PTSchram
09-07-2005, 09:08 AM
Now that I'm back, AFIRover can quit fawking with me! :flipoff2:
First day out, we found the "Camel Trophy" road off of Trout Lake Road to be open and passable once again. If we can just remember that the entry is about 500 feet from the corner, regardless of what the map shows. We entered via Trout Lake Road, rather than from the Gregg Loop side. Once in the woods, we veered to the left when we should have gone right. In the past, this path led nowhere. Now, it leads to the end of the trail, albeit very circuitously. The trail quickly fell to little more than an ATV trail with narrow, steep, off-camber portions, one of which had us precariously perched with wheels off the ground periodically. Quick and judicious use of the skinny pedal saved our asses from rolling down a hill into what is sometimes a river! After making it through this section, we found the path to be blocked not once, not twice, but three times by big-ass trees. My new Estwing axe got lots of use-for those we couldn't cut through, there were suitable optional means to get past. The Alger County road department needs to do some maintenance :flipoff2: .
Sunday was spent in camp-in spite of what everybody says, I did not get as drunk as they say I did (OK, maybe just a little :grinpimp: ).
Monday saw us on RA (AKA the Badder Road) to see if the road really did go all the way to Marquette, or at least Gwinn. After spending severla hours on some beautiful trails, we realized the trail really doesn't go all the way any more. At this point, we decided to head for Lathrop to follow a supposedly fairly easy trail that should have left us at Herb's Bar in Rock... Famous last words, easy trail! Almost immediately after the road turning to dirt, we found ourselves at what looked to be a fairly dry stream crossing. You guessed it, we got into it and found there was water a foot down. Mired the truck badly, Pulled the cable and were on our way. Next, we ran into some big-ass trees (~12" dia) across the trail. Using the Estwing again, we got through that obstacle, but not until we pulled the cable. Never say anything bad about Mile-Marker winches. Mine has saved my ass so many times! Made it through this last obstacle only to find the trail blocked by an even bigger tree and the light was fading fast. Turned around to leave, made it through both obstacles on the way out, only to find a tire rapidly going flat. Sidewall cuts suck!
Got out, made it to Herb's, heard the story about why Romeo was banned from the bar and headed back to Camp to call Shopboy to have him find us a tire!
Packed up to leave Tuesday morning, called around, found the cheapest 235/85 tire to be at Wal-Mart-argh. Make it to Wal-Mart, get the tire mounted and the tire monkey calls em out to my truck and tells me I need new wheel bearings. WTF-they were new before Leadville! A quick call to NAPA finds a handfull of BR37 bearings and off we go (across the street) to NAPA. After disassembling the hub, we find the nuts had backed off in spite of the lock tabs!!! :eek: :eek: As a testament to the robust nature of both the bearings and the axle, I was able to clean the water and mud from the bearings, repack them, tighten them up using a horribly expensive pair of Channel-locks bought from NAPA and got the truck home.
Carnage score-
1: Horrible Hangover for PT
2: Flat tire with no hope of saving
3: lost time due to having to tighten up bearings
4: how the hell did a tree limkb make it past the limb risers AND the brush bar to hit the hood of my truck and curl it?
Sorry about the only pic :flipoff2: OK, looks like I need to pay for my photo editing software... Pics to come.
Peace,
PT
First day out, we found the "Camel Trophy" road off of Trout Lake Road to be open and passable once again. If we can just remember that the entry is about 500 feet from the corner, regardless of what the map shows. We entered via Trout Lake Road, rather than from the Gregg Loop side. Once in the woods, we veered to the left when we should have gone right. In the past, this path led nowhere. Now, it leads to the end of the trail, albeit very circuitously. The trail quickly fell to little more than an ATV trail with narrow, steep, off-camber portions, one of which had us precariously perched with wheels off the ground periodically. Quick and judicious use of the skinny pedal saved our asses from rolling down a hill into what is sometimes a river! After making it through this section, we found the path to be blocked not once, not twice, but three times by big-ass trees. My new Estwing axe got lots of use-for those we couldn't cut through, there were suitable optional means to get past. The Alger County road department needs to do some maintenance :flipoff2: .
Sunday was spent in camp-in spite of what everybody says, I did not get as drunk as they say I did (OK, maybe just a little :grinpimp: ).
Monday saw us on RA (AKA the Badder Road) to see if the road really did go all the way to Marquette, or at least Gwinn. After spending severla hours on some beautiful trails, we realized the trail really doesn't go all the way any more. At this point, we decided to head for Lathrop to follow a supposedly fairly easy trail that should have left us at Herb's Bar in Rock... Famous last words, easy trail! Almost immediately after the road turning to dirt, we found ourselves at what looked to be a fairly dry stream crossing. You guessed it, we got into it and found there was water a foot down. Mired the truck badly, Pulled the cable and were on our way. Next, we ran into some big-ass trees (~12" dia) across the trail. Using the Estwing again, we got through that obstacle, but not until we pulled the cable. Never say anything bad about Mile-Marker winches. Mine has saved my ass so many times! Made it through this last obstacle only to find the trail blocked by an even bigger tree and the light was fading fast. Turned around to leave, made it through both obstacles on the way out, only to find a tire rapidly going flat. Sidewall cuts suck!
Got out, made it to Herb's, heard the story about why Romeo was banned from the bar and headed back to Camp to call Shopboy to have him find us a tire!
Packed up to leave Tuesday morning, called around, found the cheapest 235/85 tire to be at Wal-Mart-argh. Make it to Wal-Mart, get the tire mounted and the tire monkey calls em out to my truck and tells me I need new wheel bearings. WTF-they were new before Leadville! A quick call to NAPA finds a handfull of BR37 bearings and off we go (across the street) to NAPA. After disassembling the hub, we find the nuts had backed off in spite of the lock tabs!!! :eek: :eek: As a testament to the robust nature of both the bearings and the axle, I was able to clean the water and mud from the bearings, repack them, tighten them up using a horribly expensive pair of Channel-locks bought from NAPA and got the truck home.
Carnage score-
1: Horrible Hangover for PT
2: Flat tire with no hope of saving
3: lost time due to having to tighten up bearings
4: how the hell did a tree limkb make it past the limb risers AND the brush bar to hit the hood of my truck and curl it?
Sorry about the only pic :flipoff2: OK, looks like I need to pay for my photo editing software... Pics to come.
Peace,
PT