Nothing Special's 2022 SMORR Trip

[Nothing Special]

I would love to try to get up the right side of that hill.  Just not with my Bronco!

[Gary Lewis]

Did Ed's buggy go up?

[Nothing Special]

Quite easily!  If you check out Jeff's video that I linked above (and right here), Ed's run starts at 17:12.

And I got this video out of order.  But while the more adventurous were playing on Stampede and Snow Trail (both rated 4), those of us who like our sheetmetal took 3-rated Dixie trail.

[Gary Lewis]

Yep, Ed made it look easy!  Boy, what a difference all that rubber makes.  He has it out front of the bumper/frame in front and farther out than the body/tubing on the sides, so he just has to putt putt up to things and go up them.  

But you made Dixie Trail look pretty easy.  The right line to keep the bumper from hitting made a big difference.  

[Nothing Special]

Others were hitting their diffs and getting caught on their springs (under the axles) on the line Ed took.  39.5" tires on Toyota axles makes that a lot easier as well!

[Nothing Special]

The next trail that the group took was called Puppy Licker (I don't want to try to figure out how they get the trail names...).  The start of the trail ended up being more interesting than it should have been as Wade was looking at the Jeep ahead of him instead of the trail (or rather the lack of a trail) in front of him.

From there up it's a long, narrow trail, so once you started up you were pretty much committed.  I hiked up far enough to know it wasn't for us on this trip, so we joined the rest who didn't want to bang our vehicles up.  We went around and got to the top of Puppy Licker before the others, so a couple of us hiked down to watch the action.  I'm glad I got to watch it, but I'm really glad I didn't take my Bronco up it!  There was a bit of sheetmetal carnage, and Ed even had to winch!

I'm not posting any video of this trail since I didn't run it, but here's a video that Alan posted:

[Gary Lewis]

I see why you didn't want to go up that trail!  Man, that was an accident waiting to happen, and while one did I imagine there were plenty of rock rashes gathered as well.  

But those guys got over things I didn't think possible.  Wow!  

[Nothing Special]

I felt bad for Kevin (white Jeep with red wheels) on that trail.  Alan doesn't have any video of him, but if you look at Wade (yellow Jeep) going up a waterfall at 14:00 in that video it's not hard to imagine what happened to Kevin.  He took much the same line as Wade, but if you see the tree that Wade's left front fender is close to at 14:10, Kevin just pasted that tree with his fender.  It pushed the fender back almost 2 inches, tweaking the grill, hood and cowl in the process.  And Kevin was one of the guys who usually went with the other group rather than take too much risk of damage.

edit to add: Kevin is the last Jeep in that video.  You can see the poor hood alignment following the tree strike there.

Another fun part of the trail didn't get any video.  I said a couple of us hiked down to watch that.  It was a fair distance,both horizontally and vertically.  So I hitched a ride back up in Alan's passenger seat.  The top part of the trail wasn't at all rocky, but the dirt mounds twisted you back and forth.  Alan laid the Jeep on its right side, then flopped it on its left, then back on its right.  He kept it moving forward, but it was challenging to keep my feet, hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times!  I was (sort of) ready for it, so I did stay safe.  But it was exciting!

And as to making it over things that don't seem possible, wait for the next trail!

[Gary Lewis]

I watched everybody as they attempted to get past that tree and was amazed how close they came to it w/o hitting it.  So I'm not surprised that someone smacked it.  Yes, I see the poor alignment.  Bummer!  

That's exactly why I don't want to do that as I don't like tearing things up, and that looked like an accident waiting to happen.

As for Alan's antics, I wish that was on video!  But how did you keep your arms and legs in the Jeep?  That must have taken a LOT of effort.  Sure glad you did!  But maybe it is a good thing there isn't any video or you might not get to go again.  

Ok, I can wait for the next installment.  That's gotta be incredible.

[Nothing Special]

Jeff was right behind us, and as we flopped on the right side he grabbed for his phone, but then we started straightening out so he put it down.  Then he repeated that as we flopped on the left side.  When he grabbed his phone a third time as we flopped on the right again he decided not to put it down again, but the antics were over.  When we got to the top he complained that Alan needed to tell him when he was going to do stuff like that so he could be ready!

Jeff has full 5 point harni in both seats of his Jeep, but Alan only does for the driver, so all I had was a lap belt.  I also had an empty Dr. Pepper can in one hand, so mostly I was trying to hold onto the left side of the passengers seat to keep myself perpendicular to the Jeep.  It was also hard because I was laughing so much!  It was hard to stay in place, and I knew I had to pay attention to not smash a hand.  But I wasn't worried, it never felt unsafe.

