Old Chinaman Gulch Run May 17th
- Thread starter Nay
- Start date
, John in his Taco), I'll let Scott tell the story when he gets back tomorrow. Some teaser pics...
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Looks like I beat Scott to it too! Unless he posts before I finish composing this.
It was a beee-yooo-teee-ful day. If you got cool in the shade, step into the sun. Getting warm, step into the shade. Couldn't be better.
The group (wish it was at more of an angle, but look at those mountains!):
Scott has already cleared the Squeeze, so it's Chili's turn. S turn? We don't need no stinkin' S turn:
Brian, in his new FJCruiser, clears it with little difficulty:
John, with his locker still working. It stopped further up the trail:
And Nay, tailgunning:
It was a beee-yooo-teee-ful day. If you got cool in the shade, step into the sun. Getting warm, step into the shade. Couldn't be better.
The group (wish it was at more of an angle, but look at those mountains!):
Scott has already cleared the Squeeze, so it's Chili's turn. S turn? We don't need no stinkin' S turn:
Brian, in his new FJCruiser, clears it with little difficulty:
John, with his locker still working. It stopped further up the trail:
And Nay, tailgunning:
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
'Tis a privilege to live in Colorado:
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Scott easily conquers Yoder's Rock, putting his bash plates to good use. Note that super IFS articulation: 
I decided I might try a new line.
I decided I might try a new line.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Not to be outdone (and he certainly wasn't), Nay tries the same line, but higher:
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Then of course, Whale Rock (forgive the odd angle):
If ya got 'em, smoke 'em. John's locker refused to engage, and was down for the rest of the trail, adding to the need for John's skilz:
If ya got 'em, smoke 'em. John's locker refused to engage, and was down for the rest of the trail, adding to the need for John's skilz:
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
I had a thought that I might be able to S around the rock. Probably could have but needed to turn sooner:
Hmmm, kinda tippy. Chili don't like tippy:
More later, gotta run.
Hmmm, kinda tippy. Chili don't like tippy:
More later, gotta run.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Scott went up the Double Ledge like it was a trip to the mall. Hmmm. Maybe there is something to that "IFS makes better drivers" stuff.
Nay said "Nay!" to the normal line, and decided to try the far left.
"This should work just fine. No problem."
"Up, up, more skinny pedal..."
"There, I'm up.
Ooops."
"I am not only merely stuck, I'm really quite sincerely stuck.
Can't go forward, can't go back, I need a minitruck to strap me back on track..."
A slight tug from the Chili and he was home free. Mr. Chili decided to let that left line tempt another day.
Nay said "Nay!" to the normal line, and decided to try the far left.
"This should work just fine. No problem."
"Up, up, more skinny pedal..."
"There, I'm up.
Ooops."
"I am not only merely stuck, I'm really quite sincerely stuck.
Can't go forward, can't go back, I need a minitruck to strap me back on track..."
A slight tug from the Chili and he was home free. Mr. Chili decided to let that left line tempt another day.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
The V Notch was pretty straightforward with excellent grip today. The Chili's new fender rock glides never touched rock but came close, and really helped my confidence factor regards body damage.
The FJCruiser struggled a bit due to some limited articulation, but Brian got to exercise his branny new winch and extracted himself. Nay took a bit of a high line and found his gut-based inclinometer sounding some alarms just after the picture was snapped, but all was well.
The FJCruiser struggled a bit due to some limited articulation, but Brian got to exercise his branny new winch and extracted himself. Nay took a bit of a high line and found his gut-based inclinometer sounding some alarms just after the picture was snapped, but all was well.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Oh, and FWIW. I decided to use this run to test my fuel economy. Chinaman's is just far enough to hit you on fuel. We figured it was a small group simply due to the fact that fuel would cost anyone $60-70 to do this run. Ouch.
Going out to Buena Vista, I decided to try some of the hypermiler driving techniques. Slow acceleration, keep my foot out of the throttle body, keep the speed at the speed limit (lots of benefits there
). Anticipate red lights and don't burn fuel coming to them. Coast every chance you get, and in some cases accelerate slightly, then coast slightly, then repeat. That last one will wear a boy out, so I didn't do much of that.
The results? Going to Chinamans, I got 18mpg. That is the best I've ever gotten, especially impressive considering the climbs. Going back, I tried keeping the sides rolled up (open vehicle, figured that would hurt my mileage, the crosswinds in South Park were, um, 'fun'). I ran 35psi instead of my normal 30psi. I got over 19mpg. I am used to 16mpg.
This is on a vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick sitting on 35s. Wow.
My driving has changed. Except where driving like that would irritate all the jackrabbit red light to red light drivers.
Going out to Buena Vista, I decided to try some of the hypermiler driving techniques. Slow acceleration, keep my foot out of the throttle body, keep the speed at the speed limit (lots of benefits there
). Anticipate red lights and don't burn fuel coming to them. Coast every chance you get, and in some cases accelerate slightly, then coast slightly, then repeat. That last one will wear a boy out, so I didn't do much of that.The results? Going to Chinamans, I got 18mpg. That is the best I've ever gotten, especially impressive considering the climbs. Going back, I tried keeping the sides rolled up (open vehicle, figured that would hurt my mileage, the crosswinds in South Park were, um, 'fun'). I ran 35psi instead of my normal 30psi. I got over 19mpg. I am used to 16mpg.
