Eagle Rock

I met up with a great group of guys from Colorado 4×4 to do this run. I have been looking forward to this trail since I heard about it. It is supposed to be close to town and a lot of fun. HMM, this trail is not that close to North Colorado Springs but I guess it is the only difficult trail in the area. I do have to say that it was great running with a group of guys that just liked to be outside and were not worried about what everyone was driving. We had a great mixture of YJ, TJ, JK, full size Chevy’s, full size Fords, Suzuki, and even another Toyota. It was great to run with a mutt bunch because you could see how the different vehicles did in all the different terrain.

Start time was 9:30 am, with 11 trucks at the meeting place. We then drove down to the start of the trail that is not close by any means and took awhile to even get to it. Luckily the guys have done this trail a lot and new to air down right away making the forever washboard road smoother. When at the trail I started off in the back not at the end but 3 or 4 rigs from it. The few guys in the back all stopped and played on this huge rock that basically was right next to a tree so if you took the wrong line you were banging into this tree. Me being the most helpful guy ever on the trail was looking out for a YJ that was on the obstical and tried to push his mirror in, not knowing that Jeeps do not have push in mirrors. So breaking off the passenger mirror not even 1/2 a mile in on the first optional obstical, I felt like crap. All the guys who did the obstical, made it look easy and only 1 TJ that was brand new and not even registered yet had to reverse for a better line.

We then quickly got up to the group and the trail got HARD. This trail started to turn into a rock garden going up a steep mountain and never let up once. There is no break in it, you just drive over huge rocks the whole time. There is only maybe 3 sections that have a bypass but even getting to the bypass was tough. You are on a steep incline the whole way up and constant rocks and ledges. The gravel way so slick in parts that even if you needed to break it was just a waste of time, and then as you get further up the trail the trees start getting tighter and tighter. You want to keep your vehicle from smashing into a tree but the rocks keep bouncing you back and forth into them. The Full size Bronco took the most damage as the passenger side door and rocker panel were bent into a arc and sealed the door shut. The full size military Blazer also to a tree directly to the passenger side door key hole and stopped that door from opening. I took every bypass I could because I do not have a lift, I do not have skid plates, and I am still new to off roading. 1 spot right after you get out of a very steep climb that 1 Jeep had to be winched up from was called the hardest part of the whole trail. A couple people thought for sure that we would be winching most of the people up this part because it is a narrow ravine that you are driving off camber the whole way up and then have 2 staggered rocks on each side of the vehicles. We all made it up this and continued on with several more obsticals and hazards along the way.

After we all reached the finial obstical we all seemed to split up. Some headed directly for the main road and some others took other trails, and I believe some guys stopped to shot for awhile. I tagged along with a TJ that wanted to go up Mt. Baldy. It is an easy trail as long as heights are not an issue for you and there is no traffic. This is a shelf road and is one way only. There are some turnouts but they are not close together and it is very steep the whole way up. It is not a hard trail up it though, but I would want clearance because there is a couple good rain run offs that cut into the trail. Close to the summit there is a huge gate with spikes on it, yeah rebar spikes. The area we parked in had amazing views and it was snowing at the top so that was cool.

Just an all around great day on a tough trail but great people and a lot of fun. Images posted on Picasa site, not very many because the trail was tough and I had no on-board photographer and my camera is broken.

Colorado 4×4 clubs

I am new to Colorado and being a long time member of the 702 FJ Crew out of Las Vegas, I wanted to join a new club here. I have found 2 or 3 that sound ok but there seems to be something about them that makes me reserved and not wanting to join.

First thing is they all cost money, I have to give them money to be part of their club and they give that money to some organization that says they help something. I think this is junk, I am not a supporter of any type of donation company and do not wish to contribute to any of them. So that takes out 3 clubs that are out of Colorado Springs. Oh and you do not even get a sticker and no loyalty to that club. Everyone here seems to belong to at least 3 clubs. I understand co-mingling between eh clubs but at least have a strong support of 1. I now that my old club there was a lot of guys that belong to several others because Las Vegas clubs were free to join and I have went out on trail runs with people other then my club, but everyone knew that my loyalty was to 1 club and that I may ride with you I am a member of the other club not yous.

Second thing is they are not very active for only having such a short amount of time available. There is huge books filled with Colorado trails and it seems that every club does the same trial week after week. I have been watching 5 clubs that are all from Denver to Colorado Springs and they all just went to Mt Blanca and then to Holy Cross and now going to Spring Creek or have been.

Third thing is the “click”. Although we all do this and of course there will be a few very active members and some not at all, here it seems a little more then normal. In the old club there was only a few of us that would call out runs and get the club going but it was open for everyone to feel as they could. They are very regimented here as to who is going what is the plan and what vehicles are on the trail.

I am very surprised at this and it is my biggest complaint yet about this place. Everyone I have met is very welcoming and helpful but I think I set it up in my mind to be more then what is happening. All I want to do is drive over some stupid rocks, see something not everyone else gets to see, and have some people with me that can throw me a rope when I need it. Maybe I am to used to Vegas and how people did things there or how easy it was for me to go on a trail and people in Vegas we so ready to go any where all the time. Here there is always a lot of things to do and people seem to have a lot more going on.

