7/11/08 Liberty and the persuit of happiness through camping & wheeling

[Albino 94LTD]

It was finally summer in the Great Northwest and some folks that met through the internet, decided to meet face to face. Everyone claimed to be 'of age' so a date was set and a location was chosen.

The Federal Marshall was called away to Tampa so this little band of merry men felt secure that they wouldn't end up in the pokey.

The 4th of July was over and the woods were barren of ner'do'wells so here was our shot.

Friday morning July 10th arrived just as any other summer Friday in the GNW only to be rattled by several Ford Explorer owners rumbling down the freeway with something in tow. (either the Explorers or a trailer of some sort)

Myself?? Starbucks was the first stop as I knew it would be a couple days before I could get my 'fix' again. I got a call from Diff Whack Daddy. He said he was just passing Kirkland, so I figured,,,,I-405 traffic,,,,,he'll be about an hour, that gives me time to run albinoable boy over to Bartells to get a few lego's to keep him occupied.

Lego's in bag, Starbucks in hand, we jump in the truck and head over the hill to I-90.

20 minutes later, another phone call,,DWD "where the hell are you?', me, "I'm 2 minutes away, hold your horses":frustrate

We pull in side by side and kick back waiting for Arsoul, Pop Arsoul and Painter Ken.

A short while later the Arsoul clan drive up, we have a short conversation, something like, me "I'd like to keep it under 60, these tires are real lumpy" reply Pop Arsoul "I won't be doing 60 over the pass with this home on wheels so don't worry".

Head 'em up, roll out!:exp::roll::navajo::exporange:yelexp:

Yup, Pop Arsoul made it over the pass doin about 48 but hey we were goin campin and wheelin.

An hour later and we stopped at Safeway in Cle Elum to top off the foods and fuel up.

Head 'em up, roll out! Next stop Williams Creek campground.

Up until this point the tempratures were delightful, mid 70's, clear blue sky.

We pull in to the delight of a nearly barren camp area, only one or two other campers there. Unload the trailers, drop them off to the side and circle the rigs around the fire ring and start setting up.

Mistake #1 (more to come) drinking beer before noon instead of setting up and going for the first run of the weekend.

All set up and kicked back in the shade we look at our watches, "need another beer" after the third one, Painter Ken arrived and we got him settled in. Now it's starting to look like and Explorer gathering.

The afternoon wears on, lots of chit chat and we start to wonder where SnowExploder and 85bronco2man are.

Shade covers our camp area and it starts to cool off. Time for the fire. I don't know how DWD or Arsoul got it going but it was roaring in a hurry. "where the hell are Katie and little Ryan"????? Dinner time, steaks cooked on the grill w/ green beans, canned corn and baked potatoes.

Finally, after the sun sets we hear the sound of a diesel under compression and headlights coming our way.

Hail, Hail the gang's all here!

More off loading of trailers and setting up tents.

On to an evening of wheelin stories and BS stories and so on.

:ttiwwp:

I'm working on those.

I wanted to get the story started since many have been waiting anxiously.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Kickin back by the fire, listening to Cody strumin the 6 string. Was this an omen for Saturday night's sing-along??


And what's the story behind those little tabs of paper?????

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Dog show

For those of you that don't know, we have a variety of dogs in our little group.

We have the Big Dogs;:roll::notworthy

Diff Whack Daddy
Arsoul
Pop Arsoul

We have tough dogs;

Painter Ken
SnowExploder

We have pack dogs;

Paul (RIP buddy, you were missed)

We have show dogs;:biggthump

Me

And for this trip, we even had a puppy:::bsnicker:

85bronco2man

Did anyone get a picture of the puppy??? and his beautiful fabrication work


I'll pause here and let the others add thie insights to the Friday night festivities

 

[Rick]

Nice Looks like you guys had a blast! The woods sure look nice up there

 

[85bronco2man]

well this little puppy was kinda dissapointed with the whole fuel issue but were rebuilding the carb here in about an hour so we will see but this was an awsome trip the views were incredible the peaple even better and no tahuya relaps lol
not to bring things down but this is the only story i could find on those kids but to kill the rumors and curiousity got the best of me


WSU freshman Thomas Calvin Melbye, 19, died Saturday in an accident outside of Ellensburg. Melbye, a construction management major, and Nickolas Garcia, an Eastern Washington University student, died of massive head trauma caused by the collision of a sport-utility vehicle and the ground, said Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Fred Slyfield. “Tom loved WSU, and was really looking forward to his second year at WSU,” said Mike Melbye, Tom’s father. “He had just got an apartment with a really good friend.” Mike Melbye said the family has received an outpouring of support, and many of Tom’s college friends attended his funeral Wednesday.

“Tom had so many friends, the church couldn’t hold everyone,” Mike Melbye said. “There were people out on the grass.” Slyfield also said a third occupant, Cameron Haynes, a Central Washington University student, survived the accident.

“He (Cameron Haynes) was at the funeral, and he’s an emotional wreck, but he’s doing OK,” Mike Melbye said.

Undersheriff Clay Myers said Cameron Haynes, his brother Shea Haynes, Tom Melbye and Garcia were in Reecer Creek camping when Cameron Haynes, Tom Melbye and Garcia decided to go for a ride in a Jeep Cherokee.

