Crozet - Jun 22-24

[87B2XLT]

Okay, thought I'd unofficially start the after action report as we decided not to stay for wheelin' today. No carnage to report from yesterday (Saturday) other than I heated up my clutch pretty good yesterday morning. Everything else held up fairly well, only some rock rash on the skid plates, radius arms, front diff armor, a ding in the tailpipe and some redneck pinstriping. All in all, I was impressed that I was able to run some of the trails that normally require 31s and 33s on 30s with stock 3.45 gears and open diffs... of course, Fran was an awesome trail guide and spotter! Andrea and I had a lot of fun, and enjoyed the experience, other than a little soreness from bouncing around a lot. Hopefully, more will be added when Fran, Dave P, Billy, Jim, Ed & Keith return... hopefully, no major carnage to report from them -- although, I think Fran's FJ40 may have also suffered some clutch malfunction. I have some pictures that I'll post later.

Dave & Andrea G

[Chele]

I hate my job. I cannot believe I missed this due to lack of preparedness. In hindsight, I could have camped out Friday night and left early enough on Saturday to get to work by 19:00.

[Jim63]

I just got back a little while ago, thanks to everyone for a fantastic birthday weekend! I couldn't think of a better place to turn 21 at lots of fun! Im glad I got my little jeep with the open diffs and 32s into a lot of fun stuff with no breakage (thanks to the great spotting) and just some nice new tree rub spots. Ill try and post the vid of that guy rolling when I get a chance good times!

[toydrivertom]

Had a great time!!!!! By the way happy birthday Jim. I got a couple new dings to the yota and suffered another birfield,but this time it was the passenger side.I haven't had to replace it until now. I didn't get no pics again. Chele maybe next time we will see you out there.

Tom

[CORE 4WD]

As usual, Crozet was a blast! Thanks Chris and Heather! One rollover in our group, not a TWFW. I'll try to get the vid up. Here's some pics-
Billy dropping into the Log Sluice-

Brian on Spinchter-

Keith on a new trail-

Fran breaking his son's steering haha-

Brian's gurl-

Alex n big dreams?-

[87B2XLT]

I just wish I hadn't forgot my camera in the tow rig for most of the day Saturday. There were plenty of photo-ops, especially during the morning run. I doubt it ... but I'm wondering if anyone got pics of us... especially when we had to get the nudge (thanks again, Dave P!) coming down off the one trail after I got hung up on a rock. Here's the few pics I got...

A couple of shots of the beater after leaving Windshield Way via bypass, after watching everyone else proceed down towards the new trail and the Sluice




You can barely see the back of Jim's XJ... heading down the new trail after leaving Windshield Way (if I remember right)


Keith making his way down the new trail




Fran and Billy already down in the Sluice


Ed and Jim making their way down the new trail... racing for position?


A couple shots of Ed going down into the Sluice




A couple of shots towards the end of the first day (Saturday), 2nd one Billy and Dave were investigating an exhaust leak.

[broncobilly]

The weekand was one the best I have been on in a while. Big thanks always to Chris & Heather. Fran you are the man! Tom once again a pleasure to wheel with you, and show you that you should have bought a Bronco Ha Ha Ha! Jim, what a great B-day weekand. Keith sorry tou didn't make Sunday, but Sat was a blast. No breakage on the Bronco. Home sweet Crozet.

[87B2XLT]

Yep, big thanks to our hosts Chris and Heather (oops, I had forgotten to thank 'em in previous posts!). It was fun and a pleasure to wheel with the group, and again, Fran was an awesome trail guide and spotter and we liked the fact that he did his best to include the smaller rigs in every part of the runs and that you all made us feel welcome and part of the group. I learned A LOT on this trip and my experience is helping in the buildup planning.

[jeepnchris]

Thanks for coming and thanks to you Fran for guiding! Nice pictures!

Chris

[Deleted]

Yep, as said above it was a great time, I had a blast even though I didn't make it back Sunday. The in-laws were with me this time and they really didn't have plans for Sunday and didn't want to wheel, so I kind of felt obligated to hang out with them in the area on Sunday. Well that, and I was moving slow on Sunday, by the time we got packed up it was after 10! Thanks for guiding us Fran...and Dave thanks for spotting me too. For some reason it seemed that everyone forgot their camera.
I have a little carnage...one muffler is pancaked, there's a strange whining sound from the t-case - but I found a bunch of skid plate bolts loose and the trans mount loosened up too for some reason. I probably pushed it as hard as ever this trip. Hope next time we can get more to go.

