|
Most of the members of
this club know that I am a Jeep weenie, more specifically, a ledge
weenie.
For those of you who don’t
know, first a bit of history.
In The Distant Past…I’ve always been a
wimp when it comes to activities that involve any kind of an adrenaline
rush. A couple of years ago, I was
on Sierra Skyview with John. I was
very nervous, white knuckled and eyes squeezed shut. As we began the ascent out, his phone
rang. I immediately yelled at him
(as he was reaching for it) “Don’t you dare answer that”. Of course he answered it anyway. He talked for a few seconds and then
hung up when we reached the ledge at the top. I was not a happy camper.
He crawled right over the ledge and as soon as we leveled out at the
top, I got out and didn’t do another trail of any sort for the next 2
years.
In The
Recent Past…Actually
at some point last month, I got the crazy idea that maybe I should go to
Jeep 101 and give trail riding another try. Two
weekends ago, at the Kicking the Pagans Out Of Texas party, I got the
nerve to ride with John again. I
figured if I was going to be driving at Jeep 101, I ought to at least
ride a little. I really can’t
tell you which trails we did (again, on most of the trails I was white
knuckled with my eyes squeezed shut) but I did manage to stay in the
Jeep for almost 15 minutes. On
one ascent (by the way, John was open on both ends because his ARB
compressor wasn’t working) he began the climb, but the mud was just
too slick to climb and he had to try and bump over the slick spot. That
was it, I was out of there. I
climbed to the top of the hill and waited there. John, however, was pretty happy that I made it that long in
the Jeep. On Sunday, John blew
out the rear end and I figured (with a minor sigh of relief) that I
wouldn’t be able to do Jeep 101. John,
however, had other plans. He
spent the week between September 27 and October 1 making sure that the
TJ was ready to go. Alas, Jeep
101 was back in my future.
 
In The Present…
Saturday
Okay, so, here we go
again. Our second trip to Barnwell
in as many weeks. The weather was
beautiful when we got to the mountain on Saturday. The wind had just a bit of chill to it,
the sky was blue and we had a good crowd.
We gathered at the Pavilion for the drivers meeting (my first), Todd
D. gave us some instructions and off we went.
Our first trail of the
day was a two diamond trail with just a few obstacles. A good trail for newbies. I really enjoyed it. I don’t remember the name of it,
probably because I was nervous to look at the sign. I stalled the Jeep a few times, but John
was calm and gave me good instructions and slowly I gained some confidence. Maybe
a little too much confidence. On
our second trail of the day (I don’t even remember the name), we came to
another minor obstacle. Okay,
everyone thought
it was minor. Jack Brinks was
spotting (let me just say, Jack Brinks rocks as a spotter!). John was giving me instructions from
inside. With two experienced guys
like that, it should have been a cake walk. Well, except for that confidence thing I had built up on the
first trail. John was telling me to
move right, Jack was waiting at the top for me to get to a point where I
needed him and I thought I was king of the world. Oops. Not so fast. I
told John, right didn’t feel right and instead turned the wheels left. Not such a good thing as it turned out. Left was an embankment, a steep
embankment, and as I got the wheels on the side, the Jeep started climbing,
the front end started going up, and pretty soon, I was in a bit of trouble. Like, my seat was in rocket liftoff
position. Well, even a newbie like
me knew THAT wasn’t good. I
slammed the brake and the clutch at the same time (still not sure how I
managed that) and the Jeep starting rocking.
Mmmm, maybe I should listen to the spotters now. Of course, I can’t see Jack anymore,
but those trees up there sure are pretty!
I have to give John a TON of credit at this point. He didn’t freak, even though his daily
driver was about to be a little squished (probably on his side!). He calmly told me to let off the clutch
and brake and let the Jeep roll backward.
I did and Wala! I could see Jack again! Jack was little paler than the last time I’d seen him a few
seconds ago, but was also calm.
Now, this time, he said, let’s try to right side. Okay!
He did point out to John that if I stalled it going up I was going to
fall to the right pretty hard.
No problem John said (Good ole John, calm in the face of me
potentially trashing his Jeep). So
here I go. John says, you may have
to double clutch it to get it up.
Okay I said, still pretty calm.
In hindsight I realize I had no clue was double clutching was. Maybe I shoulda asked? So I start up again, get to the right
(oh this feels much better!). Up we
go, the engine starts chugging and John tells me to do that double clutch
thing. Well, having no clue, I
stall it, the Jeep falls over into the rut on John’s side and Jack says I
was afraid of that. So, try three. Start
it back up. Begin the ascent yet again and what do
you know, I crawled right out! John
and I jump out to the look at the right front side (where Jack is currently
standing and shaking his head).
Fender flare? Who needs
fender flares? John finished what I
had started and threw the fender flare in the back. We went back and looked at what I had
just climbed. They showed me the
tire tracks of where I was the first time (that “interesting” left line)
and where I should have been (that oh so much easier right line). I learned a valuable lesson there. Newbies should ALWAYS have a
spotter they trust, AND they should always listen to their spotters! And after that, I did.
 
