Rubicon Run - 2006!!!

[H2Finally]

Mucho thanks to everyone for the great and safe time!

At one time my wife said "Wow, Rocks really lived up to her name!" constantly running from the back of the trail to the front to spot and stack rocks. You go gurl!

And finally, here's the photo honoring Drty our fearless leader.. (first time anyone in our family owns camo..)

[H2Finally]

My fav pic so far..

[HummBebe]

that's BEAUTIFUL!!!

I think I'm gonna tear-up

[Sewie]

AWESOME PICS FINALLY!!!! Everyone else too.

That bridge shot needs to be a magazine cover. Or maybe a poster for Sac. Hummer.

[dochummer]

Sweet pic!

Originally Posted by H2Finally

My fav pic so far..

[dochummer]

Let's see now, Day 2. Day 2 started bright and early...and cold! There was frost on everything. Lucky we had some Hot Chocolate, Hot French toast, and Hot omelets! Can't beat that. After the wonderful breakfast provided by E and Rocks, we headed out at about 10:00am. A little of a late start, but you can't complain when you're being well-fed. We headed down the path towards Little Sluice, and the bypass. The sad part is, we're already pulling over to let others by... Little Sluice bypass is essential granite boulders/slabs and steep inclines and decents...with a couple of narrow passes. I think we also drove around Spiker Lake, but I have no recollection of what it looked like... After Little Sluice Bypass, we hit Old Sluice/Granite Slab...Did we take a bypass on this also bebes? This wasn't too bad either. I think the highlight was watching Drty take a 3-4 foot drop. If only I had my camera handy... Again, we let some other rigs by...including ATVr's and a couple of motorbikes. A quick lunch, and we're off again, some more slabs...and then Rox bends a tie-rod. Now, when rox tells you that she wouldn't let H2F or I change her tie-rod, she isn't kidding. She pretty much flat out refused to let me touch the wrenches. Oh well, someone had to turn the steering column, and since it was Rox's rig...we let her do it. I wouldn't have been so pushy about it, except for the fact that neither H2F nor Rox have ever changed a tie-rod by themselves, and I had just swapped my Fabtechs in on Wednesday.... Sorry Rox. So, while she was turning the wheel, I slid in there and started taking the stupid thing apart... We got her back on up and running, and the kids had a chance to jump out and throw rocks... After almost catching up with the others, we headed through some more tippy areas and a small water crossing. We were then at Buck Island Dam. It's funny to see all these natural obstacles to the vehicle, and then all of a sudden, hit a man-made obstacle. It wasn't too bad though. Some more tippy stuff, and steep stuff, but we were all through. Then we headed into the forest/trees to the Pass at 6534feet. Again, tippy but I don't think it was too bad...my first time being strapped though. Rox, and H2F took a different line after me, and walked right over though...At about that time, it was probably around 5:00pm, and I think most of us had thought at one point or another to maybe stop now, and setup camp...But, we figured, one more big obstacle, can't be that bad...- well, that's what I thought, so we headed on to the Big Suck Sluice. Oh, and did it ever! The first thing I remember about that is looking ahead of me (I figured something was up when everyone started hiking past my vehicle, both in our group, and not in our group) And I see Drty, perched on to large boulders, pretty much high-centered, with another large boulder directly in front of him. Holy Crap! I don't remember for sure, but I think he had his winch out. Of course, now we're really screwed. Little did we know, that wasn't the worst of it. So by the time he gets around the boulder in front of him, and continues on, I pull up to the very same place. Luckily, we had some help. A few of the onlookers had seen how Drty and Hiker had gotten through, and they were now helping spot us through. Hallelujah! Following their spot, we get another spot just around the second boulder...and then further down, another spot. I think what helped me realize that this was a lot more difficult than the other sections, was the fact that we had 5 or 6 spotters going at one time...trying to get people through at different sections of the Sluice. To top it off, it was now dark out. Spotting with a flashlight brings the SUCK! After getting about half way down, to the tree and double boulder spot, we pull over and let the rigs behind us by...including the red one, which we run into later... . This is another "what the H is Sewie doing???" part. He decided to take some jacked up line, that basically was 3 or 4 3 foot drops in a row. To top it off, his locker wasn't working, and we basically had to push him off the short cliffs....Sewie, you're messed in the head... Ok, back to the phalac tree and boulders, as Drty is spotting me through this VERY narrow, scratch your rig up, section...one of the jeepers that we let by, comes walking up to him. "Excuse me, can you use your winch to pull us out...we're stuck." Now, I know, if this had been any other jeeper, Drty would have atleast waited until I was completely clear of the obstacle before taking off. But, this wasn't "any other jeeper." This was a young brunette, with bigguns and a tanktop on. He looked right at her, then looked at me...muttered something incomprehensible and turned around and followed her away.... So, we were left to fend for ourselves for about an hour before Drty finally showed back up. We finished that 500 yards of trail by about 9:30pm and slowly headed through a nice deep water crossing (that finally stopped my brakes from squeeking), a couple of tight areas...and then stopped again. Rox comings strolling by, "Did you see what's up there." "No." "You'd better look." So, as our moral was somewhat hammered from the last few hours, and we were so anxious to get into our bags/tents, when I saw what was up...I about crap my pants. Drty was perched on two boulders again, and was winching himself...again (if I remember correctly). So, Randy (my co-pilot) and I, decide to scout out how much more crud we have to endure....Some more drop-offs, tippy narrow area, then more uneven drop-offs... That took us until about 1:00am. We were dead tired. H2F popped a bead about half way down. I was trying to settle my boys back down, and Randy decided to lend a hand. While they were changing the tire, I headed back up the trail to check on them with my camera and camcorder, when next thing I hear...someone laying on their horn. I look down back at my rig, and some jeeper is nose-nose with my rig, laying on his horn. So, this got me a little upset, seeing as how I had just got the kids calmed down. So I head back to have a word with him. Lo and behold, it's the same red jeeper that had passed us by on the Big Sluice. "Aren't you the same...?" "Why are you coming back again?" "We want to run there and back again.." "You guys are in H2's, what's taking so long." "Don't play stupid, you know exactly why it's taking us so long...we also popped a bead." "Can't you move out of my way." "Well, like I said, we're H2's, there aren't any other lines we can take down this blasted hill. Besides, we want to get off this hill more than you do, so just chill." "Even if I moved out of the way, you're not getting by the other three rigs behind me." So, after the rigs were down, and as we were driving by him...we here "Damage is inevitable, just live with it." or something like that. So, we were through...we came upon the Rubicon Bridge...and then setup a quick camp and crashed....So ends day 2. If I made any errors, let me know guys...

