[ED4] Overnight Trip Report #1: Safety Clinic (9/2017)

Arrived at Area 5 in Hollister Hills around 5:30 or so and found a level area to set up camp. After tent was up and rear of Jeep organized the potluck was beginning in earnest. I made some lazy man’s pulled pork in the crock pot and some North Carolina style coleslaw for a side and there was plenty of other tasty food to go around.

After dinner Jason pulled out the portable movie screen and after a bit of “technical difficulties” the sound was 5X5 and ready to roll. A couple of off roading shorts and onto the main show for comedy night at the campfire.

Always enjoy a fire and this was no exception, nice conversation, a warm fire and few beverages make for a nice evening.

On Saturday morning, a nice pot of coffee on the backpacking stove and some oatmeal and I was ready for the driver inspections assignment.

I really enjoyed seeing all the different modifications and talking with the students. After driver inspections, and a couple of student runs to the classroom I helped Joe and Joanna set up the tire placement course. Once this was completed I packed up the tent and camp and had to make an early exit due to a family commitment with some out of town guests. While I was disappointed I could not support the club for the whole day and enjoy another night around the fire, the time I was able to spend and get to know folks better was very enjoyable. The event was well planned, well organized during the morning and thanks to all who were able to stay all day and make this a great event for the students. When I took the course in May 2017, I learned so much that made me more comfortable to challenge myself within my experience and I am sure these students gained that same confidence.

Joe Morris

[ED4] Trip Report CA4WD Winter Fun Fest - (1/16/2018)

Joe & Mary Jane Morris I arrived into Grass Valley around 3:00 and checked into a cozy VRBO rental house as I was afraid for snow and cold weather and we are tent campers…so I took the easy way out. Since this was the boss’s first off road trip, and being cold is very low on her list of fun things, I felt this was wise.

I drove solo from Fairfield where I had to be for a business meeting on Friday morning and Mary Jane drove up with Dave and Denice Kapp from the Morgan Hill area.

I had signed up for the HAM exam through My Off Road Radio, I had tried to get the 8 hour “ham cram” course also, but it was full when I inquired. After arriving at the fairgrounds and checking in I sat through the last 1.5 hours of the course and I am very happy that I did not sit through that for 8 straight hours. The on-line course was very well done and with all resources available to take practice tests I felt very prepared. The “classroom” was not very conducive to learning. The students who sat through the full day were not too happy. The exam finally started around 5:30 and as people were hitting the bar and milling around and towards the end cueing up for dinner around us I completed the exam. 34/35 and I am now licensed as a technician.

Nice to spend some time with all the ED4 folks at a common table and after dinner and catching up we retired for the evening.

Breakfast Saturday morning was a long line exacerbated with one of the griddles being down. “No pancakes for you” as we went through.

Check in at the K-mart and an honor system inspection process was next. Segregation of vehicle by capability began and the bulk of the ED4 folks ended up in group B. A short pre-ride briefing was held by the trial boss, stressing the need for the “C” group to pull their own weight when they get stuck, getting us thinking there might be some challenges ahead.

After a short ride to a staging area for all to catch up we progressed on the days run. Mary Jane really enjoyed the ride through North Bloomfield (formally Humbug), a thriving town of over 2,000 in late 1870, turned into a ghost town when hydraulic mining was outlawed in 1884 and now abandoned. Severla building are still standing and there is a small museum that looked to be active, but not open that morning. After about 1.5 hours we arrived in Graniteville and aired down. There was an active cemetery at this location with the earliest gravestone we could read from the late 1830’s. Off to higher elevations in search of snow, there were some traces between 5 & 6 thousand feet but we did not get into anything appreciable until over 7,000 feet.

From our lunch spot in a large snow covered clearing you could see the Sierra Buttes clearly and a great view of the valley.

We made our way back down the other side of the peak and aired up on highway 41 after a relatively easy day of driving.

Being from Michigan, this was a typical spring day…lots of mud, some snow and just generally soupy. Nothing too technical or challenging, but a great first ride for Mary Jane and Coco. They are looking forward to the next trip!