You may have noticed that Ed's buggy has "handle bars" for Janice to hang on to.  I know a lot of Jeeps (including my '75 CJ5) came stock with a "chicken bar" on the dashboard in front of the passenger.  Something like that is really helpful!

As we got to the top where Lesley was waiting she heard me laughing and Jeff complaining that he didn't get the video.  So she pretty much got the whole story anyway!

[Gary Lewis]

I think the 5-point harness is a very good idea for something like what they are doing, especially in a Jeep that is so open.  Our next door neighbor flipped his RZR down a mountain by just turning the wrong way and hadn't even put his harness on.  But at least he had the presence of mind to keep his hands and legs inside as it tumbled so only had a few broken bones and nothing was crushed.

Anyway, I can see Jeff picking up his phone, putting it down, picking it up, etc and missing all the fun.  But that might be good since while Lesley knows about it, maybe seeing it wouldn't be a good idea.

As for handle bars, they would be helpful to put your hands on to keep them in the vehicle.  But I'm here to tell you that they aren't a good substitute for being fastened in.  I say that because almost exactly 57 years ago when I was in my first year of college, and was just a few months out of high school football, I got in the front seat of my buddy's VW Bug.  Having never been in a Bug before I tapped on the windshield and said "That sure is close".  A couple of miles later a lady in the USS Enterprise ('58 Buick station wagon) turned in front of us.  I locked my hands on that sissy bar and then put my head through the windshield when we hit.

We'd been going about 30 MPH and he had hit the brakes very quickly so we'd slowed down quite a bit before hitting.  But I was amazed that I couldn't hold myself even when I was prepared for the hit.  So the handle bars might be good for keeping your hands from getting out of the vehicle, but ...

[Nothing Special]

Well, I hope I didn't oversell this!  And it's not even my video that has the incredible stuff.  But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Our last trail for the day was Rocker Knocker (rated 4).  Watching (and hearing!) Jeff on the first obstacle gave me pause, but after seeing Alan walk it I thought it was a reasonable risk (with a spotter).  It worked out for me, but after Puppy Licker Kevin used this obstacle as an opportunity to even up his Jeep a bit, adding some rock rash to the passenger side this time

After the first obstacle another trail intersected ours.  Rattler (rated 5) has a pretty big waterfall!  This is the kind of thing that usually when I see it I point it out to Lesley and she says "Jeeps don't really try to drive up that, do they?"  Well yes, they do!  I didn't include much of this in my video, but I'll put Jeff's video in here as well so you can see it!

We then continued on up Rocker Knocker, with a couple of challenging but not particularly risky ledges.  I don't know why everyone else took the line they took on the first one.  Maybe they wanted more of a challenge?  I took what I thought looked like a better line and evidently I was right.

Throughout the weekend most of us had the "opportunity" to use our winch or take a strap.  The last ledge on Rocker Knocker proved to be my opportunity.  People weren't hanging around much so after three tries I took the sure way up rather than slow everyone down more.

So here's Rocker Knocker



And here are the crazies on Rattler!

[Nothing Special]

Gary Lewis wrote

....  As for handle bars, they would be helpful to put your hands on to keep them in the vehicle.  But I'm here to tell you that they aren't a good substitute for being fastened in....

I'm glad you're around to tell the story!  And yes, it's no substitute.  But it is a good way to keep your hands occupied, especially so you don't try to grab the roll cage!  Have you heard of the medical term "de-glove"?   Yeah, you want your hands inside.

[Gary Lewis]

I do have a scar across the bridge of my nose from that crash.  I remember so vividly watching the doctor stitching up that cut, lifting my head off the table as he pulled the stitches tight.  

Then he put a bandage around my head and sent me home.  Mom had gone to the grocery store while I was gone and when she pulled into the driveway she honked for me to come out and help her carry things in.  To say she was shocked would be a huge understatement.  

Yes, I've heard of the term "de-gloved" and it sounds painful!  So keeping your hands in is a major need, and if handle bars help you do that then they'd be a good addition.

[Nothing Special]

Gary, I don't know if you missed that I had posted the next trail as you were posting before, or if you just haven't gotten around to it yet.  But since you've usually commented before I post the next trail and since I'm close to being able to post the next trail I thought I'd check...

[Gary Lewis]

You are right, I missed that post.  Thanks for letting me know.

