Just found this Trail Team Picture Card in our stuff, and need to post it...
Thrill on the Hill event, Ruidoso
- Thread starter BionicCruiser
- Start date
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I wondered why everyone was still waking up when we drove by the campground at noon on Monday.
Was any of our group found in the wrong tent Sunday night? Pics?
-Mike-
Well, due to the lack of proof I was starting to wonder if ya all really went wheeling this weekend or stayed pool side at some casino. In fact, I was about to pull out the
Looks like fun. How about more pics, please.
Jon
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I'm sorry to disappoint you but very few of my pictures show actual wheeling. Everything I did was easy to moderate and the trail leaders rarely stopped, even for potty breaks. Actually, Robbie was a good trail leader that was considerate of different vehicles, airing down, people with kids that have to pee a lot..... I've got some good shots of the kids with a big snail though. Oh yeah, then there's the Binghams on the roof of their 80. I've been busy and haven't offloaded the photos yet. I will attempt to get some up by tomorrow evening but we're leaving for Texas on Friday so it may not happen until we get back on June 10.
I am retrieving my displaced camera this afternoon (thanks Mike & Connie!) so I will post some pics tonight.
Frank was happy to leave the house
where we set up shop:
everythig got soaked Friday, the inside of the forty had pools so this was Saturday morning:
A little pit stop on Saturday's run. (Trail 5 or 3 I can't remember) note the driver of the Bingham machine
some scenery:
where we set up shop:
everythig got soaked Friday, the inside of the forty had pools so this was Saturday morning:
A little pit stop on Saturday's run. (Trail 5 or 3 I can't remember) note the driver of the Bingham machine
some scenery:
alia176
SILVER Star
nice pics...
So I'm curious. How did those folks with the nice shinny new FJCruisers respond to seeing the old school FJ40's and the modified FJ80's?
Jon
Jon
The people that I talked to were very happy for some assistance. We met a nice couple from San Diego (drove out 14 hours to get there) and this was the first time that they had ever done any real wheeling. We discussed airing down their tires and lent them our Staun "tyre" deflators. They joined us for the harder run on Sunday - even though they had to leave their truck and ride along with Robbie for the middle (hardest) section. They just didn't have enough lift and big enough tires for that part of the trail. I think they got some good experience and some good pointers from Robbie and the rest of us. They seemed to be getting into the wheeling thing pretty well.
We were definitely outnumbered - I heard a total of 40 trucks and probably 30 were FJCs. But I think in general, they were impressed with our trucks. It was somewhat telling that there was only one FJC on the harder run - Robbie's with some lift and tires. But give it another year and we'll see what those guys come back with next year. The San Diego guy was already talking about which front bumper he should get.
Evan
We were definitely outnumbered - I heard a total of 40 trucks and probably 30 were FJCs. But I think in general, they were impressed with our trucks. It was somewhat telling that there was only one FJC on the harder run - Robbie's with some lift and tires. But give it another year and we'll see what those guys come back with next year. The San Diego guy was already talking about which front bumper he should get.
Evan
Excellent question Jon, and quite appropriate considering this was/is an event for new FJ Cruiser owners.
I thought about this during the drive back and these are my observations:
The Trail Team embraced us (FJ40's, 60's, and 80's) immediately; partly because they knew us from last year, from Moab, and Robbie's association with the club. They knew us and called us by our first names at the kick-off on Friday afternoon. Club members were selected as gunners for the trails and we all had CBs and the trail leaders knew our voices and chatted with us during the runs. So, in a sense, I felt we were treated as an extension of their team.
The atmosphere around the campground was very relaxed and the non-HDC people didn't know each other (for the most part) and they didn't know the HDC group so I'm guessing they were feeling a little like outsiders. I spent a good bit of time introducing myself, chatting with the non-HDC people, and checking out their trucks and their mods. I saw other HDC guys doing the same thing and I think it is fair to say we all met some interesting people from around the country.
I can give two examples where positive comments were made:
The first was on the trail ride on Sunday. This was the trip to Coyote Canyon (near Tularosa) to run the Three Amigos Trail. This trip was led by Robbie and we met with a guy that knew the trail (very nicely built Jeep CJ7.) Dan, me, Jon, Evan, and a non-HDC 80, Greg, Steve, and 2 non-HDC FJ40s. There was a TRD FJC driven by a young guy from San Diego. When we hit the hard part of the trail, Robbie advised him to leave his FJC and ride with Robbie. That part of the trail started with a steep descent into the arroyo, followed by a twisty, off-camber exit. Then we were in tight brush and a lot of rocks on the trail with no bypasses. There were a few sections where people needed to be spotted over rock gardens.
When we got to the end of Three Amigos, I was talking with the FJC owner and he wanted to know more about the 80s and how they were customized. He told me he was amazed at how well they did and that his first impression was they would be too big and heavy for the trail. This was his and his wife's first time off-road. They had a blast and came over and visited with our group on Sunday night.
The second was at the gathering for the Sunday evening dinner. When we returned to camp, we were asked to line up the trucks for a group photo. I was standing to the side (not next to my truck) and talking with a couple of guys that I didn't know. They were commenting how neat it was to see all the "old school" Land Cruisers (their words) and they were asking why they were called 40s and 80s.... so I explained Toyota's naming system. We chatted a bit and by the time we left for dinner they had a new appreciation for the marque and the lineage of their FJCs.
-Mike-
alia176
SILVER Star
Sounds like a nice time was had by all and a good exposure for the HDC.
I'd like to suggest that we attach garbage bags/burlap sacks to our spare tire carrier and do trail cleanup on these types of runs. Hopefully, this action will encourage others to do the same and show how much we should care for all trails we ride on. The kids need to see the importance of maintaining trash free trails.
Ali
I'd like to suggest that we attach garbage bags/burlap sacks to our spare tire carrier and do trail cleanup on these types of runs. Hopefully, this action will encourage others to do the same and show how much we should care for all trails we ride on. The kids need to see the importance of maintaining trash free trails.
Ali
on the trails I did I was surprised that I didn't see any trash. Maybe I didn't look hard enough (Molly was driving for a while ) but the trails looked clean. But I agree, and it would make a good practice.
) but the trails looked clean. But I agree, and it would make a good practice.
I noticed the same thing.
I saw one item (an "alien head" antenna bob) that Robbie and stopped to get (I was driving the FJC at the time).
A few pics from James of the Titan being extracted from the campground obstacle.
(What was he thinking? )
(What was he thinking? )
Those are some pretty funny pics Mike. That guy was cruising around the campgrounds when I was packing up my stuff Saturday night. He asked if this was some sort of 4x4 convention or something... then he wanted to know if there were any trails in the area. I know I told him there were none in the campground b/c he was driving back and forth where James and I had set up camp. I guess he didn't believe me. ;p
some photos
Here's a few of my photos.
I haven't figured out how to put more than three in my message at a time.
Here's a few of my photos.
I haven't figured out how to put more than three in my message at a time.
I figured that was probably the solution but then I have firewall issues blocking them such as what happens with everything Rory posts and all I can see is a box with a red "X" in it.
Your tech guys are probably blocking photobucket at the firewall. Bummer.
Rory,
Can you see your links from work? If yes, Marc must be behind a different firewall than Rory.
-Mike-
Rory,
Can you see your links from work? If yes, Marc must be behind a different firewall than Rory.
-Mike-
My work firewall blocks photobucket.
