77GreenMachine
Phillip Talton
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2010
- Location
- Trinity, NC
I canceled so my wife could take a trip to see family she hand't seen in 10+ years. When I was out, the few that were still going said they were out. But then that fell thru and I was back in business and decided I would still go if the others would.
We spent the whole weekend yelling at each other going "What is your name?!?!" It was something @Joe J. had sent a link to us all that we all have found incredibly hilarious. Him or @adamk will have to post a link for the clip I'm referring to.
Every time we all go wheeling, the trips gets a name. We usually figure it out around the end of the trip and this one stuck. The last trip with the group got named Rattlesnake 2020 because @Nakoma tried to give me a heart attack cause he yelled "Rattlesnake!" as I was walking up to put a strap around a tree, only to pause and follow it up with "Make sure you look out for em'" But I never wrote that story.
I have never had a bad trip to Harlan. Back in January when I went I had the best trip ever, which we call White Flour 2020, read here, and I didn't think it could be topped, but this one topped it.
Me, @cufor98, @D2320M, and @adamk rolled in at 10:45 on Thursday, ate, bought groceries, drove to the house in a downpour, waited that out and then hit the trails! I didn't get past the pass house before I realized my alternator wasn't charging. I had one in the tool box in my truck so they went ahead to play around on Still Hill while me and @adamk made short work of the swap back at the house. We rode several trails. We took it easy and rode some mild trails, but with the rain I found myself on the rev limiter just 20 minutes in. We rode Intimidator since it'd been years since I rode that and we just wanted to ride around. There is a nice ledge on the trail and rain we just had, it required several attempts, finally I put it in 2nd gear, threw the clutch away, found the rev limiter and made it over. I knew right then it was gonna be a fantastic weekend. We messed around on Fish Fossil and Lower Rock Garden, where my phone fell out of the jeep and got run over and got wet, it was done for. Huge bummer cause it's a company phone and I have to pay to replace it and they don't have insurance. So I had no phone all weekend (still don't) and zero pics, but I had a blast. I actually let Adam drive my jeep pretty much that whole day and it was nice to be in the passenger seat for a change.
From there we decided we wanted to go look at Mason Jar since back in January the tree at the entrance had been cut down and things were very different. It was very washed out and muddy, and we saw rain coming over on the next mountain so we headed back. But it was too late, 2 minutes into our trip back down the mountain the bottom fell out. I mean full out monsoon raining buckets. No top, no windshield, nothing. We were wetter than fish! It poured the whole way back to the house. Quick showers, frozen pizzas in the oven and some cold snacks and we were set.
Later that night @rcalexander105 showed up, followed by @ncsutj. Shenanigans and fun were had till about midnight, and then bed. I'm an early riser and don't sleep well when I'm out of town so the next morning I was up at 4:45. I sat around for a while, board, watched TV, and finally at 6 couldn't wait on coffee any longer. I made a pot, started frying bacon, promptly set off the smoke alarm in the house, and by 7-730 everyone woke up to a big ol breakfast already made for them.
We were on the trails by 9 and rode all day. We rode mild trails and hard trails, ran some trails twice just because, had lunch back at the house and went out again. We hit Your Turn, which now has a tree down but plenty of room to get under it. @D2320M just about dumped his bad on Crawfords Cry. @rcalexander105 made it up with some careful winching near the end, as did @adamk driving my jeep, and then dang if @cufor98 didn't come up it with no winching at all!
We went back to the house where @cufor98 made a fantastic Low Country Boil, thanks again! We spread it out on one of the trailers and stood around talking and eating way too much. Somehow we wound up back out there for some night wheeling, but left @ncsutj and @rcalexander105 rigs at the house. We tried Fish Fossil again and took some alternate lines to make it even harder. That was a blast, but then right at the exit @cufor98 starter went out. We were fixing to yank my starter and get his running then swap them back, when @adamk found a bad connection and that's all it was. @cufor98 was denied on the exits hill climb, even though me and @D2320M had just went up it. So he backs down and I decide I'm gonna do it again just to rub it in, but then I was denied and had to back down. Crazy since I'd done it the day before, and just 20 minutes before then. So of course @D2320M does it again. Bastard
Back at the house we hang out for a while and hit the bed. I'm up early again the next morning and make sausage gravy and biscuits for everyone. We kill a few pots of coffee and Robbie Mozeley comes to the house, and he's got @Granny with him. Robbie called him out of the blue on Wednesday and asked him to go with him. It made my weekend to see two friends that have been wheeling for 25 years get together again. Don said he was done wheeling and after his health issues this year he never ever thought he'd see Harlan again. He had so much fun, and I enjoyed watching him and Robbie wheel and just hang out.
