-Off-Camber Crawlers Trail Report-
Daddy’s Day Members Only Run
At Big Boys Playground
Bryan Folts -1999 Jeep Cherokee locked/locked 33”tires
Chip Woods -2004 Jeep Wrangler open/open 33” tires
Scott and Steve LeLacheur -1993 Jeep Wrangler locked/lsd 33” TSL’s
Jeff Eppolite - 1997 Jeep Wrangler Beta TJ locked/locked 37”tires
Chip arrived at Big Boys Playground (BBPG) Friday late afternoon, set up camp, and went to Wally World for supplies. Jeff arrived sometime after Chip to drop off his trailer and rig, and to hang out for a while before heading to camp hotel. I arrived shortly before dark and proceeded to set up camp and start a fire. Saturday morning after Chip and I ate breakfast, Jeff came back. Steve, Scott’s Dad, was dropped off by his wife around 9:30. Scott got there a little later because of a tire loosing air made him have to stop several times on the drive to BBPG. While waiting for Scott I took a spin down the back trail to see if it was still overgrown. Scott finally arrived, aired down the other three tires and we hit the trails. We headed down the back trail to loop around the outskirts of the wooded area of BBPG. Although it was not as over grown as last time I was there, because the trails are so tight it still seemed tight. Jeff, with his full width axles and large tires, had to take some different lines so he could fit through the trees in some spots. At the end of the outer trail there were two muddy holes with a tree that you slide into on each. The second has been filled in with trees and brush from a new access road that was recently built. The remaining hole was driven through by me, Scott, and Jeff. Each of our Jeeps got souvenirs from the tree on the edge. (Scotts front license plate may be in that hole still) The first difficult rock obstacle was next. I made it up fairly easily due to knowing the line to take from my previous trips there. I had gone over the next couple rock obstacles to make room for the others, and came back to watch/spot. Scott and Chip each took a few shots at it and finally made it up. The bottom of this obstacle (and most obstacles in the woods) and part way up was wet, watery mud which made the rocks very slippery. So Jeff had a mess to deal with! After many, many attempts plan B was implemented and he backed out and drove around to a second entrance just above that spot. The three Wranglers went over the next couple rock obstacles and we all continued around the center loop. Again, tight trees, and some other smaller rocks to go over. We had to stop and use hand saws to clear a couple cedar trees that were across the trail just low enough to stop us. The second difficult rock obstacle was next and I offered first shot at it to Jeff. Again the wet mud at the bottom made tires and rocks very slick. After a couple attempts Jeff got his Jeep sideways and tippy. We put a strap on the roll bar and four of us pulled while he backed off. A couple more attempts and he made it up the center. Scott took a different line, to the left, and got up with a little trouble. I chose the line to the right. After several attempts I was able to get past the rock. Chip too the bypass and we headed on. This trail has the most rocky sections, most easy and fun with a couple somewhat challenging spots depending on the line you choose. After finishing that trail we took a loop through the field, went over a dirt pile, and stopped at camp for lunch. The weather was beautiful and we took a nice long lunch break. After lunch Scott packed Jeff’s chain saw on his Jeep. We then headed back into the woods to hit the next rock obstacle. I’ve never been able to get over the largest part of this rock, so I took the line to the side. We all took about the same line with varying degrees of success. At the top of these rocks were some more cedars hanging too low for taller rigs. The chain saw was used. This trail is the second longest trail. It is very tight twisty trail, ATV tight. At the end of this trail we hit the first trail of the day, but backwards. I got hung up between a couple rocks and thought I was going to need to winch out, but one more try and I was able to pop out of that spot. That spot gave everyone a little trouble, but all made it through. Then after traveling back across the back trail we went down the first set of rocks we had gone up. We left the woods to hit the field with rock piles, dirt piles, tires, and telephone poles. After hitting several of the obstacles out there we hit the large rock pile with large rocks which was fun to play on. The rocks moved as we drove over making the lines change while on the rock pile. The area of the rock pile Scott was going over must have been a home for a skunk. Luckily, Flower ran off without spraying! We went back to the other obstacles again and that’s when Scotts Wrangler first cut off. After checking for fuel and spark, the coil was suspected of being the issue. But after it was plugged back in the engine fired. Onto the long water hole! (2-2 ½ feet deep, 25 feet wide, and 100 feet long with a firm bottom) It’s like piloting a Jeep boat. Scotts Wrangler cut off again, right in the middle. An attempt to disconnect and reconnect the coil did not help. Scott hooked his winch line to my front bumper so I could pull him out. My Cherokee was taking on water by this time. Once out we checked for spark again and nothing was coming out of the coil. It had power and ECM signal going in. After reconnecting it started and Scott drove it back to the camp site. I gave Scott a spare coil I carry and he installed it on his engine. This is when Scott noticed that his front tag was missing. After checking the photos I took during the day we found it was there before the first mud hole, but gone before lunch. Kelly Straughen, Owner of BBPG came to the camp site. After talking with Kelly for a while and paying him the fees for wheeling he invited us to join him at Wood Grill Buffet for dinner. Chip and Jeff had to leave, and Scott, Steve, and I went back out to run the trails we did before lunch to find his front tag. We did not find the tag and Scott’s engine died again. Disconnecting the coil connector and giving it a good wiggle fixed the issue. So we went back to camp, aired up and headed to dinner with Kelly. After Dinner we dropped Steve off at the hotel, and Scott and I went back to camp, sat by the fire for a while and went to sleep. Scott slept on his trail cover on the ground. In the morning we packed up, and hit the road. Scott headed to the hotel to spend some time with his parents and on his trip home only had one stalling issue which was fixed with a coil connector wiggle. I headed down to Roanoke to meet a friend and run Potts Mountain Jeep Trail.
Happy Motoring,
Bryan Folts
Off-Camber Crawlers Member At Large