This is where my memory gets a little foggy. Sure, I had the PC with me but for the next 9 days there was so much going on that there was no time to sit down and write this. So here I am, in Pocatello on a bright sunny Friday afternoon doing this instead of wheelin'. Stoopid!!!!! (Actually I'm waiting for Kerm and we're going to the shooting range so no big deal - see the Pocatello Chapter.) One of the reasons I'm writing this now is that Mike made reference to last year's event where it took me 7 months to get the web page online. So Mike, here it is, only a couple weeks late. You owe me a beer or two at the Firehouse next year!

I've obviously forgotten a lot so if there is anyone unfortunate enough to have been on the same trails as me who reads this and has additions or corrections, please let me know.

FYI, this year we had the largest contingent at the DTC: over 25 of us from Illinoiz!

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Thursday, August 28 - Iceman

Most of us finally made it over the Loading Dock, much to the enjoyment of the peanut gallery. (Thanks John, you’re a great spotter!)

Friday, August 29 - Bikini and TBack

The morning started cold and cloudy. We did TBack a few years ago and John wanted to do Bikini so we signed up. Off we went with Jason and Joshem, our trail leaders. When we got to the trail head, Joshem took our group of 11 Illinoiz rigs off to Bikini and the others went to TBack. The fun began immediately.

No sooner did we get past this first obstacle, then Craig continued his efforts to achieve the most breakage. This all started a few days before when Craig split his transfer case in half. Got to admit, he was quick - within hours got another one, got it installed and was on the trail the next morning, ready to break again. This time he broke an axle - absolutely no idea why or how it could have broken! In the process of trying to get the stub of the shaft out of the carrier, our master technicians managed to wedge a steel bar in the opposite side of the diff and then couldn't extract the bar! It was quite educational to see how this slowly turned into a cluster. But it all ended well. They finally got the rod out, got the stub out, got the axle in and went on to then pop a tire off the rim within the next 300 feet. Good show, Craig!

Onward and upward. Next Craig (one of the other three Craigs in our group) broken a front axle u-joint. No spares. He's now on three-wheel drive. Ooops! Craig #1, yes our own TCase/axle Craig, now broke a rear U-joint. Hmmm. How did THAT happen? Ooops! Now a drive shaft. Hmmm. How did THAT happen? SHIT! Now a motor mount. Hmmm. How did THAT happen? Thanks for the memories, Craig! While all this was going on, our trail leader Joshem lost his steering. Seems a nut fell off. 20 paces away he found it and got his rig fixed and ready to go again.

So now we move to TBack and get to another set of obstacles. Don't remember their names, but one is 4' deep crack one has to straddle or drive in, carefully. Beyond that is a rock ledge next to a tree.

The three ring circus started here. John broke his hub and an axle. Jim's alternator stopped alternating. Bill broke a brake line. Tim got wedged between a rock and a tree. This all occurred simultaneously and within 150 feet. Pewe should have been on the trail today taking photos for the magazines - would have kept him busy.

So after Tim gets wedged in so tight he can't move more than one inch in any direction at all, he graciously accepts a strap. He made it out.

Our buddy Shaddy, now through the crack, drives right by this fun part. "Hey Shaddy, you missed the turn. Here's the trail, up here!" "Bullshit!" retorts Shaddy. "Tim made it!" exclaims Dave, of course neglecting to tell Shaddy that the only reason Tim made it up was with a strap. (Shaddy, while negotiating the crack, missed Tim's entertaining attempt at the ledge.) Shaddy, being the adventuresome chap he is, then attempted the little climb and much to his chagrin discovered that he also, was stuck between a rock and a tree. In fact, his hi-lift hitting the tree was the only thing holding him up.

Now Shaddy has a 5.9 Cherokee engine in there and it likes to pump oil into the exhaust system whenever it's anything other than level.

Once he started up again and gave it a little fuel, there was a cloud of smoke that lasted for about 15 minutes. We were worried a lookout might spot this and think the forest was on fire again and drop a load of fire retardant on Shaddy and his smokin' Jeep. This was VERY entertaining!