Anyways, Robbie was down to ride Mason Jar, and we all knew we had to winch to get in the entrance. So with our trail lunches packed we headed out. We split over and hit Grape Vine to play a little have fun. From there we move with pretty good speed and got on over to Mason Jar around 11. We got everyone thru but Robbie busted a brake line, and @ncsutj got all twisted up and tippy! Then somehow, @cufor98 comes up and literally walks up it, no winch needed, no beat down, nothing sketchy, just goes right thru! We were blown away! Then, I came up and did the same thing! I couldn't believe it. In fairness, I had to try a little harder than @cufor98, but we both made it without winching. We got to the top and had lunch there, and continued on. @rcalexander105 had never ran Mason Jar, which I've talked up to him for months now. I think he was pleased! He'd also never seen the Lions Den, so from the end of Mason Jar we headed for Lions Den just to walk it and show him. I got twisted around on the wrong trail, had to turn everyone around, and had some electrical issues again, so me and @adamk kicked it in high gear to head back while the rest of the gang went on. I have had that alternator laying in my truck tool box for years, which was something yanked from a jeep I scrapped years ago. It got me thru the weekend so I ain't mad at it. I think I need a new alternator and battery.
We got back problem free around 3:30 and cleaned the house, threw some pork loin on my smoker, and enjoyed several cold snacks in the shade outside just talking about life and laughing about the chatter we could hear on the handheld GMRS radios we had. We could hear and talk to the guys from the house, while they were way up in the park. It was amazing, and convenient. I can't say enough how happy we have all been with these GMRS radios. We told them to continue riding other trails if they want, because we would have dinner ready when they returned.
While having more cold snacks and laughter, me and Adam had a blast. One of the funniest things that happened for the whole trip was me and Adam sitting there talking, we hadn't heard them on the radio for 15 minutes and suddenly we hear @rcalexander105 come over the radio and say "you're gonna have to give it a whole lot more Dales then that". Man we laughed so hard at that.
They came on back around 7:30 and loaded up, we had a killer dinner once again of smoked pork loin, green beans and mac & cheese, and polished of the most amazing brownies that @ncsutj's wife had sent! Thanks again. We sat outside for hours laughing and talking, enjoying the memories we'd just made for the best wheeling trip I've taken to date, the most trail miles ever ridden, and the fact that it was for the most part problem free with no real breakage. We rode SO many trails this weekend! About 9:30 @Granny and Robbie rode over to the house and we laughed and talked late into the night. I truly, truly enjoyed the company and think right much of you Don! I hope to be as fun and chipper, and willing to go do some hard wheeling on a whim when I'm your age.
Me and @cufor98 were the last ones up. We seem to get lost in deep conversations and lose track of time, we forced ourselves to go to bed at 1:45am. Up at 7am we packed and rolled out. The Huddle House in town appears to be closed, and it doesn't look temporary, major bummer. We got some food and bean juice at the Hardees instead and rolled home uneventful, sad, tire, sore, depressed, and happy all at the same time. And just like that the trip is over and COVID is back, work is back, adulting is back. Back to life.
Until next time.........................
I have no pics, but all the folks tagged here do and can upload them.
We spent the whole weekend yelling at each other going "What is your name?!?!" It was something @Joe J. had sent a link to us all that we all have found incredibly hilarious. Him or @adamk will have to post a link for the clip I'm referring to.
Every time we all go wheeling, the trips gets a name. We usually figure it out around the end of the trip and this one stuck. The last trip with the group got named Rattlesnake 2020 because @Nakoma tried to give me a heart attack cause he yelled "Rattlesnake!" as I was walking up to put a strap around a tree, only to pause and follow it up with "Make sure you look out for em'" But I never wrote that story.
I have never had a bad trip to Harlan. Back in January when I went I had the best trip ever, which we call White Flour 2020, read here, and I didn't think it could be topped, but this one topped it.
Me, @cufor98, @D2320M, and @adamk rolled in at 10:45 on Thursday, ate, bought groceries, drove to the house in a downpour, waited that out and then hit the trails! I didn't get past the pass house before I realized my alternator wasn't charging. I had one in the tool box in my truck so they went ahead to play around on Still Hill while me and @adamk made short work of the swap back at the house. We rode several trails. We took it easy and rode some mild trails, but with the rain I found myself on the rev limiter just 20 minutes in. We rode Intimidator since it'd been years since I rode that and we just wanted to ride around. There is a nice ledge on the trail and rain we just had, it required several attempts, finally I put it in 2nd gear, threw the clutch away, found the rev limiter and made it over. I knew right then it was gonna be a fantastic weekend. We messed around on Fish Fossil and Lower Rock Garden, where my phone fell out of the jeep and got run over and got wet, it was done for. Huge bummer cause it's a company phone and I have to pay to replace it and they don't have insurance. So I had no phone all weekend (still don't) and zero pics, but I had a blast. I actually let Adam drive my jeep pretty much that whole day and it was nice to be in the passenger seat for a change.
From there we decided we wanted to go look at Mason Jar since back in January the tree at the entrance had been cut down and things were very different. It was very washed out and muddy, and we saw rain coming over on the next mountain so we headed back. But it was too late, 2 minutes into our trip back down the mountain the bottom fell out. I mean full out monsoon raining buckets. No top, no windshield, nothing. We were wetter than fish! It poured the whole way back to the house. Quick showers, frozen pizzas in the oven and some cold snacks and we were set.
