George Washington National Forest

Harrisonburg, VA

by Randall A. Gobleck

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EVENT: 9/13-15/96 Fri-Sun @ "GWNF Weekend Trail run" OCC trip #17F-Su.

Randy Gobleck, 87 Black Samurai, Rockville, MD; Passenger - Bob Oliver, Olney, MD
Mike Moran, 87 Black XJ, Springfield, VA; Passenger - Danny (daughter)
Roy Barrett, 91 DrkGry Toy Pick-up, Woodbridge, VA
Peter & Kelli Converse, 97 DrkBlue TJ, Dumfries, VA
George Mcfadden, 94 Red Rodeo, Falls Church, VA, Passenger - Kim Sherwood
Chad Ludwig, 93 DrkBlue Ranger, Arlington, VA
Chris Fairchild, 92 Black YJ, Fairfax, VA, Passenger - Rich Hawkins
Dave Coleman 9?, Red/White YJ, Harrisonburg, VA, Passenger - Dave (son)

"The Gang" Meeting at the Chevron station in Harrisonburg.

1st trail ride - On Forest road 85 & 225 (Which is a Baltimore 4 Wheelers' adopt a trial). See Directions.

2nd trail ride - On Second Mountain Trail, Gauley Ridge Road and then cross over Long Run Road and continue onto Old Long Run Road (until you exit right at 612 to head out to 33 west and home.) See Directions.

Well here I go with another tall tale. First let me say it was LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONGGGGGGGGGG day and I'm sure I forgot a lot of it.

We had really grandiose plans for a few of us going down Friday night (9/13) and camping. Then the rest of us arriving Saturday Morn and joinin in for the Sat. only part of the Trail Ride. And another group of us coming in Sun only to meet the campers and continue on a Sun Trail ride. I can tell you my piece of it changed every 30 minutes from about 4p Fri on and so I'll assume everyone else went through the same. Why is life complicated sometimes? I guess being Fri the 13th we shouldn't ask why, just be happy it came and went.

Ok, so it came down to me going Sat and driving the entire day by myself or not going at all. So I decided to go and just camp with those who intended to camp and not worry about driving home the same day. After staying up late to pack all the camping gear, I got a call around 1145p from a friend who decided to go and help with the driving. Lost all that sleep packing camping gear for nothin! AND had to put away all that junk to boot... Jeezee Peezee, talk about a waste of time.

So everyone met up in Virginia off Rt 66, just outside of the DC beltway around 6:30ish. Of course I was the 1st to show up, AGAIN! I've got to learn to be later and get more sleep. Next came Chris in his fatigues. After insulting him by not recognizing him, I explain my continued overheating problem and a need to drive only 55, so I was leaving and would meet them at the Rt 33 West exit off of 81 in Harrisonburg. Off I went to take advantage of the cool morning. Little did I know how much cooler it would be the rest of the day. I don't think the temperature got above 53 on the one side of the mountain during the first trail ride.

We all met up in Harrisonburg at a gas station about 3 hours later. Just to note it; the ride from Rt 66 to the Chevron gas station in Harrisonburg was only about 2:10 and 123 miles. I got to meet everyone and off we went, on a 30 minute ride to the 1st trail of FR 85.

There have been some HEAVY rains and FLOODing out here in the East. (Don't know why we never make the news with all the Hurricanes and stuff?) This area was hit hard with the water. (As we were to find out on the 2nd run of trails.) The road was washed out at the entrance (near the dam of the lake), and the road workers were in the middle of replacing it. Mike talked them into letting us pass, with a finesse typical of only him. (You'd call it bulls??tin, if the rest of us tried it.)

(In these areas they build dams in the mountain streams to prevent flooding during heavy rains. This lake we passed must have risen about 30-40 feet and flooded the road we were on by at least 4 feet and that is what washed out the road as the water went around the dam. This is the whole reason we went this weekend to take advantage of the challenges of the washed out roads.)

