My mid-week wheeling trip turned out great. Took my Brother-in-law rock crawling for the first time. He was amazed at what we could climb in my bronco.

Thought it would be faster and more comfortable to trailer my bronco to the trailhead, plus if I broke something it's a much shorter walk. MISTAKE! Old Stage/gold camp road was extremely rough due to washboards. There were times I had to put my truck in 4WD just to maintain momentum! Either way, we left my truck and trailer at the Mt. Baldy trailhead and headed towards Saran Wrap.

Sandblaster - not sure if we missed you due to us being late or you didn't make it. Didn't see many rigs up there at all and we had the trails to ourselves for the most part.



Lovin' that new suspension.


I found out I need to cut some of my rear inner fenders out because the tires rub pretty hard on full stuff. I also need to do something about the exhaust heat radiating to one of my JJ's. The new leafs worked out GREAT! Oh, and a custom body mount I made last year is interfering with my shackle on the rear leaf spring. I am going to have to trim that.

The squeeze at the top of Saran:


Eagle Rock


We kept good pace thru the trail here so no pictures were taken. That's the first time I have done either trail in the summer and they were very fun! Would do them both again in a heartbeat! Used to not be worth the trip in a built rig as they were too easy.

We had lunch at the top of Eagle rock, then connected onto Mt. Baldy. We'd seen this helicopter flying all around all day and that continued as we headed out on Mt. Baldy. Soon we came down to the meadows near the end of the trail and I heard the copter again. I stopped, looking around for it and the sound never changed (it wasn't getting closer or further). Then one of the coolest things I have ever seen while wheeling happened. That copter had landed in a meadow we had just passed. So I turned around and we checked it out as it just idled there for a bit.





Then we went up the road and turned around and came back broadside to the copter.



We just watched a while until they started to lift off just a bit. We were probably 40yrds away but the wind from the props was amazing. It threw my hat off and was rocking my bronco! They hoovered about 6ft off the ground for a few seconds, but I think they were waiting on me to leave so they didn't blast me.


So we pulled forward and they lifted off and headed out.


I don't know if they were training or what, but it was sure amazing.

We got back to my truck and loaded the bronco and headed home. Again, fighting the washboards!! There were times I was bouncing so wildly that I wasn't sure I was going to make the next corner. Never again will I try to tow to the top unless absolutely necessary.

When I got home, I attemped to unload the bronco and it wouldn't turn over. No fuel pump, nothing. Dead battery. So I pop the hood to discover a ground from the battery to the body was burned in half! WTH? I searched around to find that the positive cable for my new winch had rattled around and got pinched in the radiator support and shorted the system. I don't know what damage was done at this point, but I got to start with a new battery. Praying I didn't destroy the computer and/or the winch. I hope to pull the battery today and see if it'll take a charge, but it wouldn't on thursday.

To put salt in the wound, I got home to find out I lost the bulb and housing for one of my driving lights since the vibration was so extreme. Grrr!!

J.D.

I've wanted to run that trail for a long time, but I never have. I started up it once, but Big Horn was doing trail maintenance and they wouldn't let anyone pass. I have run the Mt. Baldy/Captain Jack trail several times, but never the ER/SW fork.

The chopper is cool, I know the military used to do wilderness landing training up there years ago, but didn't know they still did it. And Old Stage is probably one of the worst maintained roads in the county. They never touch it.

Man that thing does flex. Looks good. Trip looks like it was fun.

that was sweet, i live in springs man maybe (if you ever wanna) go up to old stage just need a week or so notice (got to suck up to wife)

Those are trails on my list. I've heard they are not fullsize friendly tho.

Yeah Travis. I'd do those trails again! I think I may organize a run or two this summer. One there for the southern boys and maybe one near Buena Vista for everyone!

Zoso - they are tight, but if you do them in the summer when the ground is dry, I think you'd be fine. You would have to take some of the bypasses to avoid body damage.

J.D.

J.D. - Lets plan on putting together something in July....maybe early part for another Eagle Rock run. I can't do it the next two weekends because they are already full, but after that, I can have some fun. I'll let you be trail leader

First weekend in July is out for me, but maybe the second. Have to check with the boss to see what her schedule is like.

J.D.

Got the battery replaced and my bronco fired right up (whew!), even after one of the ground wires from the battery to the body did not get fixed. Not sure I need it.

Now I have some cables that I need to replace on the winch and hope it's ok too! Good time to pull the winch and paint the bumper!

J.D.

Frickin sweet, that is so cool you were at the right place right time.

You have amazing articulation with that custom suspension. Fun to read how ya built it but seeing it in action is sweet. Nice pics!

Thanks a lot! I am loving that new suspension! It's working great!

J.D.

We were there at ten and waited til 10:30. Then we did Suran Wrap and Eagle Rock. Sorry we missed you. We will try to hook up again. Please give us a call if you are in our area. It was a great trail. Had fun. My cell number is 719 425-0243.

So after struggling a couple hours here and there, I finally have my winch back in and wired up. Works like new, so I am glad to see the shorted wire didn't damage it. Boy, what a pain in the neck that was. Mainly trying to get the grommets back in place to seal it up again!!

I did take the opportunity to remove the bumper, have it sand blasted, then I put some self etching primer on and painted it black. Looks the best it ever has!! I will get a picture later.

J.D.