Gary Lewis Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 V-notch obstacles are easy if you take the right line and give you body damage if you don't. I'd rather do something that gives more of a feeling of accomplishment when you succeed. And if there's less chance of sheetmetal damage, so much the better! Lesley commented that there were a number of times when she wanted to get out but didn't feel like she could. This was one of them, where we were getting to the obstacle after everyone else was done and she didn't want to hold things up. Not that people would've minded, but she didn't want to put people out. When that happened she generally enjoyed the ride (albeit with some apprehension!). But she tells me not to expect that level of bravery when we're alone again! But as long as she wants to go along, I'm fine if she wants to get out on the harder obstacles. That's how I get pictures and video! Good point about the pics and vids. Glad others took them this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted October 31, 2022 Author Share Posted October 31, 2022 Good point about the pics and vids. Glad others took them this time. Kind of ironically, Lesley likes to tell people that when we were first married we did a lot of hiking. Then the first time we went 'wheeling in Colorado she said "wait, you can just DRIVE me to the top of the mountain and I don't have to WALK?!?!? Let's do THAT instead!" And now that I am trying to drive her up she keeps getting out to walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted October 31, 2022 Share Posted October 31, 2022 Kind of ironically, Lesley likes to tell people that when we were first married we did a lot of hiking. Then the first time we went 'wheeling in Colorado she said "wait, you can just DRIVE me to the top of the mountain and I don't have to WALK?!?!? Let's do THAT instead!" And now that I am trying to drive her up she keeps getting out to walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted November 3, 2022 Author Share Posted November 3, 2022 Our next trail was Gitty Up, with a 4 rating (scale of 1 - 7). 4s here are a ... good challenge for me! Probably not anything I'd try on my own, but a fun challenge (and probably no damage) with a little help from my friends. There was one line that we all pretty much ended up on (Dale tried harder lines first). What looked like the easiest way up caught most of us by the rear differential, so then the challenge was dealing with the big ledge. It would keep your diff clear, but offered an opportunity to crunch your left side if you slid off it, or your right side if you rolled off it! Seriously, this wasn't a trail for beginners, but it wasn't just for the Big Dogs either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 Our next trail was Gitty Up, with a 4 rating (scale of 1 - 7). 4s here are a ... good challenge for me! Probably not anything I'd try on my own, but a fun challenge (and probably no damage) with a little help from my friends. There was one line that we all pretty much ended up on (Dale tried harder lines first). What looked like the easiest way up caught most of us by the rear differential, so then the challenge was dealing with the big ledge. It would keep your diff clear, but offered an opportunity to crunch your left side if you slid off it, or your right side if you rolled off it! Seriously, this wasn't a trail for beginners, but it wasn't just for the Big Dogs either. Yikes! I see what you mean - easy to crunch one side or the other. In fact, I don't think BB would fit through there. Ed made it look easy. But you scared me - and then you showed the reverse angle! I think your front diff touched in that one. And that left front sure went high! But y'all made it, and I'm sure I couldn't. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted November 4, 2022 Author Share Posted November 4, 2022 Yikes! I see what you mean - easy to crunch one side or the other. In fact, I don't think BB would fit through there. Ed made it look easy. But you scared me - and then you showed the reverse angle! I think your front diff touched in that one. And that left front sure went high! But y'all made it, and I'm sure I couldn't. Well done! Yeah, that was an E-ride! (a nod to my license plate:nabble_smiley_beam:) I don't think you can hear me in the video, but as I drove past the guys at the top I said "I bet that looked better than it felt!" No one was sure they had the video, because both Lesley and the other cameraman had flinched pretty bad when they saw it happening. But they did hold the cameras steady! We did like seeing Ed standing there with his arms crossed, suddenly starting toward the Bronco! I'm not sure if he thought he could help hold it down, or wanted to be there are soon as possible to render first aid or what! (Likely it was just a knee-jerk reaction without much thought). If Big Blue was to try that hill I think he'd have to take a line like Ed, far enough to the left to stay up on the ledge. That was pretty much the line I was on, but Ed was going more straight up the hill and I was crossing the hill and turning up. I don't know if Big Blue could do that line or not. He might high-center. But that would probably be his best option (not saying you should) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 Yeah, that was an E-ride! (a nod to my license plate:nabble_smiley_beam:) I don't think you can hear me in the video, but as I drove past the guys at the top I said "I bet that looked better than it felt!" No one was sure they had the video, because both Lesley and the other cameraman had flinched pretty bad when they saw it happening. But they did hold the cameras steady! We did like seeing Ed standing there with his arms crossed, suddenly starting toward the Bronco! I'm not sure if he thought he could help hold it down, or wanted to be there are soon as possible to render first aid or what! (Likely it was just a knee-jerk reaction without much thought). If Big Blue was to try that hill I think he'd have to take a line like Ed, far enough to the left to stay up on the ledge. That was pretty much the line I was on, but Ed was going more straight up the hill and I was crossing the hill and turning up. I don't know if Big Blue could do that line or not. He might high-center. But that would probably be his best option (not saying you should) No, I shouldn't. With his 33" tires and 10.25" diff BB doesn't have as much clearance as your Bronco. Yes, Ed was trying to be helpful. Like he was when he tried to push the Jeep up over the ledge. He sure seems to be "in" on 'wheeling. And I agree, it is amazing that the videos caught all of that - especially Lesley's! I flinched and I was just watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted November 4, 2022 Author Share Posted November 4, 2022 No, I shouldn't. With his 33" tires and 10.25" diff BB doesn't have as much clearance as your Bronco. Yes, Ed was trying to be helpful. Like he was when he tried to push the Jeep up over the ledge. He sure seems to be "in" on 'wheeling. And I agree, it is amazing that the videos caught all of that - especially Lesley's! I flinched and I was just watching. I don't think I have much video of it, but these guys do a lot of pushing vehicles by hand. Or at least a lot more than I expect or see in other videos. But I guess that makes sense. At 2215 lbs, one or two people pushing a CJ2a can make a lot more difference than those same people pushing a 3600 lb Bronco or a 4200 lb Jeep Wrangler (stock weights, all would weigh more with modifications) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 I don't think I have much video of it, but these guys do a lot of pushing vehicles by hand. Or at least a lot more than I expect or see in other videos. But I guess that makes sense. At 2215 lbs, one or two people pushing a CJ2a can make a lot more difference than those same people pushing a 3600 lb Bronco or a 4200 lb Jeep Wrangler (stock weights, all would weigh more with modifications) Yes, I guess with light weight vehicles like that then pushing would work. I guess I think of vehicles as being a lot heavier than they really are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share Posted November 5, 2022 Yes, I guess with light weight vehicles like that then pushing would work. I guess I think of vehicles as being a lot heavier than they really are. The next trail we ran was called Renegade. This was one we ran in 2020 as well. That time I got my front tires up the waterfall but didn't want to try to bump it hard enough to get the rear up. The lack of clearance under my radius arms was a factor that time. Now with a lot less chance of hitting steel on rock I could hit it a little harder and was able to get up pretty easily! It is fun seeing how differently the different Jeeps do on this. Some make look easy, others make it look exciting! Another thing that's telling in the video is how little of my windshield shows as I'm climbing it. If the camera that's about 5'3" off the ground can't see me guess how much of the trail I can see! After the waterfall there was a hill to climb. Last time we all took the line up the left side, which is pretty steep and loose, but it's pretty smooth. However this year it was pretty rutted out, so the smaller tired rigs (which was most of us) were going to have a hard time dragging our diffs. So most of us took the line up the right side. This was rougher and a little off-camber. But it was still easier than plowing with your diffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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