Well, my family is leaving you all at the end of July for greener pastures. Northeastern Oklahoma in fact.
Arial view of Illinois River

Clayton OK Wheeling pic -->
Robber\'s cave area
Little Sahara State Park

We want to go on one last wheeling trip with you all before we go.July 2,3,4 should work out to be a good weekend to take off before the moving van comes. Barney Riley is MUCH easier now with the go around at the one nasty spot. Any stock 4x4 X w/o mudflaps and step rails could do it (provided at least some off-road experience).

Bob, what does this mean? You're not going? Hope all is well for you and your family.
You can count on me for a trip into BRT. In fact, we will be planting a rock for Chris about that time, might as well do it then.

I think he meant to say "My family and I are leaving you all at the end of July."

I hope you're right...
But, I'll still be there for BRT

I've been gone all weekend...
Yes, My family and I... :rolleyes:
Literalist: Olebiker
So yes, BRT is the plan so far, but I'm game for somewhere else if BRT is too far or too much for some folks. Any other suggestions? Let's hash it out a little.

From what I've seen on previous photos of BRT, it looks like the camping area is pretty exposed and offers little privacy. Is this a place where you'd want to spend 2 nights?

I'd much prefer to spend a couple of days on the Deer Valley trail, to be honest. Scenic forest, secluded campsites among pine trees, nice meadows and a stream to frolick in (if you can handle the water temperature!) The trail is awesome, too.

The only possible snafu is whether the snow will be melted enough by then...

Hmmm, that's right, Deer valley has that stream at the end (if its too high) of the trail. I keep hearing about that run and haven't done it yet. Snow huh? Anybody know how much snow there is right now? 3 weeks 'till then... there shouldn't be too much left.
Anybody else interested in going?

July 2nd & 3rd weekend is good. I was in fact thinking about posting a camping trip...on Hell Hole .

A few of us attempted last October... A tree blocking the trail preventing us to get to the fun part...

DV sounds good, but still the snow might be a problem... :rolleyes:

Actually, it's not at the end of the trail, it's at the mid-point. On one side of the stream, the trail is moderate. On the other side of the stream, the trail becomes more difficult.

I left a message with PG&E, who operates the Blue Lakes campgrounds at the northern entrance to the Deer Valley trail, to find out what the snow level is like up there, and if those campgrounds are even open yet. Hopefully I'll hear back from them soon. Since Lower Blue Lake is higher in elevation than most of the trail, if it's open, there's a high likelihood that Deer Valley is runnable.

Probably the only downside to running any trail that weekend is that it may be crowded, and we might have to hunt around for campsites if we have a lot of vehicles.

The start of the trail, from the North at Blue Lakes, is elevation 8040 (according to the Topo map). The snow depths can be monitored here . Deer Valley is a fun run and maybe by then, and with some of the clubs beating their way through, the trail will be free of snow. I'm up for it!

I just got a phone call from the recreation services department at PG&E. The Blue Lakes campgrounds are not scheduled to open until mid-July. The lady said the snow level is still quite deep there.

So, that means that the northern entrance to Deer Valley may not be accessible.

The only way to know for sure would be to scout it out the week prior.

Well, that leads us back to BRT. I know what the snow level is there: 0. The campground is really quite nice with trees and river a plenty (if we get the best one). The trouble is: everyone else will want to get it first, and unless someone goes up on Thursday, I doubt we'll get it (unless we really move... ) As for the scenery, look at these pics from Oct 2003: BarneyRiley 2003
It takes a good 3 hrs to get from the road to the campsite, and they are well spent hours that I wouldn't rather spend doing anything else.
Having said all that... I quite like snow, and I'd like to run Deer Valley if we can do it. One thing is definite: I'll be camping in the Sierra Nevadas July 4th weekend and y'all are welcome to join in.

We could always enter the Deer Valley trail from the Highway 4 side, camp, and then exit the way we came in.

