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.
The time is just about here. In fact, it starts this week, Dec 2nd. So it is here. Time to get your chains out and make sure they fit. Time to grease that CV joint to the front axle – you know, the one that you have to drop the skid plate for? For any folks who haven’t joined in on this annual event, the time is here to pitch in, get your name on the volunteer list, and join in the fun. We can only hope we have a foot or more of snow to play in. I always find it amusing that we, CLC, look forward to having snow for this event, while the tree cutting public would just as soon have dry dusty roads – (really, paved roads for their ‘SUV’s).
The area this year is Rampart Range road, east out of Woodland Park. The cutting area is from where the road intersects FR300, north to the gate at the microwave towers, which is about 7 miles. The only road going west off of FR300 is Fern Creek, FR351. Fern Creek is a little trail that drops down to highway 67. While only one road goes west, many roads go east. The forest service will have FR300 plowed, as well as several hundred yards of the roads going east, but there will remain many opportunities for stuck SUV’s, or whatever type vehicle the cutters have. The forest service is advertising that people need four-wheel drive just to be able to access the cutting area. I know from past experience, people show up in whatever car they have, and have no idea what snow conditions are – and have no idea that tires should have tread. It doesn’t take much snow to cause a car with 155 x 12’s to be totally stuck – and it doesn’t take much to get them out either.
CLC provides assistance getting people unstuck and on their way. The stucks vary from can’t get up the hill, to slipped off the road, to way off the main road on a side road and really stuck.
Did I mention fun? The fun part comes in while Crusin’ the roads. It is incredible how smooth a snow packed road is, and just how much snow is thrown up by having all 4 wheels chained. It is also fun to meet the families out, and to introduce them to what 4-wheeling in the winter is about, by providing assistance.
If you haven’t signed up, give me a call at 593-9829, and add your name to the list. Sat Dec 7th is still a little light on rigs, with 5 signed on.
Jerry and Senior
Moments…..
At the last CLC meeting Jerry had 2ea 9 spline birfields which a couple of CLC members had asked if he had. Jerry brought them, only problem, Jerry couldn’t remember who the CLC members were. If you know who you are, give Darryl a call at 593-9829. Say the magic word, get a 9 spline birfield.
Next Meeting – Dec 17,
2002 – 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. We will not be doing a gift exchange as we have done in the past. We will be talking about the fun we had during the Christmas tree cutting. And maybe Norm will share a few tales from the past. Joel is putting together the CLC event list for 2003, and hopefully he will be able to attend and share his planning to date. And elections are upcoming, for Jan 21, 2003.
FOR SALE:
1984 4-Runner. All original, 22R, 5-speed. Give Craig a call at Assembled Hose Products, 227-3952.
So, What does Santa drive?
I, for one, think Santa drives a FJ40. Although, I don’t have any direct evidence, I just have a feeling that he would appreciate and understand the FJ40’s legendary reliability and ability to get him where he needs to be later this month. Santa’s FJ40 would have the classic looks that would be appreciated by the construction elves as well as those feisty reindeer. However, Santa would need to keep his eye on Rudolph, since Rudolph would understand that the FJ40 could easily replace him, and the reindeer crew. Rudolph would make futile attempts to sabotage the FJ40, but to no avail. The FJ40 isn’t a wussie SUV, by any stretch of the imagination. And sabotage is just out of the question. Rudolph, being wise beyond his years, remembered that if you can’t lick ‘em, you better join ‘em. So Rudolph fashioned a seat on the front bumper of the FJ40 so he could light the way with his legendary red nose, just in case he was needed. I would even suspect that if Santa did have problems with the sleigh, or with those pesky reindeer pulling it, he wouldn’t think twice about loading up the FJ40 with all the presents, and hooking the sleigh to the FJ40’s sturdy hitch, and towing it all loaded with presents for the world’s children and making his appointed deliveries on time and on schedule from his Landcruiser, with sleigh in tow, and with his way lit by Rudolph’s red nose. It could happen. It’s the magic of the Christmas season, ya know!
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
I want to wish all CLC members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May we share some time on the trail in the coming year.