Here's a picture of Mike's daughter (Danny) at the lake. Notice how high up we are above the concrete overflow (off her right shoulder). The water was over her head by at least a foot.

Little by little FR 85 turned into a trail, which was pretty much a bouncy dirt (and gravel at sometimes) road. Got pretty rough at some points and lots of wooptie-doos (sp?). There were lots of, uhm, I guess you'd say trackers / dog chasers out that day. Apparently their sport is to let a bunch of dogs loose (that have radio collars) to chase a bear and they try to track the dogs with their lil antenna device thingies. I guess the idea is to get a fix where the bear lives so when huntin season comes along they know where to kill it.

Anyway everything was going along quite smoothly except for Mike Moran's brakes. He worked on them the night before and they were too smooth. As in, the pedal went right to the floor, smmmmoooooth as ice. Lucky for him, he didn't screw up the parking brake. Actually I guess we should call it by it's alternate name at this point, as it truly became the emergency brake. We had a short stop to straightened bent parts, and reassembled according to the Manual, instead of the new improved Moran method.

Past a few campgrounds, and stopped in an opening called Meadows Knob (I think) at the top of the mountain for a view to our left. (FR 85 ends at this point.) It was a spectacular view. Clear, clean, crisp and Cold (or so I was told). I noticed everyone was putting on more and more layers and the girls (and the thin guys) were the 1st back in the vehicles. I was still in a short sleeve shirt and was enjoying the comfortable weather. Everyone had lunch at this point and I went driving on to explore FR 225 (which continues beyond the opening). The trail went into more dense woods and got a little more rockier, but nothing difficult. Just a nice bouncy road if you went fast enough.

After everyone finished eating, we continued on. Mike showed us the one (of only two) obstacles on this set of trails. It was a rock stair climb. A few of us tried it and we took some pictures for those who relate better to the visual sort of thing. But they all sucked in terms of lighting, except this one of Mike stage just at the beginning of the stairs.

Then off down the rest of the trail we went, enjoying the peaceful ride until we meet up with Obstacle #2, "The Dirt Mounds". Actually the obstacle weren't really in the way, we had to go to them. The dirt mounds were kinda fun as they were steep hills and gave some of the newbies a chance to get a feel for their vehicles. Took a few pictures here, especially when Mike and Roy decided to crest the top of the Dirt Mound and come down the other side. I have to say I was a bit amazed that anyone would even try it. Well not really, I guess I expected Mike to, But for Roy to follow Mike? Let me just say it this way: "It's one thing to be a fool, it's another to follow one." So they had their fun and that was about it for that set of Forest Roads (85 & 225). Once again the Pics don't do justice to the angle or the height.

Next came the second and better set of trails which started at Second Mountain Trail. It started off with a REAL BANG!!!, Literally!!!!

George and Kim started off up the first 3-400 yards of the trail, where there is a power line on the right side. Then the trails comes to a "Y" and you go on the forest road to the left. The power lines make a 90 degree turn and follows the private road on the right. (Don't go there!)

You don't want to go this way unless your destiny is with certain death. Some wild-man with a rifle walked right up to George's vehicle and was pointing it in Kim's face. I get the feelin he wasn't the talk-a-tive type, so later on, we introduced him to Mike. (HA! That's a good one. Sorry Mike) But before this happened I think Chris was up in the "Y" and I was sure to follow, as we needed to take our turns at the "Y" if we were to leave. Ok, let's call it a "T". That "Y" thing is starting to sound too, well you know...

As we arrived 3rd at the "T", the wild-man is still pointing at all of us. I kinda remember Bob saying "He can't point a ga,ga,ga,ga,gun at us, Th,tha, tha, That's illegal!" in this totally absurd high pitched voice. I told Bob, now is not the time to argue. Chill dude! I kept waving at the guy to put the gun down. (Kinda like that dance "The Bird" from the 80s.)

