Nice write-up Doug and thanks again for the driving compliments. But it was really all you baby. I’m a good driver, always have been, but it sure made all the difference in the world to be able to follow you most of the time at least half of the time I was able to see what you did and pool off of that. If it went well I tried to mimic, if it looked like the right line but wasn’t quite perfect I tried to do it perfect. Example: I need to go just a little wider there or I will tear off my flair etc. If you took a bad line I said what is that hoser doing?
You see its almost like playing Monday morning quarterback.
For those of you that don’t know there are about three very very tight spots for an 80 especially with flairs I’m talking about only 1 to 2” over all clearance. Don’t get me wrong there are tight spots around every corner but there are about three that were real tight. It still amazes me just how well and fast you negotiated your way thru those spots with very little damage and no spotter. I know that is your 80 and you know it well and you drive her every day. I drive three different trucks and the 80 is Tree’s. But still watching Doug was like watching a master backhoe operator if you know what I mean its like its an extension of his arm. Me on the other hand, I wasn’t moving unless I had master Doug to watch out for me and help me thru.
If only I had done that before I tried the V.
Doug had both lockers on and I only had the rear on. And after reviewing the pictures I was not even close to the line Doug took.
You see its almost like playing Monday morning quarterback.
For those of you that don’t know there are about three very very tight spots for an 80 especially with flairs I’m talking about only 1 to 2” over all clearance. Don’t get me wrong there are tight spots around every corner but there are about three that were real tight. It still amazes me just how well and fast you negotiated your way thru those spots with very little damage and no spotter. I know that is your 80 and you know it well and you drive her every day. I drive three different trucks and the 80 is Tree’s. But still watching Doug was like watching a master backhoe operator if you know what I mean its like its an extension of his arm. Me on the other hand, I wasn’t moving unless I had master Doug to watch out for me and help me thru.
If only I had done that before I tried the V.
Doug had both lockers on and I only had the rear on. And after reviewing the pictures I was not even close to the line Doug took.
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Not that I don't think 80's are capable....they are, in my opinion, the best all-round rig out there. I tip my hat to these guys because wheeling an 80 through this and driving a mini are two totally different animals. In an 80, it's constant attention (unless you have no regard for your chassis or sheet metal)...in a 37'd mini it's basically point and shoot...and if you happen to bounce off a tree or a rock, who cares? That said, I did have a little problem on the erosion spot just after the hairpin at the bottom of caddy....I was off the line by maybe a few inches and as I came through, my little mini got REAL tippy...I had Jeff as a passenger and I think he needed some of doug's wet wipes after I had to slam it into reverse and walk on it to keep from going over and down that nice steep pitch 50 feet or so. I've rolled a few times now so that's the auto-reaction...reverse and skinny pedal. That would have been a really bad place to go over.
All in all it was a great trip...a small group has it's advantages for sure. The one thing you guys all missed was the most exciting part...we had a late night vistit from some drunk kid in a jeep-buggy who came down to the camp to take on the play spot. Of course he was a total ass-head, but it was fun to watch as he picked the hardest line I've seen anyone take...the completely vertical wall closest to camp that's about 5' tall. He got his tire placement then walked on it...launching his front end into the air several feet as he mobbed over the obstacle. Poor John thought the guy was going to crash through his tent....he was so friggin drunk he probably wouldn't have noticed.
