Announcing the Last Colorado Jeep-CJ Trail Ride

[MadCJ95]

Just thought that I would kick this thread and get status updates.

there were 5 for sure and 5 hope to s.

who is doing well and who is broke down?

Not broke down, but broke! After registering it for next year, fixing a broken windshield and a new clutch with seals for the tranny; I am out of funds with tuition due in 3 weeks

Don't think I'm gonna make it to this one, but I will manage to get to Ouray one of these years! Sorry for the late notice

-Jeff Maddy

 

[Posi]

I'll be there

 

[BusaDave9]

Here's my list of who is coming:
CJ
007
OldJeepLady
Posi
FishinFool98
and me too

Is that right? Is anyone else coming? FishinFool, you will be here won't you?

Is everyone staying at the Rivers Edge Motel? Anyone camping?

 

[Posi]

Booked at the Rivers Edge Motel

 

[BusaDave9]

Unless someone entered us into one of those shows where they steal your build and finish it for you in a week I cannot imagine we could get our CJ ready for this trip. I've been looking for a Jeep to buy or rent, but no luck there either. I misunderstood Dave's comments about bringing a different 4x4 and I found out we would only be able to ride with the group 1 or 2 of the 5 days with our Ranger 4x4. Renting a jeep there only gets one more day. So we need our own jeep to ride with the group. I get it now and it makes sense. I'm sorry that I misunderstood.

Sorry I missed this post. I was really hoping you could make it. You can take whatever vhicle you want. If you take a low Ranger with oem tires I would think you would be banging the undercarrage. The long departure angle is one place that worries me. Is the gas tank back there? The long wheelbase may be another issue with the low suspension.
Either way you will surly be able to ride with us more than 1 or 2 days. Maybe all 5 but that's up to you how much abuse you want your Ranger to take. Sorry but I just don't think a stock Ranger can do what a stock CJ can do.
Sorry for any misunderstanding. I think I told you once that a Ranger could ride with us 2 or 3 days.
Monday (the first day of trail rides) we will be going on Lower Engineer Pass trail. That trail I didn't think you would want to ride. If it looks too rough you could go by way of Silverton and meet us where Lower Engineer Trail turns into Upper Engineer Trail. On the other hand if you want to follow us on lower engineer I wont stop you. You could make it. You would just be a bit more careful about the line you take.
Tuesday is another day I didn't think you would want to follow us over Black Bear Pass.

Black Bear Pass
​

It's up to you. If you think that's too much you can take Ophir Pass and meet us in Telluride.
Wednesday you will have no problem following us everywhere we go.
Thursday you will also be able to follow us. If we decide to go to the very end of Yankee Boy Basin you might not want to go that last half a mile. The rest of us might not go. Or if we do, you could wait for us. Not a problem either way.
Friday is undecided. We won't pick a trail until Wednesday or Thursday. If you come your input will help pick a trail.

 

[somedude922]

Man I really wish this was one week earlier.

 

[007]

If you take Ophir on the Black Bear day and meet in Telluride, I assume we will take Imogene back in the afternoon and I'd think you'd be okay there too.


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[oldjeeplady]

Thanks everyone. I sure wish we had gotten further with our CJ build...
I haven't given up on the trip yet, but there are several issues involved.

As for vehicles we also have a 2000 Explorer XLT 4.0 4x4 w/ 16 in tires stock and a lot shorter wheelbase than the Ranger. It already needs new tires and our inspection revealed the rear leaf springs are almost flat (). It has torsion up front that may be adjustable if we can free it up. Too many miles towing the two horse trailer w/ the horses I guess....We were planning to replace the tires before Winter and after taking a look, the springs are a no brainer.

Anyway we did some measuring and came out with close to 9 inch clearance the way it sits right now (on concrete). That's way more than our Ranger and pretty close to what I measured on our '67 CJ5 with its stock (old-tired) suspension at the front differential (also on concrete). New tires and rear springs might get us a little more clearance. We will have to stay with the same size tires, but we can go a little more aggressive on tread. We have some Coopers picked out. So we need to get tires and springs ordered and installed and then, we'll see what happens. We had been thinking all along that the Ranger would have more clearance, but it was an illusion. If you saw them sitting side by side you might think the same thing. We just needed to measure.

They really don't make "lift kits" for this model vehicle. After doing some reading the folks that lift these things are using "Modified Jeep suspension kits..."...Go figure!...

 

[007]

I took my 2001 Expedition up Yankee Boy last summer with 7 of us in there and had zero issues. I think if you are measuring at the diff you are okay. Dave can give you more details as he is far more knowledgeable of the needs each trail has but but I think you're good. I have 9" at the diff on my CJ with 235/75/15s and I have about 12" with new the 31s. New shocks and rubber ought to get you 10".


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[BusaDave9]

Exactly 3 weeks from now we will be meeting up for the Last Colorado Jeep-CJ Trail Ride.
It's going to be a great time. We'll meet at O'Brien's Pub in Ouray for drinks and talk about the upcoming rides.

