturday.

And here’s where it gets good: he’s got time to kill, and we’ve got an empty campsite unfortunately because Josh lost a parent over the weekend and rightfully bailed. I pitch the idea — come hang out, meet some Cruiser people, maybe hit a few trails. To his credit, Mo (as we learned his name) didn’t immediately drive away with engine screaming and puking diesel fumes after I talked to him. He needed some staples in town, and followed me back, I cleared it with Casey (SAS Director) and the KOA, and within minutes he was surrounded by Land Cruisers and adopted by the group. Land Cruiser people are amazing group!

I asked Mo if he wanted to go run trails with us. Dumbest question I’ve ever asked all week - I think.....

Pics from the day...

@solomrus airing down..
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Group after airing down.
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Coming down the first half - Second half starts where Pic is taken. And this is the area we met Mo. (anybody have a pic of Mo's rig when we met him? @TexasLandCruiser, @solomrus, @Plains Cruiser, @Greyota ?
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Finish my day going over my bucket list with Ian at his camp.
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Hey Brian,

Was meant to be connecting with you Sunday night. Sight for sore eyes after 17 hour none stop (2 hour heavy hail in the pan handle delay).

Interesting fact in my conversations with Moritz. He bought from an old couple in Africa, he drove the length of Africa staying In the bush along the way. Drive Halifax to Calgary and then Anchorage to Seattle (it think ended up in Oregon, hint is the surf board. I’d asked him in all that self discovery what was your biggest challenge he got quiet and then said he drove the leg from Anchorage to the PNW with no alternator. Was doing a river crossing in Alaska to the windshield and the flood took out the electric on the alternator. Knowing it’d take time to get one he elected to drive.

It immediately reminded me of when Gene Kranz Mission Control Apollo 13 dumping a box of gears on a table and telling engineers to “make it fit” when they lost their oxygen.

 

[Plains Cruiser]

Not to hijack, but thanks for sharing that Neil. Was great hanging out and hope to see you next year.

Pss - thanks for letting me snap your photo on Red Mountain

 

[OlYellr]

Hey Brian,

Was meant to be connecting with you Sunday night. Sight for sore eyes after 17 hour none stop (2 hour heavy hail in the pan handle delay).

Interesting fact in my conversations with Moritz. He bought from an old couple in Africa, he drove the length of Africa staying In the bush along the way. Drive Halifax to Calgary and then Anchorage to Seattle (it think ended up in Oregon, hint is the surf board. I’d asked him in all that self discovery what was your biggest challenge he got quiet and then said he drove the leg from Anchorage to the PNW with no alternator. Was doing a river crossing in Alaska to the windshield and the flood took out the electric on the alternator. Knowing it’d take time to get one he elected to drive.

It immediately reminded me of when Gene Kranz Mission Control Apollo 13 dumping a box of gears on a table and telling engineers to “make it fit” when they lost their oxygen.

Mo is an interesting cat for sure! Thx

 

[TexasLandCruiser]

Not to hijack, but thanks for sharing that Neil. Was great hanging out and hope to see you next year.

Pss - thanks for letting me snap your photo on Red Mountain

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Well there ya go! Appreciate you sharing this. That short 20 minute stop is now a core memory.