We organized our Hangover Run for this year similar to last year—actually a night trail run up Beckler Road on New Year’s Eve instead of doing it as a day run on New Year’s Day. Since last year was a lot of fun, it seemed like doing a repeat would be a great idea! The only downer was that it was discovered after these plans had been made that the FS6530 Road to Johnson Ridge was officially closed by the Forest Service due to repeated dumping of trash as well as “resource damage”. (In other words, some uneducated folks had been driving on and damaging the high alpine meadows. So to protect the delicate meadows, access was closed for the season. This is part of why it can be hard to get and keep “good stuff”, and it’s a big part of why it’s important to educate our fellow 4-wheelers who may not be aware of Tread Lightly principles and acceptable back-country trail ethics.)
Continue reading “Beckler Dec 2021”Tonga Tree Run Dec 2021
The couple of weeks prior to the 2021 Timber Tamers’ Christmas Tree Run we had almost historically warm temperatures ending-up the wettest meteorological autumn on record. The most frustrating part of this was that we’d had a LOT of rain until a few days before the run, but with the temperatures all in the 50s, it was a warm rain and threatened to melt all the snow, even at altitude. Even more ominous, here on the first weekend of December, the ski resorts weren’t even open yet because they didn’t have enough snow. I started having fears we were going to have to do this run on a wet and un-snowy Forest Service Road. However, the blessing we had was that starting in the early morning hours of the very day we took this trail run, heavy snow was predicted—and heavy snow it was!
Continue reading “Tonga Tree Run Dec 2021”Walker Valley Nov 2021
I am sure at some point there will be a story to go with the pictures but one thing is for sure. There is a new owner for the cow bell !!!!
Continue reading “Walker Valley Nov 2021”Walker Welcome Run Oct 2021
This is our opportunity for a “do-over”. Six months ago, virtually to the day (on 4/24/2021), we made our first attempt at a Welcome Run for our new members. As you may recall, that Welcome Run was effectively hijacked and taken away even before we got to the south gate by the Timber Tamer Trail where we were beseeched by a motorcyclist to help with his friend who was injured after crashing his motorcycle at the top of the Lower Timber Tamer Trail. Being the socially responsible Tamers we are, we went to his assistance, and stayed with him until an ambulance got there—about 2½ hours later. That meant we essentially lost most of our opportunity to actually do our Welcome Run where we had planned to share 4-wheeling skills with our newest members and candidates. Things have been busy enough that it took us another 6 months to schedule another Welcome Run—and this time we weren’t kidnapped by any emergencies to help with!
Continue reading “Walker Welcome Run Oct 2021”Operation Shore Patrol Sep 2021
OPERATION SHORE PATROL 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Operation Shore Patrol, (OSP), is a bit of a passion of mine, as I love the ocean. Planning this event typically starts for me in the spring, and doesn’t finish up until the week or so after the event. It begins with asking for volunteers, contacting the campground and vendors, and moves outwards from there.
Evans Creek ORV Sep 2021
So as Travis might bring up in his report when we got to the lower parking on Evans Creek it was obvious that we had a lot of rigs and we discussed splitting the group up. I took volunteers that would be willing to run trails quickly and with as little spotting as possible.
Continue reading “Evans Creek ORV Sep 2021”Montana Aug 2021
It was like any other morning really, but it was not. Eddy was going to make a new friend today. It had been a hot night and the temperature in the morning was still warm. Eddy had spent the morning down by the Clearwater River just north of Kamiah with 4 of his friends. Around mid-morning Eddy’s friends thought it would be a good idea to explore across the road. Three of Eddys friends crossed before him. Eddy who is not that bright decided he would cross too. Then he saw someone coming toward him. This will be my new friend he thought. After all he is very friendly. Eddy thought to himself how he would introduce himself and ran towards his new friend. Eddy’s new friend was coming very fast. At the last-minute Eddy changed his mind and switched directions. It was too late. Unfortunately for Eddy his new friend was a steel bumper traveling at 60MPH. Rest in peace Eddy, you will be missed.
Continue reading “Montana Aug 2021”All Jeep Show Jul 2021
Well, I agreed to head things up for a booth representing the Timber Tamers (and PNW4WDA Region 1) at the 2021 Jeepcast.com All Jeep Show. As it turned out, this was a pretty good event to attend. It was planned as a big event that this year would celebrate not only Jeeps, but also the lifting of the COVID restrictions that had been in place for something like 17 months! It was well-advertised on Facebook as well as word-of-mouth, and on Facebook something like 1500 people had registered at least interest if not commitment to attend! (In addition, to that, more than 350 Jeeps registered to participate in the show-and-shine competition!)
Continue reading “All Jeep Show Jul 2021”Trail Jam Hosting July 2021 (Dave)
Representing for the Tamers as trails hosts at this years Trail Jam there were John, Jake, Sean, Rick, and Tammy and I (Dave). I may be a bit off on some of the details, this is all from my (flawed) memory and it was a long week, by the end details were running together.
