My first Frontier 4x4 Club Trail Ride - January 1998

I didn't get these developed (they were lost) when I first did the trail ride.. so it's now exactly one year later that I'm writing this short description.. wow how things have changed!

This was my first ride.. I put my (mostly bald I'm afraid) 31x10.50 BFG Trail TAs on for this trip.. with my 196-4cyl, 3spd, 4.09 gears, and rear Tracklok LS. I met the club at County Market and we headed up to Park Lake.. I spent the entire day on a strap! Oh well.. a year has made a huge improvement.. as of January 1999, my truck sits on 4" lift springs, 33x12.50s, I've swapped a 4spd and a V8 in, and a front locker.. plus a few other goodies. :-) and more on the way...

I remember early on.. I got sideways around a turn.. my rear Tracklok helped "suck me in".. Bryan and Joan came back for me in their CJ.. but Bryan couldn't get quite where he wanted to be, and got a little stuck on his own.. so Mike Kelly just drove down into the ditch on the side of the road and just floored it.. and muscled his way around me and then gave me the pull I needed..

The next stuck I remember was Tyler Gordon.. this was the maiden voyage for his rebuilt Bronco..

Tyler getting some help from Loretta and her Early Bronco, with Mike at the wheel.

My Scout at lunch time..

Mike and Tyler decided they had to show off and park in the side of the hill for lunch..

Don Gordon's Bronco is behind me.. he broke a front axle-shaft early in the day on the "easy" roads..

Bryan and Joan's Jeep CJ5 in front of me at lunch

Yet another lunch shot.. about the only time I wasn't shoveling!

And a shot of Bryan and Joan's CJ5 on our way home..

Wow.. only one year.. but it's been a LOT of fun. I'm really glad I finally got off my rear and contacted the local 4x4 club and joined.. and that I now have a rig that doesn't need strapped through EVERY obstacle.. what a great group of people I now call friends. Heck, they seem to like me enough (or maybe they don't?) that I was made President of the club this year.. I'm looking forward to MANY more years of fun with this great group of folks!

-Tom