- Matt

Bob's truck only has a t-bar-crank lift. I'm not sure it's equipped to run that part of the trail without significant assistance.

I'm in for either of these trails. I have never done Dear Valley, but would love to. As for BRT, I love that trail as well. If you chose BRT, I can get to the trail head early (say 7:00 am) and head in the get the good camp site. I might even be able to go up the day before. We shall see. Let me know.


Casper

The Sierras are supposed to get some rain this weekend. Hopefully it will help melt the snow, and Deer Valley will be runnable by July 4!

Hey, that just might do the trick to get the snow level down. I'm game if it looks like we can get in there.

Just so you know, its SNOWING up here.
I am over the whole snow thing, but thats just me.


Casper

P.S. I'm at 6500 feet.

I want to take this time to lay down the theme and mood for this outing:

1. This is a family outing. My wife and 9 yr old daughter and I, Dean and his wife, and Ken and his girlfriend are all fairly mellow campers. We aren't wanting a beer swilling stay up all night party trip.
2. BRT is ~ 3 hrs each way of fairly rigorous 4x4 required rocky trail.
3. We're quite a friendly bunch and if the above is to your liking, we'd enjoy your company.

Dang! So throwin' whiskey bottles in the air and shootin' 'em with me ol' 44 ain't gonna cut it?

Dang, what am I suppose to do at night around the camp fire. All I have left is cranking the heavy metal music and playing with a can of starter fluid and the fire. j/k.

Hey olebiker I'm in for a twilight run the night before. Should be interesting.


Casper

Hahahaha FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE...

Seriously though, twilight run sounds fun.
Oh yeah, Music while camping = pet peeve. Sorry, I guess I'm a bit boring that way.

What about DVD movies? hahaha OK, maybe not.

BTW, I looked at the elevation profile for the Deer Valley route. The highest point is indeed Blue Lakes. Huey and I are planning to scout the trail on Sunday, so we have an idea of whether it's doable or not in 10 days.

Sheeze Bob,
You're startin to scare the passengers here.

[/QB][/QUOTE]Sheeze Bob,
You're startin to scare the passengers here.[/QB][/QUOTE]

What... Farley... he's cool !

Recent Deer Valley Trail Conditions

This sounds discouraging:
John from the South Valley Trial Riders Club (who adopts this trail and has for the last 22 years) showed up and ran the trail with us. He said that based off what he has seen in the past it will be another month before someone breaks though the entire trail.

I guess we're going to BRT then.
So, Dean... what are you and Huey up to this weekend?

Probably not gonna go scout Deer Valley. Gotta call him back though. Check this thread out.

The Niagara Rim Trail is on Hwy108, just beyond Strawberry . <--click for map.

If Huey's interested or my truck is operational by Sunday (it's still sort of in various stages of disassembly), I may head out there and check it out...

Dunno, though.

dean,
have you heard much about the niagra rim trail? i know exactly where it is...driven by many times but didnt think it was much of a trail? what is it rated? i think i'll join you guys on this run...

FWIW we did a trail that left 108 just east of Longbarn and ended up at the Dodge Ridge Ski resort. It was a very simple 4 wheel drive, if not doable in 2 wheel. The trail is scenic with great views. It travels along Dodge Ridge overlooking Clavey River. Not sure if this is the same as Niagra or not..There are a ton of trails back in there..some are labelled 4wheel but who knows what that really means
Here\'s a shot of the trail sign
and the end of the trail

I thought that the Niagra Rim trail Dean was talking about was the trail difficulty of more than DV but easier than Rubicon?

I don't remember exactly where it was (maybe it's near Shaver Lake?)...I don't have my book with me right now to look up more details... :rolleyes:

Thanks XSAL,
I'd sure like to know more about this trail. Anyone have more info?

Oops. Sorry. After my previous post, I talked to Huey on the phone. He and Dean were on their way to scout Niagra Rim area... From what Huey told me, I was apparently thinking about another trail. (I still don't have my book with me. )

At least the trail is near Strawberry, Hwy 108.