You and your Bronco did well, although that rear bumper has a few more rashes on it.  But at least the body appears to have come through unscathed - unlike several others.  Ouch!  That was painful to watch.  

But you are right about the crazies!  I would never have thought something could go up that waterfall, but Ed made it look pretty easy.  Wow!  That was awesome!

[Nothing Special]

A little rash on the underside of the rear bumper doesn't count as damage!  And yes, it did hurt, especially to see Kevin stuck on his right side (seeing / hearing Jeff and Fuzz not so much, because it's such a common occurrence with them!).

One thing that does bug me just a little watching this video.  Looking at 11:13 and 12:30 I hit the ledge in exactly the same place both times with my right rear.  I think if I had hit that about 8" to the rigt the tire might have caught on that little projection of rock and caught so it could climb up instead of getting kicked off to the left.  Maybe I wouldn't have needed to winch.  Oh well, I didn't know that then, and didn't want to slow down the group.

[Nothing Special]

And this last video brings this trip to a close.  A few people had to leave on Saturday evening, quite a few more had to leave early Sunday (Kevin and his son had to get back to Idaho!).  So that left 4 vehicles: Dale, Jeff, Fuzz & Sue and Lesley & I.  None of us had all day, so we decided to do one trail that had some "meat" to it.  Larry's Hill ended up being that one trail.

Larry's Hill is a 5-rated trail that only a few Jeeps had tried when I was here two years before (Dale and Jeff were two of the three that did on that trip).  With a smaller group and a couple years more experience I wanted to try it.  Maybe it's just that my perspective has changed, but I really think the trail was easier this year.  Or more accurately, had more easier lines.  I didn't try the section at the top that was the most challenging (neither did Fuzz, and Dale ended up winching, although I think he could've made it if he really had wanted to).  But it's still fun to be able to say that I did it now.



That pretty much wraps up the trip!  We took our time driving home this time (instead of making it home Sunday night/Monday morning like I did the last time) so it was much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Thanks for following along!

[Gary Lewis]

You made it look easy!  

But I can't believe that Jeff got around that tree at about 10:00  I would never have thought that possible.

What's the deal with Fuzz's red Jeep?  It sounds electric.

Anyway, it looks like you had a wonderful trip!  Lots of rough stuff conquered and no damage - or none to speak of if the rash on the bottom of the bumper doesn't count.  Well done!!!!  

[Nothing Special]

Fuzz's Jeep has a 4.3L Chevy V6 backed by a 4 speed with a granny 1st gear (SM420?).  I think he has electric cooling fans which you hear pretty definitely when they are on.  And he has ARB air lockers in both axles with no air tank to speak of, so the compressor just has to pressurize the line.  On this trip he developed an air leak, and with no tank it takes no time for the pressure to drop below the turn-on point.  And then no time for the compressor to bring it back up to the turn-off point.  So the compressor was cycling very frequently by the end of the weekend.

I told you Jeff's motto:  We do what we can and try what we can't.  He's a bit of an internet legend (23K subscribers in spite of the fact that he doesn't try to build his channel).  I think that's because of a couple of things.  One is that he's a genuinely nice guy.  I asked Ed how he came to be connected with a group of old Jeeps.  He said he was watching YouTube 'wheeling videos, found Jeff's and thought "I'd like to go 'wheeling with him."  The other reason is that Jeff does really remarkable things with Bam Bam.  He's had some good company which certainly helps.  But also he's not afraid to try stuff that he knows he can't do.  And when he does, it turns out that sometimes he can!  In this video at 9:18 you can hear him say "I already know I'm not gonna...".  And then at 10:00 he did.

As to my making it look easy, that's probably because I don't have Jeff's motto!  I don't try things that I think will be beyond me.  As I've been doing this for quite a while I'm starting to realize that I can do some things that look pretty incredible.  My Bronco really is quite capable, and I don't want to be falsely modest so I'll admit that I'm pretty good at driving it.  But I don't want to be arrogant either, so I'll also admit that it's pretty easy to make the easy lines look easy!  OK, they're the easy lines on 4 and 5 rated trails (on this scale of 1 - 7).  But really, if I can do this so can a lot of other people.  Still not saying that you should if it's not what you want to do.  But no one should stay away from this because "they can't."  None of us could at one point.  I've been doing this for about 35 years.  But Jeff started building Bam Bam about 10 years ago, and I don't think he did much 'wheeling before that.  And I told you that Ed only started about 2.5 years ago.  So it's not like you need to follow my slow trajectory!