Rausch Creek May 21

I was out at Rausch Creek on May 21, with one of the Xterra clubs. NorthEastXterra (NEXTERRA) was holding its Black and Blue Run. The plan was that I would lead a blue group all day, and the guys doing Blacks would break off from the blue group around noontime.

Things never go as planned. We ran Trail 4 with no major problems, and the big guys went up Yellowjacket Ridge. We went over to the West Side, and planned to go down Trail J. There was a group of new, stock Landrovers at the top of J. Looks like they were trying to figure out how to go on that rutted beginning. After watching for minute, we went down H and to Trail 12. Thats where the carnage began. One guy in jeep broke his rear shock, which broke his rear track bar mount. They strapped his rear, and got him back to the parking lot. I continued to lead the blue guys on 12. Half way around, one guy's dash lit up like a Christmas tree. We check his fluids, which were ok. I checked his alternator output, which was not ok. We continued on toward a point where he could bail out if he wished, but by the time we got there his alternator light was off. He chose to continue. We finished trail 12, and stopped for lunch at the junction of trail H, J and 11. During lunch one of the guys noticed that he broke one of the leafs in his spring pack. We took him back to the parking lot. By the time we got there, the other guy with the lit dish was running bad. With the engine running, his battery was down to 7.5 volts. Finally, another guy notice that he had snagged his rear brake line, and as he was getting it back in place with a zip it began to leak.

So, out of 8 trucks, 4 were out of commission by 3:00, and nobody really hit any black trails. They were able to weld the track bar mount for the one guy. The other guy had a spare alternator which he swapped in the parking lot, The guy with broke leaf went up to Harry's U-Pull It to try to find one, and the other guy went to town for a brake line.

The trail conditions were not bad. Just a little wet because of the rain, but not too bad.

k_enn

Wow, bet you are glad to drive an X. you don't need to Just Empty Every Pocket

Two jeeps, six Xterras. One jeep down (track bar), three Xs down (leaf pack, alternator, and brake line). At a three to one ratio -- they did about the same.

How about that. Even break downs. Wish you were coming to the C4C.