Anyone interested in getting together soon for some wheeling? I am up for Spider Lake or Gilbert, or even some other places closer to the cities like Roy's. The only weekends I can't go are the 21st and July 4th. I'm even up for something this weekend if anyone is available. Kjed, WesternBrewer? Is there anyone else close to the cities?

-Tim

{edited to add}

Tom, I just saw your post about last weekend. Unfortunately I was also out of town last weekend. If you're up for something this weekend, let me know.

I'd love to Tim, but I think all my weekends are booked up until after the 4th. I'll keep reading the posts though because if I can get out of anything I'll be trying to catch up with you.

Matt

I may be up for something this weekedend. Let me check my schedule. Spider Lake has closed some of its trails to 4x4s. It's not worth it until more open. Gilbert is a good time. Roy's isn't bad either,but certainly not on par with Gilbert. I think some MN Jeep guys may be going up this weekend to Gilbert. I often go with them,but they are so hard core. I end up watching more than I like.
Anyone else? Isn't their some catering chef guy from Burnsville who wheels?
Tom

Tom, just let me know if you're free. Gilbert is about 3 hours away right? Not sure how far spider Lake is, but I just checked the DNR and it says all the trails are open (with no off-trail riding). If we went up to either of those, would you be camping? I'm up for anything. I may be picking up a set of 32s from a guy on the MN-Jeep board tomorrow.

I'd need to get a registration sticker if we went to Gilbert or S.L. right? Thats about $35 i think (almost twice as much as an atv sicker so we can ride on 1/10th of the trails )

I would be just as content going to Roy's, seeing as its closer and less expensive, but I definitely want to get up to the other places too.

Guys,

I'm not sure yet, but I might be able to go now. I'll have to wait and see, so don't count me in just yet. However, I found this on the DNR website:
I think you have to call to make sure you can run this trail, but I'm sure it's open to trucks at least part of the time. There is a local wheeling club that goes there occasionally - I remember reading about them in the paper here last year. It also looks like there may be a couple other forest service roads in the region, but I don't have exact locations. (And it would be pretty close).

I'm in. The question is where? I'm always up for new places. Is this snake river place any good? I'll try and call them tommorrow.
Tom

I have never driven the trail. I was too chicken to venture down it alone. The article in the paper showed some pretty beefy, jacked up trucks running it, so I imagine it can be challenging.

The snake creek trail sounds great to me. I'm just hoping for something more challenging than what we saw in Hayward (although I didn't get to see that hillclimb the two of you went on).

When and where do we want to meet, assuming the trail is open to us?

I have another guy in a stockish 97 Cherokee that is going to go as well. Matt, so you have seen the trail?(just not driven it) I'd hate to go and find out it's just a gravel road. :rolleyes: A secondary plan would be to go to Roys if this place sucks. The're both in the same general direction anyway.
Ona side note, I bought a new manual winch. This isn't that pile you buy from Wal Mart. It weighs about 25lbs and has 30' of line.
http://www.wyeth-scott.com/
It's the real deal for you guys who don't want to buy an electric winch.
Tom

Tom,

Yes I have seen the trail. It looked pretty rough, and the reason I didn't drive it was because of the mud I had seen from pictures in the paper. The trail can't be more than a few feet above the Mississippi - just South of Wabasha. I'm sure it will be lacking the rocks that I know Tim and I like. I can't vouch for large hills either, but from what I saw it would provide plenty of challenge with the twisty, off-camber bumps and rolls. I will try to call this afternoon and see what I can find out about it too.

How much was the winch? I saw one advertised at a hardware store somewhere (forget where) for about $100. That seems super cheap to me, but I'm just curious what a decent winch runs (and I can't afford $6000 - $10,000 for a big huge electric one).

Matt

Matt, since I got my bumper, I've been looking at this Milemarker electric winch for a little over $400 M ilemarker winch . I've heard good things about it from people in this board who've bought it. Only drawback is you need a winch bumper, or a front receiver hitch with a winch mounting plate (which I was contemplating before I got the bumper).