Later that night @rcalexander105 showed up, followed by @ncsutj. Shenanigans and fun were had till about midnight, and then bed. I'm an early riser and don't sleep well when I'm out of town so the next morning I was up at 4:45. I sat around for a while, board, watched TV, and finally at 6 couldn't wait on coffee any longer. I made a pot, started frying bacon, promptly set off the smoke alarm in the house, and by 7-730 everyone woke up to a big ol breakfast already made for them.
We were on the trails by 9 and rode all day. We rode mild trails and hard trails, ran some trails twice just because, had lunch back at the house and went out again. We hit Your Turn, which now has a tree down but plenty of room to get under it. @D2320M just about dumped his bad on Crawfords Cry. @rcalexander105 made it up with some careful winching near the end, as did @adamk driving my jeep, and then dang if @cufor98 didn't come up it with no winching at all!
We went back to the house where @cufor98 made a fantastic Low Country Boil, thanks again! We spread it out on one of the trailers and stood around talking and eating way too much. Somehow we wound up back out there for some night wheeling, but left @ncsutj and @rcalexander105 rigs at the house. We tried Fish Fossil again and took some alternate lines to make it even harder. That was a blast, but then right at the exit @cufor98 starter went out. We were fixing to yank my starter and get his running then swap them back, when @adamk found a bad connection and that's all it was. @cufor98 was denied on the exits hill climb, even though me and @D2320M had just went up it. So he backs down and I decide I'm gonna do it again just to rub it in, but then I was denied and had to back down. Crazy since I'd done it the day before, and just 20 minutes before then. So of course @D2320M does it again. Bastard
Back at the house we hang out for a while and hit the bed. I'm up early again the next morning and make sausage gravy and biscuits for everyone. We kill a few pots of coffee and Robbie Mozeley comes to the house, and he's got @Granny with him. Robbie called him out of the blue on Wednesday and asked him to go with him. It made my weekend to see two friends that have been wheeling for 25 years get together again. Don said he was done wheeling and after his health issues this year he never ever thought he'd see Harlan again. He had so much fun, and I enjoyed watching him and Robbie wheel and just hang out.
Anyways, Robbie was down to ride Mason Jar, and we all knew we had to winch to get in the entrance. So with our trail lunches packed we headed out. We split over and hit Grape Vine to play a little have fun. From there we move with pretty good speed and got on over to Mason Jar around 11. We got everyone thru but Robbie busted a brake line, and @ncsutj got all twisted up and tippy! Then somehow, @cufor98 comes up and literally walks up it, no winch needed, no beat down, nothing sketchy, just goes right thru! We were blown away! Then, I came up and did the same thing! I couldn't believe it. In fairness, I had to try a little harder than @cufor98, but we both made it without winching. We got to the top and had lunch there, and continued on. @rcalexander105 had never ran Mason Jar, which I've talked up to him for months now. I think he was pleased! He'd also never seen the Lions Den, so from the end of Mason Jar we headed for Lions Den just to walk it and show him. I got twisted around on the wrong trail, had to turn everyone around, and had some electrical issues again, so me and @adamk kicked it in high gear to head back while the rest of the gang went on. I have had that alternator laying in my truck tool box for years, which was something yanked from a jeep I scrapped years ago. It got me thru the weekend so I ain't mad at it. I think I need a new alternator and battery.
We got back problem free around 3:30 and cleaned the house, threw some pork loin on my smoker, and enjoyed several cold snacks in the shade outside just talking about life and laughing about the chatter we could hear on the handheld GMRS radios we had. We could hear and talk to the guys from the house, while they were way up in the park. It was amazing, and convenient. I can't say enough how happy we have all been with these GMRS radios. We told them to continue riding other trails if they want, because we would have dinner ready when they returned.
While having more cold snacks and laughter, me and Adam had a blast. One of the funniest things that happened for the whole trip was me and Adam sitting there talking, we hadn't heard them on the radio for 15 minutes and suddenly we hear @rcalexander105 come over the radio and say "you're gonna have to give it a whole lot more Dales then that". Man we laughed so hard at that.
They came on back around 7:30 and loaded up, we had a killer dinner once again of smoked pork loin, green beans and mac & cheese, and polished of the most amazing brownies that @ncsutj's wife had sent! Thanks again. We sat outside for hours laughing and talking, enjoying the memories we'd just made for the best wheeling trip I've taken to date, the most trail miles ever ridden, and the fact that it was for the most part problem free with no real breakage. We rode SO many trails this weekend! About 9:30 @Granny and Robbie rode over to the house and we laughed and talked late into the night. I truly, truly enjoyed the company and think right much of you Don! I hope to be as fun and chipper, and willing to go do some hard wheeling on a whim when I'm your age.
Me and @cufor98 were the last ones up. We seem to get lost in deep conversations and lose track of time, we forced ourselves to go to bed at 1:45am. Up at 7am we packed and rolled out. The Huddle House in town appears to be closed, and it doesn't look temporary, major bummer. We got some food and bean juice at the Hardees instead and rolled home uneventful, sad, tire, sore, depressed, and happy all at the same time. And just like that the trip is over and COVID is back, work is back, adulting is back. Back to life.
Until next time.........................
I have no pics, but all the folks tagged here do and can upload them.
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