Like I stated in my first post, I just got a job that puts me on stanby and I can be called for deployment at any time. And it's on 24-48 hr notice. So I can't really commit to leading this in good conscience since I may have to cancel at the last minute. Josh, Jason, Caleb, and others have made several trips there now and all of them know the non-extreme trails very well. At Tellico, a near-stock vehicle will be limited to trails 1 (just a graded road), 3, 4, 5 (usually), 6, and 8. All of us have been on these trails several times with the possible exception of 3 (I cannot remember who else has ran that trail, but it's easy like 8).
I think many of us are really curious to see how well a stocker would do. However I'd think anyone with a stocker had better figure out how to put at least 31" ATs or MTs on it and make sure they have skidplates and if possible put some sort of rockslider protection on. We could lead a stocker up 4, go around 8, and down 6 and that would probably take all day long and be a fun run.
One problem however would be that Tellico trails are narrow and in many places there's not a go-around to pass stuck vehicles. Combine that with the fact that Tellico can get a LOT harder when it's wet and the possibility exists that a stock vehicle could take a lot of strapping and babysitting if it's muddy. Now put our group with that stocker on the wet trail while we're blocking a group of a dozen or more armed & drunk rednecks in beatup 4x4s and I'd be a little hesitant to spend too long stopping and strapping the stocker all day long. If we can get some stockers to go with us, I'd like to suggest that we schedule a run over two weekends and keep them both open.... that way if the first weekend rains, we'd be able to cancel and plan for the next weekend in the hope of hitting it dry the next weekend. Just a thought.