The SoCal Crew

[TDG]

Rode shotty with JoshS today and found out after a 2 hour drive that Los Coyotes is closed due to the fire situation in the area.

While bumming around Warner Springs some guys in a nicely built jeep invited us to run with them. Here are a few samples.

 

[TDG]

 

[Jefe]

Did any other explorers do Pinyon Mountain with you?

 

[TDG]

Not an explorer but I can't thank Ray enough for turning an otherwise crappy day into a great adventure.

 

[TDG]

Nope. I think everyone else knew Los Coytoes was closed and went else where.

 

[Stic-o]

TDG wowo your just over the hill!

I didn't relize there was any body else from the board so close to me. I didn't bail on ya guys really!!! Now i jelaous though! looks like you guys had a good time

 

[jobunn]

Originally posted by Jefe
I think we'll head up the backside (near bouquet reservior). We've had problems trying to get in from the Rowher flats side late at night.
As to when we'll start, It really depends on how long dinner goes. If you want to PM me a number I'll call as we're leaving pasadena.

I wasn't near email this weekend. Wished I could have gone. How was the Rowher night run?

 

[Brother_of_Jefe]

Rowher Trail Report

Rowher was great! It ended up just being Jefe and myself, and our start time got delayed a couple of times. (Had to drive some party-goers home from my house, and Jefe had to rescue my son from a dead battery)

But the night weather was perfect with the top and doors off. Jefe made it fine in 2wd and no front flex, maybe he doesn't need that whole SAS thing.

So, we didn't actually hit the trail until 10pm and got back around 1am. But everyone had a great time!

 

[jobunn]

I will catch up with you guys one of these times on a night run.

I was on a hike in the Frazier Park area Sunday and got back to the car early enough to do the Lockwood and Miller Jeep trails since I had a lot of my recover equipment with me. I had a buddy with me and there were a few other groups doing the trails too so there was help available if I got into trouble.

Everything went fine but we were taking our sweet time getting to Miller Jeep that it was 8:00 pm by the time we got to the start of Miller Jeep. On the way down to Lockwood flat we saw a few quarts of oil in the trail and sure enough there was a Ranger parked under a tree with his oil pan cracked. There was nobody around it so we figured they got a ride with someone else.

On the way up the trail we saw a nicely built Jeep parked on the side with nobody around and his pedal lock on, looked like it would be spending the night there too.

At the top of Alamo Mtn. there was another trail of oil that lasted for about half a mile and then stopped, the driver must not have known. But we looked for anyone that may need help but never saw who was leaving the oil behind.

The trail was more difficult than I remember, it looks like a lot of vehicles have gone through this year and have
really exposed a lot of the big rocks that constantly grab at your undercarriage.

I put a nice dent in the medal housing around my front axle, thankfully that was it.

Unfortunately no pics, I forgot my camera.

 

[TDG]

Re: TDG wowo your just over the hill!

Originally posted by Stic-o
I didn't relize there was any body else from the board so close to me. I didn't bail on ya guys really!!! Now i jelaous though! looks like you guys had a good time

I float between LaCrescenta and OC where I work, kind of a 50/50 thing since traffic sucks between the two most of the time.

 

[jobunn]

Short notice, but I am going with some buddies in their jeeps to either Lockwood/Miller Jeep Trail or Rowher Trail tomorrow morning, probably be at the trail bewteen 9:30 to 10:00 am ish. I'll know which run shortly. I have to be in San Diego later night for a tuna trip so I can't be out all day. If anyone is interested you can email me your number and we'll coordinate it.

 

[jobunn]

I always do these last second trips for some reason but if anyone is interested I am going with a small group to Rowher flats in Canyon Country for a run tomorrow morning.

Email me your number if interested and I'll call you tonight if possible or tomorrow morning, just let me know when to call. I figure we'll start around 9:30 or 10:00 am.

 

[jobunn]

Pics of recent runs

I finally developed the film in my camera going back to May. Here are most of them with some explanation:



Here is a co-worker of mine going up Gold Mountain in Big Bear. We went up with his family to a cabin he has near Fawnskin for some trout fishing. We were frustrated after a fruitless 3 hours of fishing so we decided to run the trails with the time left. Nice Jeep with a 3 inch lift and 32's but he has since this pic been rear ended which totalled out his Jeep.

 

[jobunn]

Here's another buddy of mine with new 33's on a 98 Jeep at Rowher Flats. His factory LS in the rear was doing little so he had to use momentum to get up...which did not happen. "Things that broke" pics coming.

 

[jobunn]

Here he is a little farther up...as far as he got. His front was actually on the way back down from popping up a few feet.

 

[jobunn]

This is where it got interesting. He was backing up to pick a new line and gave it too much gas and up he went and the bank. He was on the 2 passenger side wheels for a moment but came back down. He tried back and forward but the Jeep threatened to tip each time. So we tied a tow rope to his role bar and held him upright as he went forward.

 

[jobunn]

I made it up the section above no problem and waited at the top for the other two to take the bypass. But they never came up. So I drove back down and found this:

 

[jobunn]

He had cracked his pumpkin so out came the duct tape which held the whole way back.

 

[jobunn]

On the way back down the white Jeep kept hearing a "bang" under his car. Turned out to be a broken rear shock mount.

 

[jobunn]

The other Jeep in the group lost 4 wheel drive on the way out. The culrpit...broken front driveshaft.