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| Progress
was good until after we got to the top of Walker Hill. About half way between
Walker Hill and Soup Bowl, there is an ascent that we found to be very tough
for full size trucks with open front differentials. I ended up having a
very tough time. Traffic started to back up behind us. If you can believe
it, my fender flare took the brunt of the force and was ripped off. That
is why there is still paint on my truck. The shot on the right is the next
day with the flare removed. Eventually, Bill pulled me up and that is where
I incurred the damage. After I was up, Dan had the same experience and I
pulled him up. |
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By the time
our group was up and over the little ridge, it was time for the headlights
to come on. On the shelf road before Soup Bowl, Damon rolled a big rock
from the side of the trail right in the middle of it. A group of us couldnt
budge it so we used a tow strap allowing us to sneak around it. While
this was going on, Damon and Dave were playing at Soup Bowl |
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| After some more time
on the trail, we made camp at nearly nine o'clock. JB rolled in only minutes
after us. |
Day 2 |
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| The day started
out full of promise. With our experience last year, we knew that day two
is the crucial day. The weather was perfect again with not a cloud in the
sky. Everyone agreed to break camp early and cover as much ground as possible.
Our realistic goal was to make it to the Springs by dinner time. If things
had smoothly, we would've been having a nice dinner along the River and
in good position to get out of the trail before noon on Sunday. |
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| Everyone in the group
but me went down the steep way. I decided to go down an alternate trail
that requires a hard left turn after descending some big rocks. Too much
force on an aired down tire caused me to lose a bead here as I did two years
ago. This time it was a front tire which made it easier to jack up. Also,
with onboard air, we reset the bead in under 15 minutes and it was only
a short delay. Meanwhile, the Fat City Bronco and a Jeep put on a show on
the steepest trails of the hill. |
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| |
Some traffic
passed us at the hill, but we were back on the move to find slow going
on the decent to the Slab Rocks before Buck Island Lake. Thanfully
the trail is almost two lanes of traffice wide in those places so
we moved a relatively large number of rigs through in fairly little
time. It was approaching 10 in the morning and we were moving at a
great speed. After clearing the switch back, we were soon confronted
with the drop to the slabs or a trail into the woods. Dave, in the
lead, headed for the woods. We had never been this route and the trucks
with tires 35" and smaller were having problems just at the entrance
of the trail. While we were lined up ready to enter, a Jeeper came
by and told me that was the way to the Old Sluice. I backed and informed
the others of what I was told while saying I'd meet them at the confluence
of the two trails. I then headed across the slabs. |
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| Eventually I was joined
by Dan, JB, and Les who had found the trail near impassable. We slowly navigated
the slabs and as we dropped back on to dirt, I found I had broken passenger
side front axle. This was a two hour fix parked in the shade. Little did
we know Dave and Bill were having serious problems in the Old Sluice trail.
We heard scattered reports from other rigs passing our way, and sent someone
up to find out what was going on. This is when the trouble began... |
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