non-stick
NAXJA Member #1288
- Location
- Where the h*ll is Rhoadesville, VA??
We just got back from another excellent weekend of wheeling with Chris and Heather in Crozet. The weather was excellent and the trails were their usual, although slightly dampened, challenging time. There were some 25 plus rigs there Saturday morning which made for some long lines at the obstacles.
I know, "This thread is useless without pictures" and as soon as I figure out the software for my new camera I'll have pictures and video posted, but it will be later in the week, Sorry. I'll post up a new thread in the picture forum once I've got the footage up.
Saturday there was a large contingent from the NC Krawlers, several XJ's but I didn't see any
stickers 
. They were running mostly black trails and since I was (yes, I said "was") damage free I stuck with the group running the blues.
The blues, around 9 of us, started with the trail to Pete's Demise and most took the bypass, but a few of us attempted to climb Pete's. I made it, without damage, and with the parking brake on 7/8 of the way up :doh: . Another XJ (Ryan from the NC Krawlers) made it up without much difficulty, and a Liberty took a shot at it but wisely backed down after making it 2/3 of the way up.
We then went on to Pusi Hill. If you've ever been there and done it you know what it is. VERY steep rock slick down to a sharp turn. It's a /blue/black going down, and a red going up. Everyone took that except for one first timer who was playing it safe. No skids and running open-open he was keeping up and using his head.
We headed out for more excitement but with so many vehicles we ended up cutting it short and breaking for lunch as the group of blacks and reds were running into breakage, and at one point someone nailed a tree with a tire and the tree had a huge hornet's nest in it. :shocked: Fortunatley only two folks got stung and noone was allergic.
After a pleasant lunch the groups headed back out. The NC Krawlers that were in our group all decided they wanted to hang together which left the blue trails being run by only three vehicles. Chris and Chris in a Rubicon, Paul in his waggie'd S-10 and me.
We started with soem trails crossing The Gauntlet and finally headed for the Eliminator. Paul took it first and on the third attempt he made it, only to have his front DS pull itself apart. The splines pulled out from overextension. After a quick removal and refitting of the end he was able to winch himslef out and continue on. Chris and Chris took Bump It around Paul and I took a shot at the Eliminator. I was quite amazed at what that XJ of mine pulled through. No real problem encounterd, just walked up it.
We started for the Killer Bee trail when Chris and Chris blew the driver side front stub shaft on their Rubicon. They had no spare, but since I had a pair of spare shafts I offered my outer and u-joint to them so they could get fixed and get on with the day.
While waiting for the repairs to be completed, we whiled away some time watching hte buggies play in the nasty stuff. Pulling thru this v-notch at the entrance to Killer Bee that has to be taken on your side (it looks insane until you see one pull it off, then it makes sense) ans climbing The House. Again, if you've been there or heard of the place, you know what House is. A couple buggies fooled around with it and one nearly lost it backwards but saved it with some quick throttle in reverse. Jay on his exo'ed Sami attempted it and flopped on the backside after making it.
That was the end of the day. When there are a lot of rigs and few guides/leaders, it gets tough to run too much. That's why I went planning to spend the night and do it again in the morning.
Some folks pulled out Saturday evening and some more early Sunday. There were no new arrivals Sunday morning so the groups were much smaller.
Jewels (sp) was spending his last trip with Chris and Heather since he's moving soon, so they all vowed to make sure his stuff got broke. They headed for the blacks and the reds while having me lead a group of six thru some of the lighter stuff. We called it the "Bunny Run"
We started with Bump It, where a Sami in the pack busted his TC mount (again). We got him thru after I gave him a sinch strap to hold things down. We moved on to the Gauntlet where we managed to bust the driver side outer CV joint on the Liberty. A couple of tugs later and he was out and headed for camp with a smile as big as the day was long. The rest of us made it thru without any permanent damage but a few linkage adjustments were needed once we on level ground again.
From there we headed over to Drivetrain Debauchery for a quick finish to the day. There are three lines up, the center is most difficult, the left is moderate and the right is not as bad. I chose the hardest line as I'd been up it before and knew it could be done. I couple of attempts and some tire smoke and up we went. Now it was my turn to suffer damage. At the top of the hill there is a right turn that has to be made between two trees. Front lockers don;t like tight turns, especially with rocks mixed in. I managed to get pitched into the tree on the right and crease the right quarter just behind the door. If I had the solid side galss and not the wing vent, it would have cost me some glass too. I've got a nice ripple in the gutter and the qurter but the door still works, the window still works, and noone got hurt.
After the group played around in the rock garden at the top of Drivetrain Debauchery we broke for lunch and I headed for home.
