Shifting gears a bit here.

[IslanderOffRoad]

So many good memories... don't always remember dates or who was there, but:

Azusa with Ted and Skwerly
Pismo with Goatman, JohnX, Santa
Gorman a few different times with lots of different folks
Cleghorn with SocalBill and a few other guys. Got halfway up and hit snow. Had to turn around and go back

the National Meet in Moab back in 08, had an awesome time wheeling for a week.

Then of course the meet and greets... the Stand, that BBQ place in West LA, etc.

Cal coming over and helping me build my Junk for Moab

 

[toyotawrench]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10-gBIPu1wE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Pretty sure this was my wj first trip to azusa, but I can't view the vid on the phone

 

[Darky]

My first gathering with more than 1 other person was at a lift party in OC, sometime around 04. I think it was rprater's place. There used to be a member who was a former Jeep engineer. ID'd my Xj as a 96 based solely on the little dip in the fender well behind the flare.

At this same function, my Jeep ended up being among the last to pull into the driveway for work as all I was doing was some spacers and BPEs. We unbolt the control arms to droop everything out, get the springs out and the spacers in amd bolt it all back together with no problems. Then on what should've been the easiest part, my Jeep decides to screw with us. We take the shocks out, press out the bar pins (except one that wouldn't go so it had to be cut), attach the BPEs and go to reinstall. The BPEs don't line up with the shock bolt holes. Not even close. Well, I've got a 2 hr drive back to Oceanside and it's getting dark, and we're short a bar pin. Johnny jumps in his Jeep, and catches a store right before closing to buy the cheapest shock he can find using bar pins. He comes back with a little blue shock for a Geo Metro. The bar pin presses out real easy, we press it into my shock and away we go. I tried to give him some cash for the shock and he wouldn't take it.

Or there was SoCal Fest 09 when 15 or 20 of us wrestled a stock 07 Ram on low pros down the entrance to John Bull, armed with Shomsky's MJ and winch, a HiLift or two, a couple bottle jacks and a complete disregard for body damage...
Same year we had to recover a dead Land Rover Discovery from a tight canyon/ledge, turn it around (engine wouldn't even try to start), and then tow it back out the rest of the way. I forget who pulled tow duty, but it was a silver XJ on 35s.

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

Almost forgot Skullver and his friends helping me do my lift.

Never met the guy before that. Offered up his shop, his time, and his tools.

I had never met Cal before he helped me with some work either.

I think thats what has me wanting another XJ. When I tried to get into the Yota community, it didn't feel anywhere near the same as the XJ community.

 

[johnnyc]

Justin, that was karstic's place in Fullerton. And I still say we should've dragged that Disco through the campground as a trophy. Ha. Still can't believe that guy's "friends" would abandon him and leave him in the care of a bunch of complete strangers.

 

[karstic]

At this same function, my Jeep ended up being among the last to pull into the driveway for work as all I was doing was some spacers and BPEs. We unbolt the control arms to droop everything out, get the springs out and the spacers in amd bolt it all back together with no problems. Then on what should've been the easiest part, my Jeep decides to screw with us. We take the shocks out, press out the bar pins (except one that wouldn't go so it had to be cut), attach the BPEs and go to reinstall. The BPEs don't line up with the shock bolt holes. Not even close. Well, I've got a 2 hr drive back to Oceanside and it's getting dark, and we're short a bar pin. Johnny jumps in his Jeep, and catches a store right before closing to buy the cheapest shock he can find using bar pins. He comes back with a little blue shock for a Geo Metro. The bar pin presses out real easy, we press it into my shock and away we go. I tried to give him some cash for the shock and he wouldn't take it.

Johnny beat me to it but that was at my house.

Setting up the first OC Meet and Greet

Calico '04

Moab '08

Free Andy run

 

[Darky]

For whatever reason, I keep thinking that it was prater's...I was even second guessing myself on that too.

 

[djblade311]

first time in JV I think it was 2005. I decided to ride along with Dan Turner on Wrecking Ball. That when Goatman and Ron talked about running it in Ron's Black XJ on 33s. I learned alot about spotting that day and was really amazed at Xj capabilities.

The boat in the lake bed

Friday night runs on Claw with Kevin and the crew.

Arm bar by Ben at the top of claw

Sobe fireworks at the campfire.

Moab 2006 and 2007

clawhammer fuel pump died. 11 hrs of stress and frustration but relief from so many people helping that day to extract my rig the last 50 yds of that trail. CaptainRon donated lots of cigs that night.

so many other fun times

 

[Goatman]

Wow, so many memorable times. Trying to stay early on......


