GWNF – Winter RunNov 8-11, 2007

This trip was solely to relax and enjoy the camping experience.



We camped on Kephart Run, all the way at the end of the trail, which is equivalent to approximately twenty-two minutes of bumpy, winding forest service road that never ends. By the time we got there on Friday evening and settled in our camp chairs, it was six o’clock and absolutely dark.



On Friday morning, we woke up bright and early at 9am and started our day with a great breakfast and coffee. We took a leisurely run on Dry River (getting stuck twice in the process) and a ride up Second Mountain which turned into a night run on Gauley Ridge. Please note that my expert mapping skills saved us from spending the night, freezing our asses off, in the woods. Okay, so that’s a little exaggeration, but remember kids, just because the map says the road is there, doesn’t mean it is. Oh…and it started to SNOW!



For Saturday, we once again woke up late and decided to travel to Crabtree Falls. It turned out to be a lovely drive, with colorful trees and winding roads. The trail was fun, although we didn’t get to finish it before dark and decided to turn around and head back to camp. The hunters were roaming the trail threatening to shoot us if we didn’t leave. Well, not really threatening to shoot us, but implying they’d be hunting and one said “you sure got a purty mouth, boy.” Okay, maybe not that either, but they wanted us gone. You could tell.



Sunday we awoke early and departed.

The trip was fun and relaxing, even in temperatures just above 32 degrees with no showers. I haven’t been that happy to take a hot shower in quite some time.



Things I know because of this trip:

• Fish DO die when they are frozen.
  
• It costs $10-$15 to enter Shenandoah National Park (depending on what time of year it is.)
  
• Degaussing ships is required to keep them from setting off magnetically sensitive ordinances.
  
• Birds can land on high tension lines, but water pops. Still haven’t figured that one out.
  
• The difference between a class III misdemeanor and the actual punishment is $4,500 and imprisonment of up to 6 months. (Don’t ask.)
  

Pictures to follow…..

Oak Ridge VA4WDA Annual Trail RunSep 21-23, 2007

Good wheeling, good people, good prizes and most of all a way to raise money for a good cause. The VA4WD Association annual trail ride and poker run has something for everyone!




I wasn't particularly ready to go on a trail ride this year. My Jeep sat in the driveway for the last month waiting for some fluid changes and a new roll cage, but I was unable to get all that done. I ended up just rinsing off the GW mud and packing her up to get out of town on Thursday. No time for maintenance!!

The weather was perfect and there was only a 20% chance of rain. As it turns out, it did sprinkle a couple of times, once in the middle of the night, on my face, because I pulled back the rain fly on the tent for some air!

As for the trails, they were dusty but fun. Our group was lead by Keith who was wrangled into the job and we had several folks from Beltway Jeepers in our group. There were some damage, including some drive shaft problems, bent tie rods, and other minor issues, and one big hydro locked engine (OUCH!). The only problem I had was when I tried to line up my passenger side to get on a rock and ended up on my tie rod and drag link, which promptly bent a bit. Not enough to hinder the ride home, but enough to be looking for a heavy duty after market replacement.




For the raffle this year I won a bookbag from Tom Wood's and a shop light. A friend from Beltway gave me a certificate he won for a tax prep next year! Yay! Maybe next year I could win some tires...or...maybe not.

Can't wait for the 2008 run!!!!

To see the photo album of this trip click here.

West Virginia CampingBrandywine Campground - Aug 10-12, 2007

This trip started as a way for me to get some rest and relaxation from work and as a way to celebrate my recent birthday. I was hoping to camp in GWNF, but with no men going, and only one other female friend arriving on Saturday, I decided to go for Brandywine Campground. The best place in the whole campground is the overflow area in the back. There is a wooded area past the field and it only costs $2 per day per person to stay there. You really feel like you are all alone back there. People camping near the front of the campground were like, "Where are you going all the way back there??" You couldn't hear a peep from the rest of the campground. Perfect!



There is a lake to fish and swim in and there is wildlife! We had an encounter with a mama bear and her cub. They were searching our campsite for food (which we had stashed in the trees). I was able to get a picture of them. It's kind of like those pictures of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. I swear it's a bear. The racoons were in my Jeep trying to get into the cooler that I tied down. I know because they left little muddy foot prints inside and on top of the Jeep.



As far as the actual four wheeling this trip - not too much. A new friend showed up and we took some basic trails. I tried to follow the topo map, but took a wrong turn and we had to ask some Deliverance hunters in the woods for directions out. The GPS she had worked great - if the forest service didn't gate their roads!!

VA4WDA 1st Annual Trail CleanupGWNF - May 5, 2007

Yay! We get to pick up trash! Not. Okay, so I went on this trip, not because of my deep seeded need to help the environment and clean up the National Forest, but because I wanted to be with my friends and camp. Sue me.

I had to leave at 02:00am Saturday morning because I couldn't get out of town early enough on Friday and I didn't want to set up camp in the dark. Lennox and I arrived at 07:00am, which left just enough time for me to set up my camp before the impending afternoon rain.



The weather looked worse and worse as we went to our meet up location. It was definitely going to rain. I can't remember the name of our trail, but there were lots of tires to pick up. We started by winching tires up the side of the hill, but I suggested that we pull them up. I mean, where's the fun in letting the machines do all the work?! We collected trash until about noon, then deserted...trying to find a rock or two to climb on.



I lead our small group down Second Mountain, praying that it was open at the bottom. We climbed on the only rock on the trail, then headed over to Dry River.



Saturday evening, on our trip to town, I realized my Jeep was broke. Yup. Freakin' figures, huh? I didn't break it at GW though, I'm pretty sure it was a left over break from Crozet in March. I hadn't driven the Jeep since I got back from Crozet, so I didn't detect the problem. Seems like there's going to be a u-joint problem and if history is anything to learn from, maybe the axle shaft. We'll see when I clean her up to take her to the Jeep stealership.

The most memorable part of the trip was Saturday night. Between the margarita bucket and the bratwursts, I forgot my Jeep troubles and just enjoyed my friends.

It was a great weekend. Many thanks to Keith for letting me drive his bad-ass CJ home while he towed my limping TJ on his trailer.