Big Trip 2011

[TSEJEEPERS]

Tom has brought home his work schedule for 2011 and can try to plan for next year's runs. We need to know what holiday would people like to do the big trip over. I know we have it on the schedule for over the Memorial Day holiday. I was checking out Super-lift Park in Arkansas and they are open thursady-monday. Tom would have to take a couple of days off before the weekend to go down either holiday.
Sooo looking for thoughts/opinions as to if anyone wants to go to Superlift, somewhere else, and which holiday would work better.
Sally

[soup]

In and I don't care when or where! Well hopefully after March. I have about 100 days of leave saved up, and I am going to use it!

[bob lamb]

I have been doing some home work on bad lands national park south dakota and i have some maps on the way in the mail. they told me weather is unpredickable end of may could be as high of low 70's or could still snow? there is one cabin to rent that could sleep up to 8 the rest on floor? there is also campground and primitive campgrounds close for those that want to go on the cheep. have singed up for vac. May 22 sunday-june 5 and i also have taken June 26 - July 5 off in hopes of doing a trip wheeling

[bob lamb]

if it was to go to Super-lift Park in Arkansas and they are open thursady-monday then it would be good for me May 26 -30 or june 2-5

[vlucdog]

Anytime, except the week of July 4th. And the last two weeks ofJuly.

Bill

[TSEJEEPERS]

Could you all discuss this at the meeting on Saturday? At least figure out the dates.
I will have to schedule my vacation pretty quick.
Sally and I will not be at the meeting. We are going to the Saints and Bengals game in Cincy.

[wdln]

Will do.

[Duke Winch]

I started up a new conversation with the Black Hills Jeep Club. The Forrest service just issued a new set of maps for off roading in the area. A vehicle permit is also required. Here's the link to the Forrest Service site that has the maps
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... blications

Here's my latest correspondence with the club:

Duke Winch wrote:Hello Again,
Our club has the "Big Trip" for this year planned for the week of 5/28 to 6/5.
Any suggestions as to where we should be looking for a place to stay, i.e what part of the state? We usually rent a condo for the week or other similar accommodations.

Duke

If you can hold off until the 15th of June, you'll be able to attend Jeep Camp where we'll have loads more fun, prize giveaways, winch raffles, great food, and lots of new friends!
As far as a place to stay, The Steel Wheel and Hidden Valley Campgrounds always treat us great!


Here's the link to thread on their site if you would like to join in on the conversation. http://forum.blackhillsjeeps.com/viewto ... 175#unread

[Fraser]

Since the Superlift park is not open two days during the week, I'd rather go there for a long non-holiday weekend versus our typical week-long big trip. So, my vote is for the Black Hills. I haven't checked out the maps link referenced above, or anything else for that matter, but I'm assuming there are some decent trails that we can run without risk of being arrested or shot. Also, my preference would be to avoid the Camp Jeep event just due the sheer number of other vehicles that will be on the trails then, so our original dates around Memorial day still sound good to me.

[matt4wheels]

x2 on avoiding the Camp Jeep event. If it's anything like the SFWDA Dixie Run or some of the Planet Isuzu runs I've been on, you'll be waiting in line to run each trail.

[Duke Winch]

If you take a look at the maps there's hundreds of trails. However I have done some additional research and have cheeked out other Jeep forums and the consensus is ... it's easier to crash an Obama white house party than it is to find out the location of the good riding trails. We are at the mercy of the locals to direct us to the best places to wheel.

So, if we go to the Black Hills we will have to trust a local to meet up with us and take us out and show us about.

Duke

[vlucdog]

Bill agrees with Matt and Fraser.

[Duke Winch]

My eyebulbs are about to fall out, however after an exhaustive search of the internet, and reading between the lines on various posts, and dusting off my Green Hornet decoder ring, I think I got the trip partly figured out. We want to stay in Deadwood or there abouts. Here's the link for some places to stay, I vote for the cabin rental. http://www.deadwood.org/Lodging/

There's a trail system called Camp 5 road just east of Deadwood on Route 14 towards Sturgis right below Boulder Park. It's in the upper right hand section of this map ... http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/ab ... 029520.pdf

Many of the more extreme trails talked about in the various forums are all located off this road. Sounds like there are bypasses around the really tough stuff so Bill will will be able to tag along as well.

At least this way we have a place to start if the locals don't come through on the first couple of days.

