Colorado Land Cruisers is a four-wheel drive club based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and sanctioned by Toyota Land Cruisers Association. We are organized to bring together Toyota owning families and individuals interested in exploring Colorado four-wheel drive trails.
Hey all, it's been a busy month. At the July meeting we discussed and voted on the new meeting location and time. We decided to keep the meetings at
Liberty Toyota North throughout the year and change the time to 7:00PM in October.
After last month's meeting we went to Holy Cross for the weekend. This was the first time I have been on that trail. It is a beautiful trail and difficult. Norm led the trip, with Chuck, Vic, John, Andy, Darryl, George, Todd, and myself. I have to say that I probably should have had a little more clearance to do this trail, but the only damage I had was some scratched rock sliders and a bent transfer case cross-member. Oh year, a broken parking light lens. I fared will compared to some of the others. George broke his rear pinion on the obstacles above the city; Norm broke a birfield, Darryl clearanced his rocker panels and John taco'd a tie rod. It was a long day on the trail, but it was a lot of fun.
The next meeting will be August 19th at 7:30PM. The next trail rides are Iron Chest on 8/15,16 and Wheeler Lake on 8/30.
Happy Trails,
Kendall Carlton
President CLC
Paul brought Cindy home from the hospital July 21st to continue her recovery from home. Cindy is healing very well, and is able to get around using a wheel chair and a walker. She continues to make good progress, and as you’d expect still has a long ways to go. Paul continues to work on his nursing certification too. Paul said they were able to go out to dinner this past week, and that was a very special occasion for them. Cindy, we continue to pray for your complete recovery.
How to “Clearance” FJ40 rocker panels, or Mini’s
Talk about an easy modification – nothing to it. All you have to do is slip off a rock at French Creek on the Holy Cross trail. No muss – no fuss. You don’t really even get to hear the “Kerunch” Its like falling off a rock! But wait it is, and there is a better way! Wouldn’t it be better to use a little forethought before the “Kerunch” sound? Yes, it is called trail preparation, and it means getting your rig ready for the trail so you won’t damage it and it won’t damage the trail. Rocker panels are protected by using rock sliders and these are really low-tech skid plating. The principle is simple. You only need to provide a heavy steel plate or angle iron which will support the weight of the vehicle when a rock come in contact with the rocker panel area. The rock slider by design will support the weight and allow the vehicle to slide over the obstacle with only a few scratches to it and the rock. No bent sheet metal, and no hung up rig. No hung up rig means that there will be less waiting at the obstacles on trail runs. So, after the fact, I get to make a set of sliders for my FJ40 – and I also get to straighten out the crunched sheet metal – make it look good as new - again.
Remember, Rubber side down. Darryl
On road closures…
I recently read an article in a small local western Colorado paper that had a headline saying that the “access road to the Lone Cone Wilderness area closed”. The newspaper was from the Nucla/Naturita area of Southwestern Colorado, and concerned an issue about a section of land which the forest service had sold/swapped to a local landowner for another piece of property and or cash. The article related that during the review period the fact that the section of land to be sold had the only access road was not brought up. After the transaction, the landowner had used a bulldozer to put up a 10-foot tall earth berm on one end of the road and felled aspen trees at the other end to close the road. Is this a case of oversight by the forest service in which access can again be secured so public land can be accessed? I don’t know, but this is a reason for us in the 4WD community to be aware of all issues concerning trail access. I enjoy having the freedom to explore this beautiful country I live in and I really get upset when I read stories like this, which reveal that “suddenly” my access to public lands is now denied. While no one can really know individuals motivations for wanting to trade land (or $$) for other land or resources, and though I don’t know is this was the motivation, I realize that this outcome can certainly be part of the rational for wanting to do a land trade with the forest service. And really, isn’t the forest service us? Aren’t they supposed to be looking out for us? I mean in the rhetoric of “by the people and for the people?” I have saluted my countries flag in far off places – places that made the news headlines many years ago, so I (we) can have the freedom to live my life, which includes my right to enjoy public lands. In the words of one of my favorite philosophers, Pogo, “I have seen the enemy, and he is us.”
Be involved in land and trail issues, because you never know what access you may lose.
Off the Soap Box - Darryl
CLC has a few hats with logo, as well as stickers. Hats are going for $13 and stickers are $4. See David and he will fix you up!
Trail run – Iron Chest
Aug 16th and 17th
Meet at 7:00am and leaves at 7:30am from The Western station just east of Woodland park. Meet at the trailhead at 9:30am. Rated at a 4+, which means make sure your rig is capable of that level of trail. Leave your stocker at the trailhead and snag a ride with someone. This is an over-niter, and it should be nice and cool over night at the 10,000 foot level.
Meeting – Aug 19, 2003,
7:30pm.
Mark your calendar for CLC’s next meeting, Liberty Toyota, North. See you there!
Trail run – Wheeler Lake
Aug 30, 2003
Meet at 7:00am and leaves at 7:30am from The Western station just east of Woodland park. Rated at a 4, mostly due to the loose round rock climb and a jaws-like obstacle at the top. Possible over niter.
CLC Dues: “To Due or not
to Due…”
IF your CLC dues are due, then due(ly) see David in due time and do your duty by bringing yourself up to date.
1970 FJ40: 330 HP Chevy 350(<3000 mi), New Edelbrock QJET, E'brock Performer Intake, Chrome Headers, E'brock high volume water pump, 4-row radiator, K&N air filter, New starter, NV4500(6.34:1 low), "3spd" t-case, "Triple-D Dual Drive"
(Gleason Torsen) front diff, 2 ½" Alcans, RS9000 shocks, New RS5000 steering stabilizer, New Saginaw P/S box, New tie rod, All new tie rod ends, 33x12.50 General Grabber AP's, "New" brake booster, Dual tanks, Dual batts, A/C, Rear heater, AM/FM cass, Reclining highback buckets, Center console. $10,500 Sam in Colorado Springs, CO
(719) 494-1226
And still available!!! But hurry, these may not last long!
4 stock FJ40 shocks, off my 1972- FREE!!!
Complete stock FJ40 exhaust, “F” engine, 1972 FREE!!!
(FREE, unless you want to trade for $$)
Darryl – email CLC newsletter editor, or 593-9829