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Clear, Colorful, Colorado! - Oct 2020

Discussion in 'Trip Reports' started by turbodb, Nov 8, 2020.

  1. Nov 8, 2020 at 1:58 PM
    #1
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    Prelude to Clear, Colorful, Colorado

    This story starts a little differently than most. See, every year a group of folks head out for a two-week-or-so excursion to a spectacular location for a bit of wheeling, a good dose of camping, and a ton of fun.

    But last year was different. I mean sure - we had all those things for the most part, but we had to cut the entire trip short when - within a couple hours - all three trucks ran into serious issues on the trail. It's worth reading at least that part of the story from Redhead Down, but I should probably summarize it here:
    • First, the brakes on my truck didn't work and I almost smashed into both Mike @Digiratus and Monte @Blackdawg as we turned to climb Mt. Antero.
    • Next, Mike blew out the top of his coil bucket - the piece of the frame that holds the front suspension to the truck.
    • Finally, as we were evaluating the situation with Mike's truck, Monte discovered that his lower ball joints (LBJs) were so loose that they nearly fell apart.
    Clearly, not our best day. And, the end of our trip, the Redhead unable to make it home under her own power.

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    Over the winter, much work was done to fix the issues that had cropped up - and then some. Over the course of a couple months, parts and tools were acquired, the Redhead's engine was pulled, and old parts were cut off so new ones could be welded on. It was a herculean effort, as Dan @drr, Zane @Speedytech7 and I helped Mike get the truck back into shape. Mike was on top of the schedule - of course - and the work was mostly done by December, though additional upgrades to things like the rear suspension continued into the spring.

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    Monte too set about fixing his truck - though a bit closer to "trip time" than Mike. It was April before he started working with the vendor of his aftermarket lower control arms (Solo) on figuring out the solution, and it was the end of July when he finally got them replaced. Of course, he did some other work as well, strengthening some of the same parts that Mike had blown up the previous year.

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    I on the other hand, did very little. I never could get my braking situation to repeat itself (thankfully), and since I continued to head out on trips through the winter, I figured that everything was mostly OK. There was normal maintenance of course, but I was lucky enough to spend most of my time in places like Death Valley's Hidden Dunes, where I was buzzed by F-18s - one of the most exhilarating experiences ever.

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    Top Gun, in person.

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    Snow wheeling in Mojave National Preserve.

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    The Alvord Playa is a very special place in Oregon.

    As the time got closer for us to depart and we finally settled on a firm date, things were going smoothly - too smoothly! It was then that we found out that Monte wasn't really ready.

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    Franken-leaf-pack, Monte's specialty.

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    Bed stiffeners, also a last minute addition, given that Monte's bed was still falling apart - more than a year after he discovered it.

    And, not to be out done, Mark @IDtrucks - who had also decided to join us for the first time since 2017 - discovered that he had a bit of an issue with his front suspension.

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    Classic Derp.

    So yeah, with two days until departure, we were in scramble mode. I offered some parts to Monte, and Monte offered parts to Mark. Mike and Dan were also offering parts - it was a mad dash to get everyone into a working state.

    Things were right (or at least normal) in the world again. And that meant it was time to start a two-week trip into the Clear, Colorful, Colorado!
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2020
    racing_reject_001 and drr like this.
  2. Nov 8, 2020 at 2:12 PM
    #2
    IDtrucks

    IDtrucks Unhinged and Fluid

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  3. Nov 8, 2020 at 3:53 PM
    #3
    Digiratus

    Digiratus Adventurer

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    :rofl: WTF is going on with the watermarks?
     
  4. Nov 8, 2020 at 4:42 PM
    #4
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    I added them for photos with none. Didn't want you to think I was usurping your shots :p.
     
  5. Nov 8, 2020 at 4:44 PM
    #5
    IDtrucks

    IDtrucks Unhinged and Fluid

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    JVC Deck, 10" sub mountd in rear seat cubby, 2 LED off road lights mounted in grille, amber raptor style grille lights, LED rock lights, square led bed light, custom made fuse block tray, 12 blade Blue Sea fuse block, 100a marine circuit breaker, black plasti dipped full grille, tinted tail lights + third, Uniden 520 with 4' firestik, Bilstein 5100s with 620lb Eibach coils, Diff drop, Chevy 63 leaf swap, TG creeper joints, 14" triangulated biletein 5125s, 8" extended steel braided brake line, TG Rock Sliders, CBI Moab 1.0 front bumper, custom fabbed bed rack, full TRD E-Locker axle swap and matching re-gear with custom stand alone wiring circuit, 29 spline pinion flange from an 06 wishbone runner, tubbed for 35x12.5" general grabbers on Ultra type 181 wheels, crush sleeve eliminator, Mini ARB compressor, front ARB locker, garage fab aluminum front skid plate, custom built high clearence rear bumper, removable mothafuckin doors
    mine looks like its growing little appendages. like an amoeba
     
  6. Nov 9, 2020 at 9:08 AM
    #6
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    racing_reject_001 likes this.
  7. Nov 11, 2020 at 8:36 AM
    #7
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...Eventually though, many laughs later, we called it a night. It'd been a short day on the trail, but one we'd all enjoyed. And, just as the day had been magic-tacularly beautiful (except for that thing we can't unsee), so the night was turning into the same - the mountains and stars around us glowing under the light of the moon....

