Well the adventure started Friday morning and continued on well into the night. We got up at 6am and finished loading the truck before heading to Smokeys to pick up my trailer and his explorer. I got to his house about 8am and we headed to Walmart at 242 and 45 to meet up with Rolan, Rik Mil and Chip. We got there early and found Rik and his friend Buck already there. So while he waited for Rolan and Chip we topped off the Fuel and picked up some refreshments. We got on the Road at 9:30 and we still had a few stops to make, one was to pick up last minute Jamie (Smokeys son and his girlfriend) and two we had to stop in Huntsville to drop off some plywood that Rick had brought back from San Antonio. Well we new it was gonna be great trip when Eric couldn`t make due to bent axel tube and an 18 wheeler decided to run over another truck with trailer and close the freeway down. Well we finally got out of Conroe around 10:30 and got going. Made a quick stop in Huntville and we were off. Got to centerville in good time and Rolan wanted to stop for fuel and Jerky. Rolan filled his reserve tank thinking that he could get further without stopping so frequently for fuel due to him having a gas guzziling 460 in his Ford pull truck. (Cheapest Diesil in Centerville 4.23 sweet
) Well after a 20 minute stop znd pick up jerky, we were off on our adventure again. Chip went ahead to meet up with his wife in Dallas and we followed Rick and Rolan. Well this is when the Chit started. We made it to Waxahachie and stopped for Rolan to add fuel to his tank. Well the truck did not like this at all and decided to quit performing at its peak. So we stopped serveral times trying different things and could not find what it was. No water in fuel, filter was clean and we even put a fuel pump in. Needless to say 9 1/2 hours later we arrived. I am glad too Rolan was about ready to set a torch to it. Well we unloaded the trucks and got with Chip to see what and where he wanted us to go. Chip got us set up in rooms and said lets wheel. Didn`t have to say it twice, we were ready.
Well we headed across the ranch in a hurry. We had a few friends of Chips join in, can`t remember there names, I think it was Ben and Pk and 1 more that I can`t remember sorry. But we headed down into some revines and I got out and took some early picks before it got dirty. It was a nice tight revine that had some off camber stuff that ended in a few hill climbs. Chiped led the way with Smokey bringing up the back. It was tight turns that was giving Smokey a tough time, his steering was giving him fits, but he made it out just fine. He got worried about busting a gear box so he just kicked back and watched Rik,Chip and Rolan tackle the big hills. The Landscape was made up of Rocks with soft dirt or pebble rock underneath. Its a momentum thing but they were tackling it like no other. First one to try and make a new line was Rik on 49`s. He put his tires in the trees and up he started going up till his tires touched the ledge, and then they were in air with a nice reverse shift save he was back down. He didn`t give up he was right back at it again and he picked a new line and finally edged the Buggy over the top. Rolan took off up another hill that looked tricky but he manuevered his yotalet right up and back down. Chip and the rest conquerd the ledges around us. They decided to go into the revine further down and for us to wait at the top for some pics. Well Smokey and I headed to the top and sure enough the hill was gonna be a challenge. Rock were loose and powder underneath, Boud to be some tire spinning action. Well Chip got his momentum going and never slowed down, just a nice stedy crawl up. Next was Rolan up he came but decided to take a new line at the top. He gased it serveral times and kept digging and spinning with very little production, he did move about 4 feet but a large rock on 1 side and a tree on the other was not going to let him win this battle. So he backed up and got a new run and came on up. Next was RiK Mil and he decided to try Rolan`s path. It wasn`t meant to be. He got past the rock only to find a trees to narrow for him to get through. Next Ben came up in his Yellow Jeep and had a small problem at the top. Spinning and popping out of 4wd, he got it straightened out and came on up. Next the white jeep came up with serveral tire spinning rock throwing attempts he made it. Then they headed back down into a Revine that was still in need of some cutting, but they were determined to complete the run and did.
After that we headed over to some small ledges with the intention of conqering them. Well they tried a few and Chip made it up and went thru the woods and popped out at the other end. Well Rik was not to be out done he decided to challenge the biggest ledge there. Well he huffed and he puffed and it damn near blew him over, yes it was another fine save from Rik, I got a pick but it was dark and you can`t see much. After that we headed back to shower and eat some hamburgers. We drank a few beers and headed to bed.
Saturdat we got up and decided to see if we could figure out what was wrong with Rolans pull truck. We dropped the tank and found nothing, we checked for water and found nothing, the gas was murky with rust and we decided to check all fuel filters. Bam there it was a fuel filter we over looked with a return line. Drilled it out and it was on. (Auto Parts did not have one) Well Smokey`s Truck decided to get stupid so we missed the morning ride and went to town for oil and such. We got back and here come Rolan, Chip, and Rik back in for a break. The white jeep had got into one of the new revines and broke a stub axel (dana 30 stock axel go figure) but he wasnt out just limited. Well Rolan had spotted a Revine that needed a little work and he wanted to run it. So we all headed down to it and with Rolan, Chip, Chad and I we got it cleard. We motioned for rick to come on in. Wow it was wild watching that suspension twisting up like that but with amazement they made it. It was a 105 outside and it wore us out, who in there right mine does this. Its got to be a 4wd thing. Anyway with amazement we had only vehicle with carnage, Rolan broke a stub axel and hub, so I got back in with Smokey and we took a few hill climbs. Climbed right up and headed back to house for lunch and let Rolan work on his Rig. Replaced stub axel and welded hub and ready for more action. Took a short break for lunch and headed back to some new area, wasnt much uncut in the area and past on making new trails. Headed back to the new revine we had cut, I believe Rolan named it Blood Stump revine, Well they tried thru and back and Rik was going to go across a deep part of the revine but ended up cracking the tail on his tranny. He was in the worst place possible for retraction. So we got him to power out and go straight up the hill, well at the top there was another revine and damn, had to do a quick turn around and go long ways through the deep cut. He made it out like it was nothing. Very nice job, got it to the main road so he could get it loaded with no problem. We all decided to head back for dinner since it was 8pm now. We got back and Rolan started putting his tow rig back togeather(Remember the fuel tank) for the trip home in the morning. Smokey loaded up and got ready also. We went in and had some delicious speghetti and kicked back and talked with everone about the trip.
Rik and Buck and Smokey and I headed home at 5;30 and got home around 11 oclock. Alot shorter than going there. O yeah Rolan left about 9 and followed up with no problems. Thanks to all who made this trip what it was. A great time with great people. Thanks Chip!