Anyway, Mike kept saying to "Stay up there", but I noticed he was saying it from the CB about 300 yards back. Well the wild-man was about 50 yds away when I heard a gun shot go off. Unfortunately for Me and Bob, we were the closest at this time, and when we looked up, His gun was pointed right at us. (I never realized how the hairs on the back of your neck raise up when you've been sighted in. I wonder if other animals get that same feeling?) I'm also still wondering which way he shot. No one was looking, and all of our windows were open. Maybe he shot in the air, maybe we got lucky as it whizzed through the vehicles. We'll never know. Bob was still saying, "WA,WA,WA,Well he definitely can't do that!". (Well DUHHH?)

Well low and behold Mike finally walks up the hill to join us and the wild-man. I don't think the guy had dropped the gun down yet. Mike starts screaming at him something like "WE ARE GOING THIS WAY, and that "IT IS A FOREST ROAD" and "YOU CAN'T STOP US AS IT'S FOREST, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH". I guess CRAZY-MIKE scared the wild-man, because the gun lowered. Mike told Chris to go ahead up the forest road and stood there defiantly toward the wild-man, as in if to dare him to raise the gun again and go ahead and shoot Chris to stop him, I dare you, sort of thing.

Needless to say Chris didn't like being the pawn in this game, but he quickly speed off behind the rock ledge. The wild-man was beatin and turned and slumbered off. The rest of us continued up the forest road with a huge sigh of relief. Sorry I didn't get any pictures of the biggest obstacle of the day, "The Wild-Man"... I don't think it would have been a clear picture, the way my hands were shaking.

We rode the trail through a few small mud puddles. (Small in comparison to the Range Rover Test Track we're use to. See http://www.4x4NOW.com/trmdrr.htm.)

Next you arrive at an opening at the top of Second Mountain near the power lines. (I guess it was Second Mountain as that was the name of the trail leading up there.) There was a beautiful panoramic view to the East (on your right as you drive) of the entire town of Harrisonburg, in the valley below.

After taking our pictures, we went to look at a side trail that we are no longer allowed on, per request of the forest service. Otherwise I'd be describing the GREATEST Obstacle of the trail! (NOT!) I guess they're just watching out for our safety. THANKS MOM!

We continued on through the woods, slightly down hill, to the next open field with a view to the left and I think there were power lines on the right. Commander Mike ordered us on without stopping for pics, so blame him... More open downhill trails, and wooptie-doos. Then Second Mountain Trail arrive at an ATV staging area or your right.

(If you continue strait past the ATV area, you end up on the tail end of Dictum Ridge Trail. This trail has some ATV trails off it and leads down to Rt 33, where the entrance is. The entrance gate at Rt 33 is usually closed because it start out on private land, then goes through forest land, then back onto private, and finally back onto forest land as it approaches the ATV staging area. In other words, if you go down it, you might find your self at a closed gate when you arrive at Rt 33.)

Soooo, Make a 90 degree right turn at the far end of the ATV staging area and you will arrive at Long Run Road in about 1/4 mile, or so. WE stopped for a group photo opp., first.

Chad and George needed to head home so they turned right at Long Run Road and headed home. We six, continued on into the evening.

As you cross over Long Run Road you are on Gauley Ridge Road (trail). After traveling on Gauley Ridge for (oh, I don't know) 15 minutes or so, you come to an opening in the forest. Not real big, but a field with some more Power lines. Gauley Ridge Road continues (on over into West Virginia) as it turns right at about an 80 degree angle and back into the woods.

You have to look REAL close at this point, because you just passed the road you want. It's a smaller trail, with a small opening in the forest. It is on your right at about 130 degree turn. Kinda behind you. This is OLD Long Run Road. You know you're on the right trail when you see that it is narrower and very dense and dark. (Of course I always get there in late evening and the sun is on the other side of the mountain.) Eventually you see a see a stream on your left with a steep cliff. The cliff becomes less and less as you go down the mountain toward the stream crossings.