    Keep reading the rest here
    The Day We Can't Unsee - Colorado #3

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    Keep reading the rest here
    The Day We Can't Unsee - Colorado #3
     
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  8. Nov 13, 2020 at 11:45 AM
    #8
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...In stark contrast to what had been a dusty trail weaving in and out of the woods, as the trail approached the punchbowl, it became a narrow shelf road, with a steep drop-off to the creek below. This in itself wouldn't have been much of an issue, but as we looked down the trail, a couple of fallen rocks were enough to get us out of our trucks to check them out before continuing....


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  9. Nov 16, 2020 at 9:34 AM
    #9
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...An hour or so after we set out for the morning, we finally broke through the thickest of trees and into a high-mountain meadow - views of Pearl Pass rising up before us and terrain becoming more rocky under our tires. As if we hadn't stopped enough already, Monte quickly slowed in the lead vehicle and soon we were all out admiring the first real pass that we'd conquer on this trip....

    Keep reading the rest here
    Oh Look, More Rocks! - Colorado #5

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    Keep reading the rest here
    Oh Look, More Rocks! - Colorado #5
     
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  10. Nov 18, 2020 at 3:47 PM
    #10
    BalutTaco

    BalutTaco Moja_Przygoda

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    You make me wanna get a 1st gen sooo bad...... :anonymous:
     
  11. Nov 23, 2020 at 7:54 AM
    #11
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...At 12,713 feet, American Flag Mountain might only be Colorado's 848th tallest mountain, but it was another all-time-high for us on this trip - just 8 feet higher than Pearl Pass the previous day. It was the perfect place to have lunch, chat with the few other folks who found themselves at the summit as we were arriving, and enjoy the views - even if they were just a little bit smoky....


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    Last edited: Nov 23, 2020
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  12. Nov 25, 2020 at 8:26 AM
    #12
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...The views - obviously, given that the entire road is above the tree line - are some of the best we'd had on the entire trip, and Monte and I made several stops along the way to take them in. Dan however pushed forward and was the first to reach the snow. Warning us over the CB that it was - in fact - impassable, he advised us to find a spot to park, and then come help him get his truck turned around on the narrow road.

    We obliged, finding the perfect spot to leave our Tacomas....

    Keep reading the rest here
    Mt. Antero 2, Us 0 - Colorado #7

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    Keep reading the rest here
    Mt. Antero 2, Us 0 - Colorado #7
     
  13. Nov 30, 2020 at 8:50 AM
    #13
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...One really nice thing about running trails in a different direction is that the views you get can make it an entirely different experience. The things that may have been in mirrors - or missed entirely - are suddenly front and center. That was definitely the case this year, the mountains above Hancock Lake rising up majestically out of the earth....

    Keep reading the rest here
    Tomichi is Open! - Colorado #8

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    Keep reading the rest here
    Tomichi is Open! - Colorado #8
     
  14. Dec 2, 2020 at 9:19 AM
    #14
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    It was cold when we woke up the next morning, but who the hell cares when a breakfast like this is in the works?

    Let's take a minute to appreciate exactly what we're looking at here. That's a ½ lb of some of the best - only available in Montana - bacon, two Yukon Gold potatoes all diced up and cooked with onions, and a few eggs scrambled up in bacon grease. All on a plate in the shining sun with a mountainous backdrop to die for.

    Keep reading the rest here
    It's Mines! All Mines! - Colorado #9

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    Keep reading the rest here
    It's Mines! All Mines! - Colorado #9
     
  15. Dec 4, 2020 at 8:18 AM
    #15
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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  16. Dec 7, 2020 at 8:54 AM
    #16
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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  17. Dec 10, 2020 at 7:49 AM
    #17
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...It was from this point on that our views of Corkscrew Gulch and Red Mountain No. 1 really never ended. Contrasted dramatically against the surrounding ridges and blue sky, I must have take nearly 100 versions of the same photo, as each time I glanced to the west, I couldn't help but gasp just a little....

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    More photos and the story
    Redhead Down, Again?! - Colorado #12
     
  18. Dec 14, 2020 at 9:40 AM
    #18
    turbodb

    turbodb [OP] AdventureTaco

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    ...From the Tomboy Mine, the trail began its final ascent to Imogene Pass. Once again on narrow shelf roads, we checked - and waited - for oncoming traffic before proceeding up the switchbacks. For me at least, the pause only added to the suspense of the moment, the reputation of this pass having been in the back of my mind for the previous two weeks....


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