Memorial Weekend 2006
10th annual!
Memorial weekend seems to be the weekend we all long for throughout the year. Especially when it’s bound to be the biggest, baddest Edge celebration so far!!! With the promise of good weather, along with one of the best camping venues in the state, all things were in our favor! A few of us made it up to camp on Thursday to stake our claim, while others arrived Friday as well as Saturday to join the festivities… Our Hawaiian theme went over huge, adding excitement to an already pumped up Crew! Zach was sure to provide the liquid refreshments as well as a hot-tub (yes you read correctly) a full hot-tub (105 degrees to be exact)… Oh yea… There was no expense spared when it came to this years celebration!!!
Saturdays run was quite a return to Slaughterhouse Gulch. No snow on the ground this time, but the challenges were sure there to be found! We had a keeler time on the big climb! Very loose, and shredded it made for a wicked first obstacle! We had lunch at the open area before the massive decent. The off camber sections were still as tilted as always giving that ever present Pucker Factor. After dropping down to the bottom we took it back up to the top. That climb was brutal as always… I led up to the top and took some great photos of the rigs one at a time as they came up. When Bo and Super Dave made it to the top, Bo decided to take a small photo opp on a log bigger than his 40” Swamper. Great photo, teetering back and forth with Super Dave holding on for dear life! Of course not to be shown up, Zach decided to put his front tire on a massive stump (with a little coaxing from the crew)… In doing so he did a little more than scratch the paint as he layed his new Z-71 body down on its side! Damn it! We felt helpless as it seemed to fall in slow motion. After confirming that all the passengers were ok and getting them out the beast, we began the winch operation. Due to the weight and mass of the Monster, we decided to use a 3 line pull to right the vehicle. With two attached to the frame, and one strap through the cab, we simultaneously tugged until the Chevy was shiny side up again… Gotta say, that’s about the last thing we expected for nothing more than a photo opp! The exit of the trail was as washed out as remembered. We all made it though without much of a problem. We then left “Some Kind of Monster” at the gas station at the top of Crow Hill, which Bo and Z planned to return to trailer home. At camp we enjoyed our annual Steak dinner. We all had a powerful appetite after a wicked day on the trail… Spirits flowed and so did the hot tub for a little R&R!
Sunday’s main event was also a re-revisit to Twin Cones. A few last Edge Heads joined us for our final run of the weekend. With 11 vehicles in all, it was lots of fun just enjoying the beautiful weather if nothing else… The trail was very much as in past years, pretty rough condition. The first major rock obstacle was a lot of fun testing my new 36” rubber… Gotta say the extra clearance gave an added Edge to the Crusher. Most of the crew took the bypass with good reason, but of course Artimus had to take the big dog line. His underpinnings had something to say about it though, getting high centered. Paul tried to pull him backwards, (while backing up he shattered a front hub!!!Ouch…)of course this didn’t work. I finally got the Crusher turned around and began to pull him from the top. With some help, rocking the vehicle by people power, we were able to free his Grand Cherokee and get moving again, with some loud cheers from the peanut gallery. The steep climb was as fun as always, very loose and unforgiving. We proceeded to the rocky section for a little 10-100… A few of the crew continued on up to the top of the Cones. Artimus found some more rocks to play in near the top. A little help from Uncle Warn got him out of the jam… The rest of the trip went better than planned… Vat-A-Country!! Great times, great friends and the best wheeling in the world!!! Our 10th annual was by far the best Memorial Trip to date! Can wait for the next one… Pasale’!!! Christopher…