Since I'm not the events coordinator, my work here is done. See ya all Saturday .... need to protect myself from getting elected to something.

Duke

[W_A_Watson_II]

Took a look at my Garmin Topo for SD, and it doesn't show as much as a Google Satellite view.

[Duke Winch]

There is a Forrest Service use plan that just went into effect. They have designated various trails and routes for OHV use and are identified on the Forrest Service map link above. Vehicle permits are required. Wandering off designated routes, whether intentional or not, results in steep fines. Using any other map will probably lead to a lightening of your wallet.

Duke

[soup]

Anyone thought of heading up to the parks in Pennsylvania?

[TSEJEEPERS]

So what was decided for the dates?
5/28 through 6/5?

[wdln]

Yes. The location is still up for grabs but that's the week.

[bob lamb]

dates look great for me and i have maps of the north and south halves sent to me but no names of trails just numbers and bought new gps and also trying to find points where trails start

[Duke Winch]

I have the maps and they identified the trails using a numbering system .... the problem is which ones are the "good" trails and which are basically graded roads. The locals know but if they told you they would have to kill you.

[matt4wheels]

These seem to be the local trails. Still don't know where they are yet. Apparently some of these criss-cross over Camp 5 Rd. which comes up on google maps.

U Bolt -> 5+
Captain Crunch -> 5+
Fruity Pebbles Rock Gardens -> 5
Hal Johns -> 5
T-Back -> 5
Bikini -> 5
3 Blind Mice -> 5
Kong -> 4+
Nasties - Upper -> 4+
Forbes -> 4+
Cheerios -> 4+
Rice Crispies -> 4+
Apple Jacks -> 4+
3.9 -> 4+
Elbow Canyon -> 4+
Figure 8 -> 4+
Surprise -> 4+
Fruity Pebbles Bypass -> 4
Got Milk -> 4
Calamity Canyon -> 4
Iceman -> 4
Jake -> 4
Fullsize -> 4
Nasties - Lower -> 4
Moses Hill -> 3+
Dugan's Prospect -> 3+
Polo Peak -> 3
Raspberry Ridge -> 3
Road to Galena -> 3
Lost Gulch -> 3

[alkat]

here is the web site for the other park in ar. that i metioned at the meeting. wheelinworld.webs.com as i said before it's is eureka springs, about 200 miles from hot springs, 8 hr. drive from peoria and open 24/7 . terrain looks very similar to flat nasty.

[matt4wheels]

With the clock ticking we need to make a decision on the Big Trip for 2011. The 4 options that have been voiced have been South Dakota, Hot Srings, AR, Wheelin World in Eureka Springs, AR and an unknown location in Pennsylvania. Hot Springs has been ruled out as their hours and days of operation our limited. I haven't seen or heard of any support for the Eureka Springs or Pennsylvania proposals. I know through discussion with other members that there is a fairly decent interest in the South Dakota trip. As of right now Fraser, Bob Lamb, Bill Ganglof, Steve Vohs, myself and possibly others are in support the SD location. There has also not been any opposition mentioned for this location. For the sake of planning and booking reservations, I would like to close the book on where the Big Trip 2011 is going to be held. Please speak now or forever hold your peace.

I know that there are still some details that are needing to be worked especially that of understanding the trail system but I think several of us are currently working to get through that hurdle. There's another club from Michigan trying to remotely plan a very similar trip to what we're hoping to create. It looks as though we could possibly just duplicate their trip just on our dates. The Mystic Hills Campground they mentioned is located in Deadwood which Duke has suggested earlier. This campground has pretty decent rental cabins, a lodge with restaurant and beer bar and rv/tent sites. There's been some mention of making use of members personal campers possibly. It's just an option so take a look at the these links and post up with your thoughts.

http://www.bh4wheelers.com/bh4bb/YaBB.pl?num=1293720587

http://www.mystichillscampground.com/Cabin_rental.htm
http://www.wildbillscamp.com/
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/us ... s/deadwood

[W_A_Watson_II]

I'm hoping to make this years trip, but will join late (trip I believe is 5/28-6/5) as I won't be able to get away from the family event until 5/30.

No real preference eon my part, the Wheelin World in Eureka Springs, AR would be closer to catch up, but SD sounds and looks great.

Looking forward to more details.

[alkat]

I would be more likly to go, at least part of the trip, to ar. Maybe eureka springs on the days that hot spings is closed and then go to hot springs. The're only 200 miles apart.