Snow Wheeling at the Ahtanum State Forest.
Location:
Ahtanum State Forest, WA
Date:
November 28 2009
Taken By:
Clay Graham of Ceg-TV.com / CegPics.com
Edited by:
Clay Graham
Juniper Dunes ORV Run
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road & Peak Putters
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road
On Saturday November 14th, 2009 around 7:30 AM I loaded up the rig to make the 100 mile journey to Juniper Dunes near Pasco, Washington for the Eastern Washington Off Road & Peak Putters joint run.
It had gotten real cold the night before and the rig was frozen.
Along the way we stopped off for gas and food in Sunnyside.
We got to the meeting point in Smith Canyon just before 10 AM and started airing down with the others.
Paula Horton, a reporter a from the Tri-City Herald came out for a ride along. Her photographer also came on the run.
We convoyed toward the Upper Parking Area to meet up with the rest of the group.
We passed White Trash & Peanut going the back to find their goggles.
Pulling into the Upper Parking Area.
Most of the group but not all.
Bobracing broke his rear drive line early in the game.
Here are some pictures of our fun.
Fatboy testing the sand out.
TJ40 about to test out the new tires in the sand.
White Trash towing out Bobracing.
The group got together and picked up a mess someone left.
The Peak Putters stopped at the Upper Parking Area for lunch and we headed out toward the Northeast.
Juniper Dunes Wilderness Trailhead
Here we stopped for a picture and to wait for Fatboy to catch up.
Mayur slid off the trail.
We regrouped with the Peak Putters at the north end big dunes.
My ride.
Grumpy (AKA DaveW) got himself stuck at the top of a big dune with the reporter riding shotgun.
This XJ lost a back window on the way up. I am guessing he is stuck too.
The view from the top.
Grumpy giving the dune another run.
Fatboy’s turn.
TJ40 hitting the bowl.
Screaming Toylet
It was time to start heading back out so we said our goodbyes to the Peak Putters and headed out by running the trails toward the east fence.
There were a few steep climbs a long the way.
These guys happy to top the hill.
Running the fence line.
Once we got back to the Smith Canyon Small Parking Area we aired up.
Fatboy headed back to Yakima and the rest of us stopped in Richland for dinner at Kimo’s before heading home.
This was a very fun run thanks to everyone that came out.
We hope to do some more joint runs with the Peak Putters in the future.
Eastern Washington Adventures
Olmstead Place State Park Tour
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures
On Veteran’s Day Wednesday November 11th, 2009 we met up at Olmstead Place State Park for a tour from our friend Park Ranger Hoekstra.
Olmstead Place State Park is a 217-acre day-use park that features a working pioneer farm. The park is located off I-90 a few miles east of Ellensburg Washington.
Park Ranger Hoeksta.
Here is the way we are going to see the lower part of the farm.
Here we are on the way.
Down at the lower end of the park Foxracer gave us a tour through the old buildings and showed us the equipment used in the old days.
Here are some pictures. Foxracer told us what all these things were and did, but I can not do as well repeating it.
Loading up to head back to the upper park.
Heading back.
It got cold on the way back.
Just about there.
The kids loved the wagon ride and had fun running around. The tour was great.
If you are into history this place is a must see.
Thank you Park Ranger Hoekstra for the great tour and wagon ride. We hope to come back when it is warmer.
Quartz Mountain Backroads Run
Hosted by Eastern Washington Off Road, called by Ron the Parts Guy.
Report and photos by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Off Road
On Saturday November 7th, 2009 Eastern Washington Off Road members met up at the Ellensburg McDonald’s for a backroads run up to Quarts Mountain call by “Ron the Parts Guy”.
Around 10 AM started the convoy towards Quartz Mountain with 11 rigs.
Heading up Manastash road.
A few miles up the dirt road we ran into snow. We stopped to air down.
My ride.
Getting ready move up the road.
A few miles up the road we have to stop because two rigs had problems. eburgwheeler’s XJs Dana 30 was not working because of the disco. He turned around for home. JDavis had a shock come loose on his Montero. He worked on it as the kids played.
Screamin out taking pics of the kids.
It wasn’t long before we were on the road again. Here is passing Rider’s Camp.
Passing Manastash Campground.
Passing Shoestring Trail Head and 4W311.
Here I watch Bronco-in-Training sliding sideways.
