I thought you guys decided it was called the Taj maSmiley! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />




While I was busy perusing the inventory at Omar the TentmakerÆs, my primary concern was the overall height, particularly since IÆm a-hair-or-two over 6Æ3ö and about bloody tired of trying to get dressed whilst slouching over like a coalminerà

Still, even though I clearly saw on the package that it measured 12Æ x 17Æ x 84ö - I really donÆt know what I was thinking, but I truly had NO IDEA that thing would be so honking big! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />


At about midnight-or-so, when we finally got it out and started unfolding ità it kept getting bigger, and BIGGER, and BIGGER, and BIGGER û until we were all just standing there laughing hysterically --- By the time we got it up, IÆd probably received at least 3 dozen good zingers, and our sides were splitting and hurt like hell!

ôàare you kidding? û HeÆs got enough room for a widescreen plasma TV and a couple of recliners!ö

ôDude, we could hide someoneÆs truck in there!ö

ô æWhere the hellÆs the gall-dang Spanish Tiles?Æ ö

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Good times! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />




Ummmmmmà
No comment! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />


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<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hey guys I had a great time too. Really wish I could have had my rodeo down there, but it was worth coming anyways. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Heres a video of Brandon in his fully locked XJ going up the waterfall- video

Got one of JoeD too, but its huge, trying to find a place to upload it.

Btw Joe, going across to 85 was not a shortcut, it turned out to be a super longcut! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

OK Friends...
Here are 66 Pix* for your enjoyment <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

(* That's every-single-one in my camera... There would have been more if some idiot had remembered to bring his battery charger <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> )


[color:"blue"][b]Calla`Zu 2[/b][/color] <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />


<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Leland - While I was at it, here's a little something for you, Bro <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />




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Well, I had a great time Friday and Saturday. The drive back home on Sunday took about three hours less than the drive there. I was definately glad I didnt take the Amigo up welder in its current form. How often do you get a chance to ride in Darlington's Rodeo, up the waterfall(twice) dogs and all. Although after being cooped up in the back, I needed to get a little more air, and hopped in the Samurai. A big difference.

I got some pictures on film, but theres nothing really that hasn't been posted already.

I think we've learned some lessons for tent camping, always bring a real pillow, rolled up towels can only go so far. Don't forget to bring chairs. If you ask your brother to borrow his cooler, make sure you actually go pick it up. Gravel is a poor substutite for a quality cushion to sleep on. And if you're tired enough, you won't hear the turkeys.

There are some good shots in that bunch... really wishing I could have made it now <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Right back at ya... Smiley



The best dern steaks in them thar hills... the man, the creation.

Note: if I ever figure out how to link photos, I'll post my pics...

Leland û Many thanks for the culinary praise <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

àbut I think that photo of yours focuses far-too-much on the goofy-looking guy standing next to the grill! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />


Sooooooooooooooooooooooooà

(*cue PhotoChop*)

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^^ Eight 30 to 32oz Angus Porterhouse NAFTA Steaks after 5-hours of being Slow-Roast Mesquite Smoked. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />



** ôBut Smileyà isnÆt that a GAS GRILL???ö


Not anymore! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />


And before anyone goes-all æJeff FoxworthyÆ on meà Yesà
ôIf youÆve ever turned a Gas Grill into a Charcoal Grillàà you might be a Redneck.ö <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />






Anyway, hereÆs what those Bad Boyz looked like immediately before they were marinatedà



Those things very nearly covered-up the entire surface of our kitchen table! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />




Fortunately, I donÆt think anyone managed to get any photos of the grill while it was INSIDE of my Rodeo <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />
But, now that IÆve figured out how to carry it on the OUTSIDE, I might start bring'n it with me every trip. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />


<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
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.........Continued.................
......it's amazing it's been a week already.
I've been working on the Trooper and being sick the last two days hasn't helped anything..........so here we go.

We started the morning with breakfast,a quick biscuit from town,and then Team Turtle made lunch-------
a nice chicken salad to be served on croissants,we filled the cooler's and IT WAS ON!!!!!!!

As you enter welder the first 30 feet are really decieving,but then it turn's into a boulder strewn creekbed.

As everyone manuevered over and around 2-3' rocks and random placed trees,we gradually made it to the first alternate obstacale--------the waterfall.
Joe lined up first as everyone gathered to watch(hopefully some good carnage!!!---He's got another body anyways)He made several attemps at this 8' tall rockwall with lot's of water flowing over it.After each attempt the rodeo was thrown against the right wall,rear tire falling 3',which caused the driversside front to reach for the sky.It made for good pictures,but today wasn't going to be his........
waterfall 1/Joe 0.......NEXT!!!
Brandon pulled up to the fall in his chreokee,after some chit chat'n and picking a line,he........well......goosed it..........some tire spin later,he was on top of the fall!! with the back tires resting on the edge,alittle more throttle...................waterfall 0/brandon 1.

We moved on-----it was a long way to the end,the trail is mostly a long rocky uphill which alternates between a creek and road,depending on the time of the year/season--rain,snow etc.

There isn't much mud at all,just lot's of sharp wet rocks,and wet slick rocks,with wet slick logs thrown in for good measure..........did I mention it was wet and slippery.

The whole trail is basically lot's of little obsticles,you could always hear tires spinning,and rocks "clunking" away as tires threw them to the side.
The occasional bang,dragging and basic under carage metal removale by mother nature,made for a nice cool drive under the forest canopy.

More than once I pictured a Dinosaur,bigfoot,or some mythical creature crossing our path as they moved on in the day of life.

We arrived at the last alternate obsticle for the day,it is the right turn up the mountain after the last small waterfall climb.

