Well what can I except it was a very interesting day saterday. First off I wake to find my tire completely flat on the bronco, that must have been the start of the bad carma for the rest of the day. I slam my spare on and head out to meet sean before we hook up with the rest of the group. On the way I find out how hard it is to drive with a rear locker with one tire slightly differnt than the other. I have a fullsize spare but its pretty bald and a differnt make then the rest. This little difference in diameter makes for a hell of a pull during accel. I didnt have time to swap it to the front so I drove it like that. Once meeting up with sean we head to the meeting spot for the run, on our way we get caught in traffic as the road is closed for marathon runners(yes again). Once hooking up with the ex guys, fighting the bicyles riding down the winding road leading to the trail head, and waiting for gregs girl to so up we finally hit the dirt. Everyones stoked to finally get to wheel.
About 1/3 of the way into the trail we go down to the lake where there is a nice sanding play area to tool around in the sand for a while, this is where most of the carange took place. First up was sean, he says jump in and lets go for a ride, so we bust off through the desert and as hes coming around the corner sideways in the sand we here the tell tale sign of clunking and banging in the front end. I shouldnt have to tell you what it was. Next was greg in his turbo EX, he was hitting the mud a little too fast and deep and sucked a ton of water in. We pulled all the plugs and tryed to turn the engine over with no luck, completely locked. I have to say when it ran it sounded awsome! sounded just like a jet taking off. While all this was going on kevin(offroadkc) was playing in the sand in robs jeep when the front axle shaft let go, no biggie just take the shaft out and duct tape the axle housing so nothing could get in or out.
So with one truck mortalty wounded and the broken trucks quickly starting to out number the capable trucks we deceided to move on. I was elected to tow the turbo beast out to the trailhead where it could later be picked up with a trailer and lead the rest of the wounded the way we came. Well were the gregs ex died posed a challage to get pulled out of the sand. We ended up daisy chaining like 5 trucks together to get it pulled out, that was quite a site to say the least! On our way out pulling greg in 4low with the front locked my p/s started to overheat and do its old faithful impression once again, so we had to stop yet again to let that cool and top it off. I unlocked one of my hubs to try and make it easeir to turn and take some of the strain off the pump. I was impressed with some of the stuff I had to go over in 3wd while pulling the dead weight of the Ex. It was like it wasent even back there. Finally we get back out to the meeting spot and air back up and try and figure out how to get sean back home, while we waited for the others to finish the trail. Someone had the cleaver idea of duct taping the cv back together so it wouldnt flop around. so once again duct tape saved the day!
Just as you think the day cant possibly get any worse it does just that. As the whole group is caravaning back to ricks house to have some much needed dinner the worst happens. Kevin(offroadkc) is driving robs jeep when he missed a stop sign which he couldnt see in the late afternoon sun and plowed a brand new jeep grand cherokee totaling both vehicles. I was right behind him when it happened and saw the whole thing. Kevins jeep caught air and did a 180 and was facing me while the other jeep rolled into the gardrail off to the right. Everyone in the group instanty pulled over and went to help. forgetnly kevin and his rob jumped right out and ran over to the other vehicle to check on them. While they were not hurt the people in the grand werent so lucky, altho there injurys were not life threating. It could have been alot worse than it was and by looking at the vehicles you would have thought it would have been.
There was another run planned for today but Sean and I opted out since I didnt have a spare, my p/s is just about dead,was damn tired from yesterday and I dont want to become another causalty, plus sean didnt have 4wd anymore.
here a few pics i took yesterday
CLICKY