At some point I have to thank everyone for letting me go first, so I could keep my speed up to cool my engine. (I don't think the rest of you noticed, you were so far back.) So thanks Mike and Roy. Or so I thought as I approach the stream, with night fall coming upon us. This was my passenger's (Bob) 1st real 4 wheeling trip and he just started laughing out loud when he saw the stream crossing, saying how we had to go all the way back now as this was uncrossable.

The stream had seen plenty of water over the past few days. The far bank was about 3.5-4 feet strait up. NO, actually it was undercut, so it was angled entirely the wrong way. The near bank was about 2.5 feet down and the stream was just wide enough to fit a jeep when you dropped in. If I went in my bumper would go into or under the opposite bank, so I piled some big rocks to give me a fighting chance at leaping onto the other bank. As I jump into the cold water to do so, in my shorts and no shirt, I noticed everyone else had piled their layers of clothes back on. I guess it got cold and no one told me about it!

Well this was going to be a blast! I'm not the kind to love a good challenge. I like to even the odds 80/20 in my favor for making it verses rolling. Oh and did I mention if you slip right, you'd probably roll onto your side as the stream dropped in the next pool. After digging my shackles in the bank a few times, I final got up and out and pulled way forward to make room for all those who get to follow.

This is me, half way up the far stream bank, with shackles underneath the undercut bank. I'm assessing how many more rocks are needed just to get my shackles to scrape dirt so my tires have a fighting chance at something more than the air in the undercut.

Roy (in a Toyota truck) was next, and he pretty much made it, except his rear slipped toward the right. He took a little while to line up and tried again.
Here's a pic of him with his front end, in and across the stream. Notice his rear end is still on the bank. (This was not a fun crossing for a pickup truck.) This is a good picture, as it shows the height of the far bank. (The rocky area above his hood.) Look at all the rocks piled into the tree roots, then a black area (above and to the left), and the rocky bank above that. That black area is the under cut. All of those rocks piled in the rooty area was the open air of the under cut.

Next was Chris, he went in ok, but slipped his front and rear to the right and ended up teetering on two wheels with no lockers. This is another decent shot that show the depth and angle of the far bank. After he slipped right, his right front tire found the open air of the undercut that we hadn't filled in. With one tire up on the bank, we opted to winch him, a'la Roy.

We had limited parking and 3 more vehicles to go; So Chris opted for Valet parking. Next came Pete in a Stock 97 TJ. In went the rock pilers (sp?) (those who pile rocks), much to the commanders (mm) disapproval. I think we winched Pete too, after a gallant try. He almost made it, which just goes to show, save you money and buy a winch. No tires, no lift, no lockers, etc, etc... Ok I'll concede skid plates as they are invaluable.

Next came our Local-boy / guide. Another Gallant try but, he knew we had a long night ahead of us and opted for bit of a winch, rather than break something this early. Commander Mike came next and was complaining about how we piled too many rocks. I don't think he had time to blink as he went through. As a matter of fact we missed taking a picture of him so he backed down in and showed us again. I'm tellin ya, that boy is a nut! Nothin like a long wheel base at the right moment.

We regrouped at this point and let those who love the hardest challenges go first and those who were, Hmmm, let say, not real keen on damage, go last. Yep you guessed it. I was behind the brand spankin new 97 TJ. I figured if he could make it, I was ready to go. Dave and Mike were bucking for the lead, followed by Chris and / or Roy, then Pete and me. I guess this is a testosterone thing.

Note: For those who are reading impaired, you can just skip the rest, as there are no more pictures. (Of course you can't understand this, so the joke is for the rest of us.) We got pretty busy from this point on. Yeah, I know, the best sections are yet to come.

There were about five more of these fine, fine obstacles to go. This first crossing was about medium difficulty compare to the rest.

The next was a long creek crossing with some well placed boulders and a steep bank. But it wasn't to bad and I think we all made it through.

