Sand Lake
Sep 13-14 1997
| What: | Oregon BushHackers Trip #32 |
| Where: | Sand Lake |
| Date: | Sat/Sun, September 13-14, 1997 |
| Time: | 9:00 am |
| CB: | 28 |
| Meeting Place: | Sand Lake |
| Attendees | ||
| Name | Rig | Roll |
| Saturday | ||
| Jim Williams | 80 Jeep CJ-5 | Driver, Report Writer |
| Chris Meredith | ?? Jeep XJ | Driver |
| Meredith Family | Passengers | |
| Guy Hammer | ?? Suzuki Samauri | Driver |
| Eric Bewley | ?? Suzuki Samauri | Driver |
| Clark Mason | 8? Jeep CJ-8 | Driver |
| Jason Henshaw | 70 Jeep CJ-5 | Driver |
| Bill Lewey | ?? Jeep CJ-? | Driver |
| Karen Lewey & Family | Passengers | |
| Unknown StumpBuster | ?? Jeep CJ-? | Driver |
| Sunday | ||
| Jim Williams | 80 Jeep CJ-5 | Driver, Report Writer |
| Clark Mason | 8? Jeep CJ-8 | Driver |
| Gil Meacham | 77 Jeep CJ-5 | Driver |
| Dave Catton | Passenger | |
| Grant Laiblin | ?? Chevy Suburban | Driver |
| Keven Beck | 79 Jeep CJ-5 | Driver |
| Gordon Compton | 76 Jeep CJ-7 | Driver |
| Randy Stewart | 72 Jeep CJ-5 | Driver |
Saturday
Saturday started fairly slow, our meeting time of 9:00 best I could tell
everyone but me and one of the Stump Busters were either sleeping or
airing down at camp. I used this opportunity to run back to camp and
remove the windows and doors from my top as it was shaping up to be a
beautiful day despite the mixed forcasts. By the time I made it back
everyone was already out on the dunes. I caught up to the group on the
north side of the first bowl where everyone was giving their climbing
skills a try and getting to know the sand. We then headed down to the
beach and played around a bit climbing logs and such.
The group broke up a bit with some heading back into the camp, some
heading out with the Stump Busters. Jason and I headed out to the second
bowl and to do a little scouting about. We bee lined out to the far side
of the dunes and began to get to know the four wheeler trails a bit. One
of which I managed to get around a right hand corner with a steep bank
way sharper than I could turn which then turned immediately left with a
steep bank and a tree. The whole situation didn't look at all to me to
be the size of a CJ. So, on went the tug strap and Jason was nice enough
to pull the back of my Jeep around the corner as I backed up preventing
me from backing up the bank and falling over. Guy and Eric later showed
us that this little obstacle was perfect size for a sammy as the both
whipped through it clearing the tree by less that an AB inch! Jason then
promptly backed into a tree well where life was a little more tipsy than
we were both comfortable with. Out came that big 10,000lb winch to drag
him to safety.
We then headed back towards the camp to see if we could find the rest of the bunch that should be back on the sand by this time. On the way by the second bowl there was a rail stuck on the north side just above the trees with a very broken down look about it. I climbed the bowl on that side to take a closer look. Turns out the wheel on the rail had failed and ripped right off of the hub. As they were just above the trees, up was the only way out and there were about six people attempting to push pull and drag the rail up the bowl. They were very happy for Jason and I to show up with two winches. Turned out it was an easy pull for my 8000i and they were the type that said lots of thanks. We were glad to have helped.
By this time the CB was pretty active with Bushhackers trying to find each other so we headed out to regroup. Back to the first bowl area we met up with Bill, Clark, Eric and Guy. After playing around a bit on the smaller hills next to the first bowl headed back to the second bowl for a group try on that one. As we were all sitting there trying to decide who goes first, a 2WD sand CJ showed up with what I will guess was a big block duel four barrels and a supercharger that required a periscope to see over. He then gave a shameless display of horsepower as he would coast over half way up the bowl topping it much faster than any of us all day. The best comment I heard on the CB was "I'd like to see him drive it home!" We all gave the bowl a few tries and most practiced backing up on the sand. Something about a sand hill, it seems as you will always get to right at the crest before you stop. Of course maximizing the distance to back down. Climbing hills in the sand definitely favors very low pressure, light vehicles and horsepower. Guy was to later demonstrate that you only need two of the three to make the climb. Many of us quickly learned that those whoops and the bottom of the hill are bigger than we thought as the front end lifted off of the ground higher and more than would normally be desired. On Sunday both Kevin and Grant showed us just how much air you could get on those whoops given a little speed.
From here the group went back to play in the trails in the trees at the side of the dunes. We reached the far side of the dunes where we found a small group of bikes racing around in an oval track style with one nice size jump. Jason's eyes started to glaze over and he started to chant some jibberish on the CB. Next thing we know he's jumping the CJ along side the bikes! The main difference was how Air Jason bounced upon landing due to completely shot shocks! We played among the trees until about 2:30 at which time most of us headed back to camp for lunch.
After a short lunch most people had headed for home. Jason, Eric, Clark and myself headed back out to the dunes to see what more we could find. Earlier I had scouted a trail that I found interesting, but it included a steep climb sand climb out of the trees and had decided it would be much more difficult than the bowls with no option to back down therefore, a bad place to take the group. This time I figured we'd attempt it the other direction going down the dunes into the trees. It turned out to be a chute in the sand that lead right between some largish trees with very large, very soft wells. I was the first to head down and had significant difficulty keeping things straight as I passed by the trees. Jason came next and began to slide into the first tree well on his passenger side. Luckily he stopped with most of the Jeep still on the trail. Out came that beefy 10,000lb winch again and we made a couple of pulls at near 90deg to pull him back onto the trail. To my surprise Clark and Eric didn't much hesitate to follow! Both made it through the chute with little problem. The resulting trail out of the trees proved to be one of the better we found all weekend twisting and banking it's way through the sand/trees. We played in the trees until about 6:00 before Jason headed home and the rest of us back to camp for dinner.
Sunday
Sunday, a nearly all new group showed up with only Clark and myself running both
days. I met up with most of the group on the north side of the second bowl
where everyone was testing their hill climb skills and watching a fairly sketchy
recovery of a disabled Wagoneer. It had rained all night and the sand although
wet was very soft at the bottom of most of the hills. It also had not had a
chance to get windblown since Sat. and was very cut up. We headed down to the
beach to play on the hills and take in the sights. While we were on the beach
we had the pleasure get to know some of the Stumpbusters a bit better. When
the temperature dropped and wind came up we all headed for the safety of our
vehicles and off for some more bowl climbing. Back at the second bowl again
Kevin and Grant both took big air on whe whoops in search of the right momentum
to make the climb. After a good session on the bowls we then hit all of the
trails in the trees we had discovered on Sat. including the "Chute". We all
headed off the sand for lunch and home about 2:00.
With quite a good turn out and running the vehicles hard the only casualties of the weekend were Grant's PS pump up and quit. And Gordan's alternator gave up the ghost on the trip down. All in all a great trip for all involved.