If you get a chance to go, do it. The folks are great and the wheeling is fantastic. I have to assess my schedul for the next ride, but if I can, I'm going.
Thanks for hanging in. I'll post up pics/video soon.
I know, "This thread is useless without pictures" and as soon as I figure out the software for my new camera I'll have pictures and video posted, but it will be later in the week, Sorry. I'll post up a new thread in the picture forum once I've got the footage up.
Saturday there was a large contingent from the NC Krawlers, several XJ's but I didn't see any
stickers . They were running mostly black trails and since I was (yes, I said "was") damage free I stuck with the group running the blues. The blues, around 9 of us, started with the trail to Pete's Demise and most took the bypass, but a few of us attempted to climb Pete's. I made it, without damage, and with the parking brake on 7/8 of the way up :doh: . Another XJ (Ryan from the NC Krawlers) made it up without much difficulty, and a Liberty took a shot at it but wisely backed down after making it 2/3 of the way up.
We then went on to Pusi Hill. If you've ever been there and done it you know what it is. VERY steep rock slick down to a sharp turn. It's a /blue/black going down, and a red going up. Everyone took that except for one first timer who was playing it safe. No skids and running open-open he was keeping up and using his head.
We headed out for more excitement but with so many vehicles we ended up cutting it short and breaking for lunch as the group of blacks and reds were running into breakage, and at one point someone nailed a tree with a tire and the tree had a huge hornet's nest in it. :shocked: Fortunatley only two folks got stung and noone was allergic.
After a pleasant lunch the groups headed back out. The NC Krawlers that were in our group all decided they wanted to hang together which left the blue trails being run by only three vehicles. Chris and Chris in a Rubicon, Paul in his waggie'd S-10 and me.
We started with soem trails crossing The Gauntlet and finally headed for the Eliminator. Paul took it first and on the third attempt he made it, only to have his front DS pull itself apart. The splines pulled out from overextension. After a quick removal and refitting of the end he was able to winch himslef out and continue on. Chris and Chris took Bump It around Paul and I took a shot at the Eliminator. I was quite amazed at what that XJ of mine pulled through. No real problem encounterd, just walked up it.
We started for the Killer Bee trail when Chris and Chris blew the driver side front stub shaft on their Rubicon. They had no spare, but since I had a pair of spare shafts I offered my outer and u-joint to them so they could get fixed and get on with the day.
While waiting for the repairs to be completed, we whiled away some time watching hte buggies play in the nasty stuff. Pulling thru this v-notch at the entrance to Killer Bee that has to be taken on your side (it looks insane until you see one pull it off, then it makes sense) ans climbing The House. Again, if you've been there or heard of the place, you know what House is. A couple buggies fooled around with it and one nearly lost it backwards but saved it with some quick throttle in reverse. Jay on his exo'ed Sami attempted it and flopped on the backside after making it.
That was the end of the day. When there are a lot of rigs and few guides/leaders, it gets tough to run too much. That's why I went planning to spend the night and do it again in the morning.
Some folks pulled out Saturday evening and some more early Sunday. There were no new arrivals Sunday morning so the groups were much smaller.
Jewels (sp) was spending his last trip with Chris and Heather since he's moving soon, so they all vowed to make sure his stuff got broke. They headed for the blacks and the reds while having me lead a group of six thru some of the lighter stuff. We called it the "Bunny Run"
We started with Bump It, where a Sami in the pack busted his TC mount (again). We got him thru after I gave him a sinch strap to hold things down. We moved on to the Gauntlet where we managed to bust the driver side outer CV joint on the Liberty. A couple of tugs later and he was out and headed for camp with a smile as big as the day was long. The rest of us made it thru without any permanent damage but a few linkage adjustments were needed once we on level ground again.
From there we headed over to Drivetrain Debauchery for a quick finish to the day. There are three lines up, the center is most difficult, the left is moderate and the right is not as bad. I chose the hardest line as I'd been up it before and knew it could be done. I couple of attempts and some tire smoke and up we went. Now it was my turn to suffer damage. At the top of the hill there is a right turn that has to be made between two trees. Front lockers don;t like tight turns, especially with rocks mixed in. I managed to get pitched into the tree on the right and crease the right quarter just behind the door. If I had the solid side galss and not the wing vent, it would have cost me some glass too. I've got a nice ripple in the gutter and the qurter but the door still works, the window still works, and noone got hurt.
After the group played around in the rock garden at the top of Drivetrain Debauchery we broke for lunch and I headed for home.
If you get a chance to go, do it. The folks are great and the wheeling is fantastic. I have to assess my schedul for the next ride, but if I can, I'm going.
Thanks for hanging in. I'll post up pics/video soon.
