BZW Tale Of NWFest14'

[Bronzewyrm]

This year I had debated on coming out to the fest. it is really the only "Big Trip" of the year that my family can do. After a few debates we decided we were in for a 5th year. I prefer to take i5 to hw 12, then 123 to hw 410 and then into camp. it is a climb for my jeep and trailer. but the time it saves and the views it holds, are well worth it IMO.

the trip up was good. we got there in about 5.5 hrs. it rained the whole time so I knew I needed to get tarp city up quick.


got a jimbo sighting right away

We were hungry as hell and needed to eat. dinner was on and most of the peeps in camp were itching to hit the road up to ravens roost. we scarfed and headed up to catch them. as soon as we hit the bumpy stuff, we look in the back seat to find this...

saw a bunch of black tail and elk on the way up.

arriving at the top there as nobody there and we couldent see past out hood due to fog. made a plan to head down grabbing firewood along the way.

the next day we were all expecting a Merik chat, but alas, we were deprived:helpme: All staged up and ready to roll out!



676 Kaner flats was out 1st trail. the optional mud hole that we all decided to go around.



Warn to the rescue!


The Lilly Pond Junction

SpecFab Looking on

 

[Bronzewyrm]

Rod wanted to get back to camp, and Tessa wasn't felling so hot so I stuck her in the jeep with rod and sent them away. we then headed out for the Mantanish Ridge trail.
none of us knew how cool this was going to be.

we started climbing to fairly good elevation and got into some cool shale rock that switch backed a lot.




I don't even know what to say about the weather at this point. Dusty Rain is the worst...
another climb right before things started to get interesting.

We came around this corner and were met by some horseback riders that were struggling to Walk there horses through the next section. The called us "idots" I belive lol at least the wife did as she laughed and took pictures.


Dustin had punctured a tire trying to find the line for us. Nic was quick to spring into action!



After dustin got back up and watching Curtis roll through. I decided to take the hard side. it was a bit of a struggle at first as I was unwilling to take the line Curtis did, and the other was strun with tire size rocks that my duratracs were staring at. Dustin gave me a spot and a rock stack, Boom, I was up it. Felt great. thanks Torx :scottm:


Shortly after this we cam into a burned out area. last year it was a forest, now it a burn out. very trippy.
my camera was dead so no pics, just a good vid ill have to get up later.
Finally we made it to the rocks.

5min later

 

[Bronzewyrm]

we all played around a bit. let ryan and Curtis collect there thoughts. then we started working on things to give us the ability to get off the trail.




Need I Say More

Torx convinced us to try to "winch" the axle shaft out...

We got Ryan all back together and ready for a 2wd hot foot ride out.
A pic one one of the many water breaks, Nic's should be better

Then After driving 100 plus on gravel we got bored...

 

[Bronzewyrm]

the next day we were looking for a good time but not a breakdown run with dinner and raffle on our minds. we set off for the lily pond trail. running it towards the rocks.

This pic about sums up that trail

This is where I got the boot from said drivers seat



Nick's window delete mod



The views are what makes it worth it for us

 

[Bronzewyrm]

This day at the rocks went much better. we all eased into things. well all except specfab and nick. there always "all in" when It comes to wheeling. I was feeling good about my jeep "Finally" and went for a few optional lines. They felt really good. except turning around on top of the pedestal...




After a short stay there we headed to the moon rocks





I love my little family. josh is growing up with on the trail.

Whoring Nicks jeep out. She likes it rough.

 

[Bronzewyrm]

HEAY!?! What you guys looking at?!?

It was about now that everybody was feeling real comfortable with the rocks and time was cruzing. dusting says lets roll as a radio call comes out for some help.... larry had wedged himself in the bottom of the canyon:jester:
We circled like vultures and had him pulled out and spotted to safety in no time! Back to camp! it was dinner time.

Dinner Was Amazing! THANKYOU so much to specfab, wife, and fam for doing all that. such a great way to end the weekend!


Joshua drove us top the raffle


We got an education on a great many things around the campfire that night. ill keep most of it to myself LOL. Sober was a blast. Im glad I hate blueberry:twak:.


We were looses at the raffle until chad hooked us up with a sweet coffee cup and hat (thanks bro).

The next day we were in no hurry to make it out of camp as we knew it was a long drive and I had a bunch of stuff to pack up. we got it all done and made our trash rounds realizing we were the last ones out of camp.(I had a weird feeling) we hitched up and bounced.


as soon as I hit pavement I herd some noise I knew all too well. (u-joint squeak) and it was coming from the rear. Great!... I knew I had spares for everything. I decided to check the heat level of the joints to see if I could track down the bad joint. I was unable to find it. I decided to push it ti the top of the pass and see where the heat levels were. I made it to packwood at the bottom of 123 and I knew something was not right, and that it was not going to make it all the way home. I nursed it for a while as it got worse and worse. (I was more dreading the roadside swap that was about to take place) I neared the freeway and knew I would not be able to get on the freeway with the vibes as bad as they were. I let Tessa know that it was official. Operation Truck stop u-joint swap was a GO. found a gas station right outside Ethel, Wa and got to work.

After getting the DS out I realized it was one of the ones in the cardon joint...Ohh Man this is going to SUCK! I had to rob a good joint out of another shaft I had in the trailer, and then swap it into the DS I removed from my jeep.

 

[Bronzewyrm]

After that was all buttoned up and put back together, I stuffed all the crap back in the jeep. washed my hands and mashed it for the freeway. The jeep felt better than it had all weekend at this point. (it may have been on the way out before the trip) I had about 10 miles to the freeway to test it out. it felt great and cruzed all the way home with no issues from there.


Thankyou to the BOD for putting on another great event. I cant say it was the best ever. but I can say that I cant remember having a better time at a NWFest. It was Great to meet the new faces, and catch up with some old. I look forward to the future, and all the future trips to come.

Props fellas/Ladies on a weekend well done! And Props to nick for being the only one to Man up and NECK "ALL" of his blueberries.

Until Next Year!
Bronze.

 

[Bronzewyrm]

p.s. Where is the Torx Report "Yo"

 

[TORX]

Nice write-up Bronze. I always dread the drive home because I fear having to work on my junk in a semi-hungover state of mind.

Glad you got to run trail with us Friday. It was a long day, but you got to see what Naches has to offer.

My pics are uploaded, hopefully in the next day or so I can get them posted.

 

[kndrewa]

Really sorry I missed it this year!