TurtleTruck wrote:
I hope to make it out to the Hammers this weekend. It is not 100% because I am working on a huge project at work and am sick as well. #-o
If I can make it I will probably know by end of day Wednesday, Thursday at the latest. I am hoping to be well enough to go, and then take Friday as a comp day for all the overtime I will be working Monday and Tuesday. Time will tell...
The Tin Benders will be there, and the So Cal Big Dawgs!
If you want to wheel at the Hammers, please remember (from
here):
TurtleTruck wrote:
Participants must be prepared for body damage and breakage (can you say tools and spare parts?) and rigs must be double locked, low geared, and have large tires (minimum 35's for Toys, Jeeps, and Broncos, minimum 33's for Sammys).
However; if you just want to come out and check things out, hike the trail or maybe find a seat to ride along, that is great too!
thebeeter wrote:
we are running some new trail on fri. if you want to join us.
dont know the name or anything about the trail so it should be fun
im just inviting you so you can follow me and pick up all my expensive spare arts that fall out of my truck.... again ](*,)
chris
TurtleTruck wrote:
Thanks for the invite Chris...
Yes, a less honest person could make a pretty good living just following you around to see what falls out of your truck. #-o
TurtleTruck wrote:
soksniffer wrote:
Do you know if anyone will be doing any of the "easier" Hammers trails on Saturday?
This post, from
here is an "easier" trail that you would enjoy. I don't know any more info about it. As far as the official "Hammer" trails, there is no such thing as an "easier" one of those!
chvyhs wrote:
The Big Dawgs will be out at the Hammers doing the Fissure Mountain Trail. (Did I spell that right?) October 14 for Big Dawg Safari. You are all invited. Mybe we can get a group out to do Crowbar again. I won't have my Formula 4 on wheels till next summer but I can fill a passenger seat and do some spotting. \:D/
thebeeter wrote:
us big dawgs are doing the fissure mtn. trail. on sat.
im guessin it will be a little easier than clawhammer
chvyhs wrote:
soksniffer wrote:
Do you know if anyone will be doing any of the "easier" Hammers trails on Saturday?
From what I was told about this trail; you should be fine on it. Our guys that did the prerun said they were in 2wd most of the time and there was only one tight spot. I was also told that there is supposed to be some side chutes for the guys that want to get twisted up and entertain the rest of us.
soksniffer wrote:
Well, I've put in for the day off so I plan on being there. What time do you intend to leave for the trailhead?
thebeeter wrote:
i think 9 am on sat. but the way our club moves i would geuss closer to 10
bring wood
TurtleTruck wrote:
It looks like I will be at Means by early afternoon on Friday. \:D/
I will post up if anything changes.
I will absolutely be stopping by to visit the Big Dawgs!
If anyone is looking for me I should be in Benderville! :chug:
chvyhs wrote:
It was nice to see you two out there. Our Saturday run was cold and drizzly. Sunday was a hard run up Clawhammer. I've never seen that trail look that bad. One K5 ripped the steering box off the fame and another broke his steering ram. It probably took us 5 hours to run that trail so I didn't get home till 11:30 last night.
Wilson,
I heard more than a few people describe your Bronco as the cow. #-o
Nice see you on the trail.
TurtleTruck wrote:
I had a great time!
I arrived Friday about 2:30PM to beautiful weather, set up camp and went to watch the Trail Gear guys and a few locals go up a new buggy trail called Chocolate Delight (?). What an amazing trail, full of big rocks and big holes to fall into, then a very steep climb out on more big rocks... buggies only!
After dinner the main group (all buggies) wanted to do a "speed run" night run up Wrecking Ball and down Clawhammer! I really want to do Wrecking Ball, but not at night trying to keep up with buggies, so I recruited Shawn (Survey Boy) and John from Trail Gear (both with full bodied rigs, not buggies) to do a night run up Clawhammer.
We had a very enjoyable run. No problems and lots of rocks! At the top we were treated to a light show as lightening lit up clouds to the east. The moon was down and the stars were awesome!
