Pictures from the
Jeeps "R" Us June 2002 Trail Ride at Paragon. by
Doug Galic
Check out this new slide show I've been working
on!
Okay, between me, Jandy, and whoever else took
pictures or video, this was
possibly the most well-documented Jeeps-R-Us trail ride EVER. :) -Chis
Shontz
Since nobody did a write up on the June 23rd trail ride I thought I"d give it
a go. I was the first to show up at the gas station(texaco), waiting for the
others to show up getting all excited about wheeling the Grand Cherokee for
the first time. After all it was going to be an easy day of trails so we
wouldn't do any damage before the Mass. BBQ, or the Badlands trip.
I can't remember exactly who was next in, Chris Shontz? anyway everybody
pretty much pulled in all at once. All with 31 or bigger tires, and three rigs
on trailers with 38" swampers. Crap, I'm going home to get my XJ ;D ,okay 3
hours one way I'm obviously in on this ride.
Paragon in a stock 96 ZJ with 231" all (most) Terrains. Well we got
registered in Paragons new staging area ( resembles Badlands to a T), and got
all unloaded and aired down. No turning back now. Down to the 101 course for
some hill climbing, not me (by pass). Then to turtle. The long rocky down hill
slope was driven by Carla (my wife), so I could take pics. At one point she
had one rear tire in the air by a good foot. she was scared but I made her
stay there till I took lots of pics.( most didn't come out though).
On the way to sleepy hollow there was a creek crossing. I've done this
many times in my XJ and the axle always hit the tree trunk in the center of
the bank. Okay so I have to drop the front down off the trunk and cross the
creek. Stay far left, line up the tries so they are on the tree roots on one
side and trunk on the other. Ease it in, slide, hang up (High center) on the
trunk! Great!! everyone is thinking now what??? Thankfully everyone who wheels
is there for one another and I can't thank them enough for the big lift on the
rear end to get me down into the creek.
The other side was no picnic either. up the bank and three point it around
the big drop off to the right of the rear tire. Everybody else made it look so
easy, why is that?
When we passed the mine shaft, we could feel the cold breeze that seems to
be endless coming out of the mountain. No time to stop, got more wheeling to
do before the 5pm check out.
Okay all is well and the ZJ has no damage, this is a great day. oops,
second creek crossing coming up. No problem right? crossed it a million times
in the XJ, nice and flat rocky bottom, what could go wrong? I cross and find
the only two big rocks in the area and drop both front wheels off them. yup
high centered again. After the usual rocking and wheel turning and bouncing up
and down on the bumper. Isn't this fun?
Thanks tons to Otters friend with the red jeep and 38" swampers. Risked
his truck pulling me out, every time the strap got tight his rear tire came
off the ground. He was pulling me and climbing up the bank backwards at the
same time. One good yank and it bounced me back off the rocks, which I drove
around. Still no damage, whew!!
We had some atv's and bikes wheeling with us in this area. One guy came
across the creek and finds the same rocks I dropped my front tires off. He
does the same thing! As the front tire dove into the water there was nothing
this guy could do. It was a three wheeler and it just rolled right over. He
was head first into the water and fully submerged. He was fine and he quickly
recovered the upside down under water trike. We all had a good laugh about
that and some good pics too. It started back up and all was good, this guy had
a good sense of humor too.
I sat out on sleepy hollow, That is an awesome trail and one that can be
done many different way's. I loved watching Otter run his CJ-5 up over some
huge boulders. Not to shabby, atlas,D-60's, 38's. awesome rig. have fun at
Moab!!!
All those that did sleepy hollow got through with big smiles and lots of
laughter. Good people and great day of wheeling. everyone had their own "line"
to take. lots of debate as to which was harder than the other, well you just
have to go back and do that trail again and again.
Yes this was the first and last wheeling trip for the ZJ.( till it's paid
for,then look out! ;D )
Earl "XJ" Derby
A guy bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Christmas.
A friend of his said, "I thought she wanted one of those sporty
4-Wheel drive vehicles."
"She did," he replied. "But where in the hell was I gonna find a
fake Jeep?"