The rest of the trails that day
were relatively uneventful (nerve-racking for me, but otherwise uneventful)
until we got to Sierra’s Skyview. I
did the entry and the rest of the trail (which, by the way, is a very pretty
trail) and got to the exit.
Oh, this doesn’t look like fun at all! But, it’s Jeep 101 and I’m supposed to be doing this, so
I start the ascent. Of course, I’m
on the side where the ledges aren’t.
Part of the way up, I stall the Jeep (again). I’m shaking, my mouth is dry and I
REALLY don’t want to do this anymore.
I tell John we’re changing drivers.
He says okay and puts the parking brake on. It won’t hold. Crap. I’m gonna
have to drive up after all. John
tells me it’ll be fine, just do it. I
sit there on the easy side while the rest of the group goes around me. I’m still shaking as I look at the
line I’m supposed to take. Gee,
there’s a bunch of people standing right there.
I ask Jack to ask them to move.
Once the way is cleared, I start up. Unbelievably, John’s phone rings just as I’m restarting
the ascent. Smartly, John doesn’t
answer it this time. But what are
the odds of his phone ringing on the same hill at almost the same point? Amazingly,
up and out I go. John is laughing
and shaking his head. I’m just
shaking. But I did it. I actually did it.
Whew.
Next task –
Twister.
Yep,
Twister. Amazingly, I did it in 1 try, didn’t
stall, & even enjoyed it. What’s
the matter with me?
 
Sunday
Back at the mountain
after a good night’s sleep (I wonder why?) we meet up with the group at
Twister. We’re discussing which
trails to run and someone mentions Houston Creek. I’m thinking, what are you people, nuts? I’m like Linda Gail, On Any Sunday, We
Show? Any of those. What’s this Houston Creek nonsense? Jack says the only bad part is the drop
in. Yeah right. We get there and I go watch Tolan on the
descent and decide I’m not ready for prime time. John tells the group we’re backing out. Then he says do I want to passenger it? Okay,
maybe I’m ready for that. We
switch, he drives down and I actually keep my eyes open! What
is happening to me? Once we’re
down, we switch back. Horrors, now
I can say I’ve driven most of Houston Creek, including the bypass out.
Next? Linda Gail please, pretty please, pretty please with sugar on
top? Sure, but you’re leading! I’m what? Oh geez, me and my big mouth. So, which way is Linda Gail again? John directs me, we find it and I’m in the lead. Well, if you’re going to lead a trail
on your second day of driving Barnwell (ever), Linda Gail is a good one. Smarty pants John tells me that as trail
leader I’m supposed to give a narrative and maybe some history of the
trail. What? I’m still shaking from Houston Creek. You
want me to drive AND talk? Okay,
here’s a tree, there’s a tree and look up there’s sky. I’d
give you some history, but I don’t know any. I lead until we get to the part of Linda Gail that ascends to
the top of the mountain, where you’re supposed to go to the right to
continue. Of course, I’ve got no
clue so I just drive to the top and park.
Who’s next cause I’m done leading, thank you. Tolan says let’s do Desi Way down and
takes the lead. Yeah! That’s a nice one. Pretty scenery and lots of switchbacks
and no ledges or hard climbs. I’m
a happy camper! After that one,
Drew says let’s do Horseshoe Gulch.
Horseshoe Gulch? Never heard
of it, but okay, let’s go. Jack
leads, I follow Jack and John follows me, now on our two wheel drive ATV. I’m
all alone. I drive to the edge, get out and look
down. Oh, I say, this doesn’t
look too bad. As long as I line it
up and drop down straight in, no problem.
I think aliens have taken over my brain. I get in, get lined up and what do you know, actually drop in
nice and slow. Wow, that was even
kinda fun! Now I know I’m
possessed. Down at the bottom, I need Jack’s help
getting over a little ledge with a tree and it’s roots on the left side. No
stalls, no hesitation, I just drive right up. Jack
continues to the ascent. I watch. He goes to the left where there is a bit
of a ledge. I eyeball it for a
second and decide I’ll take the right.
No ledge. Cool. Just as I put the Jeep in gear, John
comes barreling up behind me. Wait,
wait! I stick my head out of the
window, holler back What? I’m
going to the right. And up and out I go.
I think the alien transformation is complete.
I have to give a great
big thank you to all of the trail leaders, guides, spotters and participants
of Jeep 101. It was a huge success. It
was great fun. I learned a lot. I don’t think you can ask for any more
than that.
Carnage for the
Weekend just on John’s Jeep
1 right side fender
flare removed by force
1 left side fender
flare now has a few less bolts holding it on
1 right side marker
broken
3 out of 4 tires with
a slow leak due to the trail debris stuffed in the bead
New rock rash on 3
out of 4 rims
Claw marks in the
steering wheel that may never come out
 |