​

I'm looking forward to meeting you guys. According to my list, none of you have been to the Colorado Jeep-Cj trail ride before. But it looks like you've all been members for a while.
Here's my list of participants:
CJ
007
OldJeepLady
Posi
FishinFool98
and me too
Please let me know if the above list isn't accurate. I'd really like to hear from OldJeepLady.
... and FishinFool, are you going to make it?
Does everyone have my cell number? That's how we'll meet up as we arrive in Ouray. On the trails we'll be using CB radios. Does everyone have one? We'll use channel 21.

 

[007]

Dave, PM me your mobile when you can I don't have it.

As it stands now I will be in town on Saturday evening and doing Brooklyn and Yankee Boy on Sunday. Maybe Corkscrew if all goes well.

 

[Posi]

I have your cell, should arrive between 5-7pm Sunday.

 

[oldjeeplady]

Dave, I have your cell number - thanks.

As for the Explorer: $$$ and more $$$ spent
New Cooper Discover ATP 255/70R16 tires installed
New Monroe Gas magnum front shocks installed
ATF and engine oil and filters changed
New Gabriel hijacker air adjustable rear shocks here and will be installed when the new rear springs and new rear brake parts arrive - they should come some time this week.
Curt has a CB in his semi that we can bring - we will need an antenna with mount to use it in the explorer. We will probably just get a magnet mount - there's a factory roof rack on this explorer, but no rain gutters - so I have not looked into other antenna mounting options. He's at a number of truck stops every week so that shouldn't be a problem.

We would trailer the explorer there so when/if we have problems, we can at least drive home. I'm trying to think of other things we might need. I don't plan on getting stuck - who does? I cannot find any tow hooks or rings on the front mounted to the frame, but it has a class IV hitch on the rear. Are tow hooks/rings for the front something else we need?

I know Curt is dreading the drive out there - mostly because he drives for a living. And a few other issues that are out of my control that would impact whether we can come. So I still cannot give you a "for sure" at this time - Sorry about that, but we are doing our best.

It sure was sad seeing our CJ5 build out in the driveway so we could work on the explorer....we wanted so badly to bring that.

 

[007]

I can certainly understand the reservations but if you weren't coming you wouldn't have done the explorer (extenuating circumstances aside).

If you make the trip, you will understand how those of who have been there know how much you would have missed had you not made it. It's a trip you will NOT forget.

I'll be driving from Colorado Springs to Ouray on Saturday. I'll leave town around 11-1 so if you want to meet up we can travel together. You may want to unload and drive the towed vehicle over the continental divide as it's steep up and steep down.

Let me know

 

[BusaDave9]

I sure hope you and your husband can make it, OldJeepLady. It'll be a good time.

 

[fishinfool98]

I'm not gonna be able to make it heading to Virginia in the morning for 2 weeks get back on Friday night the 22nd and then leave for south padre Texas for 18 days let me tell ya how excited I am about not being home for almost 5 weeks

 

[Posi]

Sorry to hear
CJ, your still planning to come?

 

[oldjeeplady]

I can certainly understand the reservations but if you weren't coming you wouldn't have done the explorer (extenuating circumstances aside).

If you make the trip, you will understand how those of who have been there know how much you would have missed had you not made it. It's a trip you will NOT forget.

I'll be driving from Colorado Springs to Ouray on Saturday. I'll leave town around 11-1 so if you want to meet up we can travel together. You may want to unload and drive the towed vehicle over the continental divide as it's steep up and steep down.

Let me know

Thanks for the offer and information!

If all goes well Curt would not be back from his North Dakota run until sometime Friday afternoon. We wouldn't be able to leave SE WI until early AM on Saturday. We'd be bringing extra parts and tools (just in case... we need them) so we would need the space in the back of our big truck. It's a 2002 F350 4dr dually 4x4 6 speed stick with the 7.? L powerstroke and it's power chipped. This truck is named "The Beast." Our estimated arrival time would be 6-8 pm on Sunday evening. The steep up and down isn't as much of a concern unless combined with narrrow, no shoulder roads and sharp switchbacks. We need to figure our exact route from where interstate roads end and the best route to Ouray - just haven't had time yet.

Thanks again!

 

[oldjeeplady]

Sorry to hear
CJ, your still planning to come?

Also sorry to hear Fishinfool98 won't make it....

And like Posi asks - Is CJ still going to make the ride if Fishinfool98 cannot come? I thought they were coming together.....?

Also, if we make it - the explorer is a 4 door so we would have room if anyone wanted to ride in our "not a jeep" vehicle.

CJ - let us know if you are still coming - Thanks!...

 

[BusaDave9]

Also, if we make it - the explorer is a 4 door so we would have room if anyone wanted to ride in our "not a jeep" vehicle.

:ty:
That's greatly appreciated. I hope plenty of you show up, with or without a jeep.

Two weeks from today we'll be meeting up in Ouray.