Continue reading “Trail Jam Hosting July 2021 (Dave)”Trail Jam Hosting 2021 (John)
For the first time in several years, the Timber Tamers decided to sponsor and send a group of Trail Hosts to the PNW4WDA Trail Jamboree. For those not aware, this is an event that is held annually (well, at least when it’s not cancelled by a pandemic!) in July in the Naches Ranger District of the NFS, and is based out of Jim Sprick Community Park in Nile, WA. This year it was held July 8, 9 & 10, 2021. However, since the Trail Hosts act as trail leaders for this event, we actually arrived at Jim Sprick Park ahead of the event so we could pre-run the trails. And, was it ever an eventful week!
Continue reading “Trail Jam Hosting 2021 (John)”Colockum Pass Jun 2021
There is one thing for certain you can count on in this life – and that is – NOTHING – is for certain. My 20+ years in this club (and my 60+ year in this life) there is always a surprise waiting around the corner.
Part the First – Howdy-Doos and Road Time
Saturday was one LOVELY day to do anything – and it dawned brightly at the smokestack in downtown Monroe, the appointed meeting place for the Tamers to start this adventure. Mary and I pulled into quite the crowd of Tamers and friends already milling around. Once parked – we had to discharge the first order of business. At the monthly meeting a few days previous, I got the brilliant idea (brilliant? Just ask me – I’ll tell you!) to bake some homemade brownies and auction them off as a little club fundraiser and something different to do for the month. The bids started at $20 – and after a number of minutes of some spirited back and forth bidding on them – Mihai issued the winning bid – of $50!!! And so it was my task to make sure the brownies were delivered, which Mihai then handed back to me – so that they could be shared around – and further making sure Gary Miller got the first bite. Once he wanders off with a look of supreme satisfaction on his face – I start wandering the crowd with my yellow pad in one hand and brownies in the other – getting names and trying to make out who is who on the trip – because you know – the first few years in the club – you mainly know folks by what they drive – and generally after few years – you start putting names and faces with rigs to make sense of it all. So I’m in this process – when a somewhat familiar face pokes out from around behind someone – saying, “Hey Moose – do you remember me?” (Surprise the first.) I look – and I don’t want to be mistaken – but upon saying – “OMG – are you Jess?” And yes – IT WAS! Jess – or JR as we always called him – was in the house with his lovely wife Christina – and WAY older kids than I think I’d seen in a long, long time. Jess was in the club WAY back when – when I was in my pup days with the Tamers – back when I drove a CJ that was open-open with way-too-tall gears and sporting a street Holley that wouldn’t run worth a hoot up a hill. That means the last time I’d seen him and Christina was like – 18 years previous? And somehow – his red hair is still red. (While my brown hair is now gone AWOL….) But what a treat to see them again! They were all ready to wheel in limo style in a built LJ.
Continue reading “Colockum Pass Jun 2021”Green Dot May 2021
Having a Blast Out of Kittitas!
(Tamers 5/22/2021 tipping toeing through the green dots…)
I suppose there are some in the Tamers, used to more (ahem) “vigorous” wheeling (trees, mud, big rocks to climb, body damage, rolls, etc.) might view the green dot roads as somewhat tame. (which – I don’t see the problem – we are Tame-ers – after all…) But – this day we did have all of the requisite parts and pieces of a trail run – use of 4WD, AND low range; sidewalls gashed out, PNW pinstriping and general trail rash, 2 rigs needing winching to avoid a memorable roll down an open mountainside – and probably one last bunch of hillclimbs on an open-faced ridge trail that probably caused some folks some degree of VRI. (That’s Vinyl Rectal Inversion – where your butt cheeks become a traction aid clamping onto your seat covers, willing you secure attachment to if not terra firma – at least terra-seata….
Continue reading “Green Dot May 2021”Walker Valley Apr 2021
The Timber Tamers have been really blessed over the past couple of months to have something like 8 new people contact us with an interest in joining our 4-wheeling club. And, we have been offering an opportunity to mentor people new to wheeling to help them develop experience and skills in 4-wheeling so they can enjoy themselves more fully and more quickly. About a week and a half ago, the BOD developed an idea of holding a trail run to help the newer folks have this opportunity in a more structured setting rather than just “letting it happen” however and whenever. So, at our meeting this month we proposed to the membership having a “Welcome Run” to do just this, which everyone thought was a good idea—and we planned it for today!
Continue reading “Walker Valley Apr 2021”Cumberland/Finney Creek Pass Mar 2021
I had been researching areas behind Walker Valley for scenic routes and ways but I was finding everything closed off by gate after gate. One evening while watching YouTube I saw a video about Cumberland Pass and when I researched a little more found there was no gate. FINALLY!!! Taking a look at the maps a little more they showed the route ending at Segelson Sno Park or Finney Creek Sno Park. I am thinking I have a snow run.
Continue reading “Cumberland/Finney Creek Pass Mar 2021”Walker Valley Feb 2021
There was a lot scheduled for Walker Valley this day, so I thought I would get up there and help in any way that I could. Now being a 2nd shifter the meeting time was a bit early for me so I set my alarm. Casey decided it was going to be too early to cold and too snowy so she was staying home..LOL I really didn’t think we would see very much snow. Oh how wrong I would be.
Continue reading “Walker Valley Feb 2021”Beckler Midnight Run Feb 2021
The snow storm was reported to be coming in Friday night at about 10pm. I decided to try to put together a run up to Beckler river rd after my swing shift schedule Friday night.
Continue reading “Beckler Midnight Run Feb 2021”