Now as all this was going on, the three ring circus was continuing back at the crack. Craig #1 had managed to get a little air and was in a somewhat precarious position. He couldn't go forward or backwards without the chance of tipping. Apparently, he had been sitting there while waiting for the peanut gallery to disperse after Shaddy's excellent show. When we finally got Shaddy up, we noticed Craig. "How long you been like that, Craig?" "Oh, about 15 minutes......"

So all's well that ends well. We drove a little more and headed back 20 miles to the campground. Now what else could happen? Perhaps Jim could run out of gas and have to get strapped to the gas station. But now his battery is dead (remember, his alternator is not alternating) so now he also needs a jump.

A great time was had by all! Thanks Joshem, for putting up with our antics! Pewe - see what you missed - ha ha!

This was a dark, dreary day and I don't think most of our hearts were in wheeling, but what the heck! Not much to say. Riley, our trailer leader, gave us a lot of time to play on the optional stuff so we got into it pretty quickly. We had some fun on Full Size. Tim was ecstatic at being able to extricate Shaddy.

John kept up the tradition of the Boyz from Illinoiz breaking their Toyz and he replaced another axle. Still didn't work. Damn! It's the front Detroit Locker. How the devil do you break that?? Charlie, from Chimney Canyon 4X4, was on the trail and went way above and beyond the call to help John not only get the parts he needed but also allow him the use of some tools to get back together again. Thanks Charlie, you're a good guy!

Next came Kong. I was't feeling well so I skipped it but took some photos. The Boyz got through Kong really well and you should see some photos of them in the national magazines as there were a couple of photographers on Kong.

Screamin' was whining that I wasn't getting enough photos of him so I obliged. Be careful what you ask for, you may get it! Here he is, being winched and getting some expert advice from Greg. A photographer from a national magazine got some great photos of Screamin' demonstrating the use of his winch.

Sunday, August 31- Upper Buzzworm

Steve & Debbie, our leaders, are lots of laughs. We took this trail for the last day because we knew it would be fun. Once again, this trail was exclusively the Boyz from Illinoiz. By the time it was over, we all laughed more than any other time. This trail was so much fun! Thanks Steve and Debbie!

The day started weird when Craig #2 painted his tires with anti-slip compound. Whatever trips your trigger, Craig!

Ah, THE waterfall where I got my handle, Woodpecker, in 1996 (click here.) Steve, unlike Shaddy, isn't pumping oil into the exhaust system. Steve's smoking the tires. I guess he's trying to dry off the waterfall to make it safe for us Boyz from Illinoiz. Debbie's hanging on for dear life. Nice show, Steve & Debbie!

Once again, Woodpecker lives up to his name.

So next we hear this loud snap. Now what? Craig #1 broke his track bar off. Nice welding, Craig! Jim is proudly displaying the offending bar basking in the glow of knowing that it was not him who broke this time. It takes so little to entertain us........

Here's "Woodpecker's Rock." Last year I had a slight altercation where the trail seemed to be 90 degrees out of phase with what it should be (click here.) This year, Stu decided to throw a rock and see if he could hit it in a hole about 100' above the trail in the canyon wall. Again, it doesn't take much to entertain us, so it became the rule that before you attempt Woodpecker's Rock, you either throw a rock from the trail into the hole above or pay Stu $5 to do it for you. Gawd we had fun!

Now a little later we hear this noise and look ahead and once again our fearless leaders, Steve and Debbie, are graciously drying off the rocks for us poor Boyz from Illinoiz so we'll get better traction. Didn't see our leaders but we sure saw the smoke from the tires! Another good show.

Jim and Lisa, negotiating an optional obstacle. You did great!

John, for the second time in two years, stuck on "John's Rock." This time he didn't have to winch off, just needed a little muscle. Nice work, John. How do you do that so consistently?

And so ends another great few days with our friends. We want to especially thank the Black Hills 4 Wheelers for sponsoring this event and for their patience with our antics. We always have such a good time. This is such great fun. Thanks again!

Our buddies Craig #1 and Mike, vying for the coveted TailHook award. Congratulations Mike, on being the recipient of this treasured trophy for the next year!

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