Next if I remember correctly was a fallen tree that made a water fall (when the water was higher) and washed out the other side about 3-3.5 feet deep, with a 4+ foot deep hole on the left. Dave jumped up like a young Buck in rut and was rarin to go. He approached the log, dropped the front end over, and the left wheel found that deeper part of the hole, and he was stuck good. Little Dave was smilin up a blast. Out came his winch to drag him over.

While Dave was busy blocking that section of trail, Roy and I were scouting out the possibility of driving through the stream to avoid this mess. (Actually, were Dave was, use to be the stream and where the stream is now, use to be the trail; According to Mike.)

The stream looked promising, except for maybe a tight squeeze at the end. Since Dave was still blocking the other route, Roy bounced off through the stream. I don't think luck was with Roy at that particular moment. He found the one rock that could stop him. It caught him dead center on the rear diff and as he drove forward the rock rolled with him and lifted both rear tires off the ground; And that took care of his LSD giving him any more help for a while. Up front only one wheel had traction. So there he was on one front tire and the center of the rear diff, just rockin. We pulled out the hi-lift and got him down from his rock perch.

Meanwhile, back at the log, Dave had managed to move forward. He left his tree strap in place for the rest of us. I think Mike went next and knocked the log down a bit which made it more angled for the rest of us, rather than a 3-4 foot drop. Chris or Roy (yep he backed up when he saw the log fall down) went next. And Rich and I kept piling up rocks in preparation for the TJ and me going over.

At this point Dave went off to scout if it was even possible to make it out of here tonight. Brave soul, our prays were with him. Commander Mike took over lead for the rest of the troops followed by Chris and Roy, then Pete and Me.

Well, we all made it through the next few stream crossings before our next BIG obstacle which was a wash out in the dirt section of the road. It was about 3-5 across and at least 3 feet deep. I wish I was there to see how Dave had made it through by himself. Everyone one except Mike was getting some what gun shy and this point. (NO, NO, NO, I'm not talking about the wild-man with a rifle coming back.) I noticed everyone was a bit more eager to pile in rocks. The thing about this hole was a steep bank on our left, so we couldn't go that way and the trail across the washout was half gone. So if we slipped to our right we'd roll into the rest of the wash out.

After piling up all the rocks we could find (to lessen the depth) we began to cross. OH, did I mention Mike was already over on the other side. I missed that happening too! But there he was. (Remember, we don't call him Crazy-Mike for nothin!) So as each of us made it half way across, Mike attached a strap to us in case we started to slip to the right and roll. Roy was the first in his Toy truck and sure enough, his right rear wheel slipped bit farther than it should have. We got the strap on him and Mike tugged him over. The rest of us made it fairly well.

We met up with Dave again at a doosy of a stream crossing. This one had to be at least 5 feet down, if not six. I'm 6' tall and I was in the stream spotting people. As I looked up to spot them I was lookin under their vehicles as they came down. I was the only one I remember getting hung up here. After spotting everyone, you'd think I'd have known what I was doing, being the last guy. I missed something, cause I ended up facing strait down and hung up on a BIG rock with my shackles. Two brave souls (Chris & Rich) pulled the rock out as I backed up 6" (to get the vehicle weight off of it) by slipping the clutch and revving it, trying to hold it without stalling it, as they were underneath.

Whew! Needless to say I made it, as I'm writing the story. We finally made it out to Rt 612, turned right toward Rt 33, took it East back to I81 and headed home. Everyone stopped to eat but me. I went strait home, exhausted after driving all day. Actually my passenger drove all the way down and back for me, while I slept like a log.

Disclaimer: The tale you just read was enhanced through embellishment and / or exaggeration, to draw it's reader into a fantasy world of make believe; So that those who could not make it there or those who rarely get to go, can picture themselves riding along in their dreams. This is not necessarily an account of actually events but a fictional story of an evening viewed by an individual who is on heavy medication.

Take care,

Randall A. Gobleck

U.S.A. MOOoo-ZUKI 4-Wheeler; American Samurai Assoc.; Baltimore 4-Wheelers wanabee; Off Camber Clan

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