With the exceptional weather, which we weren’t supposed to have, we made our way to the Waterfall Trail. This is the new trail that a few of us ran earlier this year with the members of Northeast 4x4 Experience. They are a great bunch of guys and we had a good time pre-running with them. It has a few good obstacles to deal with and can be run backwards to make some of the climbs and descents more of a challenge. 

We had about 18 rigs. It was worth the drive which is about 3-1/2 hours.  After getting to the meeting spot and having our usual drivers’ meeting we headed to the trailhead and aired down.  The trail is partially located on an old railroad grade. The first section brings  one up the mountain through a series of short, twisty stuff like much of the Northeast we wheel. The first true obstacle is the double creek crossing followed by  the small rock garden section called Smashing Pumpkins. We didn’t have any real problems here, just had to help out some of the trucks that didn’t have lockers. 

We headed out to the main trail, doing a quick little uphill climb that has a turn to the left as you crest the hill. The ground consists of slightly loose gravel, and all you see is sky. Interesting. Next is some more twisty stuff as we made our way up towards some of the power lines and into the “play area”.  This has a nice hole that has running water and some rather large rocks to deal with. After each rig went through, the rocks got moved around and the lines got changed. As you get out of the hole there are a second series of boulders to deal with, then you climb the hill and turn around due to the area beyond being part of the towns’ watershed. We stopped and had lunch at the play area after Mike Ciaio managed to bend his drag link pretty good. Those massive boggers which helped him climb through the rock hole also helped bend the steering linkage once it was bound up on some rocks.

After lunch we also helped Mike fix his steering. I went into the parts bin and gave him some scrap L-angle to weld onto the linkage after it was straightened out. Mike got to try out his new portable mig welder which welds about 60” before it needs a recharge.  The PA boys were impressed with the amount of spare stuff that we bring along and the tools that we carry. They were also impressed by our willingness to try just about anything. I remember Bruce, their president, saying “you guys aren’t afraid to put those rigs against the trees”, which we did a bit later. 

We moved onto our next major obstacle, Hawaii Hill. It is a loose rock hill climb that requires keeping your momentum up just slightly to make it. Naturally it gave some of the unlocked trucks a harder time. Next up was a deceiving section called 1 Eyed Willie.  It has a rock in the middle of the trail and then a quick turn to the right. After knocking my front pumpkin on the rock, I realigned Mr. Ed and made it up and over on my second pass.  Big Mark Silverman wasn’t so lucky. He managed to knock his drivers side tire off the bead on the rock and almost rolled. After heading downhill a bit you come to the next to last obstacle which is Crab Hollow. It is a creek crossing and then a rock climb with a turn to the right and a tree to deal with. Lets just say that you should have your soft top down for this one. It tends to grab the right rear side. After we got most of the rigs through we heard that Jay managed to break his (usual) front axle again. It seems there is a nice rock face to try and climb and that is right after this hole as you make your way back to the main trail. 

After Wrecker Reed’s axle was repaired, we headed onto the last hill climb. There are basically three lines to choose from, with the hardest being to the left. Loose soil, and as you crest all you see are the tops of the trees for a second.  Pretty cool. We then started to head back out and double back on the trail to hit the obstacles in reverse but the damage gods weren’t done with us yet.  After coming down Hawaii Hill it seems that a rock sheared off a U-bolt from Joe with the Blue YJ. After getting out the vice, others pitched in with replacement U-bolts and tools. The YJ back on it’s feet, we completed the trail and headed out to pick up the tow rigs, air up, and have dinner before the long drive home. The grand total for the days damage were three tires either flat or sliced, various dents and dings including some to Mr. Eds hind quarters and front fender flare, as well as a nice dent to Marlin Mark’s right rear quarter. Hopefully the wife will still let him come out and play for the summer. Jay got off easy with only one broken axle. Overall a good trail to add to our list. The PA crew say they have another rocky trail we’d probably like. 

Until the next ride this is Wilbur saying happy trails to you.

