ChevyKev
18 Nov 07, 05:04 pm
After having to bow out due to Kris being sick, I myself didn't feel well Saturday.
I spent the frist few hours of the day in bed with a migraine headache, and taking medicine the rest of the day to fend it off. Worked outside on a few things, then went in and took a nap around 6:30.
About 7:30 Kris woke me up and said Ron was on the phone and they were still on the back loop, had two broken trucks, and were running low on gas.
I called George thinking he could drive with, but his Jeep is having issues so he said to pick him up and he'd ride along.
Posted up "Supply Run Now" thread and left out to load some equiptment and gas cans. Got a call from Matt (99TJ) who needed to check with the other half and fix his seat - but would most likely go with us. Got George and some more gas cans to fill and headed to Sourdough when I got a call from John(Diesel Power.) We all met at my place about the same time and headed out.
Along the Eielson runway Stephan (ColdTaco) called and offered to come out if we needed it.
Right before Birch Lake, incredibly enough, we heard folks chatting on the FRS radios - Ron was coming in loud and clear. So we told him we were on the way, and were amazed at the clarity we had in that conversation, from that far away.
We got to the trailhead and John had wondered how his rig would do. I told him it would probably be fine until the paly hill, maybe farther. Drivingin on the hard packs snow was no problem. We avoided most of the ruts as our mission was to deliver supplies, not take timeto play.
We stopped at the top of the first big downhill and I discussed the trail some more. Asked John how he was doing and he said his truck was doing great - so we pressed on. The ruts on that hill - even in the actual trail and not the side play area - are much rougher than I remember.
Crossing the creek I broke through right by the far side, but just rotten ice, no water flowing underneath.
John broke through even more - something about a heavy diesel...
Got to the play hill without incident and I discussed "Kyle's hill" steep, loose rocks, then an icefield with a right turn.
Coming up out of the quarry area Matt said he thought that was the hill and thought "that was no big deal"
Then we actually got to Kyle's hill (it should be named Kyle's hill until someone else's rig spends over 4.5 hours trying to get up it. :whistle:)
I got to the turn and my tires started spinning and I thought - this is gonna be ugly - but the power switched from one side of my open diffs to the other and I pulled up and around with no problem.
We noticed that the headlights had stopped behind us, and George headed that way on foot. Meanwhile I remembered that last time I did this run my battery wasn't secure, so I ratchet-strapped it in and headed down. About the time I headed that way Matt made it up and past the hill. He said it took 5 or so tries.
So we headed down to watch the Diesel Power Show - his first attempt he almost ended up in the ditch to the inside - sliding on the ice. I went down to suggest a different line and lost my balance so went into a second base slide - and stopped 30 feet later! They said Matt (who was behind me) his fall was much more comical, feet flying in the air.
I was sliding and trying to dig my feet in to stop and couldn't and thought "How did I drive up this???"
After we got back on our feet and up the hill, Johns second attempt got him just shy of the corner. So he backed way down the hill and powered up it to triumphat cheers. It was a pretty cool trip up that hill. On the trip up we noticed drippingoil - then found that John's fornt diff yoke seal was the culprit - he said it has been bad for a while.
Then came the upper hill - twisty turny steep, loose rocky sections here and there.
At one point I got sucked off the trail and drove sideways for a bit but she climbed back out and we kept going.
It was a really fun trip up to the top.
It is much harder of a challenge to drive up that hill in the dark and with snow hiding the trail.
We had a blast.
Shortly after the first overlook pull-out, the two groups met. 5 gallon gas cans were handed out, stories started being told, and we eventually turned our 3 vehicles around and headed down.
Ole said, "Kevin can tell you - when I call, everything is broke!"
George said "Better tell him it's time to upgrade to a Chevy!"
On the way down, at the top of Kyle's hill, we stopped for a coffee break.
At the trial head airing up snacks were handed out.
The cofffee and snacks came via Mrs ChevyKev and Mrs Jackrabbit.
At one point someone asked if this counted as an official trail ride - I said "Absolutely."
Then after the big long twisty hill we stopped briefly and I said -
"Now this classifies as an official trail ride."
Matt's response "Oh, what'd ya break?" (Doh!)
At the trailhead Matt and his friend needed to take off.
I dropped George off at the DUI lot so Derek could take him home.
John had given Ole a ride back, and they stopped by my place to grab my trailer, binders and chain.
I got in a little after 2AM. In bed by 4, up at 8:15.
Short night, good times, good folks.
When I got in I had a PM form HillbillyDodge saying he would have his phone on until 2AM and call him if we needed.
Another prospect with a generous offer.
I'm Glad I didn't completely miss Jake's Run!
