Date:         Mon, 10 May 2004 18:49:37 -0400
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: SDME, VC strength and life-span
In-Reply-To:  <JBEOJOBKGBDBEAIBOCBEKEJPDEAA.syncrowestytd@mindspring.com>
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As Karl began the recap...As happened last year, in the end a few
die-hards decided to continue exploring jeep trails/4wd roads for
something a little more entertaining than dusty gravel roads. Karl
participated in one failed attempt (road dead ended, and we decided to
not dig the chain saw out to try an open up some of the other roads
leading down...)

And then we were down to only 4. So, we travel yet more dusty roads
along the top of a ridge until we got to the "official"
Off-Highway-Vehicle (OHV) trails, which also are for ATVs.

There are two of these. Second Mountain Trail, I had explored (and had
intended for us to go up...except that the gate was closed on the lower
end.) The Dictum Ridge Trail is the other. Brady headed off down that
trail, and I, Steve, and Derek followed. No mud pits (top of the ridges
dry very fast). But lots of very rocky roads.

Then it went down hill. In all the meanings of that. I wanted (almost
insisted on turning around). However, since I was in front of 2 other
vans it never happened. Derek (trail-god), insisted we could move
enough rock to get down!

Yah, I'm leaving a few details out. 5 hours (or was it 6?) later the
last of us made it down some incredibly nasty rock ledges. About 45
feet travel distance horizontally. Maybe 20 feet vertically. Derek (at
the end) admitted that this was probably the most difficult technical
thing he had ever done.

My muscles are still sore from hauling rock (and I didn't carry nearly
as much as Brady or Derek.