http://www.texplorers.com?

[Xterra02]

Originally posted by SVO



P.S. where's Gilmer???

I was asked to post info on Gilmer for those interisted in goin. I am a member of the SouthWest Xterra Club (actually the prez) and we go to Barnwell Mountain about once a month. Not so much in the Summer as its real friggin hot and not so fun to camp when its that hot.

Gilmer is about an hour north of Tyler. The directions to get there are (based on coming from Dallas)

DIrections to Barnwell Mountain OHV
>From DFW:

Take 635 to US80 East or I-20 East to Texas Hwy. 155 North

Proceed North on TX 155 to Gilmer. 155 North will bear right at intersection about 2 miles into Gilmer.

Proceed 5 miles northeast from intersection on TX 155 North to Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area entrance. Entrance is on right at top of hill.

It is marked with blue road sign, but is right over crest of hill, so please approach with caution using climbing (right) lane.

See http://texasmotorizedtrails.com for maps and contact information.

I have some pics on my site of barnwell that you are welcome to check out. Trails are all rated and go from a 2 up to a 5. If you have any questions let me know. I'll do my best to answer them.

If you do go ya'll gotta run our club trail called X Way

 

[DarkMan]

Thanks, Man.

I work with Xterra02 and it was from his stories that I recommended Barnwell (Gilmer). I figured, why filter all the info through me, when I can get him him to post directly.

He tells me it's from 2 to 2.5 hours to get there from DFW (of course that is going to vary based on where you live in DFW. It sometimes takes an hour to get from Ft.Worth to Dallas. ) He also says they always plan on camping at least one night. "It's too far for a day trip."

Also, WRT 2WD trucks. He tells me that the Xterra folks have had soem 2WD up on the 2 rated (easiest) trials, but it wasn't much fun. Lots of strapping/winching to get them through. He actually used the word "babysitting".

 

[DarkMan]

Y'know we could make this a combined "Texas X" run. Explorers and Xterras.

(It's funny listening to me and Xterra02 talk about our trucks. We both call them "my X" but they're two VERY different trucks. )

 

[Xterra02]

If ya'll set a date I'll place it on our calendar as a club event and let some other people know.

 

[Xterra02]

Originally posted by DarkMan
Also, WRT 2WD trucks. He tells me that the Xterra folks have had soem 2WD up on the 2 rated (easiest) trials, but it wasn't much fun. Lots of strapping/winching to get them through. He actually used the word "babysitting".

Some trails aren't hard and some are. The trails change so much as the weather does so its hard to say a 2wd can or can't do a given trail but I personally wouldn't recommend having them go out there unless there are going to ride along with a 4x4. (just my 2cents)

 

[John_Rock]

Hey Xterra02,

Has anyone in your club run Dewoody?

 

[SVO]

So what about the guys who live in the south IE: Victoria, Galveston, Houston, Beaumont, San Antonio, and our friend way out in El Paso???

Gilmer does sond like an awsome place to wheel, but remember I think we were trying to get a central location to 70% of the people that wanted to meet up.

The reason I said August was that it's right before school to go back in session and some people need a longer notice to let thier employer know about time off ETC.

But at least we have a good number of people interested and more coming, and great suggestions and participation on the forum so far.

Keep it coming.


How's that list Msupertek??

 

[Xterra02]

Originally posted by Johnstone
Hey Xterra02,

Has anyone in your club run Dewoody?

Nope. One guy says he wants to try going down it and have a strap on the ass end so he doesn't roll, but I wouldn't try it with a daily driver. I've seen much carnage on Dewoody.

If your into the extreme trails, I've run Airstrip back when it was a 4 but its a 5 now and unless your locked front and rear I don't recommend it. Its a long way down.

 

[SVO]

Originally posted by Xterra02
Nope. One guy says he wants to try going down it and have a strap on the ass end so he doesn't roll, but I wouldn't try it with a daily driver. I've seen much carnage on Dewoody.

If your into the extreme trails, I've run Airstrip back when it was a 4 but its a 5 now and unless your locked front and rear I don't recommend it. Its a long way down.

That sounds like where you buy the $1500 "X" from Michigan and go for it!!

 

[Xterra02]

Originally posted by SVO

I just noticed your in Hewitt. One of the guys in the Xterra club lives out there. He has a black one thats lifted about 5 inchs, light rack, rear tire carrier.. and more. Ever see him driving around?

 

[swak6287]

how abiut 8/2/03..which is a saturday...or sunday. that way kids are still out of school and i can get off owrk.

 

[SVO]

Originally posted by Xterra02
I just noticed your in Hewitt. One of the guys in the Xterra club lives out there. He has a black one thats lifted about 5 inchs, light rack, rear tire carrier.. and more. Ever see him driving around?

Yes I have seen him around, very nice truck, I wish he would stop me sometime, if he would like we're going wheeling at the "Falls" on Saturday have him call me if he would like to go.

It's about 20-30 min. drive from Waco.

 

[Xterra02]

Originally posted by SVO
Yes I have seen him around, very nice truck, I wish he would stop me sometime, if he would like we're going wheeling at the "Falls" on Saturday have him call me if he would like to go.

It's about 20-30 min. drive from Waco.

I'll shoot him and email and see if he is interisted.