[DRTYFN]

I so didn't leave you in the middle of the obstacle for that little thing.

[dochummer]

Originally Posted by DRTYFN

I so didn't leave you in the middle of the obstacle for that little thing.

Artistic license.... But, you have to admit, you were out of there pretty quick!

[DRTYFN]

Originally Posted by dochummer

Artistic license.... But, you have to admit, you were out of there pretty quick!

She asked someone else if she could ask me. Must have sensed the manliness.

[H2Finally]

Ah, that explains the part I was confused abt missing a Drty spotter..

[H2Finally]

I have to say this abt the Hummer though. Not one time, not once, not ever, did I feel I have put my family in harms way. As long as they stay seat-belted inside the H2, I'd prob feel safe even if the hill was spewing hot lava..

The Hummer was so comfortable in fact, my kids actually were asleep from 7pm and slept through every boulders in Big Sucky Sluice (including the tire change) till morning'ish of the 3rd day when they had to pee..

[Cranky Steve]

Great stories you guys!!!

[westhillsat]

Originally Posted by H2 Rocks

Fixing "you know what" on "you know who's" car.

Adam's gonna be jealous that someone else is under there

[dochummer]

Originally Posted by DRTYFN

She asked someone else if she could ask me. Must have sensed the manliness.

Actually, she asked Bebes. She probably figured you needed permission from the mother figure.

[dochummer]

Originally Posted by H2Finally

I have to say this abt the Hummer though. Not one time, not once, not ever, did I feel I have put my family in harms way. As long as they stay seat-belted inside the H2, I'd prob feel safe even if the hill was spewing hot lava..

The Hummer was so comfortable in fact, my kids actually were asleep from 7pm and slept through every boulders in Big Sucky Sluice (including the tire change) till morning'ish of the 3rd day when they had to pee..

[dochummer]

Day 2 - breaking camp

[dochummer]

2

[dochummer]

3

[dochummer]

4

[dochummer]

Looking back at where we just came from the night before....where's the line again?