o and i just noticed you can see the crappy ness of my tires in this pic

 

Yeah I see the tires. If its dry you will be fine. And if its wet it will be fun.

Manhattan(sp) huh? Not too far from me (plainfield now)

 

UPDATE

The cliffs talked to the campgrounds and they will lower their price to $20/night for primitive.

 

i just noticed on the cliffs contact page is has listed as a commonly asked question
"Do you sell flags?
Yes we do, they are $12.99"

 

oh. oh well. what are you going to do

 

I thought I'd drop in here. I usually post on the T4R.org boards. I will be at this with my 4th gen 4runner, my neighbor will be there with a new FJ, and one of my other buddies will be there with a 3rd gen 4runner. We are all newbs and really looking forward to this.

 

This thing looks like it is going to be huge. Might be some fun after all. Do we have event sponsors lined up for any give-aways or raffles or anything like that??

I sure would like to win something awesome like a BudBuilt single TC crossmember, or a set of 1" UHMW body blocks for the cab of my 86 PU from 4 Crawler Offroad BUT... I'd settle for a couple nice stickers!! MAYBE even a dash plaque for the participants. Hmmmmm, idea there.

HINT HINT HINT... GOOD inexpensive marketing for the Yota crowd!!

I'm planning on heading down to the Cliffs this weekend to break the cherry on my 86 PU. Hopefully, that's all I break!!

Think I'm ready??

 

As far as a raffle I have what I listed up top. and I have other vendors that may throw in I dont know yet and wont be promising nothin. oh and as long as this is a free event there wont be any dash plaques

Flange sounds good it will be nice to see a 4th gen 4runner on the trail with the fjc, I always wondered what would do better.

I heard someone posted up on that forum about this event is that true?

 

UPDATE

I was in Marseilles today to pick up a new axle housing after I destroyed mine, and Tom (trail boss for the Cliffs) was nice enough to take me to the local campgrounds so I have an idea what to expect.

Well 4 star is fine, and will work, and heres the kicker they allow alcohol.

Now the State park (Illini state park I think) is awesome! VERY clean, on the river, cheaper, most of the sites are in the woods. BUT they "say" no alcohol allowed.

So you all decide which you want to do

OH BTW I SPOKE TO TOM AND THE RAFFLE WILL HAVE EITHER THE WINCH OR THE BUMPER NOT BOTH. AND WE DECIDED TO DO THE WINCH (M8000 BTW) OOPS

Woody says he is planning on rolling his 40 so that will give me something to look forward to. Toms eyes lit up when I told him. He has some trails for ya.

Oh BTW the Seneca (105) exit is now open.

 

what is the price difference between campgrounds?

any idea of how many us there will be attending the jamboree?

 

This might be a hang up for some "No one under 21 years of age may camp at Whispering Pines without a parent or guardian."

 

the price difference is I think 10$ primitive vs 20$ primitive (illini vs 4 star/whispering pines)

Right now I feel like 35 trucks is a conservative estimate.

I will talk to the owners of 4 star/WP about the age thing.

Im not sure what to read into the "no alchohol" rule at illini. I dont want to take the chance. I know many of the guys coming down and they are a very responsible group.

ILLINI=NICE

4STAR=GUARENTEED BOOZE

 

All Illinois State Parks have that rule. If drinking is "very low profile" and depending on how often the assigned ranger makes rounds, it will determine the usage of adult beverages!!

However, I have seen guys that act like total horses asses after a couple beers end up in the local county clink for giving grief to an DNR Ranger...

Personally, calling the wife to come bail me out of Podunk County jail would put a damper on my wheeling weekend!! I wouldn't risk it. That being said, the local law enforcement down there is used to adult beverages in public as Marsailles and HWY 6 are HUGE motorcycle run areas and quite the biker hangout most weekends.

 

Actually some Illinois State Parks do allow alocohol, but the ones that don't tend to be very strict. I was up at Illinois Beach State Park camping last weekend drinking beers and talking to the ranger, but try that at Chain o' Lakes and they will come down HARD on you. I am thinking about towing the camper down for this event, so I will need a full hookup site.

I was the one who posted this over at toyota-4runner.org, seems like only one response so far, maybe I will give it a little bump here in the next day or so.

 

TRUE... Starved Rock used to I know until it got too rowdy. I think its up to the local jurisdiction and the size of the park and the vistorship, so to speak. If A LOT of people visit the site and it doesn't get rowdy or no complaints from the local it is usually OK.

There are a LOT of parks along the Illinois River and they DO get patrolled. Like I said, depends on your behavior and the rangers attitude.