[87B2XLT]

Nice videos, Eddie! The first one seems to be a little broken / out-of-sync after the first save, though...

Andrea saw your buggy as well as a lot of the others, well, I was looking at it some too -- she said, "now THAT is what we need... that would be FUN!"... eh, maybe one of these days...

Yeah, I noticed your redecorated muffler, Keith... I think that was when you said something about "a slight exhaust leak now" or whatever it was you said. Hopefully there wasn't any major damage to the t-case and it's just in need of gear oil top-off. I'll probably check my junk out a little more closely this week to see if anything loosened up, but as I said... everything looked as if it held up and considering the marks I saw on my rear diff earlier, I'm surprised I didn't break it or grenade it... and it's the only thing that isn't protected at all, everything else has a crossmember or skid plate, other than part of the front diff -- the TTB arm is fairly sturdy (1/4" or so plating), but it only goes back 2-3 inches and the pinion yoke and part of the diff housing is somewhat exposed. That'll all change when I do the axle swap, although, I am half-tempted to just lift, lock, re-gear, add some protection, and tire up what I got and run that until it breaks.... oh, the insanity!

I agree, I wish we could have had more folks with us, either Tidewater or our extended family from other 'local' clubs, and would like to see more go next time, or the next time I go.

[FJ40Fran]

I'm tired today, but it's a feel good tired. What a great wheeling weekend it was. Conditions don't get any better for rock crawling in Virginia. Even the ever sloppy "Slip and Slide" was barely wet enough to get the tires dirty.

You guys are being to kind. I didn't do anything more than say I was going wheeling and wondered if anyone wanted to come along. I think Dave did more spotting than I, thanks Dave. It allowed me to make sure I got the short wheels through or around on the trails.

Here are my take-aways from the weekend...
- With the additional trails added this year, Crozet now provides a full weekend of challenge for the slightly built trail rig (protection mostly) without having to run anything twice.
- For anyone ready to challenge their beefed-up rigs and accept you may receive a little body damage, the black trails are perfect and fairly safe from serious flops.
- And as you can see in the videos above, the reds don't need any explanation.
- Now the most important take-away. I was quietly sitting around the campfire and it dawned on me how many of these folks I have come to know. For me, open wheeling weekends at Crozet are a "club event". There is always a core of people from all the clubs through VA, MD, WV, NC, and further that keep coming. Anyone who goes twice will run into someone they met the last time. It's truly a "club" event and an outgrowth of Chris and Heather's friendship.

The best comment this weekend,,, Sunday afternoon a small group with Chris and Heather were flexing out down at the "Body Shop". An elderly couple drove up in their car (not sure who they were but the Chris and Heather knew them) and stopped to watch the action. A rig had stalled in a rather precarious position and needed some recovery help. I overheard the husband tell his wife, "Look honey, see how they work together as a team." That made my day. The gentleman wanted to get a picture with his wife next to a buggy.

BTW, thanks for the pics. Anyone catch me with the FJ40 on "Put Up or Shut It" Hill?

Fran

[CORE 4WD]

I agree with ya Fran! When I go up to Crozet, I know I'll be wheeling with people I know. It's neat running into the same core group of people up there! It's always a great time. I'm sorry I didn't get as many pics/video as usual, something about spotting and video don't mix. Hmm sorry! ;D
Dave

[FJ40Fran]

Oh ya, forgot to mention. I bought two broke trucks home.

I drove my FJ-40 on the Friday night-run and half of Sat. When attempting the Put-Up or Shut-It hill I lost me clutch pressure and had to winch out. Based on the way it's acting, I lost either the master or slave clutch cylinder (pressure quickly goes away). Another reason why low gears come in handy, no clutch required to start in gear. I drove my son's truck the rest of Sat.

Sun morning my son takes the truck out but shortly afterward discovered the drive front wheel acting funny. Found two of the four driver side steering arm bolts were sheared off. So, very easily we drove it out of the woods and back to trailer. We made it off the trailer and into the garage without loosing it completely.

Got some fixing now before going out again.

Fran

[broncobilly]

Talking about meeting people up there and seeing them again, Brian, who rode in our group Sunday, was at the work weekand in Feb. and we had talked about wheelin together at some point. It was real cool when they showed up in our group so his girl could get some seat time behind the wheel. Fran sorry I should have grabbed my camera on p hill, but I was trying to keep my eyes on Alex, Dave's son when he was helping spot people. I hope more pictures surface from Jim's friend Chris. I know he was taking a bunch of pictures.