This is on a vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick sitting on 35s. Wow.
My driving has changed. Except where driving like that would irritate all the jackrabbit red light to red light drivers.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Oh, another minor issue, with a good ending.
Scott on a hunch checked his drain plug on his rear differential. It was hanging on by about two threads. This is a real familiar event to me on this trail! I didn't catch mine in time last November and had some trail cleanup to do. Scott's wasn't leaking - the threads were boogered - but it was possible to force the plug back in and seat it fully with no other issues once we cleaned up the head so an allen would fit.
I'm gonna put my drain plug tap in the truck toolbox I think. Could come in handy.
Rocks make excellent jackstands:
Scott wasn't sure he wanted to be Chili-infused with a small bash plate and extended drain plug protector.
It is now on the top of his must-have list. Hafta break out the bandsaw and welder and make his rear axle Chiliated.
Scott on a hunch checked his drain plug on his rear differential. It was hanging on by about two threads. This is a real familiar event to me on this trail! I didn't catch mine in time last November and had some trail cleanup to do. Scott's wasn't leaking - the threads were boogered - but it was possible to force the plug back in and seat it fully with no other issues once we cleaned up the head so an allen would fit.
I'm gonna put my drain plug tap in the truck toolbox I think. Could come in handy.
Rocks make excellent jackstands:
Scott wasn't sure he wanted to be Chili-infused with a small bash plate and extended drain plug protector.
It is now on the top of his must-have list.
Hafta break out the bandsaw and welder and make his rear axle Chiliated.
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
Bill, the new rock guards look amazing. Great work!
Great trip report guys! Looks like a blast!
Great trip report guys! Looks like a blast!
JadeRunner
Rising Sun Member
Great run as usual. Plenty of rocks to test you skills on and get beat up on. We had a nice small group of 5 rigs, including a nice FJ on 33's. I'm too tired from the weekend to write a lengthy trip report, but Chili filled us all in nicely. Nice to see all the pictures posted up by others. Bill actually had a camera on this trip - way to go. My camcorder gave out due to a battery issue. I do have a few pictures I will post up later this week.
Everyone got through the trail pretty well. John in his short bed taco got through as best he could after his retro fit e-locker gave out. He did manage to break his front tow point and some front body parts. Nothing major though. Brian did pretty darn well with his limited wheeling experience in his FJ. He is learning quickly and will soon be tacking these trails with confidence in his sweet ride. I did see his traction control become useless several times as he was stopped in an obstacle. I thought I remember the traction control working a little better than that with the FJ Team. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there still has to be vehicle movement for in to kick in. Nay was flexing out real well on new lines, but couldn't quite conquer the left line on the double slab. He got up the first part nicely but then went belly up as we have seen so many 80's do on that obstacle.
I was able to get through all the obstacles and desired lines cleanly this time. But, found some of the same old rocks to get the diff hung up on again. I ground around on the same rock again and almost lost my diff plug (not the first time). Thank goodness I was able to screw that cross threaded son of a gun back in. This is definitely something I have to address now since the protection ring is ground down so far. I should have taken Chili up on his invitation to fix it for me last time. Something is not right with my 4 link rear suspension but I haven't been able to find anything broken yet. More to come on that.
Everyone got through the trail pretty well. John in his short bed taco got through as best he could after his retro fit e-locker gave out. He did manage to break his front tow point and some front body parts. Nothing major though. Brian did pretty darn well with his limited wheeling experience in his FJ. He is learning quickly and will soon be tacking these trails with confidence in his sweet ride. I did see his traction control become useless several times as he was stopped in an obstacle. I thought I remember the traction control working a little better than that with the FJ Team. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there still has to be vehicle movement for in to kick in. Nay was flexing out real well on new lines, but couldn't quite conquer the left line on the double slab. He got up the first part nicely but then went belly up as we have seen so many 80's do on that obstacle.
I was able to get through all the obstacles and desired lines cleanly this time. But, found some of the same old rocks to get the diff hung up on again. I ground around on the same rock again and almost lost my diff plug (not the first time). Thank goodness I was able to screw that cross threaded son of a gun back in. This is definitely something I have to address now since the protection ring is ground down so far. I should have taken Chili up on his invitation to fix it for me last time. Something is not right with my 4 link rear suspension but I haven't been able to find anything broken yet. More to come on that.
JadeRunner
Rising Sun Member
Yep, I have a broken upper shock stud on my rear OME shock. I'm working on getting a new one for this weekends family camp trip (it's a n86s in case any one has a used one).
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
What!!! No Chili lights?!?!! For shame!
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Catch me on a Chinaman's night run, then I'll run Chili Lights.
RockRunner
Hard Core 4+
Catch me on a Chinaman's night run, then I'll run Chili Lights.
Whatcha doing next weekend??? I need to practice with my roof rack!!!!!!! And a load on top of it.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Little too soon to do Chinaman's again, don't want to wear a good thing out. Plus, the gas alone would cost me $60.
This long weekend is devoted to tasks around the home place: finish hanging doors, finally organize my sweet garage into something not resembling a pit, and reassemble Shadowfax's 22RE.
Enjoyable quiet work.
This long weekend is devoted to tasks around the home place: finish hanging doors, finally organize my sweet garage into something not resembling a pit, and reassemble Shadowfax's 22RE.
Enjoyable quiet work.