-Tim

Wow, thanks Tim. If I decide to keep my Xterra I will probably be getting a new bumper. Besides, my dad just got a new welder and and thought he wanted to try making a few bumpers (his truck, my mom's, mine), so if I do that I would be able to incorporate a winch. I figured to get a good one I'd be out some really serious jack, but $400 "ain't bad".

Now for the bad news. According to the DNR, the Snake Creek trail is just for ATVs and bikes. The lady said she thought there were some private trails around there to run (which may coincide with the sign I saw to call about info when I was there last fall). However, I can't find any information on them - everything looks like info for bicycles. The Rochester Rough Riders club in town wasn't answering either and their info message hasn't been updated for 5 months.

So, I'm really sorry to get you guys excited about this trail, but I don't know if it would be a good option. I think it would certainly be challenging, but it might be illegal. If I had my shit together more I might have had the number to call about a possible private trail, but I can't find any numbers and won't have time to run to Wabasha before the weekend. If I find anything out I'll post it here.

I called the DNR as well and got the same answer. I do know there our trails down there that people go on. I just don't know where they are at. I'm trying to find out more about trails in Backus,MN. Some guys have gone up there. I emailed and will see if I get any info. Roy's or Gilbert are optins. I know the sticker for Gilbert is $35, but it is good for 2 years.
Msny guys carry that manual winch along with their electric as a back up. It has a 8000lb rating and is easy to use. It's $125 on their site. Maybe I'll even get to use it this weekend. I'll let you guys check it out this weekend.
Tom

Wish I was going with ya guys. Going to Black River Falls in two weeks though, solo. BTW, Tom I have a cool pic of your Liberty on the logs. I tried to send it, but your mailbox is full. EMPTY YOU MAILBOX!!!!, Just Kidding Tom I will send it to ya monday.
There is a link on here somewhere on this website using the power puller. They pulled a Tacoma (sound familar!!)up a 45 degree Mudhole, good winch.
Guys have fun wheelin', Gator

Ok, so snake creek is out then? I'm ok with either Roys or Gilbert, although if we go to Gilbert, I'd probably drive up tomorrow night, wheel on Saturday and drive home Sat. evening (I have stuff to do on Sunday). Matt, would you be able to go to Gilbert or is that too far? Roy's is around the same area as Snake Creek. Could be really muddy from the rain today and tomorrow. Tom let us know what you find out today.

-Tim

Tim,

Don't you mean you'd be going tonight? Tomorrow is Sat. - I think....

I think Gilbert is going to be a little too far for me this weekend. Please don't change plans for me either because I'd likely just go for a few hours (afternoon) if I go. I was hoping to make some beer this weekend too.

If you guys go North, I'll probably try to get over to Wabasha and investegate some trails around there. I'll try to find out who owns land that we could run another time. If you go to Roy's I'd probably try to meet you for a few hours. But like you I had some stuff I wanted to get done this weekend, so I can't go too far or too long.

Right! That's been happening to me a lot lately. I keep thinking its earlier in the week than it is, which is nice because all of a sudden the workweek is over.

Anyhow, that sounds good. I guess I'll just wait to hear what Tom says.

-Tim

I think Roys(Northfield,MN)is the place to go this time. I did get info on Backus. It's about a 3 hr trip from the cities. It looks like a good spot to. I think we need to plan a trip to go.
Let's meet at Hardees at 10:00am. If your going please sign in!
Directions for Roys:(also called the gravel pits)
Take 35w south, get off on MN-19, at the bottom of the ramp take a left. Stay on this till you get into Northfield. There will be a Hardees on the right. (this is the gathering spot)
Go south on Hwy 3 (from the 19 and 3 intersection in Northfield where the Hardees is) app 2.8 miles to county road 20. You'll know you're at CR20 because the 4 lanes on Hwy3 go into only 2 lanes right at that point. Turn left on CR20 and go app. 5.7 miles to 29 (hard to see the sign until you're right on top of it). Around that point if you look off to the left you can see the area. Turn left on 29 and you're there!
Roy owns the pits, and before you start playing around, please drive up to the first farm on the right and pay him $10 per Jeep for the day, or $35 per Jeep for the year.
Tom

Deal, I'll be there.

Cool. I'll plan to be there around 10:00 then.