Well its been quite some time since I've updated this. I guess you could say I've been busy. I finally graduated from college with my BS in Mechanical Engineering, and have been doing vacation things since then.
Right after I graduated, my friend Mike and I spent a week out on the Rubicon. We headed out late Monday to join the Friends of the Rubicon on Tuesday and Wednesday for their work party at Winter Camp. We had a helicopter bringing in loads of rock that were being dumped in the area that is always swampy in Winter Camp (just below the Little Sluice Box) to minimize erosion from vehicles in that area. Mike and I administered traffic control at Soup Bowl to prevent rigs from driving into the drop zone. Seeing how it was a Tuesday and Wednesday in the middle of a rain storm, there was no traffic so we pretty much hung out and drank coffee as we watched this HUGE air crane helicopter drop rocks.
That helicopter is so huge that you could fit two 18-wheeler fuel trucks underneath it.
After our "work" we were offered a cabin to stay at on the private property at Spider Lake. We ended up staying in Merlin's cabin, who many of you may have met on the trail. He is the guy who always hangs out at the top of Thousand Dollar Hill just past the Little Sluice Box and hands out handkerchiefs and educates people about the trail.
On the way in to the private property I lost the lower bolt to my shock (aka limiting strap) which allowed for the wheel to droop enough for me to drop a coil spring. So we whipped out the Hi-Lift jack and flexed er out so we could put it back in.
After the work party shenanigans, we were off to Buck.
In between Thousand Dollar Hill and Old Sluice.
Went down Old Sluice in the middle of a huge rain storm with no issues.
Finally got to Buck and immediately went fishing. I caught a tasty 22" Brown Trout.
The next day we went for a hike to Rockbound Lake, the lake that feeds Buck Island Lake. We followed the stream up and forced our way through heavy brush to get to the lake.
The river connecting Rockbound to Buck.
Here's a view from the top of a hill overlooking Rockbound.
Caught 4 Rainbow Trout on that trip. Two of which went in our bellies, while the other two were used to barter for bread and water because we ran out of both.
Then we had some friends coming in Memorial Day weekend so we met up with them, hung out, and then headed home. I broke a rear driveshaft U-joint on the way out and bent my driveshaft somewhere along the way. Got home just fine though! It was a hell of a week and I definitely want to spend a week out there again sometime.
Right after I graduated, my friend Mike and I spent a week out on the Rubicon. We headed out late Monday to join the Friends of the Rubicon on Tuesday and Wednesday for their work party at Winter Camp. We had a helicopter bringing in loads of rock that were being dumped in the area that is always swampy in Winter Camp (just below the Little Sluice Box) to minimize erosion from vehicles in that area. Mike and I administered traffic control at Soup Bowl to prevent rigs from driving into the drop zone. Seeing how it was a Tuesday and Wednesday in the middle of a rain storm, there was no traffic so we pretty much hung out and drank coffee as we watched this HUGE air crane helicopter drop rocks.
That helicopter is so huge that you could fit two 18-wheeler fuel trucks underneath it.
After our "work" we were offered a cabin to stay at on the private property at Spider Lake. We ended up staying in Merlin's cabin, who many of you may have met on the trail. He is the guy who always hangs out at the top of Thousand Dollar Hill just past the Little Sluice Box and hands out handkerchiefs and educates people about the trail.
On the way in to the private property I lost the lower bolt to my shock (aka limiting strap) which allowed for the wheel to droop enough for me to drop a coil spring. So we whipped out the Hi-Lift jack and flexed er out so we could put it back in.
After the work party shenanigans, we were off to Buck.
In between Thousand Dollar Hill and Old Sluice.
Went down Old Sluice in the middle of a huge rain storm with no issues.
Finally got to Buck and immediately went fishing. I caught a tasty 22" Brown Trout.
The next day we went for a hike to Rockbound Lake, the lake that feeds Buck Island Lake. We followed the stream up and forced our way through heavy brush to get to the lake.
The river connecting Rockbound to Buck.
Here's a view from the top of a hill overlooking Rockbound.
Caught 4 Rainbow Trout on that trip. Two of which went in our bellies, while the other two were used to barter for bread and water because we ran out of both.
Then we had some friends coming in Memorial Day weekend so we met up with them, hung out, and then headed home. I broke a rear driveshaft U-joint on the way out and bent my driveshaft somewhere along the way. Got home just fine though! It was a hell of a week and I definitely want to spend a week out there again sometime.
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