From what I know of Jake,
he was the kind of guy that would have been there driving supplies out on the spur of the moment when needed.
I spent the frist few hours of the day in bed with a migraine headache, and taking medicine the rest of the day to fend it off. Worked outside on a few things, then went in and took a nap around 6:30.
About 7:30 Kris woke me up and said Ron was on the phone and they were still on the back loop, had two broken trucks, and were running low on gas.
I called George thinking he could drive with, but his Jeep is having issues so he said to pick him up and he'd ride along.
Posted up "Supply Run Now" thread and left out to load some equiptment and gas cans. Got a call from Matt (99TJ) who needed to check with the other half and fix his seat - but would most likely go with us. Got George and some more gas cans to fill and headed to Sourdough when I got a call from John(Diesel Power.) We all met at my place about the same time and headed out.
Along the Eielson runway Stephan (ColdTaco) called and offered to come out if we needed it.
Right before Birch Lake, incredibly enough, we heard folks chatting on the FRS radios - Ron was coming in loud and clear. So we told him we were on the way, and were amazed at the clarity we had in that conversation, from that far away.
We got to the trailhead and John had wondered how his rig would do. I told him it would probably be fine until the paly hill, maybe farther. Drivingin on the hard packs snow was no problem. We avoided most of the ruts as our mission was to deliver supplies, not take timeto play.
We stopped at the top of the first big downhill and I discussed the trail some more. Asked John how he was doing and he said his truck was doing great - so we pressed on. The ruts on that hill - even in the actual trail and not the side play area - are much rougher than I remember.
Crossing the creek I broke through right by the far side, but just rotten ice, no water flowing underneath.
John broke through even more - something about a heavy diesel...
Got to the play hill without incident and I discussed "Kyle's hill" steep, loose rocks, then an icefield with a right turn.
Coming up out of the quarry area Matt said he thought that was the hill and thought "that was no big deal"
Then we actually got to Kyle's hill (it should be named Kyle's hill until someone else's rig spends over 4.5 hours trying to get up it. :whistle:)
I got to the turn and my tires started spinning and I thought - this is gonna be ugly - but the power switched from one side of my open diffs to the other and I pulled up and around with no problem.
We noticed that the headlights had stopped behind us, and George headed that way on foot. Meanwhile I remembered that last time I did this run my battery wasn't secure, so I ratchet-strapped it in and headed down. About the time I headed that way Matt made it up and past the hill. He said it took 5 or so tries.
So we headed down to watch the Diesel Power Show - his first attempt he almost ended up in the ditch to the inside - sliding on the ice. I went down to suggest a different line and lost my balance so went into a second base slide - and stopped 30 feet later! They said Matt (who was behind me) his fall was much more comical, feet flying in the air.
I was sliding and trying to dig my feet in to stop and couldn't and thought "How did I drive up this???"
After we got back on our feet and up the hill, Johns second attempt got him just shy of the corner. So he backed way down the hill and powered up it to triumphat cheers. It was a pretty cool trip up that hill. On the trip up we noticed drippingoil - then found that John's fornt diff yoke seal was the culprit - he said it has been bad for a while.
Then came the upper hill - twisty turny steep, loose rocky sections here and there.
At one point I got sucked off the trail and drove sideways for a bit but she climbed back out and we kept going.
It was a really fun trip up to the top.
It is much harder of a challenge to drive up that hill in the dark and with snow hiding the trail.
We had a blast.
Shortly after the first overlook pull-out, the two groups met. 5 gallon gas cans were handed out, stories started being told, and we eventually turned our 3 vehicles around and headed down.
Ole said, "Kevin can tell you - when I call, everything is broke!"
George said "Better tell him it's time to upgrade to a Chevy!"
On the way down, at the top of Kyle's hill, we stopped for a coffee break.
At the trial head airing up snacks were handed out.
The cofffee and snacks came via Mrs ChevyKev and Mrs Jackrabbit.
At one point someone asked if this counted as an official trail ride - I said "Absolutely."
Then after the big long twisty hill we stopped briefly and I said -
"Now this classifies as an official trail ride."
Matt's response "Oh, what'd ya break?" (Doh!)
At the trailhead Matt and his friend needed to take off.
I dropped George off at the DUI lot so Derek could take him home.
John had given Ole a ride back, and they stopped by my place to grab my trailer, binders and chain.
I got in a little after 2AM. In bed by 4, up at 8:15.
Short night, good times, good folks.
When I got in I had a PM form HillbillyDodge saying he would have his phone on until 2AM and call him if we needed.
Another prospect with a generous offer.
I'm Glad I didn't completely miss Jake's Run!
From what I know of Jake,
he was the kind of guy that would have been there driving supplies out on the spur of the moment when needed.