LBL wheelin'

[Pale Horse]

Crazy NAXJA members,

I will be going down to LBL (kentucky) and wheeling for the first time there with a local jeep club (I"m the only Cherokee owner in it!:D ). I'm curious what kind of wheeling I'm in for driving a pretty-close-to-stock (see bio page) XJ in this area. Please try to refrain from worst-case-scenarios and personal horror stories, just the plain and simple. Enlighten me with what I might be up against. Fellow Jeepers that have wheeled there speak of pretty tough conditons when wet, and very do-able when dry. Its august. Lets hope its dry:D .

[sternbal]

If you're going to Turkey Bay, watch out for the dirt bikes and ATVs. That's mostly what you'll see driving around. Some of them can be rather rude since they aren't too fond of how slow we sometimes go.

I was there in the spring with my brother (nearly stock XJ, 235's) and two large YJ's. My brother was able to keep up with a YJ on 36's that's locked front and rear. You shouldn't have any trouble.

There can be muddy spots in the lower areas, sometime with large ruts and holes. Most of the LBL seems to be gravel, so hills and such can be loose.

If you're talking about access roads in LBL to some of the bays, they shouldn't present much of a problem.

LBL is a great place for camping, too. A few pictures follow.

http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~andrew.l.sternberg/im000613.jpg
http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~andrew.l.sternberg/im000626.jpg
http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~andrew.l.sternberg/im000640.jpg
http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~andrew.l.sternberg/p1010036.jpg

[Whiskey Jack]

Where/What exactly is LBL? I have family in Kentucky that I see on occasion, and that looks like a fun place to go.

[Vug]

It is mostly trails thru the woods. Hilly, some mud and water, but definitely doable in a stock XJ. I want to go back because I found it to be the type of four wheeling I most enjoy.

Here are a couple of pics of my adventure to LBL

http://www.michiganjeepers.com/photopost/data/500/49on_its_side_5-med.jpg?496

http://www.michiganjeepers.com/photopost/data/500/49wheel_up_2-med.jpg?8962

http://www.michiganjeepers.com/photopost/data/500/49in_the_hole-med.jpg?5771

http://www.michiganjeepers.com/photopost/data/500/49dan_and_vug-med.jpg?7598

Special thanks to Kudzu for taking these pics

[sternbal]

LBL=Land Between the Lakes. It is a natural area operated by TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and was formed when the Tennesee and Cumberland rivers were dammed to create Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkeley. LBL sits between them like a peninsula.

Its in the western part of Kentucky and Tennessee, about 30 minutes south of Paducah on I-24.

Check out www.lbl.org for more info.

[Whiskey Jack]

It definately sounds and looks like a blast, and it sounds like you don't have to mod the hell out of an XJ to have fun there, but where in KY is it? Based on the photos, I'm guessing central to eastern part of the state.

Thanks, sternbal. You posted as I was writing :)

[TRL WGN 1]

Boy Vug,
That was a while ago. Back when Fore Wheeler was just on those wittle tirty-trees :D

So, is yours still on those 32's?

[96xjeeper]

Hey I am Army stationed in Fort Campbell, KY. LBL Is like 45min from me I have been quite a bit. The pictures show it all pretty well. Expect some steep hill climbs, nothing impossible for stock, occasional mud holes a few tha will swallow a stock vehicle but nothing a snatch strap won't handle, and a few off camber spots, some chances to flex out quite a bit. If this is your first I would at t he least reccomend removing the sway bar links or spend a little and getting some disconnects, and if not done yet remove and discard the rear sway bar. doing these simple thing will increase your capabilities and you experiance will be more enjoyable. There are ALOT of 4-wheelers and motor cycles around as said earlier, so just be causious around curves and on hills. But over all LBL is extremely doable in a stock XJ, and very fun.
I am deployed right now...BE HOME IN 40 DAYS!!!!!! and I would love to do a run in Nov/Dec there for all interesed Kep it in Mind.

[Vug]

Originally posted by TRL WGN 1
Boy Vug,
That was a while ago. Back when Fore Wheeler was just on those wittle tirty-trees :D

So, is yours still on those 32's?

Well I'll be... you're not buried in manure after all. Where you been?

Yeah those pics are from a couple years back. Mine is on 235's right now. I lost a bunch of power running 32's with 4:56's and wanted to get some power back.:D

[Kudzu]

That was Last weekend in Sept. 2001 we had a blast...Hope to get back there next year...

[TRL WGN 1]

Well I'll be... you're not buried in manure after all. Where you been?

Well, been here all along, just haven't had much to say lately, but I been keeping an eye on things. You need to get that thing on some bigger rubber and bring it on down. Mine is still sporting the 32's