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Left Hand tomorrow (SAT19)

DutchVDub

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Milliken, CO
I'm heading up Left Hand tomorrow for a mild trip/cookout. I've got 2 trucks (F-150 and Silverado) plus my Durango going. The plan is to basically meet up at the entrance at noon, head up fireman's hill, and start cooking some dogs/brats. Just getting the kid and dog (plus myself) out of the house and out of the city for a bit.

The more the merrier so if you want to join come on out. I'll have the grill I just ask you bring your own meat/buns if you want to use it. I'm always more than happpy to put my ancient little sunbeam to work.
 
Ok, it won't let me edit this, but we're meeting at the tailhead at 11AM now. Not noon as I had previously stated.
 
I actually didn't take any, I was too busy driving and grilling.

The Chevy didn't come out with us, he crawled under his truck that night and found 1 front shock broken and another leaking real bad. He was going to try but couldn't get the parts in time to make it with us.

Ranger Rick caught up with us (F-150 and my Durango) while we were grilling on top of Fireman's Hill. Then on the way down we ran into some other guys from here on their way up. I forget who.

I had a good time and definately enjoyed myself. I was impressed with the Durango's ability to drag itself over and through the washouts and rocks despite always having a tire or two in the air. The front IFS definately doesn't flexx much and the rear leafsprings aren't much better. There were a few times I had to back up because trying to creepy-crawl around I would just spin tires in the air, but when that happened the 5.9 was more than willing to put down the power and thrust me over the offending obstacle. I also learned that after 200,000 miles on it the limited slip in the rear has apparently run out of "limited" but not "slip" :D When I regear to 3.93's I'll be rebuilding it for sure.

All in all a decent day of wheeling and great day up in the hills. Major lesson learned.... I'm no longer comfortable taking my daily driver off road. I'll definately be addding a back seat to the YJ so I can haul the entire family in it. I'm no longer planning on any lift or larger tires for the Durango, instead I'm thinking more of a street truck (not lowering it though) R/T clone type of vehicle. Oh yeah, and heated leather seats do wonders for keeping my back happy despite a full day of bouncing around in a rig with a somewhat stiff stock suspension.

I can post pics of the undersides of my side steps if you want, I didn't rip them off (so booyah Ellison) or dent them. I did scratch the hell out of the plastic though. :D
 
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