It was a cold March day. Below freezing all day. The wind whipped through barren trees and clouds of dust followed us along the dirt roads leading to the trails. But the sun shown bright and warmed us. A few new faces joined this time around. Although I met every one of them, the names escape me on this morning after. I spent all my photos on the trails before hitting the play area toward the end of the day. A few things that stand out in my mind:
I again attempted the rock garden at the top of trail 25,, and made it!!
We also found the creek again and drove the whole group in and out,, with only minor body damage.
I remember watching a TJ being strapped out of the water and as it plows along through the deep water, I'm laughing as the guys in the TJ pretend to be paddling a canoe
The first time I've ever seen large amounts of water and clumps of mud spewing from the tail pipe of a vehicle,, right after seeing a fountain of muddy water spurting into the air coming from where spark plugs use to be,, lol.
Our 2 hours in the play area almost overshadowed the whole day,, what a great time! I learned a valuable lesson: Check out the water depth before driving through. I hit a so-called puddle about 25MPH,, gunning it as I entered the water,,, heck, it was only about 20 feet across. When I saw my hood disappear into the water,, then felt my liberty level out with the water almost to my windows,, I knew I had found that drop off that stays hidden so well beneath muddy waters. We'd already had 3 jeeps stuck in the water,, I didn't want to be the next one,,, my feet were still dry. I floored it and felt my tires churning mud and water. Just as I was about to bog down my front wheels grabbed and began to pull me out. I kept on the gas and drove out. I had hit the water so hard, and it was so deep that both my mirrors and my front add-on lights all were folded back. I thought it was only a foot deep or so. It wasn't till I had pulled out of the water that I realized how lucky I was to have made it out. Our friend in the Tacoma splashed through this same spot slightly to the right and missed the hidden hole the first time. The second time he sped through, he wasn't so lucky. He found the same hole, only going in the other direction, instead of a drop off, it must have been rock ledge. His truck stopped dead, nose burried in the deep muddy water. I know we have a few pics,, maybe W3CSX got a few pics. The right front tire had come off the rim, and there was a hole in the engine block, oil dripping out,, metal torn apart big enough to get your finger into. kkkustom had to tow him out so we could change his tire,, then tow him all the way up to the office area backwards(he had no front tow hooks). He was calling a tow truck as I left, kkkustom waited with him. That could have been me. Here's my pics of the trails,, no play area pics
http://photobucket.com/albums/j2/speleorelic/_________________
George
MUDLUST: Black 03 Renegade
LOST 135
3" Lift 265 Cooper Discoverer S/T
Brushguard Diff Guard
Skids & Rails
The difference between me and a madman is: I'm not mad! (Salvador Dali)
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. We may have to ask Paragon to finally give Trail 25 a name. I vote for "The L.O.S.T. Trail" since we always seem to end up on it no matter who's guiding, including me. I'm riding with DeJa (Delaware Jeep Association) at Rausch Sat. Mar. 25th, for anyone who may want to tag along. Hope to ride with you all again soon.
All my action is solo. Anyway, very cool pictures and I wish I could have been there.