I was proud of our round trip time of 2 hours until the buggies returned a little over an hour later... in just over 3 hours round trip they had gone (change of plans) up Sledgehammer, down Jackhammer North, and up Wrecking Ball! :clap:
:tbsup: :bow: :chug:
Those guys are on a whole other level.
That night the stars went away and it started to rain a little. Intermittent big drops. Everyone covered up their seats and I put on my doors...
(to be continued)
TurtleTruck wrote:
Troy from Calmini and Eric from Yotamasters had arrived Friday night about 10 PM and did Upper and Lower Big Johnson with Chris Geiger and John from from Trail Gear. I was too tired and glad I didn't go. They didn't get back until 2AM. Nice job Troy! I know you are proud of doing that trail! :tbsup:
Friday night was windy, but not bad for Means Dry Lake... the big intermittent rain drops continued until early morning.
The day dawned to dark skies and a threat of rain.
Andreas from Calmini arrived Saturday morning.
I still wanted to do Wrecking Ball, but it would have probably lived up to its name and done major damage to Andreas' full bodied 4Runner (with the top on).
Rather than do Wrecking Ball with just 2 rigs Shawn and I decided to do Clawhammer again with Troy and Andreas. Eric joined us also.
It was cloudy, dark, and spitting rain...
This was my first time up Clawhammer in the daylight, so it was nice to see what the trail looked like, and be able to play on alternate obstacles!
We had no problems and were up in less than 3 hours. It would have been quicker but a guy in an FJ40 had broken a rear pinion shaft and was blocking the trail... We helped him off of the ledge he broke on and that cleared the trail. He and his buddy turned around and went down the trail and made it out OK.
It was cold, windy, and looking like more rain so we headed for the shelter of the ARCA rocks to get out of the wind and have lunch.
After lunch, just as we decided to go do Aftershock the clouds dropped and it was obvious that we were in for more rain. We headed back to camp on the lakebed and it started to rain enough to need windshield wipers...
Back at Means the lakebed was wet enough for the first 3/8" to be muddy and the mud stuck to the soles of your boots and turned them into Herman Munster boots!
It was raining just enough to be miserable. Troy, who was camping in a camper shell, Eric, who was in a tent, and Andreas, who was planning on sleeping in the back of his 4Runner (with half doors) decided to head for home. A good decision at the time...
Wilson stopped by to say hello before heading out. He had done Fissure Mtn Trail with the Big Dawgs.
Chevyhs came by to check out the buggies. It was good to see him again!
I wondered if it would clear up in a couple of hours and yes, by 3:30 it started to clear. By 4 PM it was clear and sunny with big fluffy clouds floating about! \:D/
Things dried up fast. The Tin Benders headed over to do Chocolate Delight and I went over to watch. It is amazing what their buggies can do!
Tim Florian took an insane line and ended up parked almost on top of Dave Cole who had broken a front carrier bearing mount on his front driveshaft. For Dave to be pulled backwards we had to winch Tim over on his driver's side tires almost to the point of flopping over. It was a wild recovery! Dave limped back to camp and Tim finished the trail.
After dinner one of the guys used his satellite to get a Pay-per-View Ultimate Fighting match and projected it onto the tailgate of a toy hauler trailer! That was amazing!
Sunday dawned clear, calm, and beautiful. Unfortunately I needed to get home so I left about 10AM...
A great trip! The Hot Rod ran great and I was able to acclimate back to the Hammers, ready for the season!
No Ron, I didn't get any pictures... 
Troy wrote:
nice right up on the trip mark
yes upper and lower johnson was a butt kicker, probably a good thing it was dark, would have turned around if i could have seen what i was gettin into, big rocks with deep holes that you just fall into, had to winch a few times to get thru, well worth it though, i think that is trophy trail,
really good trip had by all
would like to thank mark for leading us around as always thanks mark
appreciate it thank you
Rocksurfer wrote:
Sounds like you had a great time!