The first and last ever XJ overnight run up Surprise Canyon in 2000 before it closed forever. Paul S, Dave Taylor, Norm Taylor, Mil Thornton, Paul Lambotte, Andy Couch spotting.....trying to remember who else.

First ever Rubicon trip in '01. No cut down rigs, everybody is full bodied. Pic of us camping at Spider Lake, which we can't do anymore.

25th Anniversay event in Moab '03. 170 vehicles, nearly all XJ's. Wed night in the park with 120 XJ's. The very memorable CA-CO challenge, with me, Hinkley, Jes, and CRASH against Led, John Jacobs, Grant Barclay and Stephanie. As fast as we could drive a couple of stripped down XJ's through Lower Proving Grounds. CA won of course.

 

[rockclimber]

I joined naxja to get some tech info a while back, didn't really understand the club thing then. stuck around for the tech and the chit-chat.

been on a number of runs with Naxja folk, but my first event was Sierrafest 2012. great times with great people.

looking forward to MOAB 2013

 

[GSequoia]

Damnit Richard, I was going to post old pictures but now I'm so less cool. :laugh3:

I don't recall exactly when I found , I'd say it was in 1999; hard to tell since the old forum is dead and I was too poor to buy a membership back then.

Lower Larga Flat, April 2003 Unofficial run
I thought that was soooo impressive and difficult then

Remi having intimate relations with a rock, John Bull. June 2003

A crapload of XJs, my first official run. Moab, October 2003

First SoCal Chapter event, Calico, January 2004. Richard on Lower Doran Gatekeeper

Me on Odessa Canyon, same event. A bit more tricky with bald 235/75/15 road tires

Fast forward to April 2012 and back on Odessa in Calico but in a different Jeep.

And today..
Swamp Lake Trail, July 2012

 

[karstic]

Wow, so many memorable times. Trying to stay early on......


The first and last ever XJ overnight run up Surprise Canyon in 2000 before it closed forever. Paul S, Dave Taylor, Norm Taylor, Mil Thornton, Paul Lambotte, Andy Couch spotting.....trying to remember who else.

A picture of that Jeep on that trip on the front of the LA Times is why I bought an XJ.

Ed Stevens tech page.

 

[Xtreme XJ]

The above mentioned L. Larga Flat trip... and Odessa trip (first spot of body damage RIGHT where Sequoia is) Free Andy Trip... First So. Cal. Fest... A.A.T. trips...
Richard dropped Mil's name... now THAT'S a pre- name drop !!

:cheers:

Curt

 

[GSequoia]

The above mentioned L. Larga Flat trip... and Odessa trip (first spot of body damage RIGHT where Sequoia is) Free Andy Trip... First So. Cal. Fest... A.A.T. trips...
Richard dropped Mil's name... now THAT'S a pre- name drop !!

:cheers:

Curt

Speaking of Mil..

My first time wheeling with others, SoCal XJ Jamboree 2003 (prior to that all my wheeling was solo and 98% at night).

Anyway I got a bit messed up in some soft rutted sand..

I don't recall exactly but I'm pretty sure Mil gave the Jeep a hard look and it rocked itself out of that spot in fear.

Charles had a monkey on his back.

Builds were a bit more conservative then and seeing a late model wheeling was rare.

 

[Goatman]

A picture of that Jeep on that trip on the front of the LA Times is why I bought an XJ.

Ed Stevens tech page.

Forgot about that, nice memory. Yeah, wonder where that pic is? It was going up waterfall one, showed mostly my roof. Front page of the LA Times.....yeah baby!

 

[GSequoia]

I remember that paper, I believe I saw it at work then got on .

 

[Carol.92124]

I don't clearly remember my first experience... but it was likely dark, with alcohol involved... :eyes: :wierd:

 

[Carol.92124]

I think I found :: thru SoCalXJ, which I found via some Cherokee owner on MySpace (JeepinEZ Alex, who I've never met). I was looking for other folks who had Cherokees & wanted to go play sometimes, so I wouldn't be out solo with 3 kids...

I could blame Cal, who convinced me to become a paying member to buy raffle tix for the 2008 Moab Jeep Giveaway.

So many amazing times...

And that Helping Others thing? Um, yeah... My dad, a few times now, has said "Wow, you have some really good friends" when he hears about some of the lengths my fellow Jeepers have gone to to make sure something happened/didn't happen/got fixed/got upgraded in my (or my kids') world. :loveu:

 

[Xtreme XJ]

I don't clearly remember my first experience... but it was likely dark, with alcohol involved... :eyes: :wierd:

As several other events in your life ?? :spin1:

Curt

 

[scottmcneal]

I don't clearly remember my first experience... but it was likely dark, with alcohol involved... :eyes: :wierd:

Now i know why you always have that smile on your face.