Things I learned on my Colorado vacation

[Bloose]

1) If you have parts on the vehicle you are driving across the country that make you think to yourself "I wonder if those are going to last through the trip" it is best to replace them BEFORE you leave!

2) If those parts are brake lines, and you are going through mountains, for the love of god, replace them.

3) If one brake line goes due to rust (front) it is likely another (rear) will go out shortly (5 miles), so replace them all.

4) If you have to do repairs on the road the local NAPA parking lot is the best place to do them.

5) Never, and I mean NEVER knock on Led's door after 10pm without calling first! :hang:

6) You are much more likely to sustain body damage being careless on an easy trail then being careful on an extreme trail.

7) Sheet metal is no match for Colorado rocks.

8) Colorado rocks!!!

9) Pam on the underbody (plastic) skid of a rock buggy helps it slide over rocks better.

10) Cryco 8.25's really like to catch rocks.

11) 35's for Carnage Canyon is more of a recommendation than a requirement (just like speed limit signs).

12) If you are going to run Carnage Canyon without a winch you better have someone with a winch in front of you nutty enough to hang a u-turn on the trail. (Thanks a ton Led)

13) If you get into a fight with your early model Cherokee steering wheel the steering wheel will win. :nono:

14) Washboards roads to the trail head will do more damage to you Jeep than any moderate trail.

15) The trail to Holy Cross City really likes to eat my tires and tie rods.

16) If you put a shiny new (stock) tie rod on your Jeep before wheeling, you WILL bend it. :doh:

17) Wheeling with the NAXJA group is great no matter where you wheel!!! Thanks to all! :party:


B-loose

[BillR]

I've got a few...

1. There's NO limit to the inventiveness of a NAXJA group.

2. A couple of A/C condenser bolts, a 5/8" socket, and a few odd nuts and washers WILL hold a caliper in place during a decent from a 12K foot pass.

3. Being a tailgunner down a dusty road will permeate ALL nooks and crannies of your XJ with a fine silt, and the first time you use the A/C gets you a face-full! :laugh2:

4. NAXJA is a great group consisting of some truly awesome people.

[Led]

Things I learned...
Never, I mean never, tell the guy on 33s he can make it thru Carnage ... he just might believe you!!
Finish your rig early so you can work the bugs out of it
Dana 30s don't like 37s and 4:1s :rattle:
Replace the balljoints when you put 37s on your D30
Always carry ALL your spares with you as you will only break what you didn't bring
Led

[jrsxj98]

Things I learned.
I think Bob Loose might be just a little crazy. Dont ever tell him he cant do something.

I dont carry nearly enough replacement parts

A good spotter can get you through things you had no idea you could do. Thanks Bob and Troy.

And of course NAXJA has a great group of people.

[rj454]

I learned.....
- NAXJA members are a great bunch to wheel with !!! -
- that I can forget more about Dana axles than I ever knew (from riding with Walter) -
- never take a $400 motorhome on a 2 week trip for it's maiden voyage -
- if someone says; "you can make it with a stocker", they mean TWO WORKING DIFFs !!! -
- and finally; 'wheeling vacations are never long enough !!! -

[planefixer]

Things I learned:
1.I made the right choice bringing extra steering(Bob)
2.You can coast down Grizzly with no engine,brakes,or power steering(Led)
3.Not having a spare radiator hose sucks(Reason for #2)
4.I don't like shelf roads
5.A stock Land Rover Discovery can make it up Grizzly without damage (Grant)
6.My wife can drive down a mountain pretty good.
7.Raccoons like red beans&rice(Saturday night camp raiders)
8.This was really a great group of people to live with in the mountains for a few days.
Thanks to all
Jeff

[John_Sprague]

1) A stock Cherokee can go a lot of places, with help from good spotters
2) NAXJA folks are some of the nicest and most helpful people you'll ever find
- Thanks Tom, Bones, DJ, Andrew, RJ, Bill and a few other names that I have forgotten.
3) It helps a lot to have a working CB in your vehicle
4) You can never have too much memory in your digital camera
5) Shelf roads are great
6) The front diff is on the driver's side of the vehicle
7) Windshield spray - spray early, spray often
8) I need a bigger tent
9) I need rock rails, a lift, bigger tires, a locker, etc, etc, etc
10) Finding and getting a tow dolly in central CO on a Friday sucks.

