Subject: 4x4 TRIP #18c Date: Mon, 01 Jul 1996 10:55:29 -0700 From: Gordon Compton Organization: Intel Corp., Hillsboro, Oregon To: bushhacker-l@TELEPORT.COM We all: Gil 93 Wrangler Rick 77 Blazer Rock 95 Wrangler Guy 79 Bronco Doug 89 Suburban Jordan ? Toyota PU Gordon 76 CJ-7, arrived at the Market at the Y, and proceeded to fill their parking lot and empty the stores coffee pot. The sun was out and the sky was crystal clear, its was going to be a great day, then Rick asked if I had done a trip report, well I'm doing one now. He even loaned me pen and paper, which I stored away in the Jeep. The word was passed and we all headed towards McAfee Park(sp). We took time to air down give the rigs a general look over, and were on our way. We had a nice suprise on the first 3 - 5 miles of the trip, a nice freshly graded road. If I remember correctly that first sewction use to be rocky and rough, but not this morning. The next section of road made up for it pot-holes all over and hidden in the shade, hard to miss what you can't see. First stop Spar. Mt., I pulled up just in time to see Rick go through the trees, so I jump in and follow him up. A lot better traction than previous trips up Spar. Rock follows me, Guy and Jordan after a few runs at the hill all make it to the top. The rest take the alternate route. GREAT VIEW. Next stop Murphy's camp. We arrive at the big mud hole as the crowd gathers around the hole I figure what the hell, the water level has dropped a lot and the Jeep loves the mud so in I go, I stop about mid point through the hole all four tires spin water and stinky mud everywhere. With the help of big Blazer(Rick my wife still owes you 5$) out I come, kind of wish I had put the plugs in the floor before the trip. No other taker to the hole so down the road we go. Ginsburg point trail was next I went to the notes and found the yellow note pad Rick had lent me now was rather brown and wet, wounder how that happened? Anyway the rest of the report will be from my photographic memory(ie camcorder). This trail and as with the rest of the trails the first two rigs go up and break the rocks and dirt loose and the remaining rigs have a heck of a time getting traction. The first section of the Ginsburg trail had some very loose large rocks, the Jeeps and Toyota make them with a little wheel speed and picking the right route. The larger rigs needed a little, well o.k. a lot of wheel speed and pick the right route. It was the last section of this trail that gave us the most trouble. As mentioned earlier the first rig motors right up, so heres Guy sitting up on top waiting for the rest of the group. Rick tries and tries and tries and tries, well you get the picture. Tranny says this is enough and he has to park at the bottom and let the lines return to their normal color. All the jeeps motor up. Then comes Doug (whats his nick name) he gives it a good try and spins out, as he backs down the front wants to go faster than the rear which results in the driver front tire about three feet in the air(now I remember that nick name). We load up the left front with enough bodies to get the wheel within a few inches from the ground and I run, well walk back up the hill to get the Jeep. We hook up the winch and give a little tug to get the front back on the ground. After a few more times he gives up and parks at the bottom with Rick. Last up is the Toyota with a few tries he's on his way to the top. We then break for lunch check out a few mountains on the horizon. Did I say the weather was great? Once back down on the road Rick needs to get his rig home, Gil and Jordan follow him out. The rest of us go on to another trail. This trail with no name was just right for Jeeps, but we had a Bronco and this tank (suburban) folling us. The rocks that we drove around had to be moved for the larger rigs, no problem for us, you'd think we all had an Engineering degree, that rock didn't have a chance. Any way on up the trail we go, when I started following the elk trail I think the rest of the group may have had some doubts of my scouting abilities. With a little work through a couple of drainage berms and some stump spotting we emerge back on a road. This road soon turned into another Jeep tail that led to yet another great view point. From here Guy finds a trail on his trusty map that will take us to Murphy camp road. After a small scale tree removal we see the road, but Guy stopped and exits his rig, we all wounder whats going on the road is dead ahead. Guy radios back the last 6 feet is almost straight down, but he has a plan. He noses up to the edge and applys the throttle, well that looked easy from where I was sitting. I'm the last one to go over Doug and Rock also made it look easy, what was Guy worried about. Well when I got to the edge, I could see why, the pucker value of this little drop was rather high, my co-pilot wanted out. I told her to late now and over we went, lots of throttle and were on the bottom. We then head up to Gobblers Nob for one final view of the Coast Range, (did I say the weather was great?) and we head home. I know I left facts out here and there, but this seems a little long winded as it is. But the run was fun, my wife really enjoyed it and as soon as I get the engine fixed I'll be ready for more. I also have some footage on video so who ever has the equipment needed to process it let me know and I'll get you a tape. Later, -- Gordon Compton http://www-md6.intel.com/~gcompton or http://www.off-road.com/~gcompton as always, these are my opinions, for I speak only for myself.