Ed. Note:  We didn't realize it at the time, but the loud crack from Ruark's 'Runner, 20 feet from the trail end, was the front spider gears saying sayonara.
 

By Bark R. Woof
 

Dateline: Backwatersville, Pa.

Best line of the whole trip was uttered by his techno-wizardship himself, Evan Silverman, Membership Chair:
"Hey, this town is really happening. They got a tire shop with Jeeps, and three auto-parts stores.  I think I wanna move here."

Once again Big Guy dragged me off the big comfy bed at home, this time in the middle of my afternoon nap.  We headed out to the clean country, getting out  to our sleeping place near what Big Guy kept calling Hazleton.  Two or three times we had to get into this little room with a sliding wall, and the floor  would move.  Scared the you-know-what outa me!  Wall would slide open and we'd be somewhere else.  As much as the Jeep moves, I'd rather be there than in one of those little moving rooms again.

Then we're just getting to sleep and a jangling woke us (Big Guy) up (I don't  pay attention to that thing).  Soon an intruder tried to get into our space so I leaped up to protect us, and Jay "Wrecker " Reed came in.  I know him, he's the one who is always dropping pieces of his truck on the trail.  I usually like to find a good stout tree trunk to get behind when he comes up a hill, because you can never tell just how far the pieces will fly when they detach from his little blue toy . . . ota.

In the morning, after stopping for stuff, I smelled bread, we headed back down the highway, finally twisting down to a place where all the trucks had gathered so their men could get something to eat. I can usually eat with the best of them, but that stuff was na-asty.  One sniff told me that it wasn't fit for a dog to eat . . . hey, wait a minute.

My apologies to little Lucy, I realize I had to get a little nasty with you, but well, you can't jump up and play with Big Guy without my permission, and I can't romp with you like a puppy.  After all, we middle-aged hounds have to keep our dignity, you know.  Feel free to bring Ted along again, I'll try to be nicer, as long as you remember your place.

As for the trail?  Well, I spent a lot of time with either my butt-end jammed against the equipment boxes or my nose against the back of Big Guy's seat.There were a couple of pretty steep hills in there.  I know Big Guy was very pleased with the new additions to his Cherokee (4.56 gears, locked rear diff; another victim of the dreaded disease of modificititis) and our ride was a lot easier with the newly buffed up Cherokee.  (All hail Evan the techno-wizard who spent sleepless nights of worry and cogitation in solving "The Riddle of the Screaming Gears")

Mikey Ciaio demonstrated what happens when you put your Jeep on steroids.His over-bulked steering system buckled under the strain of its own power, and as he and the Techno-wizard reinforced his tie-rod, we all got to spend a nice long lunch in the warm Spring sunshine.  I know I was fed a lot of good meat out of the back of big Eric's truck, so I thank you all there, and I  shared my beef jerky with Lucy.  She still just wanted to romp like a puppy.  Kids, they just don't understand.

Wrecker Reed didn't disappoint either, but he only broke one axle.  Lucky for him there was a herd of toyotas on the trail.  Legend has it that when one toyota gets injured the others gather around and hold it up, support it until it can get repaired . . . or dies.  Then they scavenge it for parts.  Weird breed.

Don't want to leave Big Guy out.  Trying to climb a tough little stream crossing his Jeep went lame, and they had to change one of the feet.  I heard  the terms "cut a sidewall" or something like that.  All I know is it didn't interfere with me sleeping or eating, and that's ok.

We finally rolled on out of the woods, where Evan, Mikey and the Big Grand-daddy-guy made a pile of Jeeps.  We aired up and rode on into Backwatersville, where I took a nap.  When Big Guy came back he had some tasty bones for me (thanks to you all) and we headed on down the highway.  The toytotas herded together and the rest of us shot on home with only one stop for coffee and apple pie, or crumb-cake.  I had gas from the beef jerky, and so perfumed the Cherokee all the way home.  All in all another good day of wheeling.  So, until next time, remember, Keep all four paws on the ground and your furry side up.

Bark R. Woof is driven to the trail by Doug Abrams, who claims to be annoyed by the fur in his keyboard.