I'm sure Huey and Dean can post their "discoveries" when they get back...

Ok, we're back...and in true Dean and Huey fashion we left late, didn't air down, and got home later than expected, but it was truly worth it!

The trail is actually an OHV and has a number of great trails with everything from fire roads, to moderate wheeling to some very hard-core wheeling! The Niagara Rim trail itself whould rate one notch above Deer Valley. I would think a moderately moddded Xterra should be fine, but a locker would be a nice to have as there are some very rocky and loose sections. The good news is that there are plenty of bypasses and trail access roads in the event that things get too rough.

Here are my pics for now. Will post more info later...I'm sure dean will post his thoughts also.

Cool... :rolleyes:

Q1 Did you guys run the entire Niagra Rim trail?
Q2 What was the elevation range?
Q3 Did you see any campgrounds?
Q4 Is it possible for more than 5 trucks (or however many trucks that would participate)?

Q1 Did you guys run the entire Niagra Rim trail?

No, there wasn't enough time, since we didn't get to the trailhead until about 3pm. Also, some parts of the trail were more difficult than we were willing to take on, given the lateness of the day. We did scout out a major portion of it, though. The trail has many "entry points" or bypasses. Basically, a graded forest service road runs nearby along most of the trail. There are various intersections along the trail where you can easily get to the bypass route.

Q2 What was the elevation range?

6900-8100 feet. The paved route (at the developed campground) ends at 6900 feet. The highest we got was 8100.

Q3 Did you see any campgrounds?

Yes.
1- Niagara Rim OHV campground, run by the forest service, is developed, and is located at the end of a paved route, just 5 minutes from the highway. It has 12 sites, pit toilets, picnic tables, and firepits (no fire permit required). No water or trash services, though. There's a nice creek that runs alongside the campground. Cost per site is $6. Some sites can accomodate as many as 5 or 6 vehicles, while others can probably fit only 2. No per-vehicle fees.

2- Many undeveloped sites on the actual Niagara Rim 4x4 Route. Primitive camping, no services; pack it in, pack it out. Fire permit required. No fees. As long as you're not on the road or on a sensitve alpine meadow (which are clearly marked) you can pitch a tent.

Q4 Is it possible for more than 5 trucks (or however many trucks that would participate)?

Most definitely, yes. In fact, the area offers a variety of trails suitable for 2WD, stock 4WD, and all levels of modified 4WD.

Here are my pics

Track Log

Pros:
* Huge network of trails to explore in that region
* Trailhead and developed campground is ~3.0 hours from San Jose
* Developed campground is 2WD and RV-friendly
* Developed campground is less than 20 minutes from hard-core wheeling
* Low campsite fee ($6, no per-vehicle charge)
* Wide range of trails suitable for all experience and equipment levels
* Primitive, no-fee camping easily accessible
* Great scenery

Cons:
* Easy access means this trail system may be crowded
* Access to trail requires travel via Hwy 120; Yosemite traffic may affect travel.

Nice write up Dean, thanks!
This is the same area we went into, only we were more to the north along Dodge Ridge. The EZ way to go. This area looks much more interesting

That is one nice campground, next to the lake and all

It's funny that eventhough both of you were taking pictures, Huey was taking all the action shots while Dean was into lake shots, the "red" flower and the artsy pics

What is that flower anyway?

I have no idea. And even my wife, who is a flower fanatic, didn't know either!

So, regarding the upcoming weekend, we could do BRT (as originally planned), or we could check out the Niagara Rim region. There are enough trails to explore that would definitely keep us entertained for the weekend! Which shall it be?

well, i'd be down for the niagra rim trail if i can ride along with one of you guys...my starter is out on my pathy but i can meet up with you guys along the way...

I'm in for either. I was planning on going in to BRT early to get us a good camp sight, but could probebly do that with the other trail as well.
Let me know.

Casper

Niagra Rim update on pirate: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=369196

Seems like it's pretty much open.

