The Build of RORP's "Hannibal Rocks"

[alwayssmiling67]

With the recent purchase of this new site and the WEROCK Eastern
National Finals being held August 12th-13th follwed the week after by RROCK's 3rd of a 4 event series it's going to take large earth/rock moving equipment, a little help from our friends, and sheer determination to turn this abandoned,brush overgrown, boulder infested quarry into a premier national level crawl area located right here in the heartland.

The quarry became abandoned in the early 70's. In those days, when quarry's
did their blasting they didn't have what today is called "breakers" to break the rock into smaller pieces. This left behind literally oceans of boulders scattered throughout the multiple bowls in the quarry as well as strewn on the hillsides of the back of the quarry walls.

The site is very uniquely located as it lies just 5 miles south of very touristic Hannibal, MO on a major 4 lane highway. A campground with gokarts, batting cages, a swimming pool and more amenities borders the north end of the park. A plus as far as advertisement to the park and its' events will be the constant flow of traffic going by who will be able to get peeks of the action going on inside.




I'll give frequent updates over the next few weeks so that those who are planning on making the trip can watch the comp area be unmasked and created and later updates in upcoming months as we continue the build of the rest of the park.

[alwayssmiling67]

First, some pictures from our initial visit to the site.

The state maintained right away that is a nice long driveway to the park
entrance






60' x 80' machine shed that will be transformed into an office/check-in/concession area as well as plenty of room for a shop
...Oh and a very cool part....It has real working scales!!!



Owners were nice enough to leave plenty of gravel to touch-up the
already gravel covered 10 acre + parking lot

[alwayssmiling67]

Some of the rocks in the woods/quarry hills areas

[alwayssmiling67]

Looking down in one of the smaller bowls of the quarry from about 60
feet up




And a view from 75-80 feet up into the larger of the bowls




Large trackhoes have been moved in to start knocking down some of the quarry walls already broken up and fragile from old blasts

The strong/stable 75-80 foot cliffs will eventually be blasted down by a
professional blasting crew into very usable staggered 45 degree climb areas with long v-notches mixed in.

[alwayssmiling67]

A nice little climb area into a wooded section.




Nice wooded trail areas as well




We'll be at it tomorrow. I'll make sure to get some pics posted.

[ChrisPy]

looks great! cant wait to visit...

know anyone with a 'yota i can borrow for a day, so i dont have to lug my junk across the country?

[Kaiser5]

Looks great Debbie. I'll give you a call in the next week or two about coming down to "help" out with the trails
Mike

[botiejeep]

Looks great. I would be interested in helping since Im getting moved closer to home.

[TEX]

Looks great - we gonna move the Rockport mud race over there in 2007?

TEX

[93yj8?]

Looks like a great area for" OVER THE TOP " compitions & if the rigs survive the comps we can do some cool wheeling!!! I am sure TOM will build the best coarses ever in the midwest

[93yj8?]

Looks like a great area for" OVER THE TOP " compitions & if the rigs survive the comps we can do some cool wheeling!!! I am sure TOM will build the best coarses ever in the midwest

[alwayssmiling67]

We're clearing the brush and overgrowth from the large rock areas.
Many of these boulders will need to be "set" to prevent movement
and fill large holes

[alwayssmiling67]

When it's all said and done, this is going to be very cool
crawl/climb area...

[alwayssmiling67]

Tom works on taking the tops off of some of the tall ledges to
allow doable climbs and v-notches on the bowl side of the cliffs. This area has changed so much since I took this pic 2 days ago. Will post updates soon.




A huge asset to this site is the "All Weather Floor" which is solid rock
that has been blasted at a uniform level throughout the park

[Rokn]

looks great. Thanks for the new pics. Sure can't wait for the final product.

[Go2Guy]

This place has HUGE potential, can't wait to play on it as it progresses

[Tolly]

Very cool. Can't wait to play on it as well.
Keep up the good work.

[rbaer]

Looking forward to this.

[alwayssmiling67]

Tom continued to work his way across the cliff on the South side of the
large bowl.



This is what the bowl side of the cliff now looks like

[alwayssmiling67]

The parking lot has been expanded. The floor of the parking lot in this area
is actually fill...solid rock. A small layer of top soil has accumulated on it.





Moving down to the smallest bowl (the bowl on the west side of the
largest bowl )
Tall ledges are taken down for more climbing areas











He cleared is way around to the back side of the clliff

[alwayssmiling67]

This is one big rock!
The rock itself with staggered ledges would make a very cool
climb. I requested to Tom that when he rolls it off the cliff it lands
so that the ledges of the rock were on the top side

[alwayssmiling67]

The texture to the rock in this quarry is amazing.
Most of the rocks have a very rough, sand paper feel to them.
Rain or shine, you'll be able to crawl on these rocks.

[botiejeep]

Tom and Debbie the park looks great.Looks like whoever has the most spare tires and parts will win with that kind of traction. How many total acres do you guys have there.

[alwayssmiling67]

Here's a couple of small video clips of the construction/destruction.

It's a good thing our Marshal is also an electrician.
Chris, we may need some assistance

(You have to register to watch the videos...it's free)

http://www.eengoedidee.nl/videoz/bik...s/100_4797.mov



http://www.eengoedidee.nl/videoz/bik...s/100_4811.mov

[Bushwhacker]

Heck, that pole was too close to the courses anyway, right Tom??