Wisconsin area events

Okay, so I just want to let everyone here know how much I enjoyed meeting you and talking trucks on the Pipeline run. Thank you! Great bunch and looking forward to more meetings.


With that said, I am thinking about other groups such as the Arkansas Tacoma Group and some of the organized runs they put on. As such, let's talk about future Wisconsin runs. I have been bouncing ideas off james @Thatbassguy about maybe adding some of my local knowledge up here in the north to your Bayfield Applefest gathering and he thinks I need to bounce it off the larger group-so here goes.

Applefest is October 7-9 this year. Generally a good time of year for colors and temperatures, though the chance for extremes always exists, James noted that historically the group has run the TWAT route. I am suggesting something a bit different once you guys/gals get up here in the Chequamegon Bay area.

Thinking of a three day gathering with partial run Friday, full day of play Saturday and partial Sunday. You guys stayed at Birch Grove CG last year, but there are a couple others to consider: Beaver Lake CG on, you guessed it, Beaver lake. This is up in the Penokee Mnts. Another option (but one I have not confirmed yet) is a friends field off of County E. this site has amazing views but no amenities.

What I have in mind for drives is:

1. A summit bid on Mount Whittlesey (the 6th/7th highest point in WI) with a thorough exploration of the Berkshire mine ruins, and a tour through the Penokee mountains. This can take all day or half day per group wants/needs.

This is a fun run that will require 4 wheel drive. It is also a bit scratchy. Then just nice fire roads

2. An exploration of the Moquah Barrens with a couple of fire tower visits and lots of sand. I am assuming we can get ourselves stuck and have some fun. This would be the easiest day to descend into Bayfield as we would be over in that vicinity on the peninsula. Both days would cross/parallel parts of the TWAT, but not actually follow it as there are better sections to see in those areas (I think...)


So this is my current thinking. I am willing to put in the leg work to make this happen if you guys are interested. Let me know what the hive mind thinks.


Pat

 

I'd be interested!

 

Sounds interesting and fun. Thats just a few days after we get back from Texas.
It's do- able.
I mentioned it my wife.
She said, when do we celebrate our anniversary?

 

I like the sound of this. I am interested in seeing some new areas.

 

Sounds great...I have plans to be in N GA that week.

 

Looks like it's going to rain by 5pm tomorrow should we move to the bowling alley we were at last year?

 

You had me at mine ruins!

 

In! See you guys this afternoon!

 

I posted it yesterday... Trying to get feed back. Seems there is interest...

 

yeah, just noticed that and edited my posts requesting cliff notes version of the planning. Hoping nobody noticed

definitely interested! Exactly the stuff Im looking for!

 

Wasnt able to make it this time around to see all you. But I decided to do a solo overnight trip to the area a couple of weeks ago. Same area, but with the intention of looking for some new trails. Beautiful! It was the middle of the week, absolutely nobody out on the trails.

Some pics:

My first insurmountable obstacle, only minutes after getting snack sticks at Meatski’s:


Instead of panicking, I decided to have lunch:




I checked on the tree, it didnt have a pulse, so out came the fiskars pruning saw.

I felt pretty confident after that, so airing down didnt even occur to me. I decided to do some of the little trails not to far from the park and ride, then came across a mud puddle at the entrance to a trail that seemed to have some recent logging operations on it. It seemed darker than most, so I put it in mud/sand multimode just in case the a-trac would come in useful. Got a bit of momentum before entering the pit, but it got deep quick. I let multimode do its thing and I kept the pedal down. It went deeper than I expected, and after a few moments of that sinking feeling, The tire finally bit down on something hard. No pics of the pit, but I have an after pic of the 4runner:



That was the scariest part of the trip…the rest was having a stationary tree accost me on the pipeline. That, and a bear or Sasquatch, or wookie making drunk crashing sounds in the forest as I was finishing up dinner at the campsite. (@Thatbassguy had mentioned wookies in the area).




On the next day, I went through lots of very nice atv/hwy vehicle trails that James gave me some intelligence on, one even had a semi-challenging mini-rock garden section.



The conditions of the rest of the the sections I explored were good.






These trails are around the pipeline. I stopped for lunch by that little goat trail that goes by that huge rock on the LA trail that’s parallel to the pipeline. Nobody around, the silence was wonderful.




My lawn chair doesnt have a recline feature, but, yes, I always sit like this (couldnt resist the meme beachside tan legs shot)



After my fortitude had been restored by that pleasant lunch, I went up the pipeline and met the stationary tree that accosted my body panels:



Here’s she is after getting home. As much as I wanted to clean her up right away, I just didnt have the time for about a week. So I had to go to the mall, the hardware store, all my buddies houses, etc. looking like this. I’m sure you all know the feeling



All in all, it was a great trip! I love doing this stuff!!! Even if takes two solid days of cleaning up!

 

I’ll be there by 4pm or so in the parking lot!

 

I have Bocce at the Moose tonight!

 

I had to work in Madison today, so I won't be down there until 4:30 or 5:00. If it does end up raining, we can go to that bowling alley if that's what everybody wants to do.

Hopefully I can get there before everybody heads over to the beer garden

 

I have my removable am*zon awning at the ready should we stay in the parkkng lot.

 

Damn, I wish I could make it

 

By the way, I dont think that pizza truck actually exists. Last time we went, it was also conspicuously absent.

 

I won't be making it tonight (work) but enjoy!

 

It was there last week

 

Sorry to hear that. Next time!