dbbyleo
October 1st, 2007, 12:29 PM
When: Saturday, September 29, 2007
Where: Bunce School Road + T-33A Plane Crash
Drivers and Rigs: Andy (Jeep Cherokee), James (Jeep Cherokee), Leo (Toyota Tacoma)
Trail Damage: None, with exception of one undisclosed.
We rode in slightly over cast weather. Looking across a wide meadow in a distance, we saw that showers that threatened, but never came. The roads were dry with the exceptions of a few muddy, puddles that we crossed, large enough just to coat the under-carriage.
We got to Bunce School Road trail head at about 930am. We arrived at Camp Dick and ended the ride by approximately 4pm.
Starting the north end of Bunce School Road, we made our way south towards Camp Dick. Bunce was fairly easy throughout. We all managed the rocky roads and ascents along the way fairly gracefully. Aspens were nice and yellow against the evergreens. All in all, it was pretty uneventful ride through Bunce, which in retrospect proved to be a warm up ride for what?s to come ? T-33A trail.
We over-shot the turn-off for T-33A before asking a camping Jeepster for direction. Almost immediately, T-33A started with some interesting climbs and boulders to negotiate. Unlike Bunce, T-33A got us out of the rigs to inspect our approaches and find our lines. It also had us spotting each other at many of its obstacles.
One of the tricks up its sleeves was its ledges. The first set that we encountered fortunately provided an easier option to get through, which Andy and I took. James, on the other hand, willfully to it on. This would be the first where we saw some serious axle-articulating, tire-stuffing action.
(Good thing James disconnected his sway-bars? and did it without breaking a sweat - thanks to his JKS disconnect kit!)
With great spotting by Andy and Leo, James got through the ledges without incurring any trail-damage.
There were some tranquil segments along T-33A where the roads were mellow with picturesque surrounding. As such, there were just enough of these to break up the difficult ride on T-33A. Where Bunce was a rated 3-3, T-33A was at 3-5? and the ?5? really manifested itself all along the way. After about half way through the trail, T-33A kicked into high gear.
The road got narrower and options of lines got lesser, unless you were willing to have either side of you rig get real intimate with the brush. The roads got consistently rocky and ascended more frequent and steep. At some point, after prospecting the roads ahead, Andy decided to ride with me and leave his Jeep behind. It should have probably been the other way around, but I was too eager to see what I and the Taco can muster. Depending from whose perspective you take, this probably was or was not a mistake.
The rest of the trail up to the crash site never eased up. The roads didn?t get much wider, and ascends only got coupled with more rocks and boulders. While there was plenty of spotting having to be done, I admittedly required most of it. While James weathered most of the obstacles fairly well, the longer wheel base on the Taco presented me with a bit more challenge.
Before letting us get to the crash site trail head, T-33A had one more trick to dish out ? a pair of nicely staggered boulders with a twist. At some point, while stopped at this obstacle and with Andy and James spotting me, a few ATV?er rode by and said with a connotation of concern and doubt, ?I don?t think you should be here?? - You, referring to me and my stock double-cab Tacoma. We waved through and simply said, ?thank you, I think we?ll be ok.?
(I believe they were sincerely concern? but they must have missed the Tacoma?s ?TRD ? Off Road? insignia when that made that comment!)
At any rate, thanks to Andy and James and their careful spotting, my ability to follow verbal instructions (supplemented with hand signals and facial expressions!) and my precision-foot-tapping on the gas pedal and brake (ha!)? I managed to get through with only one, small mark on my engine skid plate.
Soon after that, we found ourselves on foot trying to find the trail head to the crash site. We came across another set of descending ATV?ers who were unsuccessful in locating the wreckage. At some point, I parked the Tacoma, and all of us continued up the rocky, narrow trail with James in search for the trail head. We 2 pairs of eyes peeled for anything that even resembles the description from traildamge.com, we were able to find it. The rest of the way were on foot and are depicted in the photos. Needless to say we found the wreck, which provided for some interesting photos, including a fantastic view of the distant range.