 

[John_Rock]

I was at BMRA in May running with guys from the DFW.TX4wd.org club.

They had one guy that wanted to do Dewoody, but his carburetor'd Blazer couldn't make it 10 yards up the hill.

They tried to egg me on to do it, but I was like, "Yeah, right. Who's gonna tow my ass home to Houston if I roll down this hill?" I don't usually like to be the ginea pig on difficult hills. Especially with people that I don't know well and if their spotting skills are any good.

Anyway, I have no problem making the trip up to Gilmer from Houston. It has something for everyone.

I know the SE guys want to go to Gilmer once Michael gets his D44 put under his truck.

Check out my pictures from the weekend at my yahoo briefcase. I've only got May 17th pics uploaded so far. I still need to get the 18th's uploaded.
May 17th BMRA Run

If that link doesn't work just go to:
briefcase.yahoo.com/john.johnstone@ANTISPAMREMOVEsbcglobal.net
Then click on the "My Sport Trac" folder, then click on the "2003.05.17 - BMRA - Gilmer, TX" folder, then click on the "May 17th" folder.

My Current Avatar is from the Sunday Cruise trail at BMRA.

Here's a picture of my truck that I just found today on the DFW.tx4wd.org message board of my truck after making it up an obstacle.

 

[swak6287]

so, in other words, xterra02 and darkman, u aint big dawg and 4wd, dont bother jpoining texplorer cause we dont wanna babysit? that is not i thought texplorer was gonna turn out to be.
sorry that some of us are not big dawgs and love to wheel.

 

[DarkMan]

Originally posted by swak6287
so, in other words, xterra02 and darkman, u aint big dawg and 4wd, dont bother jpoining texplorer cause we dont wanna babysit?

No. That's not what I'm saying at all. One of the big factors in enjoying wheeling is knowing your limits. To me, that means "how much can my truck do" and "how much damage am I willing to accept". As the Idiot Stocker, I'm always willing to try something harder than "most people" would try. But it's important for everyone to know what the trail has in store before you try it.

If you try it and get stuck, I'll be right there with you, knee deep in muck, pullin' and diggin' and stackin' to get you through. I fully accept that, and I want you to know it. Likewise, if you try it and DON'T get stuck, I'll be singing the praises of the unmodified explorer (like I always do)!

I just wanted to get an unbiased opinion on the difficulty of the trails at Barnwell so we can make an educated decision about making a big group run.

Frankly, I'd love to have someone earn the name "Idiot 2-Wheeler". We could get matching t-shirts!!

P.S. To me, the term babysitting on the trail is reserved for those folks who have no idea what they're doing and expect everyone else to save their butt when they get in over their head. I've seen plenty of stock J**pers that assume their truck can climb trees, then end up begging strangers for a jack or a strap or something. That's NOT what I expect of people on this board. If you're here, you KNOW about trail essentials, trail courtesy, etc., and for that alone, you have my respect.

 

[Msupertek]

NOT SO MANY STIPULATIONS!

I feal that if some of you have a 2wheeler and are planning on getting a 4wd, and would like to hang out and ride shotgun with some of us with more modified X's so be it. Ain't no shame in it. Hell when I went down to Kingsland with SVO I almost went alone, no one to help me out on spotting from the right side or help me load and unload. Luckily one of my friends last minute decided to go, otherwise I would have been driving that long trip alone. So if yours can't make it MINE CAN. Ride with me if I have an open seat.

Next we can meet before we actually go to gilmer (I will be camping and staying the whole weekend). I also agree with SVO - the first week of August or last week of July sounds kewl to me. My wife should be having my second daughter any day now (so I'm not sure if she will be coming or not).

SO WHO ALL WANTS TO MEET SOMETIME SOON TO GET AN IDEAL HOW US WANNA BE SOUTHERN CHAPTER GUYS AND GALS ACT, LOOK AND GET ALONG??

IS JUNE 28TH WEEKEND TO SOON???????
REMEMBER THIS IS JUST A GET TOGETHER TO FURTHER DISCUSS THIS CLUB AND EVENTS TO COME.

Oh and here is one of my pics from the last run at kingsland - I like this one!

 

[iroczddp]

hey man i am right there with u i will try and make what ever get together we can.... i bet it would be best to make it a sunday... and mabye meet up at like say a sonic around town somewhere that way we all can park, eat, chill, and talk bout the club or what not.... so i am down shoot me an e-mail.... iroczddp@yahoo.com....i was a co-founder of a local street racing "crew" called daily driven performace" and i know how hard it is to get everything going... and to keep it together.. and if we all cant get along then there will be no crew ya know..... i know i dont wanna go wheelin and then meet some dick that i will have 2 hang out with the whole weekend ya know...... i would rather know not than then.......

 

[swak6287]

sunday sounds cool. maybe if there is a hooter car wash somewhere one of the weekends, that would be better.

 

[DarkMan]

So we're talking June 29th for DFW meet and greet...

Is that right?

I have no plans (other than church that morning). Lunch or dinner is cool for us.

I'm still learning all the suburbs so I'm not sure where people have chimed in from, but I'm thinking central. There are tons of places to eat and hang out around I-20 and 360. There's also a Hooters pretty close to I-30 and 360.