I think I'll pass on Niagra for the 4th. Seems like an awful lot of folks thinking the same thing. I would like to do in the future though. BRT doesn't draw quite the crowd. Although the river is still up so the rafters will still be coming down in hoards. I'm headed into BRT Friday eve for a twilight run.
Ya'll be careful and have fun!

Off hand I would guess it to be a Sarcodes Sanquinea, the Snow Plant.
Here\'s a link

That's what it's called. I've also wondered about that for a while now...

http://community.webshots.com/photo/148464826/148469385HLAAsW

I am interested in the Niagra Rim Trail if like you say, there are go-arounds for the harder stuff. I definitely cannot handle some of those rocky climbs without serious help. Did you see lots of other people on your scouting trip? I didn't see any other vehicles in your pictures. Maybe it won't be so busy. I'm up for either, but this Niagra Rim Trail system seems like it will keep us more entertained for the 3 days.

BTW,
Google now has Google Earth...
BRT example
Check out the realistic 3D view of BRT complete with Hot Spring, Markleeville, and Lake Tahoe.

It's the first pic in the album.
You have to download the image to read the text and really see how nice the image is. This is a computer generated 3D image based on USGS images.

The gate to accessing Niagara Rim was just opened last Thursday, and not many were aware it was open yet. Plus, we were there very late on Sunday, after most people had left the area.

We did encounter a small group of heavily-modified trailer-queen 'Zukis and Jeeps there, though.

For camping, there are basically two options:
1) Camp at the developed campground.
2) Camp remotely on the trail

Option 1 may require someone to arrive early to get a good campsite and pay the fee. The campground itself may be crowded, as there are only 12 sites.

Casper- how early were you thinking? I have Friday off work, so I could potentially leave Thursday night or Friday morning to get the best site, but Connie would have to come up later.

Option 2 means nobody needs to get there early to get a campsite, and there's no fee, either. we'd have to provide for all of our needs, including potty facilities. I can bring my portable PETT toilet, which affords no more privacy than squatting near a bush, but is much more sanitary.

How about we just head out to Niagra Rim trail developed campground but be prepared to camp in the middle of nowhere? (I personally prefer a middle-of-nowhere camping, though. ) Even if a site is available, we won't be too comfortable if our neighbors are very loud and acting crazy.

George... Are you planning to join this trip? If so, I'll pick up some firewoods to be cut... Josh, do you have a chainsaw?

Yep i'm planning for the trip but i'm not sure yet if i'll be able to go. I'll probably let you guys know tommorow if i'll make it or not.

Just bring the wood here in my place and we'll cut it. Thursday afternoon/evening will be fine.

I can head in whenever. If the group wants I will head out Thursday afternoon.(not sure where the trail head is yet, but I will mapquest it tomorrow). I don't mind camping in a sight or "primitive" I have a "Honey Pot"(portable toilet) as well. I don't usually bring it, so let me know if I need to.
My only vote would be to set up a camp for the weekend, unless this is the type of trail that doesn't let you do that(ie. start and finish far apart) If not that is ok as well.
Let me know if you guys want me to go in early, and XPLORx4 I would love the company.

XSAL, yes I have a chainsaw (have not used it in awhile, but I will fire it up tomorrow) I will plan on bringing it unless you tell me otherwise. I also have a Ca. fire permit, so now problem there.

Who all is going?

1. Casper (head in Thursday night to get camp?, out Monday?)
2.
3.
4.


Casper

I'll get some "stumps" from my "firewood supplier" and cut them up as much as George and I can...if George is still going as of Thursday evening. If that changes, your (Josh's) chainsaw will be needed.

Who all is going?

1. Casper (head in Thursday night to get camp?, out Monday?)
2. XSAL (Sat2Sun - 1-night camping...probably)
3.
4.

As much as I like camping & wheeling, I like my very comfortable bed to sleep in on Monday. :p

Who all is going?

