|
Chinaman?s Gulch Loop was the name of the trail that we were about to embark upon. It is a 7.3 mile trail and has 3 major obstacles. First being the Rockpile (Rock Garden), then the Waterfall, and last was Little Double Whammy. Although there are only 3 they are definitely challenging along with the rest of the trails obstacles that did not have names. With in our first 15 mins of the trail ride we already had a break. Kevin?s new Rubicon Unlimited that was just finished being built dropped his front drive shaft and lost one cap off his U-Joint and bent a strap bolt. Everyone came together and we were able to get him the parts he needed to get back on the trail and we were on our way. As we approached the first obstacle, the Rockpile, the rocks looked intimidating, but everyone of us got up and over with no problems. Some higher up on the rocks than others. The huge rock on the driver?s side made for a great view of all the undersides of the rigs. There was some nice shade and it made a great place to eat lunch and take a nap.
After lunch we headed back out on the trail and for the second time this day my tire carrier swung open and I underhanded my ability to off-road once again. Yeah me!!! After I latched my jeep back together we were on our way. Going up, up, and up where the view got more amazing. Now at the 2nd obstacle, Waterfall, which is a large rock where you have to straddle the crack to make it up with out going off one side or the other or endoing down the rock face. It was a little bouncy and the girls in my jeep screamed a little but we made it up just fine. Every one made it up fine except for the Zuck which just did not have enough squirrels under the hood to make it up the crack so he had to go around.
Then we went up and down and around till we reached Little Double Whammy, which it did quite the Whammy on a couple of our Jeeps. Most of us took the trail to the right side and had to take a go or two at it but made it with out any real issues. Ben, whom drives a CJ, went up the right side and was egged on by everyone watching to drive up the harder left side where no one had made it up in a while. As he made his attempt, it was just spitting the sand from the rear tires and not really getting anywhere, at first. Once he started getting traction it was up to the top he went and made it look way too easy. Then Kevin decided to try the same line as Ben and with the extra wheel base it looked like he was going to make it up with no problems?.. until, he started up and eased back down. All of a sudden it there was a sound of high pressured air coming from under the Jeep and it would no longer move what so ever. When he turned it off they started to looking for the hole in the ARB air line and did not find anything and could not figure out what was going. At this point the Jeep would not full start up and was stuck. Then as Ben has his 2nd smart moment of the year and checks the tail pipe and it is completely covered in dirt therefore not allowing the exhaust to escape and the high-pressured air sound was coming from the release valve towards the front of the Jeep.
|
