Trucks packed. Going to lunch with my lovely wife then hit the road around 1-2pm. Should put me at the KOA around 4-5. Kyle, Dennis, Mike, Ken and TJ, I have your #'s so I'll call you when I get there.
Nick and Dana, hope you guys make it.
My cell is 9one7-six97-one5eight4 if you others need to get me.
The rest of you poser suck! See ya on the flip side...

Truck was magically running fine this morning..... So the t-case skid is getting thrown on right now and we'll be hitting the road in an hour or two.

ON my wayyyy! Should be there round 8

Wow, you guys are leaving early. No such luck for me... heading out of the office soon to get the sliders installed & then for the long drive, CT - JFK - Comfort Inn in Tremont. Expecting to be there quite late, ~midnight or later.

See you guys in the morning!

-Suresh

Running a bit late myself. Should be on the road at 3:30 putting me at the KOA at 6:30.

Have fun!

My truck's starter crapped out due to a squirrel induced break in continuity in the loom containing a few important wires, etc.

Kyle's friend Eric broke his rear track bar and shock, I broke a rear brake line, Mike snapped a leaf spring and Nick fried his alt. Short day, going for a few drinks, details tomorrow.

Damn! sounds like a rough day on equipment. Enjoy the drinks!

Yup, but was fun! I'm back in Albany already time for a nap! Lots of driving.

Ken was a great leader for the blue group, had a lot of fun bouncing around on the rocks and conquering the Trail 2 Hill climb!


Learned how to swap and alternator in the RC parking lot, thanks a lot to everyone for helping me get back on the road, especially Dennis! Hey man, I owe you big time, definite life saver, what's your drink?

i had fun and awesome trail riding good times but 1st in OP it sad to be there at 7.30 than someone decided to go have breakfast and showed up only 2 hours later and then the same person cut reusable zip tie on DEniss rig and then after all he called Dave to see if he has new leaf pack for me! thax for every think thanx to Kyle
for air, after all had a blast! picking up new leaf pack at 5pm and should change it 2ght cause need the X for work all week!! so we got home safe and rausch beat me up this time! been there and came back!!but after all trail fix is always fun!so ill c u again and very soon!!

Good time yesterday. Trails were in decent shape.

Sorry about the carnage you guys sustained. And you didn't even get to any of the Black trails.

Should we call it the Blue run next year? Or stay with the Black and Blue name because so many got beat up?

k_enn

black & blue

WARNING;
Yet another long and rambling post from the old man…



Got home at around 1:30pm from another great weekend.

First let me explain and apologize;



I got into the KOA around 4 and they screwed up my reservation. First they set me up in a cabin with no shower/bathroom. F that! They fixed that I gave me a nice cabin;


Kyle was on his way so I called Dennis and asked them both to meet me at the dinner off exit 100 for something to eat. We had a nice dinner with a few beverages and then Kyle and I went back to the KOA. I was enjoying a cigar with a few more beverages when Nick and his buddy joined us. Had a few more beverages and just before passing out told everyone to meet at the same dinner for breakfast at 8 thinking for some unexplained reason that the park opened at 9. This is not an excuse, it is just what happened. I fucked up, I’m a POS.

One of the risks you take when consistently breaking everyone’s balls is that when you f@ck up they, in return, rip you apart. I fucked up and I am very sorry especially since I try a make a point of being on time and seldom forgive those who are not.
Again, I am sorry.

Now as far as the “zip-tie” incident;
I was helping Dennis by unspooling his winch line (while others where standing around taking pictures) and in doing so cut the zip-tie on the shackle holding the line to the truck. I was then informed it was a “reusable” one. Now come on, who has these besides Dennis? Give me a break yo…

Anyways, I got to the park around 9 where Mike and the rest of the Russian contingent (3 other guys) gave me (well deserved) shit right off the bat and for the next 15 to 20 minutes despite my numerous apologies. My lesson and now advice to you all is never piss off the Russian guy.

The place was packed!

Dennis said he wanted to run Blues in the morning so we all decided to run together and then split up after lunch. Ken lead us in and we ran 4 with Kyle, Dennis and me running Yellow Jacket (a Black, so yes, Black ‘N Blue).

Kyle;

Dennis;


I hope one of you has some pictures of me on Yellow Jacket! Post ‘em yo!

Right after running and almost flipping my truck on YJ I noticed the sticker Kyle added to the previously clean new rear window I replace after breaking it at the April Fools Run;

He is sooo funny…

A bunch of landrovers where playing on J so instead of waiting;


We took H down to 12;

Nick;


Suresh;


Mike;


On 12 Kyle’s friend (sorry, forgot his name) broke the rear track bar on his Jeep. Kyle and Dennis decided that it would be best to cross strap his axle to the frame so we could have him limp to the parking lot.

I had the only jack stands so I stayed to help and suggested that Ken take the rest of the group to keep wheeling.
After we got to parking lot Mike called me to say that he broke a leaf spring and they where now all heading out. We met them in the parking lot.

Mike left to try and find a leaf spring for his truck at Harry’s U-Pull. I’ll bet this will be the last time Mike’s friends will want to come wheeling with him. Sorry Mike but maybe it’s for the best. Wheeling Blues with three other guys in the truck with you isn’t the best idea and might have contributed to your leaf spring failing…maybe.

This is when Dennis noticed that my rear brake line was pulled away from the axle in a tangled mess. As I tried to gently bend it back so I could zip-tie it (with a non-reusable zip-tie) to the axle it started to leak at the fitting the goes into the drum. F! Dennis tried to stop the flow of fluid with some vise grips and after many tries succeeded.

So while Kyle made a bracket to weld onto the frame of his buddy’s Jeep Dennis drove me to the auto parts store in Pine Grove for a brake line. They didn’t have one long enough but Dennis got it to work well enough to get me home but not to wheel.


After Kyle got his buddy’s Jeep together enough to get him home we realized that Dennis was now under Nick’s truck changing the alternator.

Not for nothing but Dennis drove like 6 hours, wheeled for like 3 and then fixed Nick's, my truck and helped out with all the repair work of the day. This guy is the best, thank you Dennis.

Kyle also did a ton of work repairing the Jeep and did not get to wheel that much. He is also the best, thanks bro.

Dennis, Kyle and I went to O’Neil’s, look what was one of the specials;



Black & Blue Filet, I had to get it.

Despite the short wheeling day and the damage I had a great time hanging with some of the coolest folks I know. Thanks again Dennis and Kyle. Thanks Ken for leading. Thanks Mike, Nick and Suresh for coming.

I hope you all had somewhat of a good time and that you’ll take a chance and wheel with me again soon.

Tom

I had a great time. The great reasable zip-tie incident wasn't an incident - I had a spare. I would do it again - see you guys for the Back to School Run in September.
~ Dennis (& Sue)