Crusin’ Colorado
Located in the Heart of Pikes Peak Country
www.ColoradoLandCruisers.org
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.
Volume V Issue I January 12, 2003 Edited
and Published by Darryl Price
President's Thoughts – January 2003
Whew, 2002 was a fast year. Last year was a slow year for the club. The participation was low for the meetings
and on some of the trail runs. I
believe that this was due to the slow economic conditions that our country has
been in, the dry summer and the Forest fires, and conflicting schedules. The
November and December trail rides had good turnout. Lets make 2003 a good year for the club. The next trail run is January 11 and we are
going to Shubarth trail on Rampart Range.
Last year this trail had quite a bit of snow and presented a good
challenge. The next club meeting is
January 21st at the Western Sizzlin at 7:30.
The elections will be held for all officer positions at the January
meeting. Please volunteer to run for
one of the positions and help represent
the club.
Kendall Carlton
Shubarth Trail - January 11, 2002
9 vehicles braved the gray cold morning to
meet at the Western station east of Woodland Park. We had 3 minis, 3 FJ40’s, a FJ60, a FJ80 and a guest in a
domestic. Once we were underway, just
before we stopped to air down, we passed a small elk herd, which is always a
beautiful site. At the air-down,
everyone but one lowered tire pressure to allow for better traction. The one skipping air down was me, and it
proved to be a small error later on.
The trail was in good condition with 4 to 6 inches of packed snow
interspersed with dry in sunny places.
On the trail which leads to the overlook, we passed down through a
series of slight off camber sections, and down over rocks in several places
which weren’t anything to be really concerned about, with a group. Since the day was gray and overcast with a
few flakes of snow falling, or frozen fog, we couldn’t see the view, so we
decided to return back up the trail and find a good lunch spot. As we traveled out some of us took a small
side tour to a dead end while the rest of us proceeded up the trail. Going in, as we came down over the rocks I
had noticed that even though the falling snow was extremely light, it was
enough to add to the snow covering on the rocks. The rock obstacles, which when
dry, would only be a stop and look for the line then proceed, were now snow
covered. As I approached, I stopped
looked, locked the rear locker and proceeded up. Nope, she ain’t gonna go – no problem, back down and lock the
front axle. (Love them lockers!) And
proceed; this time I did get a little farther, maybe a foot and no good, so,
add more power. Let it claw for traction.
Then with a no-go for time #2, back up a foot into a tree. Then understand what it means to be between
a rock and a hard place. Hmmm, wonder
how it would have been if I would have aired down like I have always told everyone
else to do? Would that have made a difference? With the FJ40’s spare tire
pressing on a tree to the rear, and the front tires trying to go up the snow
slick rock, and the others back to come up the trail, Joel backed his FJ40 up –
(Joel lowered his tire pressure!) - and they put a strap on my FJ40, and
as it moved mere inches, the tires took hold and the FJ40 came up the rock,
just like it should have on its own.
The remaining vehicles came out, although by now, the rocks were quite
slick, and the chosen line was something in your mind and not one the vehicle
took. We stopped for lunch and I was
reminded by my son Andy about how I always preached about airing down, and look
what happens when you don’t. Good
point. We do these things, because it makes
the trail easier to run. Airing down
helps a vehicle go over obstacles easier, and with less damage to the terrain
and obstacle. It is easier on the
vehicle, and as an added benefit, the rig rides far better. These are all
pretty good reasons.
Lunch was good – I thought I was doing
pretty good by having a Coleman stove to heat water for hot soup, until Ron
drug out a grill, and started the brats. All the luxuries! That along with a table Joel had, and the 5
of them had a sort of gourmet lunch.
Chalk it up the what you can carry in a larger 4 door FJ, in addition to
4 people – a good lunch, a way to cook it and all the fixin’s! You try to enjoy a cold sandwich when there
is the smell of grilling brats in the air.
Just try…
After lunch with Kendall in the lead, we
toured several side trails, one of which took us to the north side of Stanley
Canyon reservoir. Pretty place, but a
little shrouded in the cloudy, foggy day.
I will return in warmer weather to enjoy the beauty f the area. We returned to the place we started to air
up, and as we were driving out to return home, we again passed by the elk herd.
This time the game and fish department was watching them and had counted 80
elk. What a beautiful sight, and a
perfect ending to a good 1st run of 2003 for CLC.
If you haven’t been attending the runs due
to whatever, take a look at the schedule on the web page and make plans now for
next months run to China Wall on Feb 16th. Maybe you can figure out how to have the lunch catered, or maybe
we can all figure out to have hot brats on a grill, or something equally good
and fun to do.
See you on the trail. Darryl
Next Meeting – Jan 21,
2003 – 7:30pm
Plan on attending CLC’s next
meeting. We are meeting at Western
Sizzlin’, corner of 8th St and Cimarron – 221 S. 8th. Come early and join us, and if you are
hungry, Western Sizzlin’ can fix that, and they want us to have them be our
place to eat on meeting nights.
Club Elections
Elections are scheduled for
Jan 21, 2003. Toss your hat in the
ring, and participate in the future of our club.
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