Doesn't matter much to me as I live 35 minutes away if the Seneca exit is open. I go home and sleep in my bed!! I reserve the campfires for Summer's campground in Attica

 

35 rigs is a LOT of rigs for the Cliffs. (considering the Jeeps and quads that are always there as well.) To help ensure we keep people from getting towed home, it may be beneficial to us at this point to try to compile a list of NEWB Cherries with stock machines, those who have modded rigs who THINK they are ready to wheel but never have, and of course the "rest of us." (modded, and/or experienced wheelers who could care less about body damage)

I can make a run out and get the new map from Cooter and get it posted up here. I plan on breaking in and testing the limits of my junk this weekend, probably Sunday.

I'm used to running the Cliffs in a very modded and armored Jeep Cherokee with 6" lift, 33's and locked front and back with an auto.

Big difference for me now. I consider my self a newb cherry on this one!! (I may toss an Aussie in the rear before this if I can)

4RNR you're TRAILMASTER on this hoohah, your thoughts?

 

A few Cliff's TIPS from running there since it pretty much opened.

The MUD at the Cliff's is unique. It is beige, is much like an epoxy cement, and sticks to everything, forever, or pretty close. If you are ANAL about mud in your rig, have some Husky liners or if it's really wet, don't open your windows. If you throw it in reverse to get unstuck or around an obstacle, you will be pulling out your vents to get the mud out of the veins/flaps.

Pressure washing your rig AFTER the Cliffs, does NOT clean it. You need a brush and soap. It will leave a nice film, even after a nice pressure washing.

This mud is really good at filling your RAD and making you overheat by stopping airflow. keep that in mind when making the cool rooster tails through the mud.

Almost guaranteed, there is a hidden stump/rock/root in every mudhole. They can inflict lots of hidden damage.

Know the limits of your vehicle and your driving ability. EVERYONE thinks they are great drivers, few are.

Listen to your trail leader and watch your spotters. Unless of course you like swapping out or repainting fenders.

Have your own tools when possible as well as your own spare (ready and aired up) Good trail manners.

If you get stuck, don't worry or panic, we'll get you out. Be patient. Impatience leads to breakage. (speaking from experience here)

Try to have solid recovery points front and rear... makes life so much easier.

Expect to get dirty.

Expect to have fun.



How did I become sage of all things wheeling today.I sound like my bretheren on NAXJA or GLJT (Great Lakes Jeep Thing)

It's just more fun, when EVERYONE has more fun!!

 

OK as for the campground situation...the discussion continues here and on the other 6+ boards. I dont want to be the sole guy to tell people to risk it. The hoosier cruiser club will be there and they love the high octane margaritas.

True the cliffs is a challenge with MANY rigs but we have the right leaders for this! Tom, Joe, and others know the cliffs like the back of their hands. I think I will take a page out of Cooters book and just line up the trail leaders, describe to the group what to expect behind each of the rigs, and let them choose, and go from there.

What you say about the cliffs CAN be very true. However, as you may know the cliffs has evolved a LOOOOOONG way from the carnage guarentee everywhere that was in spring/summer 04. Now #1 is a super highway and now I think any stock toy, jeep, sami....will have NO problems. BUT there are actually 2 cliffs parks and they are as different as different gets! DRY CLIFFS AND WET CLIFFS!

Who were you on GLJT? topless white xj?

 

I like doing the line ups. That works best.

I was Rocketman there and on NAXJA. (former High Power rocketry geek and used to live and work for NASA down in Houston) 93 Red XJ, RE Lift, OME Shocks, BUNCH of expensive other stuff! Here's my X-rig.Some of my last and final damage along with trashing my rear axle. TRJC Safari down in Pittsfield, near the former Rockport for those that don't know.

Spotter wasn't paying attention while I was backing up and swung me around into a tree. This is AFTER the trail repair.

 

HUGE UPDATE

Tom and I spoke and we can camp at the cliffs. It will be up in the park on one of the large open areas. It will cost $10 per site/rig. This is awesome and will allow us to wheel more and sleep late if some one wants, and they can hook up later....

Tom also said that he might be up for a night run BUT for ADVANCED RIGS ONLY!!! If he does do it then it will be a small goup he said maybe 6.

BUT there is no hook up and the RV's wont be able to get back to the open areas due to terrain. But RV's can be in the parking lot, but there is no hook up there either. If you dont want any of that obviously you can go to the campgrounds. If you do want to setup in the parking lot you have to be sensitive to the fact there is NO AFTER HOURS WHEELING meaning you will have to keep travel between the rv's and tents to a minimum and only along the designated routes. So basically use common sense and lets try make this an annual privilage or else you may find my stinger inserted into a custom made orifice in your truck.

Well Im exited.