Luck be a Toyota Land Cruiser

Heading up the ridgeline toward the top of the hill, we encounter an off camber washout that you have to criss-cross as you can see Ken doing in the white Jeep TJ below. Paul's short wheelbase CJ5 took a weird left hook that put in sideways in the washout. He backed out fine but the CJ's body took a turn for the worse and it lost some of the rust that held it together resulting in the rear frame bowing the tub up in the back. Basically the body's weight was not too well supported anymore. You might see for yourself if you were following him over bumps and watching the frame and body move independent of each other.

We keep talking about bringing the CJ back and doing some work to it. We may have to now or it might not make it through another weekend. I'm trying to talk Paul into loosing the hard top, fabbing up a roll cage bolted to the frame, lifting the body an inch or two, then giving the whole thing a desert sand or olive drab rattle can paint job. We'll see. Gotta get it home first.

Did someone say chainsaw? Its always good if someone has a chainsaw up here. Especially after last winters ice storm that left tons of broken trees hanging over the trails. In this case it was dead wood that blocked the trail. My trusty old Stihl chainsaw made quick firewood of the old tree. It was probably one of 3 or 4 times this weekend when I needed it. The Stihl is standard equipment when I come up here. It's probably 15-20 years old but it runs like a champ and fires every time even after sitting for months on end.

Bottom of the hill and across the stream and we're at our destination of the moment, the Mud hole. Did someone say mud tires?