[Kittrell]

Things I learned......
Bring your own Jeep next time
Don't buy alot of food because Tom is going to feed you regardless
Don't try and keep up with Kazman, because the beer never stops
Don't stay behind Bones, you won't catch up until he stops
Don't ride with led, you will go 1/4 mile before his junk breaks
Bring the Digital Camera, 150 pictures is alot of film to develope
A NAXJA event is a great way to spend vacation time

:cheers:

[Jeep]

:NAXJA: People are the BEST!
Colorado is a BIG State!
The Rocky Mountains are more beautiful now than when I was a boy.
Man, do I miss being a Colorado resident!

Thanks again y'all,
Michel :wave:

[hjeepxj]

1. NAXJA is the best damn club for heeps
2. ANYTHING can be done when you have NAXJA around :D
3. XJs on 33s can do carnage
4. XJs on 31s and open diffs can do Holy Cross...:D:D:D :cheers:
5. Troy, Grant, Led, and Bob are GREAT spotters (Thanks Troy! :D :cheers: )
6. 30/44 combo are pretty much all you need. :D Unless your name is Led or RJ :D
7. Troy and Bob's wives are VERY understanding

Thanks again, and Im sure Ill think of some more things :D

[JEONLYEP]

Here's my list.

1. I don't like shelf roads :wierd:
2. a double locked XJ on 31's does more than you'd think, with good spotters (Troy and Bob). :wave1: And still makes it back to Kansas.
3. a sign saying something is 3 miles in Colo, means it's in 9 miles. :dunno:
4. mice will find their way thru a half door and into your food stock. :chef:
5. A right arm amputee can drive a 5-speed with a twin stick thru Scratch and Dent, and still have time to talk on the CB. :worship:
6. Scratch and Dent lives up to it's name. :D
7. Die Trying almost lives up to it's name, even if your just trying to walk it. :nono:
8. I'm much more comfortable worring about breaking something, than worring if I'm going to fall off the mountain. :eyes:
9. Grant doesn't know Colo as well as he'd have you believe. :confused:
10. NAXJA is a great group of people to Jeep and party with. party1:

Thanks all, we'll see ya next time
:party:

Daryl

[old_man]

Here's my list:

1. Death Wobble will keep you from getting drowsy driving back from a long day on the trail.
2. You find Volkswagen Buses in the darnedest places.
3. You can use a propane bottle for a skid plate.
4. It's nice to have a good bunch of NAXJA people together for a week.

[YELLAHEEP]

1. I need to 'wheel in Colorado more.
2. Still don't know how Poughkipsie caused more body damage than Carnage Canyon. (Well, ok - yeah I do....)
3. Having rear shocks probably could prevent un-necessary body damage on "Scratch-n-Dent" (Sorry Daryl :laugh3: )
4. Yes, Bob and I DO have very understanding wives - God bless 'em!
5. Having to 'wheel with a worn out Pierce tow truck winch is better than no winch at all.
6. The tech inspectors at Bob's next event need to ensure he's beefed up his steering! :D
7. NAPA had the correct tail light to replace the one I smashed on someone's tow dolly........ :o
8. Grant's always a welcome addition to any trail run regardless if he brings a Land Rover and/or if he forgets how to get to the trail head.
9. Led's "Truggy" is way cool even if it's only half an MJ with 297 breaking 37's.....
10. Beer and trail dirt inspire some of the most interesting campfire discussions.
11. Colorado 'wheeling causes inch-itis and locker-itis (Justin and Andrew :wave1: )
12. Dennis gets the "most improved rig award" - dude did some serious wrenchin' and fabbin' since last October!
13. Daryl gets major props from me - that Kansas boy did a helluva job 'wheeling "Scratch-n-Dent".
14. Phat Jeep's Canyon Climber Steering system is the shiznit! (Hope they're still in business.....)
15. The redneck in me LOVED seeing Clifford the Red Bus parked among those half-million dollar motorhomes!
16. Wisconsin children don't particularly mind it when scruffy old dogs pee on their feet.
17. Apparently no one smacked themselves on the head with a hammer on Chinaman's this year.
18. I have video proof that cheap Pro Comp Muds work better than pricey MTR's.
19. The rear bumper/quarter trim on the newer style XJ's will still snap in place even after being ripped off by rocks several times, then run over by a semi.
20. NAXJA people are the best - what other kind of group would delay their run on Chinaman's and walk most of Carnage just to watch 3 idiots bash their junk on the rocks for several hours? And then there were those that sacrificed their bodies to protect our Jeep bodies.... Thanks guys!