Slyfield said the three were driving on old logging roads on Table Mountain when they attempted to make a U-turn and misjudged the shoulder. The SUV went down the cliff, and Cameron Haynes was able to make it back to the campground for help.

“If you would’ve seen the Jeep, it’s a miracle Cameron is alive,” Mike Melbye said.

Myers said Cameron Haynes was treated for facial lacerations at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital.

Slyfield said rescue teams found the wreckage at approximately 8:30 a.m. Saturday, and Tom Melbye and Garcia were removed and taken to Steward & Williams Tribute Center in Ellensburg.

Slyfield also said alcohol may have been a factor, but the investigation was ongoing. Tom Melbye is survived by his father, Mike; mother, Sandy; sister, Jennifer, a recent WSU graduate; and brother, Brian, a Moses Lake High School senior.


RIP

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Thanks Ryan

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

I'll get what little pics I have up soon. I am currently dealing with a septic tank issue that has cause our entire household to resort to bathroom useage to the camper. Long story short, we have a clog somewhere between the septic tank and the final drain point of the house. You don't even want to know what I had to do to figure that out......Eeeewwwwwww!

Great write up so far Phil It's always a good tme it the Great PNW.

 

[arsoul]

I'll let the video do my talking.

Here's Painter Ken accesding the steep cliff with nothing on his left but a view.

 

[arsoul]

Here's a couple of videos of Kevin (DWD) coming up the same cliff.

 

[arsoul]

...and Keith (dad)'s newly rebuilt Jeep.

 

[arsoul]

Here's the series of Phil climbing and winching up.

 

[arsoul]

and me

 

[85bronco2man]

so i rebuilt my carb last night and wow something about the jets being almost fully cloged might do it lol yeah there was so much gunk in the float bowl there were parts missing from the factory the float was way out of ajustment so yeah i just drove it to work and shes back and kicking

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

so i rebuilt my carb last night and wow something about the jets being almost fully cloged might do it lol yeah there was so much gunk in the float bowl there were parts missing from the factory the float was way out of ajustment so yeah i just drove it to work and shes back and kicking

Now un-ghetto fab your gas tank

 

[90ranajo]

More about the cut over Kevins Eye in the aftermath thread.

What's up with this?

 

[Paul]

Great Report!

Great write-up, pics, and videos, and "Hell Yes", I'm jealous!
Looks like everyone had a great time - - just post some more pics and let us know what went on with Kevin's eye. . .

Good Stuff.

Paul
'91 Sport

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

A tree branch whacked me through the open window

 

[90ranajo]

A tree branch whacked me through the open window

(lost photo)

 

[Albino 94LTD]

^ Bulls**t^

OK, so the story behind the tabs of paper is; the last time we were there, I had a little problem with left and right. The result was we got very familiar with a little tough spot. It was in a gully, with a corner, with a deadfall tree poking straight into the inside of the corner and a large fallen tree laying along on the outside of the corner. Anyone who could not get a wheel up 18" to get on top the tree on the outside of the corner risked a significant crease due to the poker on the inside. This required a 12 point turn to turn less than 90*. Due to my issues with turning right, we got to do this 3 times SO, I took measures in my own hands to prevent that from happening again.


OK, Saturday morning rolls around and little Ryan is still working on the puppy and we are admiring his jerry can 'fuel cell'. Needless to say, no one wanted to be behind him, just in case. He was still adding grear lube to the rear while I strapped his fuel cell in better.

Everyone loaded up and we hit the service road up to the trail heads. At the first Y, I took the high road which would have been the long way to a mid point of the trail system. A little while later, another intersection, fearing the worst, I called out on the CB "which way?", to which Kevin replied "right". I thought this was a test so I acutally looked at the dash and turned RIGHT!.

This lead us to the bottom of the cliff mentioned above and became a deadend (no pun intended). We stopped for the views and time for little Ryan to try to figure out why the Puppy wouldn't go up hill. He pulled off the fuel filter as it was dry but the pump seemed to be delivering fuel, just not enough pressure to get it through the filter. Katie's Ryan had a small section of fuel line and proceeded to eliminate the filter. It still was not running right and the decision was to return to the first Y and take the puppy back to camp and Ryan and Stacy (GF) would ride with someone.

Back at the Y, most of us had a bite to eat while Nimby's parents (Katie and Ryan2) started giving him the once over. He had a broken shock but it didn't look like it posed much danger.

Arsoul returned with little Ryan and Stacy but he started to have fuel delivery problems. He grabbed the filter out of the tool box and discovered the nipples were different sizes. (don't you just hate it when your nipples are different sizes????

Fed up, he stormed back to camp with Pop Arsoul and they ran into town to get his nipples straightned out.

Lunch time over, we headed back up the road and onto the first trail,,,,,FINALLY,,,,,. The first section was a little tougher than I remember. there was evidence of a forest fire, probably last year. I DO remember the steep section though. The first time I was supprised how much traction the X had, it was the same this time. Nimbe wasn't very happy though Katie had full seats and she is runnnig 37's with 3.73 gears.

Plenty of tight tree lined trail with dips and short hills gave me time to hone the navigation and tracking skills. We popped back out on the original road and decided to head back to camp and wait for the Arsoul's.

here's a few more pics

 

[Albino 94LTD]

And a few more of our lunch stop while waiting for little Ryan, Stacy and Arsoul to return from taking the puppy home and putting him in his kennel