That was the start of the road being real icy. Some hunters in a FS Chevy pickup were coming down the hill and not wanting to slow down for us to get by. The last few rigs were off to the side to let him by. I was in the way and could move up the hill because I stopped in the ice. I jumped out to air down and one of the old guy in the pickup walks over and ask where I thought I was going. I told him Quartz Mountain. He told me that none of us had any business up their without chains. Then he tells me my rig should not be up there at all. He went on nagging about me as I aired down. I did not say anything else to him because it would not have been very nice. I was able to move a little better after letting air out but not enough to get started on the icy climb. Jerry got in front of me and pulled the Sami up the hill.
Here we stopped to air down more as the rest of the group climbed the hill.
Roller-Bear had to head back home. He stopped on the way down to say good bye.
By the sounds of it on the CB the Broncos had a hard time making the climb because of the ice. My wife was not wanting to go up if it was real bad. She said we were in the wrong rig. I agreed. ricky8587 and Blind-Pilot went for it as Jerry and us stayed back. Once those guys made it without any problems and told us this on the radio, we headed up too. It was slick and the Sami kicked out sideways twice on the way up. I was able to steer out of it both times without stopping.
Here is coming up to Quartz Mt. Campground.
I just about made it up on top of Quartz Mt. but the Sami started sliding backwards toward a drop off. I stopped to let the wife calm her nerves and to take a picture of the snow blown on the trees.
Here is looking at the top and the area we slid down.
The wife said she was ready to get off this hill climb so we got turned around to head to a safer place.
On the way we found Bronco-in-Training and kids walking up the road.
Back at Quartz Mt. Campground to regroup.
The group of the day minus the two that left earlier.
Time to head down. Our Trail Boss “Ron the Parts Guy” leading the way.
We past a pickup that was going up. The group stopped for him but the guy told us he would wait there for us to pass. We all pulled back on the road and headed down. Some how the two FS broncos got sideways in the road and Blind-Pilot ran his TJ into the side of one of them. I believe everyone is alright. “Ron the Parts Guy” went back up to help as the rest of us found a safe place to get out of the road.
An Explorer was on the way up and we stopped them to tell them about the road being blocked on the climb. He was turning around when a guy in a FJ Cruiser came flying around the corner. The FJ Cruiser slid to a stop a few feet from hitting the Explorer. The FJ Cruiser backed up real fast and went back down the road. “Ron the Parts Guy” winched the guys out and were coming down.
Then here comes this Black jacked up Chevy pickup coming down the mountain from the direction “Ron the Parts Guy” stuck group was. The Chevy guy romped on the throttle as he came by the Explorer and the two guys that were out helping to get the Explorer turned around. That was enough for us. We moved down the road to get away from getting hit. We stopped at the Shoestring Trail Head. I drove my wife over to the outhouse. It was closest to being a drive through I have ever seen. LOL
Waiting for the others.
Here is the damage from the accident.
Blind-Pilot’s rig.
Bronco-in-training’s rig.
After we all were regrouped we headed out.
We stopped at the pavement to air up for home.
This was a very fun run thanks to all who came. Sorry that some received carnage.
The Slab AKA Ranksville ORV rules sign placement Run
Report by Clay Graham / Eastern Washington Adventures
On Sunday October 25th, 2009 some of our members met with ORV Deputy Martin at the Slab ORV area (near Buena Washington) to place a new sign with the ORV rules.
Here are some pictures of the day.
First the sign had to be put on the post.
Test Dummy & BlindPilot started digging the holes.
Colemancooler took over BlindPilot’s hole.
Tiny Helped Deputy Martin secure the sign to the post.
One hole had to be deeper to get the sign strait and level.
Checking the sign with a level.
Colemancooler telling me off. Just kidding. LOL
The work crew minus the two people taking pictures for me and Deputy Martin.
Since we were at the Slab, we played some.
89-yota
Tiny’s new XJ, Jarrod and 89-yota
More **** people dumped off.
Rollover Hill.
Just for fun.
Trails everywhere. BlindPilot joined up after dropping off he work truck.
The Northeast climbs are fun.
Someone needs to loose the front sway bar. LOL
Power pole Canyon has some fun off camber.
Tiny and Jarrod took off to help Test-Dummy go move my wife’s piano for her.
We moved onto Flex Canyon
A picture across my windshield.
89-yota
BlindPilot’s turn.
Parking only. This climb beats up a rig.
Moving back out to the center section of the Slab.
This climb was real loose. I could not top it with my 99 XJ because it isn’t the rig I beat on.
You can see the dirt flowing down like water behind BindPilot’s rig.
Another loose climb.
This small climb was just powder.
On the way out I stopped to take pictures of the sign. Let’s hope it doesn’t get shot up or painted.
Close up.
This was a fun day.
A special thank you to Pepsi for making the sign and to the Yakima County Sheriffs Office for getting the project put together.