1. Casper (head in Thursday night to get camp?, out Monday?)
2. XSAL (Sat2Sun - 1-night camping...probably)
3. Bob+Wife+9YrOld (Sat morning-Mon noon)
4.

Who all is going?

1. Casper (head in Thursday night to get camp?, out Monday?)
2. XSAL (Sat2Sun - 1-night camping...probably)
3. Bob+Wife+9YrOld (Sat morning-Mon noon)
4. Ken+GF (Sat morning-Mon). [Hoping you guys choose BRT.]
5.

So, how do I get to the trail head? I seem to not be able to find directions.
Thanks

Casper

Click here to see Google directions from Truckee to Dardanelle

Here\'s another map



Written directions

More trail maps

1. Casper (head in Thursday night to get camp?, out Monday?)
2. XSAL (Sat2Sun - 1-night camping...probably)
3. Bob+Wife+9YrOld (Sat morning-Mon noon)
4. Ken+GF (Sat morning-Mon). [Hoping you guys choose BRT.]
5. XPLORx4
6.

Josh-

It would really awesome if you could get in there early, and nab the best site(s) (#7 at the end of the campground is best, followed by #6).

Depending on how many trucks we'll have, we may need both sites.

I'd be able to come and keep you company on Friday if someone can give my wife a ride up on Saturday AM.

Sounds good. I will be heading out Thursday(tomorrow) sometime in the early afternoon. I will try to get camp site #7. Should I go ahead and get #6 as well? Might be a good idea. I will be leaving my "Honey Pot" at home. If anyone wants to get a hold of me let me know and I will pm you my cell phone #.

And thanks for the maps, I could not figure out what town the trail was by, and "Niagara Rim" does not work on map quest :rolleyes: .


Casper

P.S. If you can't make it up Friday, know problem. I won't be TOO scared all by myself in the woods j/k

Do that only if it looks like the campground will start to fill up. If you get there and the place is dead, don't bother spending the $$ for the additional site on Thursday night. Also, you probably don't need to pay for the entire weekend at once. I think you can pay as you go.

There is a possibility that after we get there, if our campground "neighbors" are rowdy and inconsiderate, we may go for the "backcountry" option.

I appreciate your willingness to get there early.

1. Casper (head in Thursday night to get camp?, out Monday?)
2. XSAL (Sat2Sun - 1-night camping...probably)
3. Bob+Wife+9YrOld (Sat morning-Mon noon)
4. Ken+GF (Sat morning-Mon). [Hoping you guys choose BRT.]
5. XPLORx4
6. SLOMatt+dog+?? (through sunday morning)

I'm 90% sure I'll be heading up. The plan is to arrive on Friday night (possibly on Saturday morning) and to head back down the hill on Sunday. Dean, are there any options for a night run? I want to try out the IPFs. Oh, and do you know if dogs are allowed in the campground?

- Matt

Matt! You're bringing your dog, eh? Well that should be fun! I hope Mini and your pooch get along!

Yeah, the campground allows pets but they "must be restrained on leash." :rolleyes: Uh huh. I guess how strictly we follow that rule depends on how crowded the campground is.

There are lots of possibilities for night runs. We can decide what to do when we get there.

Just checked the Pirates board for last minute up date on who there might be going into Niagra Rim. Looks like there may be a crowd. You're smart getting in early...enjoy!

Just ran across this site with some pretty good pics of Niagra. Looks fun!

I have seen the Pirates forum. They are a whole different crowd that I don't want to be around. Let's just find a place to camp somewhere other than the campground.

FYI, this location is not near the campground, it's on the trail. On this map the quoted location is at the intersection of the green and yellow trails to the left of Lions Butt "Playground". I'm not sure how many Pirate guys in the overbuilt buggies will actually use the developed campground, since their tow-rigs and trailers won't fit there. Plus, the hard-core stuff they'll be playing on is about 20 minutes' drive from the developed campground.

