7th annual Colorado trail ride
mriplaybass
Full Time Jeeper
Wednesday & Thursday, August 8&9 2017
In spite of an above average number of mechanical problems, this was the best year yet for the Jeep-CJ Colorado trip.
This year, we count the trip as starting several days earlier than when we all met up in Ouray. Posi had purchased a Jeep in the Colorado Springs area since the last trip out, and was going to get it ready to go in about 3 days. Oldjeeplady and I came out Wednesday to help with the work.
Axles and carrier out
Posi pleased with the progress
Posi and Rad checking out the new G2 one piece axles
Rad & Bass installing new wheel cylinders
Shooby and Posi pressing new axles into bearings
Once the rear axle was reassembled, Posi talked Oldjeeplady into assembling the locker for the front axle. Although she resisted, a short time later, my wife had assembled her first locker.
Friday, August 10, 2017
Friday, Bill and Carol led us on a fantastic trail ride near Colorado Springs. It was the perfect testing ground for Posi’s new Jeep, and our newly rebuilt engine. Things went great!
Checking out a steep rock decent
Posi spotting
What a great prelude to the Ouray trail ride! I think that we all had just as much fun turning wrenches as we did on the trail. Bill and Carol were wonderful hosts, and made the long hours of wrenching seem to fly by. Maybe next year we can talk Bill into dragging out his 64 (?) CJ5 , and we can all work on that.
Saturday, we all headed from Colorado Springs to Ouray
Sunday, August 13, 2017
A curious deer stayed pretty close to where we all stopped to take a break.
The wall was just too wet to go up. Posi tried several times, and just spun his tires on the wet rock. So instead of going up the wall, several of us went up a muddy trail right next to the wall.
BillD going up the chute
007 trying his luck
Monday August 14, 2017
We had a few problems today. Since vapor in the fuel line was a problem the previous day. I was up with the sun, and began changing the carburetor and changing to an electric fuel pump that 007 had brought with him for just this reason. We headed out on the trail, but only made it as far as just past the mud hole on lower Engineer pass when we began to lose power. Rather than hold everyone up and risk damage to a new motor, we headed back to town. Turned out to only be the gasket on the choke adjustment was missing creating a massive vacuum leak. We decided to take a trip up Yankee Boy to test it out, and everything worked perfectly!
Tuesday August 15, 2017
We had a fuel line break right at the gas station in Telluride coming off Black Bear Pass. The my hands were so cut up from working on things, and the arthritis was in full swing that day, that we were just going to hang it up, take the road back to Ouray, and try to regroup. Fortunately, no one would hear of this. JR74 crawled under the Jeep, and everyone else pitched in by handing him tools and parts to splice the broken line, and in about ½ hour, we were on our way to Imogene Pass! Thank you JR and everyone else!
We made it as far as Tomboy mine where we stopped for a break. Just as I pulled up on a hill someone shouted to get off the hill! Gas was leaking on the tail pipe right at the tire! Again, fortunately, all it was was the line going to the roll over check valve. Pistol Dave immediately crawled under the Jeep, and with some advice from 007, bypassed the valve and we were once again on our way.
Not a lot of picture taking that day! But a few did get taken.
Posi’s buddies Blackie and Bobby
Shooby, JR74, PistolDave, &BillD
Lloyd Jr, Bobby, Carol, Cameron, Lloyd Sr.
Rad, Posi, Bobby, 007, Busadave
Wednesday August 16, 2017
Bear town site & Kite Lake
JR74 and I could not resist getting up on a rock for a photo opp. JR had gas start leaking from his fill cap, and the clutch bell crank popped off the pivot ball on our Jeep. A few minutes under the Jeep to put it back on, and we were on our way.
Thursday August 17, 2017
Poughkeepsie Gulch & Corkscrew Pass
Last night, our youngest son, Matt, flew in to Montrose to join us for the last 2 days of trail riding. This was his first time wheeling. His reaction? He plans on joining us again next year!
Shooby trying out his new rear locker on the wall
JR74 taking the middle of the wall
Lloyd at the wall
Shooby, BillD, JR74, Oldjeeplady
Hagar getting a few pictures
Going over some rocks, we broke a rear shock. Matt immediately grabbed some tools, crawled underneath, and removed it.
Friday August 18, 2017
Black Bear Pass and Ophir Pass
Shooby giving me a reenactment of his expression going up Poughkeepsie Gulch wall.
Oldjeeplady and Matt
Oldjeeplady, Matt, and Bass
Shooby posing for Posi at the top of Black Bear
Matt standing on the top of the world
Our CJ7 “Chip”
Each year we meet new members and make new friends. This year was the best turn out ever since we have been coming. Everyone was great, and we look forward to next year. Thanks again to Dave for organizing the best trail ride we have ever been on. Several members of our family after listening to our recounts of past trips, and seeing the pictures and videos, have expressed an interest in possibly coming next year and renting a Jeep. And to think, just a few years ago, Dave was considering giving up on this event due to people’s lack of interest! I think that he has created a monster, although a very enjoyable one!
I am just learning how to edit and post videos, so rather than risk crashing our post again, (it has happened several times trying to post this much), I will just add them as I get them edited and posted to YouTube.
