Category: 2020

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Beckler Dec 2020

In recent years the hang over run has been the most attended run of the year. We normally have between 20 and 30 rigs on the hill. This year was no exception. This year however would be different. With this many rigs we clog up the trail and make it hard for others. As a result this year we decided to hold a night run.

The meet up location was at 7 sharp with a full tank of gas. Gary took a group up toward the staging area, Chris took the trailers to the ranger station and I took the last group. The road to the staging area had a little snow on it which was fun. After consulting with a few board members we decided to break the group into 3 groups. The heaviest built rigs would head up the hill, another group would follow them and lastly I would lead a group up the river valley and to the top of a low level pass. Considering how many people we had this worked pretty well.

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Tonga Tree Run Dec 2020

I started off the day with hitting the alarm clock. I work a swing shift schedule so I usually don’t even know what that dang thing sounds like.
I got my coffee and took my time getting ready. I should have plenty of time.
Well I guess once I got in behind a guy speeding up then slowing down and speeding up and slowing down. Then stopping to top off fuel.
I got to the staging are right at 10am on the dot… Oops

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Pyramid Pass Nov 2020

Joe and I have been talking about running Pyramid pass FS70. For anyone who does not know Pyramid pass is just north of Naches pass. While planning for the run I setup google maps on my tablet. The funny thing is that google maps knows that highway 410 is closed and suggested that I drive over Fs70 instead. Can you imagine getting told by your GPS to go over a pass that is not passable by cars. That would not be good.

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Reiter Nov 2020

The day was predicted to have sunshine, although to be cool. Well, the weatherman was half right—it was actually overcast with some fog/low clouds and late in the day there was a slight bit of rain, but at it was a bit cold.

Two days prior, Troy Messick announced over our new Tamers e-mail list that he was planning to go to Reiter and invited whoever wanted to join him. Since it had been at least 2 months since I’d actually used my lockers, I immediately said I’d be there! Shortly afterward, Travis Butterfield also popped-up on-line and said he’d be there, too! So, at 9:00 AM we all met at the parking area at Reiter and aired down—Troy in his blue TJ on 35s, Travis in his red JKUR also on 35s, and me in my white JKR on 37s. All of us are locked in both axles, so we were looking forward to a good day! Since we all had been suffering from “Covid Incarceration”, we jaw-jacked for a while as we aired-down.

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Gallagher Head-Hawkins Ridge Oct 2020

I really wanted to get out to Gallagher Head before it closed for the year, so I threw it out to the club, and it turned out that many others wanted the same thing! Travis in his red JKU, John and Jenny (personal friends of ours from Ferndale) in their trailered JKU “Lil Donkey”, and Ryan and I in our JKU – recently christened “Raven” – met up at a Shell in Bothell at 6:45 AM and caravanned to the Safeway in North Bend. There we met up with Dave and his lil TJ that can, Curt and Wendy in their JKU, Joe in his TJ, Rick in his JKU, Chaz in his Toyota Land Cruiser, and Mihai in his JK. At 8:00 AM, we set off for the Shell off of Bullfrog Road near Cle Elum. Although the weather was rainy and overcast on the West side of Snoqualmie pass, we got clear skies and sun as we came over the pass and the day wore on. At the Shell off of Bullfrog Road we met up with Cosmin in his JL and a friend of Joe’s named JR (rumored to be an old time Tamer?) in his LJ. John and Jenny dropped their trailer and those that needed to fuel up. Now we were 11 rigs and we caravanned to the staging area. Quite a large group!

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Gallagher Head Lake Aug 2020

Gallagher Head Lake run – by the numbers….

8:30 AM Saturday – the time to meet.

I-90 – the route east.

9 – rigs on the trail – (and by subset -)
1 – YJ – latest moniker “Cowbell Dave” (fresh from a roll to the side on the Naches!)
1 – TJ – Moose, Mary, and Hunter
1 – LJ – Tammy and Dave
1 – 2dr JK – John – Rock Doc
5 – 4 dr JK – Rudy; Bruce and Debbie; Cindy and Jack; Cosmin and Alison; and Moose and Mary’s neighbor Matt with girls Abby and Anya

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Riders Camp July 2020

Day 1 – Wed

Last year instead of camping in the usual location we decided to try Riders Camp for the first time in a long time and things went well enough that we decided to camp there again this year. Melissa, Cassidy and I left early and were able to get to the campsite at 11:30am. You would think that in the middle of the week the campsite would be empty but there were only two spots with fire rings left and they were right by the road. Damn I had hoped for a better spot.

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Green Dot Roads May 2020

….aka – “Is that a Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area in your map pocket – or are you just happy to see me wheeling?”
There is an area of what’s known as “Green Dot Roads” in eastern WA – this run’s particular area between the west side of the Columbia north of I-90 and the Wild Horse Wind Farm located between Vantage and Kittitas. The wind farm is a Puget Sound Energy installation – which has a wonderful visitor’s center – in other than COVID times – open to visitors between April to October. (Currently closed to the general public due to health concerns.) You can stand right up against the base of a wind turbine hearing the big WHOOSH – WHOOSH – WHOOSH of the 60 foot long turbine blades spinning at their optimum 16 RPM. You can even take a tour inside the base of one of the turbine pylons. How do I know this?

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Reiter Mar 2020

Gary and I pulled into the parking lot at Reiter at about 9:30am, to find several early rising Tamers already there, aired down, and chatting! The Quadrapaws (Paws) rolled in about 10:15 or so. We had 10 Tamers, guest Judd Bergeson, and 6 “Paws” members, so we broke into two groups….One led by Steve Yeager, to the more challenging trails, and the rest with Gary in the lead and Casey in the rear, to hit the easier trails. Our Drivers meeting was done with folks spread out, and using a Megaphone, that worked pretty well. We also noted that Chris Green had stopped at the Monroe Fred Meyer, and pickup lots of TP! Thanks Chris!

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Whitechuck Feb 2020

We all started off the day with 10 rigs meeting at the IGA in Darrington at 10am. I am not going to name everyone there as I can’t seem to keep all the names straight anymore. By 10:18am I figured we better get moving as we had to hit the staging area (White Chuck Boat ramp/parking area) and get the one rig off the trailer and everyone else aired down. Once everyone was ready to roll, we had a quick drivers meeting with Casey reading off our queue card. Safety reminders, trail etiquette etc. Everyone was pretty well equipped and ready to go with exception of a pretty stock Ford Ranger. We made sure he at least had a GMRS radio and someone in front and rear of him with lockers and winches.

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Green Mountain Jan 2020

It was Thursday night Gary and I both were hoping to get in another epic day in the snow. I could pretty much guarantee that one of us was going to lead this run so I asked Gary am I leading this, or are you? I said I would, but I just did not want to get lost. I asked where and when should we meet. Gary said Lake stevens Safeway? Sure I said 9:00. Gary said 10:00. How is 9:30. It turns out that 9:30 would be a very good time but more on that later.

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Hangover Run Jan 2020

We did not know what to expect.  The forecast was for warmer weather with the possibility of freezing rain.  Please no freezing rain!  We met up at the IGA in Darrington.  As time passed more and more rigs showed up.  When all was said and done we had 21.    We had a short drivers meeting then the first group headed out.  It was an interesting group with some very built Super Sammi’s, and a few others plus a full blown unicorn.  That is right a CJ7.  Anyone who wheels a CJ these days is a stud in my book. (of course I have no bias)

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