I do agree with you, though, that I don't care much for the behavior or attitudes of the guys who drive those super-built buggies. They're often inconsiderate, disrespectful, and think they own the trails. Hopefully they won't turn out en masse.

So I am still planning to head up tomorrow. I will get a camp site and if we decide not to use it that will be fine. You never know, they might be a nice group of people :rolleyes:
Anyway, I will also bring my "Honey Pot" just in case. I will check back here tomorrow before I leave(around noon) If there are any changes please let me know.


Casper

1. Casper (head in Thursday night to get camp?, out Monday?)
2. XSAL (Sat2Sun - 1-night camping...probably)
3. Bob+Wife+9YrOld (Sat morning-Mon noon)
4. Ken+GF (Sat morning-Mon). [Hoping you guys choose BRT.]
5. XPLORx4
6. SLOMatt+dog+?? (through sunday morning)
7. Jean and sis Di (Sat am to Sunday or Monday)

Hey Bob, shall I bring my BLUE kayak?? Thanks to your encouragement I finally got one.

You're kidding around, right? (There's no kayakable water nearby where we're camping.)

Really, none? Because I'd be willing to drive to a lake. I've brought my kayak on the truck while wheeling before, no problem.

Ken, you want to bring yours too?

Dean and/or Huey,
Is getting to the trail head/campground from the highway easy and well marked?

Dean,
Only way that I can think of for Connie to come to the campground on Saturday AM is to get a ride from George...if he's still planning to join the trip...and if George's driveway has enough space to have one car parked while his xterra gets by. ('cause George will be back to his home Sunday evening, and you guys will be coming home on Monday.) Or, if Matt is leaving Saturday morning from San Jose area. :rolleyes:

Josh,
Please bring your chainsaw...if you have the space for it. I still don't know what size firewood my friend can give me...until this evening. I doubt that firewood would be brought to the campground as ideal size to burn.

Ken,
It looks like the trip is being organized to go to Niagra Rim to me...

Hi Huey, good to hear from you. Niagara Rim is fine with me. There may be some sections I may bypass due to my lack of rock sliders. Looks fun though.

Gary (olebiker), wish you were headed this way too.

Robinhood (Steve), are you going as well?

Ken

It looks like the closest accessible lake is Beardsley Lake , about 1/2-hour drive from Niagara Rim, close to Strawberry . Could be a good alternative to off-roading, though.

Yes, see this link

What time are people plannning to leave? Should we do a caravan from Pleasanton?

If Connie needs a ride Sat morning, we can take her. We're leaving EEEarly. Prolly 7

Sorry guys i have to pass on this one. Any last minute changes i'll let you know.

No problem, chainsaw is packed. Hope it still works :rolleyes:
I think I need a bigger truck My X is PACKED, but then I am gonna be gone for 5 days :p See you guys at camp.


Casper

No
I hate fighting holiday crowds plus my wife just got back from Japan so I think she'll want me around. Next time Ken. Good to see you're still reading xoc.

Err.... Bring her along with you, maybe? Crowds in the Sierras are nothing compared to any crowds in the bay area...or Japan.

Wow... You or your wife must have a VERY good "packing" skills... My truck gets full just from mine and Catheirne's...

Ummmm... That would depend upon what's planned to do, I guess. Since I'm planning to be there for only Sat. & Sun., I'd like to run the "fun" trail either Sat afternoon or Sun. morning/mid-day. That means, I can (I think) arrive at the campground around noon or 1 PM. That means, I can leave South Bay about 8+ AM.

CB Ch.22 & FRS Ch.8.0 ...How's that?

I guess we don't really know who's leaving what day and what time? Let's see...

Leaving on Thursday (or already left)
1. Casper

Leaving on Saturday
1. XSAL+Wife
2. Bob+Wife+9YrOd
2. Ken+GF
3. Jean and sis Di (?)
4. Ka0tik

Leaving on ???
1. XPLORx4
2. SLOMatt+dog+??

Bob... Go ahead and take off early if you'd like... It's your family vacation.

