Liberty 4th of July is in the books and it is a great addition.
Roll call in no particular order, except left to right in the 1st picture...
Lee (no family this run), Curt (our new wheelin' friend), Al and Stacy, Greg (no family this run), Casey and Sheila, Jose, Sveta and Isabel, and Steve and Dolly. Not pictured- Mike and Iulia in there respective machines, and Corey with his TJ.
Camping was at Williams Creek Campground. I people starting arriving Thursday continued through Friday and Saturday. I arrived at nearly Jose hours Friday night, so I can not report on any Thursday or Friday fun. Saturday we rolled out at close to the 9:00 AM target. We began on Pit Overlook Trail onto Crystal Ridge Trail. The rigs pictured above made up that days run with the addition of Mike and Iulia who turned back to camp after Pit Overlook Trails impressive / intimidating views. This provided great GMRS radio testing from camp to the rigs on the run to various parts of the trail... it was impressive. Lunch (1st lunch) was enjoyed at the overlook.
END of PIT OVERLOOK
It was time for bug spray and sunscreen.
Weather for this day's run was very nice, warm but not hot. The runs pace was leisurely and there was no carnage. I mean my Keurig gave its life trying to fill my thermoses- but no wheelin' carnage.
Everyone made Stair Step with nearly no drama and most everyone enjoying some spotting and encouragement. Curt's little CJ-5 probably made it the most entertaining- carbureted and short wheelbase, but he drives his nice little build well and he was a joy to wheel with. Stair Step was a joy as always, checked some peoples' temperature, and made every driver a rockstar!
That is it for my pictures for day one... I hope people will post up theirs.
[Run report to be continued, time for me, a I mean my dogs, to go to bed. Please fill free to post up, I will add to the official report as time allows.]
Continued...
At the end of Crystal Ridge trail we broke into two groups. The larger group made way back to camp. Did they run part of Crystal Ridge part way back? They will have to tell you. The road breaks right or left and Jose and family, Curt, and myself went straight after making the now common full disclosure that we will be getting lost. After meandering down some fire roads we intersected / discovered Ragan Way Trail (4W316.) Ok, in hindsight I have been on this trail in the past, but it has been enough years it felt like a discovery. The trail is very easy but rewards with fantastic views. At the end of the trail @ FS3521 it also punished with mosquitos- seemingly spray proof mosquitos. In our haste we drove left / north on what was for our purposes probably a dead-end road or at least away from our destination. But we discovered Nealy Creek Trail (4W315). Ok, again I think I have followed Ed to this same trail, but so many years ago... This offered more challenges than Ragan and seems to be a little gem, but some of the challenges included that it had not been cleared this year. Turns out our new friend, Curt, had an electric chainsaw on board and before we could say it would be too much work we were clearing trail. A couple sections cleared and peering ahead we decided that retreat was the better part of valor. That was the end of our wheeling for the day.
Saturday was a fire, games and shared food. Nice weather, but a little colder and threatening rain.
By Sunday morning Corey had joined us and we split into two runs. All parties made a later departure, but I think the group heading to the East side of the highway were off considerable earlier. East side was Steve and Dolly and Al and Stacey. (Anyone else?) Hole in the Rock and Hole in the Rock Trail was run by Casey and wife, Iulia and Mike, Corey, and the Ybarra's led by yours truly (Lee.) After the required tour of the Hole in the Rock all parties were convinced / prodded into following me on the trail. I began the tour by demonstrating the incorrect method of hitting the 1st optional hill on the trail (x2) before finding my line. Mike did better, all other parties enjoyed the bypass. Shortly into the trail we stopped for some minor wrenching on Corey's TJ. There was rain on the trail and it was rougher and more rutted than I recalled, but everyone performed well and it seemed to be a relaxing run that gave a confidence boost to some new wheelers (even while I was shaking off my ill advised line on the 1st hill.) I stopped to spot on some of the tighter and muddier sections, but it was not needed. At that end of that trail the YJ lead the two machines into the fog and clouds settled on Lions Rock while my LJ, the 4-door Rubicon, and the TJ bombed back to camp (all the while the rigs behind me were complaining that I was not finding the bigger numbered gears on my transmission- that was the only time that weekend I heard complaints that I was going too slow. I tried to explain 2nd gear turns the Jeep, 3rd is for straight-a-ways, and 4th is death wobble.)
I don't know what happened at camp- I napped. BUT- in true Peak Putter fashion, the potluck dinner was amazing. Hamburgers, pork, deviled eggs, salads, poppers, -someone please post the menu and pictures. Desert was eclairs and peach cobbler out of a Dutch oven. Much, much more. If you weren't fat dumb and happy at the beginning you had no excuse not to be at the end.
Then there was the now requisite trip to the ghost town mine- and that story is going to get its own posting. Suffice it to say, scarier than any ghost story!
And... time for the dogs to go to bed again. To be continued.
Please post pics, my camera ran out of film. Next installment will be the parade and the mine trip.
Liberty Run 4th of July 2022
Liberty Run 4th of July 2022
Okay, we're a little crazy to have a Duramax for a daily driver. But if we go off our meds, we might wind up in a Prius.
If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.
N7EEL WROD249
If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.
N7EEL WROD249
Re: Liberty Run 4th of July 2022
More story added to original post. Videos will be up on the Facebook. Out of pics.
Okay, we're a little crazy to have a Duramax for a daily driver. But if we go off our meds, we might wind up in a Prius.
If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.
N7EEL WROD249
If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.
N7EEL WROD249
Re: Liberty Run 4th of July 2022
Great report, can't wait to read about the mine! I still haven't been up to this area, would love to explore it sometime.
Yep, I've wheeled one of those, too...
Re: Liberty Run 4th of July 2022
Our annual exploration of Lady Bug Hill
The amazing views from Lion Rock
This year had a little bit of EVERYTHING except the one thing we usually have too much of.
No sweltering HEAT!
The weather was awesome the whole time, even when it was raining or when we were standing in the gut of a passing cloud on the look out
The amazing views from Lion Rock
This year had a little bit of EVERYTHING except the one thing we usually have too much of.
No sweltering HEAT!
The weather was awesome the whole time, even when it was raining or when we were standing in the gut of a passing cloud on the look out
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