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1/26/2013 MCE Mike & Jason, Snow Run

2K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  Jeffro06 
#1 · (Edited)
My camera is in camera heaven and I haven't made replacing it a priority. The good news is that there isn't 1,000 friggin' pics that take an hour and a half to load in this thread/write up. And the bad news is there isn't 1,000 friggin' pics that take an hour and a half to load in this thread/write up...got to take the bitter with the sweet, eh?

This run was posted on FaceBook by MCE (Modern Clasic Enterprises/Flatty Fenders) Mike and Jason, and on the WAVJC FaceBook site, too. The run was open to anyone. The only rules were front & rear recovery points, and no drinking or druggin' on this family friendly run.



My co-pilot, Jesse. #1 & only son...

There were no individual shots of the rigs on this run taken that I'm aware of. Suffice it to say there were 12 rigs. Some set up to conquer the toughest of trails, and some rigs as close to stock as you can get. So quite a variety of rigs & skill sets.



The temperature was about 29° or so, and snowing lightly most of the day. Some periods of heavy snowfall, but not many. As the temps warmed, the snow composition changed to the heavier, wetter, more difficult to traverse kind of snow. That said, it was still pretty good early in the day.



(Above) Shortly after airing down, talking story and all that goes along with the airing down ritual, we were off and rolling. Some day hikers & snow-shoers were walking down the trail, and stopped to watch as our caravan passed them. I would exchange pleasantries with the live manikins from REI as I passed them. Most were really friendly, in good spirits and seemed to be genuinely supportive of the dozen Jeeps that passed them.

Right after that the caravan came to a halt...there's a surprise, eh? "What's goin' on?" was the chatter on the CB.



Ah, that's what's goin' on. There, laying peacefully across the trail ahead of us was a tree that gave up it's fight with life. It was perhaps 50, maybe 75' long, and it's mid section was our obstacle. Of course we all stopped, and got out to look at the thing like a busload of foreign tourists on holiday!

"Let's just drive over it" was the consensus. MCE Mike started it off, and made it look like it was nothing at all. Of course anyone with some seat time knew that already, but those among us that hadn't risen above noobradoodle status had their doubts. We all gave it a go, some with more finesse' than others. All but one of us made it. I remember noobradoodle status with a ton of fondness. Indeed, I've not risen very far above it myself. Frankly, in some ways I kinda hope I never do...So anyway...



Someone (John A.?) pulled a chainsaw from their cooler than crap, rear tire carrier chain saw mount, and went to work.



"No one left behind" is always an unspoken rule.



From there the Mopar Commercial of a caravan of Jeeps from a Cj8 to jK's made its way to the area beneath an east bound overpass of sorts. A favorite spot to eat a bit, talk story, and/or play around in the deep stuff in the drifts & hillside. Jess & I brought nothing to eat today so we, like Mike & Jason started foolin' about.





See my red Tj there? I'd just watched MCE Mike go up that thing, and made it look easy squeezy, ya know?

"Any tips Mike?" I shouted.
"Yeah, turn hard right at the top" he says.

1st attempt; No sweat I figure. So I put it in low range 2nd (I have a 6spd) and made my first attempt with finesse. No go, didn't quite make to the top. Back down...

2nd attempt. A little more skinny pedal is the ticket I figure, so that's what I do...nope. No go. Back down it again, John...

3td attempt was a carbon copy of the 2nd, as was the 3td & 4th. By the time I had four failures under my belt I figured I better get serious about this.

"Hammer that sucker" I tell myself. Myself listened...I made it up and over, ceppin' I forgot to turn hard right, instead I did a lazy left...and it left me stranded, but no carnage.



MCE Jason did the honors, and set ROM straight...he did it in a matter of minutes. My ex-wives & ex-girlfriends would all love to know how he accomplished setting me straight so quickly. Fact is, they all tried to set me right for years, and never ever got it right. But MCE Jason got it right in mere minutes...But I showed all them ex's, I let them divorce me..."that'll show 'em", I figured.



After that Mike, Jason & I all did some reconnaissance, and scouted out the trail condition up to the point where the trail dumps out up near Alpental. It went well...we all went up and down that silly berm that dumps out on the pavement several times, talked story, laughed and essentially forgot about everyone else back under the overpass. So we got on the CB and made some inquiries. Seems there was a big "Stuck" goin' on back there...

It wasn't long before they all started showing up at the berm. Some were "stick a fork in me I'm done". Others had afternoon plans of one sort of another. As a result, the herd was culled to 6 or 7 or so.

Jeff (Rs4Race) & I were the first ones to head back down the trail. Jeff in front, and I following him. We were headed back to the boulder field where we'd all stopped briefly earlier to play around, to play around some more. Mike and several others weren't far behind.















(Above) One of my "stucks" that day...

Most of us, well, Rs4Race & I got stuck several more times. Mike couldn't get stuck if he wanted to, and I think he wanted to! The guy is just too good at it. MCE Jason & TracTec/Digger5 comes to mind, too, though TracTec wasn't here today.

A great day that ended just before the 5:00 hour. A blown bead was the days only carnage. Everyone sober & in good spirits, no cross words, no attitude & no BS. Perfect comes to mind...

Thanks Mike & Jason for hosting today's run! And hey, my MCE Flatty's did what they do everyday, they took a beating and never once complained. Their Flatty's are an excellent product, and the two of them, alphabetically :rofl: Jason & Mike, are nothing short of Ambassadors to the Jeepin' Community. Thanks guys. Thanks a lot.

~Rom

FaceBook/RaggedOleMan Link
 
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#4 ·
I really enjoyed the pics:)
 
#7 ·
Very cool. Your snow day had a bit more snow than mine did.
 
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