I'm going to be (tentatively just because we tend to be late) at...
0830 Safeway on Mission Blvd between I880 & I680 in Fremont
0900 McD at Santa Rita exit off of I580 in Pleasanton
1200 Strawberry area

So, if anyone wants to join us drive up...let me know...

Oh, well 0900 McD at Santa Rita exit off of I580 in Pleasanton sounds good. We'll meet you there/then. I like to caravan, it makes the ride more interesting.

I could probably get her to go, except we're also dog sitting and there's no way I'm bringing 3 dogs in my 4runner, especially one as hairy as a golden retriever. It'd be worse than pismo sand in the carpet!

Have fun guys.

As things turn out, I may be joining the gang.
Hope to leave before noon Friday and return Sunday.
See ya'll somewhere!

Hey, glad to hear you're coming Gary. Boy is it going to be a big group.

That's great that you bought a kayak. I don't remember what I said, but I'm glad it helped.

I plan to just throw mine up there and see if we have a chance to use it. Probably on Monday on the way out at Donnell lake is when/where. The only bummer is that although we have fit (get this) all 3 of us on/in it, that was a couple years ago, and Elizabeth is 9 not 7 now. We'll see... Nannuk of the north am I

Clicky:
Nanook is composed of vignettes from the...ior of a kayak.

I created another Google Earth 3-D view of Niagra Rim Trail w/ lake and Hwy 88
You really get an idea of what you're going to be driving on. I marked the Fire road (loosely) in white line.

I'm bored at work... Can you tell :rolleyes:

Maybe you should just go home, pack and take off tonight.

We'll meet the group at McD's Sat at 9am. Looking forward to this trip! (dare I mention kayaks again?) oh, just saw your latest post Bob. So I'll bring mine also.

Huy, Matt, and I (+ family) are leaving tonight, possibly around 7pm. We are hoping to be at the campground no later than 10:30pm.

Man, I hope there are enough campsites to fit us all!

Great run! A mix of carnage (albeit not too bad) and exploring new areas. Nice to meet new people and see the rest again. Sorry I didn't get the chance to say good-bye to everyone, especially Bob, Clarice and Elizabeth. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

Here\'s a few pictures

You bet we'll keep you posted with the move, new home, and new job. We had a really great time on the trip. The trails were hard and fun, the group was really good to be with as always, and the views were spectacular. Monday morning, we did finally make it up to the Lake overlook and even hiked down to the lake for a visit. Traffic going home was surprisingly light. I was expecting more like a 6 hr drive back with crawling bumper to bumper traffic, but it wasn't bad at all.

See the Niagra Rim Pictures That I took. Thank you all for making it a good last trip to the Sierras for us.

Forgot to upload the pictures...

Here are pictures that mostly taken by Catherine...

http://community.webshots.com/album/390551912KfxFtL?889

http://community.webshots.com/album/390565029oNuApP?347

As usual, please let me know if anyone wants higher resolution pictures.

Hey, thanks for taking pictures of us at the creek. I'll be downloading those when I get home. We sure had a good time with you all.



-Bob and family.

Doh, forgot to upload mine also.

http://www.blankwhitepage.com/gallery/niagrarim_20050701

Highlight #1: Jalopy getting towed


Highlight #2: Dean directing traffic.


Highlight #3: 10+ minute exposure of the stars


- Matt

Hate seeing your rig like that!
Like a trailer queen gone bad!!

Whoa, wait a minute here...you can't just post a pic like that and not tell the story. What happened to the jeep? And also, what happened to the xterra with the tire off?

Bwaaaaaaaahhhaa... Where is Josh?

OK, here's a summary:

On 9pm Friday night, 3 miles east of Madera on Hwy 120, Matt's JGC gets a check-engine light, then immediately overheats. The PS pump pulley had cracked and fell off the pump, and since the JGC uses a single serpentine belt, he had to get towed back home. (He drove his other car up the next morning to join us, though.)