Enjoy!
In spite of an above average number of mechanical problems, this was the best year yet for the Jeep-CJ Colorado trip.
This year, we count the trip as starting several days earlier than when we all met up in Ouray. Posi had purchased a Jeep in the Colorado Springs area since the last trip out, and was going to get it ready to go in about 3 days. Oldjeeplady and I came out Wednesday to help with the work.
Axles and carrier out
Posi pleased with the progress
Posi and Rad checking out the new G2 one piece axles
Rad & Bass installing new wheel cylinders
Shooby and Posi pressing new axles into bearings
Once the rear axle was reassembled, Posi talked Oldjeeplady into assembling the locker for the front axle. Although she resisted, a short time later, my wife had assembled her first locker.
Friday, August 10, 2017
Friday, Bill and Carol led us on a fantastic trail ride near Colorado Springs. It was the perfect testing ground for Posi’s new Jeep, and our newly rebuilt engine. Things went great!
Checking out a steep rock decent
Posi spotting
What a great prelude to the Ouray trail ride! I think that we all had just as much fun turning wrenches as we did on the trail. Bill and Carol were wonderful hosts, and made the long hours of wrenching seem to fly by. Maybe next year we can talk Bill into dragging out his 64 (?) CJ5 , and we can all work on that.
Saturday, we all headed from Colorado Springs to Ouray
Sunday, August 13, 2017
A curious deer stayed pretty close to where we all stopped to take a break.
The wall was just too wet to go up. Posi tried several times, and just spun his tires on the wet rock. So instead of going up the wall, several of us went up a muddy trail right next to the wall.
BillD going up the chute
007 trying his luck
Monday August 14, 2017
We had a few problems today. Since vapor in the fuel line was a problem the previous day. I was up with the sun, and began changing the carburetor and changing to an electric fuel pump that 007 had brought with him for just this reason. We headed out on the trail, but only made it as far as just past the mud hole on lower Engineer pass when we began to lose power. Rather than hold everyone up and risk damage to a new motor, we headed back to town. Turned out to only be the gasket on the choke adjustment was missing creating a massive vacuum leak. We decided to take a trip up Yankee Boy to test it out, and everything worked perfectly!
Tuesday August 15, 2017
We had a fuel line break right at the gas station in Telluride coming off Black Bear Pass. The my hands were so cut up from working on things, and the arthritis was in full swing that day, that we were just going to hang it up, take the road back to Ouray, and try to regroup. Fortunately, no one would hear of this. JR74 crawled under the Jeep, and everyone else pitched in by handing him tools and parts to splice the broken line, and in about ½ hour, we were on our way to Imogene Pass! Thank you JR and everyone else!
We made it as far as Tomboy mine where we stopped for a break. Just as I pulled up on a hill someone shouted to get off the hill! Gas was leaking on the tail pipe right at the tire! Again, fortunately, all it was was the line going to the roll over check valve. Pistol Dave immediately crawled under the Jeep, and with some advice from 007, bypassed the valve and we were once again on our way.
Not a lot of picture taking that day! But a few did get taken.
Posi’s buddies Blackie and Bobby
Shooby, JR74, PistolDave, &BillD
Lloyd Jr, Bobby, Carol, Cameron, Lloyd Sr.
Rad, Posi, Bobby, 007, Busadave
Wednesday August 16, 2017
Bear town site & Kite Lake
JR74 and I could not resist getting up on a rock for a photo opp. JR had gas start leaking from his fill cap, and the clutch bell crank popped off the pivot ball on our Jeep. A few minutes under the Jeep to put it back on, and we were on our way.
Thursday August 17, 2017
Poughkeepsie Gulch & Corkscrew Pass
Last night, our youngest son, Matt, flew in to Montrose to join us for the last 2 days of trail riding. This was his first time wheeling. His reaction? He plans on joining us again next year!
Shooby trying out his new rear locker on the wall
JR74 taking the middle of the wall
Lloyd at the wall
Shooby, BillD, JR74, Oldjeeplady
Hagar getting a few pictures
Going over some rocks, we broke a rear shock. Matt immediately grabbed some tools, crawled underneath, and removed it.
Friday August 18, 2017
Black Bear Pass and Ophir Pass
Shooby giving me a reenactment of his expression going up Poughkeepsie Gulch wall.
Oldjeeplady and Matt
Oldjeeplady, Matt, and Bass
Shooby posing for Posi at the top of Black Bear
Matt standing on the top of the world
Our CJ7 “Chip”
Each year we meet new members and make new friends. This year was the best turn out ever since we have been coming. Everyone was great, and we look forward to next year. Thanks again to Dave for organizing the best trail ride we have ever been on. Several members of our family after listening to our recounts of past trips, and seeing the pictures and videos, have expressed an interest in possibly coming next year and renting a Jeep. And to think, just a few years ago, Dave was considering giving up on this event due to people’s lack of interest! I think that he has created a monster, although a very enjoyable one!
I am just learning how to edit and post videos, so rather than risk crashing our post again, (it has happened several times trying to post this much), I will just add them as I get them edited and posted to YouTube.
Enjoy!
