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Click below for Photos
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Try this on for size. There's a lot
of photos and it takes forever to download so this is another way of doing
it. The text will load quickly and you can select only the photos you want
to see in a separate window. You don't have to close the window after each
photo, either. The problem is that you don't see them ahead of time.
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Canadian Rockies #1
Canadian Rockies #2
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I
n 1997 we were gone for four weeks of vacation and wheeling starting out
in the Canadian Rockies. We arrived at Banff after a long and boring drive
through North Dakota and southern Saskatchewan. The scenery between Banff
and Jasper was incredible. After two days of nice weather it started to
rain, but that wasn't the only problem. Prices were expensive, there were
too many tourists, and we didn't find any good wheeling so we decided to
leave Canada where it was and move on to Washington state. (Of course,
after we got back home we heard there was some great wheeling between Jasper
and Edmonton.) Damn.
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Metaline Falls
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W
e came back into the U.S. through Metaline Falls, Washington. It was a
rainy, dreary day. As we entered the town it looked like World War III
took place there. It did. Buildings burnt, cars strewn all over. What a
mess. It turns out they were filming the move
"
The Postman.
"
We spent a few hours watching the folly. Apparently the residents were
told the movie company would be there only a few months, so they said
"
OK.
"
After six months they were still there and wearing out their welcome. Entering
one of the town's stores, just for the hell of it, we found the town liquor
store occupying a small corner of the town's fabric store. Sew what.
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Rialto Beach
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N
ext was the Olympic Peninsula and Rialto Beach. Weather was great, we spent
the night of the fourth of July camped right on the beach, watching raccoons
the size of six year old kids trying to break in to our food. We tried
to do a little wheeling around Forks, but all the good trails were closed
by the *)%$#@ Forest Service. Not happy. The Hoh rain forest was a great
spot and the scenery made up for the lack of wheeling. One day we went
up to Cape Flattery. On the way back I got too far over and went off the
side of a one lane two wheel drive road. Got stuck in muck up to the top
of the rear 33
"
tire. Had to winch out of that one. How embarrassing. We also made it up
to Hurricane Ridge, but some of the roads were still closed due to snow.
Not much wheeling there either, bummer.
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Pacific NW Jamboree #1
Pacific NW Jamboree #2
Pacific NW Jamboree #3
Pacific NW Jamboree #4
Pacific NW Jamboree #5
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A
fter Hurricane, we zipped around, toured the Olympia Brewery and then headed
up to the east side of the Cascades for the Pacific NorthWest Jamboree.
This is sponsored by the Pacific North West 4 Wheel Drive Association and
has NO connection to Jeep Jamboree USA. The camping and staging area was
in the Snoqualmie National Forest, on the Naches River and in the shadow
of Mt. Ranier. I won't even show a photo of this or try to describe it
since photos and words won't even come close! We got there a couple days
ahead of time and had we known, we would have arrived a week earlier since
there was a LOT of pre-run activity going on. Of all the events we've been
to, this was the most unique in that it was all
"
self-contained.
"
The camp site was 12 miles from the nearest gas station. There was no electricity
or running water. Everyone dry camped. There were groups of clubs camping
together and almost each of them brought log splitters, chain saws and
trailers to haul wood. It was really cool to see the level of self-sufficiency
that this entire group had. It was especially neat to see the trailer loads
of wood come in, get sawed and then split right on the spot. The trails
were great. Ranged from rocks, to mud and snow. They were TIGHT. My YJ
just barely fit through some of them. No major incidents, but just an incredibly
good time. The highlight was the last evening when they had live entertainment
and food supplied by Warn. They brought in a 25kw diesel generator and
that powered the amps. I was impressed!! We met some great people, especially
from the
4x4xNorthwest Club
, and as soon as we can get out there again we'll do it again. Highly recommended!
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Oregon Dunes
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O
nce the fun and games were done, we went back to the coast and took a leisurely
drive all the way down to San Francisco. We did stop at Oregon Dunes for
a couple days and played in the sand. While driving along, the steering
column felt loose. Sure enough, it was loose, VERY loose. Not having a
shop manual, I went into Coos Bay to a Jeep dealer to see if they had one
I could look at. They wouldn't let me see it but the parts man showed me
the exploded view on the microfiche and explained about the 4 bolts buried
in the bottom of the column that loosen up. He also proceeded to explain
why I could not do it myself. Then he told me in detail all the problems
I would have and the special tools I'd need. It was nice of him to inadvertently
give the instructions, cause I bought $20 worth of parts, went back to
the campground at the Dunes and proceeded to tighten up the steering column,
the job I
"
could not do.
"
Thanks!
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San Francisco
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A
nother favorite place is the Northern California coast and the redwoods.
We spend some time there and toured a few sawmills. I feel bad about the
environmentalists closing our trails but that pales in comparison to the
folks in the lumber industry who are losing their jobs and homes because
of these people. From Humboldt county through Napa valley was an incredibly
pretty trip. We'll be back here again. As long as we were this close, we
had to stop at San Francisco, cross the bridge and ride the trolleys. We
were really limited for time here but still enjoyed it.
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Rubicon #1
Rubicon #2
Rubicon #3
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W
e did the Rubicon in one day with no major problems (and we didn't take
the by-passes.) We did it the day before the Jeep Jamboree (I'll be damned
if I'll pay $500 for the family to go on one of those when I can do it
just fine by myself, thank you!) The trail was officially
"
closed
"
for the Jamboree, but who cares. We did get to see a few other Jeeps on
the trail and watched as they, with their groups, took the bypasses while
we took the fun routes. At the Big Sluice we were entertained by the guy
in front of us rolling over on his top and breaking (among other things)
his jar of Jalepenos.
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