Team Turtle and JoeD rig were the only ones willing to attempt this climb,so we got them up and out of the way.
Then we got everyone up the smallwaterfall,not a big deal,the open rigs had to experiment with lines so they wouldn't unload their tires and just throw water in the air............Rubo comes to mind after his front tire sprayed me,with ice cool water.............thankyou! it felt good,and if it wouldn't have been for the chance
of being run over by the redneck Armenian,as he made the rodeo look like a ride at a water park........
more water would of felt good.

This last obsticle is a climb upward,that is very slick/sticky depending on weather conditions,if it's too wet then you slip and slid,if it's too dry then you slip as the dirt/clay etc crumbles out from under your tires.

The crevice is about 6' deep at it's deepest point and varies from from 3-5' deep most of the climb,yes that is deep enough to take out the entire driverside from mid door to the roofrack if the truck slides in.
Yes we are crazy,but Team Turtle listens and we know what the truck can do.

I spotted JoeD's truck up the crack with Laura? driving,it was a hairpulling expereinece,not from the climb but his driver couldn't see over the steering wheel so Joe was relaying info thru the window.....well they made it sorry for dent......slow driver reaction..oops.

It was The Turtles turn,It was perfect,I have to pat the two of us on the back,we work good together,It is actually easier to do in our narrow truck than in a full width truck,I basically "wedge" the truck into the creavace and use the weight of the truck to "lock" it into place,It's hard to discribe and there is lot's of small direction changes to maintain the contact pattern I want.

We turn'd the trucks around and went back down the bypass to meet up with the others,it was getting to be lunch time.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LUNCH TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brings to mind visions of food,drink,memories,laughing and COCKROACHES!!!!! yes I said COCKROACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

not the kind that crawl around with legs and antenea etc........but 4wheelers--------they are the cockroaches of the trailsystem.

Most of them weigh about 1000 pounds with idiots on them,that don't realize how they respond to the trial obsticles.

We where eating lunch and had all the vehicles pulled of the road,we were using rubo's hood as a table.
When we heard them coming up the road,it was 2 of them a father and daughter.The father pulls up next to
Rubo's rodeo and tries to pull around it.......BANG,CRASH %@@ right into the rear quarter panel under the tail light!!!!!!!He backs up and say's "sorry" and then proceeds to drive around the truck,as the 4wheeler
leans over,the rear luggage rack proceeds to scratch and gouge the entire lenght of the rodeo.............
WTF#@$%%

Rubo handled himself alot better than I would of,mostly 'cause the guy's daughter was with him,and because Rubo is a standup person.......my hat's off to him,there were some words exchanged in his NewYork accent..............and I can gaurantee that they went back to their trailer and went home,the guy probably was hearing banjo's on the ride home,lol..........

After lunch we proceeded up the trail,Brandon and I,Rubo and Assein,,,,,,,,,well we scouted a few "wrong turns" and then we were on our way to the next obsticle,yes I know I said that we already did the last one but.............................what we came upon was.........a bobwire fence and trail/road closed signs..............

ugh excuse me........but we where on the trail last night,on the other side of the fence was our tire tracks from last night.........talk about confused.......

I was pissed,I don't condone doing what we did but we where on the trail less than 24hrs before,and management wished us luck on the welder trail and the rest of the ride,not mentioning anything about trail closures.
We had just spent 6hrs fighting for victory on one of the tougher trails here.

The no trepassing signs were not legally filled out,there was no address on the signs such a company name and N.C. phone number,which didn't match with the owners of the trails.
Oh and by the way I had talked to the owner Mr.Brown this morning and he also told us to have fun,with no mention of closures.

We went around the fence and turned left on the trail,this would take us out at the sawmill,hill climb,the trail that is mention'd late friday afternoon.

Well 1/2 mile down the trail and..........freshcut trees dropped across the road and wire also,what the heck,it still smelled like freshwood..............so we turned around and figured we'd have to go the long way around the mountain back to camp.

A mile and a half down the road................and #@#@..................more wire lot's of it,this was a mess,
WE HAD BEEN FENCED IN THIS MORNING WHILE ON THE TRAIL....................that is a first for me.

We pulled some plyers and carefully tooked down the fence,there was no going around this,it looked like a war zone.

We got the first few vehicules thru this but,where was everyone else?????????We got on the cb and found out that JoeD was slightly stuck.............were going stuck?? we've been on this trail twice(it is one of the main trails that feed the park)............turns out he found a waterhole that was deep enough to have water coming in the rodeo and it left a waterline that went from the top of the taillight to the hatchwindow........
oh Joe lololo............
We got the rest of the group thru the fence and repaired the fence.............the whole time we were doing this we were driving on our tracks,we were the only trucks here this weekend..........................3/4 hour later we were back in camp and I was heading for management!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The folks running the park were amazed and didn't know about this,she called the owner and told him about the fences,he was pissed..................turns out the other property owners have been in court about this,the agreement was that the other owners where too let the trails remain open with like a 20' easement,well they got pissed about a log truck or something and put those fences up Saturday morning --------
"as a display of force".......

Well Mr. Brown basically me that the trails will be rerouted 25' soon.............it's not a big deal......

LEGALLY WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG,BECAUSE THOSE FENCES WHERE PUT UP AGAINST AN AGREED COURT DOCUMENT...............so now we just need to fix the trail routing.


We got back to camp and TeamTurtle got to cutting tators,and making beans a warming up BBQ.....we all feasted on beans,pork BBQ and warm tator salad,everyone got fat bellys and we relaxed by the fire talking and enjoying some cheerwine.
JoeD let us use his truck and we spent alittle while driving thru,around,and over some plastic cups..............after that.............we sat by the fire til,Idont know 1 or 2 or 3am.........not sure I crashed and left people sleeping in chairs at the fire.

............one more day to go......................


Bansil