On Saturday afternoon, I drove my Pathy through a stream crossing a little too fast, causing several fan blades on my newly-installed electric fan to break off.

While I attempted to perform emergency repairs back at camp, the rest of the group went 'wheeling, and Josh bent a tie-rod adjuster, then later slashed a sidewall. The volcanic rocks in that region are sharp!

This trip resulted in the most carnage (# of incidents) we've ever had on an Xcursion. (Let's hope it stays that way!)

Dean is spot on, except it was 10pm.

About 4 miles outside of Manteca I heard a short "buzz", 5 seconds later my temperature shot up, lost power steering, and then the engine died. When I pulled over and popped the hood we found out that the pully on the power steering pump had failed, taking out the single belt which also drives the alternator, a/c, fan, and water pump. When the belt broke the cooling system stopped working, the temperature shot up, and the ECU shut down the engine to prevent damage.

Dean towed me the 4 miles back into town with his tow strap and then I called AAA. After a interesting tow truck ride Bandit and I made it back home at about 1:00am and then set out in my Subaru the next day.

I installed a nice new PS pump and pully last wekeend and am good to go.

What fun! Thanks again to Dean, Connie, and Huy for helping out and waiting for the truck to arrive.

- Matt

And I replaced the fan blades in my electric fan. In the future, I will definitely be turning them off during any kind of water crossing!

Sorry, I've bean a little backed up with work.
Dean did indeed sum it up well. It was a great trip, with some interesting carnage. Thanks to everyone for the help replacing (and supplying) my bent tie rod adjuster, and then the tire. As for my X, LesSwabb replaced the tire, no questions asked for free and I got it realigned. Not that I had to, the teck said it was still dead on. Good job guys.
Note to anyone who has the stock steering on a lifted X: Although I have run the stock system for a while without problem, when it bent I was not doing anything that extreem. I would suggest that you replace it as soon as you can afford it. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the invite guys. It was a great trip and a nice little vacation for me. Great to meet those of you I hadn't before, and see those of you I know. I look forward to the next run, I may even have my new SS by then, but you can be sure I will have a few Tie rod adjusters. :p


Casper

Breaking belts must be contagious. After the sourgrass trip I've been looking into new belts for mine.

Plus everything happens in 3s...who's next?

I think I've got that covered already. (I broke 2 belts on the Sourgrass weekend, and Matt's was #3.)

better late then never right?

Didn't get many pics, but there are some of the dam and tree.

It was good seeing you guys again and meeting those I hadn't bumped into before. I am looking forward to a trip to BRT.

By the way, I acquisitioned a new trail rig. It's a 2000 4Runner with a 5-speed manual and factory e-locker. The black truck has been sold.



I am looking forward to starting over with a new platform. Shorter wheelbase =

Ken

Very clean 4Runner...

So, where do you start? Solid front axle?

The A-arms are being cut off as we speak. (not really)

Immediate plans include a 2.5" lift (4 OME coils & shocks), 32 or 33" tires and rock sliders in place of the existing running boards. Thank goodness it already has the locker; I am too lazy to do another e-locker retrofit.

A set-up like this wouldn't bother me a bit:


Eventually I would like lower transfer case gears, bumpers F&R and of course the TRD supercharger

Let's meet up again soon...

Nice Ken, So join us here!

Hi Guys,
Well, I'm here in Oklahoma. It was a long trip, but we didn't have any problems with the X pulling the Olds. It ended up the dolly did not have brakes, but that was OK. It did get dicey in Oklahoma city where the trafic suddenly stopped ahead of us. My wife was driving, and after locking up the brakes without slowing down much, she realized we weren't going to stop so she quickly took the offramp. Crisis avoided thankfully.

Soooo, who want's to come over and go wheeling with me? C'mon... anybody?

Have fun wheeling in CA.

Your wife is a cool chick! Good reflexes and knits too...Glad you made it out there OK
We'll miss you here and there could even be a time we'll be passing through your way and stop by!
Enjoy your new life out there!