Where: Bunce School Road + T-33A Plane Crash
Drivers and Rigs: Andy (Jeep Cherokee), James (Jeep Cherokee), Leo (Toyota Tacoma)
Trail Damage: None, with exception of one undisclosed.
We rode in slightly over cast weather. Looking across a wide meadow in a distance, we saw that showers that threatened, but never came. The roads were dry with the exceptions of a few muddy, puddles that we crossed, large enough just to coat the under-carriage.
We got to Bunce School Road trail head at about 930am. We arrived at Camp Dick and ended the ride by approximately 4pm.
Starting the north end of Bunce School Road, we made our way south towards Camp Dick. Bunce was fairly easy throughout. We all managed the rocky roads and ascents along the way fairly gracefully. Aspens were nice and yellow against the evergreens. All in all, it was pretty uneventful ride through Bunce, which in retrospect proved to be a warm up ride for what?s to come ? T-33A trail.
We over-shot the turn-off for T-33A before asking a camping Jeepster for direction. Almost immediately, T-33A started with some interesting climbs and boulders to negotiate. Unlike Bunce, T-33A got us out of the rigs to inspect our approaches and find our lines. It also had us spotting each other at many of its obstacles.
One of the tricks up its sleeves was its ledges. The first set that we encountered fortunately provided an easier option to get through, which Andy and I took. James, on the other hand, willfully to it on. This would be the first where we saw some serious axle-articulating, tire-stuffing action.
(Good thing James disconnected his sway-bars? and did it without breaking a sweat - thanks to his JKS disconnect kit!)
With great spotting by Andy and Leo, James got through the ledges without incurring any trail-damage.
There were some tranquil segments along T-33A where the roads were mellow with picturesque surrounding. As such, there were just enough of these to break up the difficult ride on T-33A. Where Bunce was a rated 3-3, T-33A was at 3-5? and the ?5? really manifested itself all along the way. After about half way through the trail, T-33A kicked into high gear.
The road got narrower and options of lines got lesser, unless you were willing to have either side of you rig get real intimate with the brush. The roads got consistently rocky and ascended more frequent and steep. At some point, after prospecting the roads ahead, Andy decided to ride with me and leave his Jeep behind. It should have probably been the other way around, but I was too eager to see what I and the Taco can muster. Depending from whose perspective you take, this probably was or was not a mistake.
The rest of the trail up to the crash site never eased up. The roads didn?t get much wider, and ascends only got coupled with more rocks and boulders. While there was plenty of spotting having to be done, I admittedly required most of it. While James weathered most of the obstacles fairly well, the longer wheel base on the Taco presented me with a bit more challenge.
Before letting us get to the crash site trail head, T-33A had one more trick to dish out ? a pair of nicely staggered boulders with a twist. At some point, while stopped at this obstacle and with Andy and James spotting me, a few ATV?er rode by and said with a connotation of concern and doubt, ?I don?t think you should be here?? - You, referring to me and my stock double-cab Tacoma. We waved through and simply said, ?thank you, I think we?ll be ok.?
(I believe they were sincerely concern? but they must have missed the Tacoma?s ?TRD ? Off Road? insignia when that made that comment!)
At any rate, thanks to Andy and James and their careful spotting, my ability to follow verbal instructions (supplemented with hand signals and facial expressions!) and my precision-foot-tapping on the gas pedal and brake (ha!)? I managed to get through with only one, small mark on my engine skid plate.
Soon after that, we found ourselves on foot trying to find the trail head to the crash site. We came across another set of descending ATV?ers who were unsuccessful in locating the wreckage. At some point, I parked the Tacoma, and all of us continued up the rocky, narrow trail with James in search for the trail head. We 2 pairs of eyes peeled for anything that even resembles the description from traildamge.com, we were able to find it. The rest of the way were on foot and are depicted in the photos. Needless to say we found the wreck, which provided for some interesting photos, including a fantastic view of the distant range.