MidCarolina Jeepers July 2012 TN Tubing, Wheeling and Camping

97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

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#1
#1
Friday

With the summer days here in Columbia reaching 100 and staying in the 90s it was time to head for the mountains and some cooler temps. We managed to find those brisk temps this past weekend in the Mountains of Tennessee. This adventure started Friday when Larry, Scott, Quinn, Gillis and I met at Bill & Fran’s Restaurant in Newberry. It was some good breakfast, but I was expecting an old couple to be slaving away at a flat top making delicious breakfast, it was more like being at a waffle house. No worries, we got our fill and set sails for Spartanburg, SC.
We met up with Greg at Carolina Driveline for a tour of their new Shop on Dexter Road in Spartanburg. Tom led us around the new facility and showed off some of the new machinery, and some of his used cores he uses for the rebuilt shafts.
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Larry was able to get his Sammy Driveshaft rebuild while we looked around. We posed for a picture and then we were on the road again.
 
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97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

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#2
#2
We made a stop at the first rest area into NC to change and get ready for the river, and Greg and I made the find on a new geocache at the rest stop. We didn’t stay long and soon we were on our way to Saluda, NC and the Green River for some tubing for a few hours. We dropped Larry and Greg’s jeeps off at the take out and hopped in the water about 3 miles upstream for a couple hour float down the river.

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For being July it was surprisingly cool outside but we had a great time. We even tried our luck at the rope swing, although Dillon should probably stay away from rope swings from now on.
As we were nearing the end of the float, it started to rain, which wasn’t so bad because we were already soaked, we deflated the tubes, and piled in the jeeps to head into town and get lunch at Green River BBQ. Boy, if you can catch them open, its always a treat. We had our fill of BBQ and waited the rain out sitting under the porch. Around 3:30 we headed up the interstate toward bumpus only making one piss break around the TN line at an overlook.

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97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

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#3
#3
When we reached the trailhead, Quinn and Gillis needed to get food, so we split up. Greg, Larry, Scott, and I went on up to claim the camp site and setup for dinner, while Gillis and Quinn went to unload and park Gillis’ trailer and go get groceries. This region of TN has been getting a lot of rain for the past two weeks so the entrance trail was perhaps more fun than usual. We were able to get everyone up to camp with only a strapping the Cherokee once and some creative log placement.

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97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

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#4
#4
Once at the field, we setup camp and got dinner going. We made hot dogs and chili in the dutch oven, mmmm… We hung out for a while chatting under the stars but the driving and tubing and food from the day caught up to us and most of us called it an early night around 11.

Saturday

Rain, Rain, Rain, and Thunder, and Lightening, we saw and heard, for some of us even felt the storm that came through that night, I think there were a few people with wet gear after the gully washer of a storm that night. We woke up that morning to fog rolling through the campsite.

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We made a Cowboy Breakfast in the Dutch oven, and while we were eating the sky cleared and the sun came out. The day was looking to be pretty nice! We hoped the 30% chance of rain would hold off. We all geared up and headed for the trail, we went down the gravel road, and headed all the way to the gate at the north side of the trail so that we could run the entire trail from the bottom up. Suprisingly this trip we had no fires, or flat tires. We made a stop by the lunch spot stair case, and the rock garden on our way up to the trenches.

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97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

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#6
#6
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Little mishap getting around a tree in the trail
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Why so Sad Gillis?
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Props to Quinn for piloting the big black trail whale JK through the trenches
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97TJGUZZY

97TJGUZZY

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#7
#7
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Had a great time wheeling Saturday and we made it back to camp in time to start the coals and start cooking our pizza pasta for dinner. We gathered some wood and had a good time hanging.

Sunday Morning we headed back down the trail to the gravel road and made a stop by the cave with the geocache again. We ventured inside but seems somebody has stolen the geocache. We still enjoyed it and it was nice and cool inside. The group made a stop by the gas station to air up after hitting pavement and we decided on a lunch spot. I had heard about a big restaurant nearby with great food that many of the locals love. We made our way toward Greenville, TN to The Farmers Daughter Restaurant. Boy that was a great way to end the trip. You pick 2 meats and you get 12 sides and bread and tea and you pass it around your table and eat up. Boy it was awesome, we'll have to make a stop in there again for sure.

While we were waiting for a table Quinn and some of the guys changed a ujoint in the JK that had blown a cap out somewhere on the trail. Which brings me to the damage report for the trip.

As far as I can tell:

Tail light, dents and a hub for Greg
Radio Antenna, axleshaft ujoint and some new dents for Quinn
Cracked windshield and dented fender for Scott
Dented windshield frame for Brooks
Torn Transmission pan for Gillis
couple of dents in the XJ for Larry


I want to thank all of yall for coming, I had a Great Time. Hope we can do it again soon! See you all at Windrock!
 
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G

GreyZJ93

#9
#9
Looks like a great trip! Sad i couldn't make it. And yeah, props for getting the 4 door jk through the trenches. I know it was a tight squeeze for the grocery getter. Only some scratches on the passenger side mirror.
 
WolfGT

WolfGT

LIFETIME
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#11
#11
I have 4 WARN hubs that came with the axle. But also have 2 Mile Marker hubs from Advance. I've killed both at one point or another. Every time I have popped one, I have had the steering at full lock. So it has something to do with it binding when under load at full lock. Doesn't really bother me. It's a 10 minute fix and costs me nothing.
 
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01tj

Guest
#12
#12
WolfGT said:
I have 4 WARN hubs that came with the axle. But also have 2 Mile Marker hubs from Advance. I've killed both at one point or another. Every time I have popped one, I have had the steering at full lock. So it has something to do with it binding when under load at full lock. Doesn't really bother me. It's a 10 minute fix and costs me nothing.
Click to expand...
I heard there was talk of an upgrade for your Jeep. Any truth to that?
 
WolfGT

WolfGT

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#14
#14
01tj said:
I heard there was talk of an upgrade for your Jeep. Any truth to that?
Click to expand...
There will be, but not until next year. I have to stick to budget for the rest of the year. I have a business project that I have put off for too long. But yes, next year I plan to 4-link front and rear, put in the genright tank, stretch it 5" in the rear and as much as I can in the front without getting too complicated, upgrading the front axle and adding onboard air. On the maybe list is 37's and an atlas. But the TJ will be in it's current form until then .... unless I stumble upon a lot of money all the sudden.

I had a blast on the trip. The tubing was a lot of fun. Relaxing and adventurous. It did get a little chilly when the rain hit. The rest of the weekend was great. Saturday was a full day of wheeling. I dented my windshield frame (dang it), and busted a tail light. The hub was no surprise. I was thrashing it pretty hard trying to get in the rock garden (denied). But I did make it up the center of the ledges. It took me 10 minutes or so to figure out the combination, but I didn't give up. It was great hanging out with everyone as usual. I'm looking forward to the Windrock trip next month.
 
LBarr2002

LBarr2002

LIFETIME
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#15
#15
I had time to get one video uploaded, so here's Scott's excitment for the trip.

[video=youtube;-Wt_5K9bzyA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wt_5K9bzyA&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
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