[hjeepxj]

11. Colorado 'wheeling causes inch-itis and locker-itis (Justin and Andrew :wave1: )


:shhh:

:D:D:D

[JEONLYEP]

3. Having rear shocks probably could prevent un-necessary body damage on "Scratch-n-Dent" (Sorry Daryl :laugh3: )
13. Daryl gets major props from me - that Kansas boy did a helluva job 'wheeling "Scratch-n-Dent".
Having a trailer that I could have drug my junk back to Kansas with, would have induced an even better show. But thanks to you and Bob's spotting and encouragement I did it.


15. The redneck in me LOVED seeing Clifford the Red Bus parked among those half-million dollar motorhomes!
I think Clifford fit in nicely, (like a sour thumb). But it was fun to see it parked there.


19. The rear bumper/quarter trim on the newer style XJ's will still snap in place even after being ripped off by rocks several times, then run over by a semi.
If it had been me, it would have stayed off until all trails were run. And then if it were lucky it might have been put back on.

Daryl

[sidriptide]

Here's my list:
3. You can use a propane bottle for a skid plate.


ok i think this one needs a lil 'splaining....

[snoopy]

Where are some pictures from these runs?

[old_man]

The propane bottle comment has to do with the group of Volkswagen buses we saw on the top of Engineer that had propand bottles hanging down underneath. Damn scarry if you ask me.

You can find a link to pix being submitted at

http://www.4x4getaways.com

Follow the NAXJA link.

[MMIXJ]

what i learned:

1) as usual, i brought too much food

2) standing around watching others wheel isn't half as much fun as driving (though it can be both informative & entertaining... for a little while anyway). ;)

3) pretty much anything you'd ever need, somebody has brought (thanks daryl for the use of the angle grinder and power inverter). :cheers:

4a) if you show up w/ a built 2001 XJ, people (falsely) assume you have lotsa money (oh how i wish that were true)...
4b) ...if you show up w/ a built 2001 XJ, people will go out of their way to help you avoid body damage (thanks dennis). :cheers:

5) whether running down the highway at 80mph, idling at the trailhead, or towing another rig up pearl pass, my XJ always runs at 210 degrees. no more, no less.

6) spotting cameras are cool and actually quite useful, but "free" LCD monitors apparently only work for one day

7a) "inchitis" isn't the only thing you can catch at these events...
7b) ...you *can* get West Nile Virus even if you use DEET bug spray! :shiver:

8) washboard dirt roads do more d-d-d-damage to rigs (and drivers' spines) than rockcrawling!

9) my "agate gray" interior is now "dusty brown" (see #8 above).

10) count me in for next year!

thanks

terry

P.S.
photos http://xtb.com/XJ/xjfest/

[Kaczman]

Things I learned......

Don't try and keep up with Kazman, because the beer never stops

:cheers:


My liver and I have been training for trips like this for years. Better luck next time. ;)

-Jon

[Goatman]

My liver and I have been training for trips like this for years. Better luck next time. ;)

-Jon

Jon, how much beer did you bring home from Cali?

:D

[Kaczman]

Jon, how much beer did you bring home from Cali?

:D


Ummmm. I finished the last one at Rubicon Springs. I didn't have enough room to carry any more "spare parts". :)

-Jon

[JEONLYEP]

I did learn one other thing while in Colo. (BV camping area especially)

11. When concentrating on not door dinging someone else's XJ, you can actually door ding your own.

[JEONLYEP]

Here's one that I almost forgot about. (non jeep related)

12. If your going to put signage on your plumbing truck, making it look like some one is looking out from within the back of the truck. Make a note of what side the door handle is on.
http://users.ucom.net/~werwe/badhandle.JPG
could be worse I guess, at least the handle is the wrong color.

[MMIXJ]

could be worse I guess, at least the handle is the wrong color.


...i'd be more worried if the handle was pointing up!

that is classic.