Michael Vick, wish you a blown knee

Michael Vick has been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles for 2 years. What a joke! This is a true statement that all morals in this country are crap. You want your kids looking up to a guy that funded and housed one of the biggest dog fighting rings in the country? This is not just a backyard little my dog is tougher then your dog, and it is not just a small ring in the basement of a home. This was a multi-million dollar compound of training and fighting. Most dogs taken out of this place were killed or have to live in shelters the rest of their lives.

So you do not care if he did this? You do not own a dog or care what any of these people do as long as he carries your team to a victory? The fact that a whole bread of animals is deemed dangerous in insignificant to you, even thought all they try and do is please their owner. Well I am the guy that does care, I think that it is sick that this is even possible. He killed hundreds of dogs and you still want him to entertain you? Pee-Wee Herman masturbated in a porno theater and you no longer want him entertaining your kids, Michel Phelps smoked some pot and his medals are now in danger, all these people are sick and you want nothing to do with them, but oh this guy plays football he can do whatever he wants.

I am a firm beliver that humanity and the human species is a failure because of our incapibility to help this planet. I will do as much as I can to Boycott the Philadelphia Eagles and everything that endorses them. Hope the dogs catch him one day!

The Gulches

Went on 2 trails on Sunday that have just reopened after 8 years of being closed due to a major forest fire. Learned that out here driving is done in 4Lo instead of 4Hi. In the desert we used 4Hi because we did not want to sink into the sand but out here there is so many hills and steep descents that 4Lo is the gear of choice.

Longwater: 4Lo needed and I did put on the rear-locker not knowing if I needed it or not in 1 spot. There is a very large rock that you have to come down and go back up. Going down is not bad because you just slide down but you will go onto 2 wheel, a front and 1 back if you take the driver side through the soft sand.  At the bottom of the rock you have to turn very sharp to passenger side because it is a steep decent with logs and a cable blocking. Going back up was a lot more intimidating but done in 4Lo with a rear locker I had no problems at all. Just get all the tires on the rock not in the soft dirt on the side. Was a nice trail and you could see a lot of the destruction that the fire had caused.

Hackett: Much more difficult trail. 4Lo and rear locker on up a very large rock section that there is no go around and is very steep. The trail is very narrow and has very steep descents and accents with very loose gravel and a lot of rocks and trees in trail. To make it up the rock we stayed on the passenger side and just went up very slow. I heard that a unlocked 4 Runner did it earlier that day.

High Dr & Schubarth Rd

High Dr. – Very easy road that starts above Hunt falls. 1 way road that goes down and connects into Gold Camp.

Schubarth Rd. – Mild difficult because of the amount of run off and gullies that you have to go up. We took the 307a road and it did steep with having to come back out the same way you went in. A shorter wheel base Jeep had some trouble getting back up the rut that you come down but going to the driver side made it up. With a longer wheel base we made it up very easy.

Quality is dead

I have noticed with the decline of the economy that the quality of not only the products but the customer interaction and overall satisfaction is in the crapper as well. We seem to no longer care if the people that are spending money are happy with what the are buying.

I see this everywhere I turn, from large corporations that have customer accounts that they used to bend over backwords for are now not interested in even listing to the customer. Or the waitress that used to be glad to help and try and make eating with them enjoyable. They now do not even do anything except to get a manager to comp the meal and then tell you where you can get good food just down the road.

This place is AMAZING!

We went to the zoo today on Cheyenne Mountain. This is not a large zoo but it does have a wide assortment of animals and it is not over priced, except do not get the brisket sandwich.

We finished with the zoo and decided to just drive up and see Seven Falls. Not being in shape and ready to take on the steps to the falls we just wanted to walk around them. We found that you had to pay to get into them and without going up the stairs and it being very busy we decided not to do that, but kept going on up the road.

We went up into the canyon and found Helen Falls. This place was great. Walking into the little information area I spoke to one of the ladies working the information area and noticed that there were gold pans. I immediately asked how much and what do I have to do to get going. She told me that they do not go after gold but a metal type rock and it is fun for the kids. It is also completely free, a lot of things out here seem to be. She gathered all the materials and headed to the mountain stream. The thunder came and she was not able to pan but we will return and do it another day.

We then all took our shoes off and walked into the mountain stream. If you have never done this I would suggest it to anyone. A mountain stream is the coldest water I have ever felt and although it is only up to your ankles it makes you feel alive and fresh. I have loved doing this since I was a kid.

After the freezing water we hiked over the falls but turned back because we were not prepared and in the mountains this is how bad stuff happens. We continued down a dirt road in my wifes 2 wheel drive cross over that was smooth and well traveled. You go through old rock tunnels and hang off cliffs with no railing on a 2 lane road only big enough for 1 car.

It was a great day and what an amazing place.

Pikes Peak Hill Climb

The Pikes Peak Hill Climb is in town and seeing a 1000 plus horse power car that goes up a mountain that some people get scared driving up is CRAZY. There was a huge celebration downtown with motocross jumping, live music, and meet the cars and drivers. We got there late so we missed most of the things but it was still fun.

Check out the photo album for images of the cars under fun days

Started blog

I am going to start a blog because it is the thing to do now days.