This weekend saw my first trail action! After having my '83 fj40 for 4 months or so, I finally felt like it was ready, and it didn't let me down! I went to a spot in east TN known as the "Canyon." I rode with the local club (southeast tlca)- couldn't have asked for a better group to go on a first run with!!!

If someone had told me how intense this stuff really is, I don't think I would have understood.... now, I'm trying to figure out all the junk I wanna get done before I hit the trail again this weekend!



My 1st stuck- in a mud rut heading up out of the canyon (it rained like mad)
:D :D

glad to hear your gettin some action with that thing. good job on gettin stuck, i say if you dont get stuck then you didnt try hard enough. i just got my 4wheel drive back up so im ready for my first run as well.

cheers, sean

here's my best shot from this weekend- one of the club members gettin his pose on!!

Beware!! Those STLCA guys will have you bashing that clean lookin' 83 all over those big ass rocks down in Tellico in no time!!

good spot for his arm, if it goes over :eek:

WOOOO HOOOO!!!

I know what ya mean. I went on my first trail run last month after a 1.5 year build up. Time and money are your biggest contenders!!!

I was like an 8 year old in a toys-r-us store. LETS GO, LETS GO, LETS GO...

C ya on the trail,

I know exactly how you feel. We've had our FJ-40 for 7 months now and finally got it on the trail 3 weeks ago.
The first time we went out, a radiator hose popped and we had to turn around only 1 mile from our house.
Now we're working on the steering and getting a cage installed. I have a feeling it's going to be another month before it sees dirt again. At least I have my TJ as a backup.

Large versions at http://whitejeep.com/trip.mv?billmoorelake7_27_02
http://jillandneil.com/whitejeep/billmoorelake7_27_02/billmoore7272000072t.jpg http://jillandneil.com/whitejeep/billmoorelake7_27_02/billmoore7272000016t.jpg http://jillandneil.com/whitejeep/billmoorelake7_27_02/billmoore7272000046t.jpg

Where is The Canyon?

Who all went from the STLCA?

Who is that in the red 40?

Nice truck you have there, by the way.

TJK

The canyon is right outside of Monterey TN, about 10mi east of cookville, 80mi east of Nashvegas. It's a riverbed, with trails that cris-cross the gorge. The group more or less (I met them all for the first time on the trail with the exception of Dave): Dave, Briggs, Roger, Corky, Mike (Michael?), Rainey(?), and assorted copilots. A great time was had (at least by me!). Another shot of the group:

Oh -- that's middle Tennessee. Good bunch of guys, know them all. I've never been to the canyon though, looks like fun. I'm going to be wheeling the Pegram power lines and possibly LBL over Labor Day weekend though, if my power steering will cooperate.

TJK

sweet. Gimme a shout when you go- I've been thinking of sneaking over to peagram sometime soon. Incidentally, I hear rumors that the club might be heading to LBL in Sept.. You may wanna come along!

What's your phone number? Are you in Nashville proper? I'm driving up Friday afternoon, then I think we're wheeling Pegram on Saturday before the UT game, but it could end up being Sunday as well. LBL in September might be fun (technically I'm an STLCA member, although no one seems to notice). Anyway, Pete McPherson (who does your newsletter) is out in Pegram, we're long time friends, and he's who I'm wheeling with. His 40 is prepped for sale, and his Pig is limping, but I imagine we'll piece together something for him to drive. Or he can ride in my Pig, whatever. I'll give you a shout, nothing complex, just beating the bushes a bit.

TJK

Oh, minor detail -- is Stran your name?

(You can PM this stuff if you're uncomfortable, witness protection program and all.)
TJK

k-
Who's selling the '40? What's the lowdown on it? I know someone in Bellview looking for one....

Pete McPherson has a '76 FJ40 that he'll be selling soon. I think all he lacks is putting a muffler on it. Nice little truck, fairly stock. If you wheel with us next weekend chances are you'll see it.

TJK

took my parents to the airport very early saturday morning, came home, decided to swap my shackles out on the 55 before the kids got up. groggy, reached across the springs to extract a bolt. bang. spring came up and crushed my left ring finger into the hanger. luckily the spring must have recoiled a bit as i was able to extract my finger, actually w/out even noticing anything had happened until my tool box became spattered with blood. went to the er, got my finger put back together -- broken from tip to knuckle, stitches under the nail, nail sewn back on, skin gone nearly to the bone. at least i get to keep my finger. the moral of this silly story: don't work on your truck when you're dead tired unless you absolutely have to, but you knew that.

dang this hurts.

tjk

(lost my caps)
--
Todd J. Kaderabek
TLCA # 9280, Asheville, NC
1976 FJ55 /1990 FJ62/1994 FZJ80

holy crap! That's gotta hurt- hopefully they gave you some quality pain killers!!!

Note to self- unload spring and keep fingers clear when removing shackles and hangers......

percoset, which has very little effect. needless to say, i won't be wheeling this weekend.

tjk

greetings and salutations.

tjk

you could get a leather holster for that thing and a hook for the steering wheel......

no? Ah, well at least it'll heal! No worries.
:D

i'm thinking of recruiting a flight attendant from hooters air to wheel me around this weekend. film at 11:00...

tjk

thats one nasty looking hand puppet :D

sorry about the fingers man, at least you can still count to nine.

Vikadin...vroom vroom! :eek:

eh? a painkiller that makes you go vroom? :flipoff2:

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Deep South Cruisers
[B]thats one nasty looking hand puppet :D

That's a meat puppet!

TJK

THis is a meat puppet....

:flipoff2:

At least you had the decency to rinse that thing off before you took the photo!

TJK