BeefaRu

Bump: Photo album & videos added - Click here I documented the trail in & three destinations for the USMB Colorado group. I had a great ride, but It'd be fun to get you guys up there.

It ended up being a solo ride, but an awesome one as you'll see from the photos and videos. Its a great ride and definitely worth doing. I really enjoyed it. Click here for photos & vids. Here's the ride about 1/2 way in: This was taken pretty close to the intersection of the dark single dashed line and the vertical double dash line in the lower right of the map below. Spring 1998 And Oct 13, 9 years later: Map of the destination area about 1.5 miles west of Georgetown:

Just back from a funeral. Thanks for the replies. Meet at Denny's 9:30am 565 Union just south of 6th ave & Union on the west side. Look for my car in the lot. Bfast or lunch is on me -- you pick. The 4WD ride to one destination is only about 30 minutes - 20 of that is pretty much flat joyride dirt road. Depending on road speed, its 45min to an hour to Georgetown. The 4wd from first destination to the 13k summit is another 30 minutes if it can be done. All in all, not a very long day & I need to be back by 5pm anyway. Looks like it'll just be me, but I'll pm shawn, jerry and yeti just in case someone gets inspired.

Just watched "modern marvels: 4x4" on the history channel & now I'm psyched about the ride tomorrow. Hopefully I won't be alone on this outing. I'll start PMing if no one posts here soon. I can cover lunch or breakfast for whoever's coming. Drive your own rig, or ride/drive with me -- whatever gets you out there. --E

The 4WD ride is set for this Saturday with a morning departure that we can decide if I'm not the only one. Saturday is going to be the warmest and driest. Who's in? The 4wd is a fun ride, plus there's other 4wd and 2wd options nearby. The BBQ on the 20th doesn't have a start time yet. YodannyC has to work at 4, I need to take off by 5:30-45 to get to my performance up north. How about 11am start time? for the BBQ on the 20th It'll be a lunch/afternoon BBQ & I'll get up the latest details soon.

I've done I 70 west from Denver a bunch of times to Grand Junction and beyond. The only thing that'll stop you is a significantly big storm between Vail & Georgetown, really low temps and lots of wind. In that case they'll just close Vail pass and the pass to Eisenhower tunnel. If the Vail pass and the tunnel are open, they'll just plow and sand those to death. I go up to Copper mountain every week in the winter for skiing & the majority of the time there's few problems. Just remember, those 18 wheelers have to get those loads through the mountains every day, and with a lifted outback, as long as there's no chain laws for cars (they often require chains for trucks in a bigger storm) you should be good to go, and you can do it with chains as well, but I usually don't drive if I have to deal with chains. Big LED signs give you all the latest road info right there on the highway as you're getting closer to the passes. I've breezed over vail pass with 4-5 inches on the road, and have done the pass at Eisenhower with several inches in one lane and the other full of drifting snow all without chains. Just stay in lower gears and keep the speed down. That bad night on Eisenhower was at 3 in the morning going from Winter Park to Silverthorn in a BIG snowstorm after a performance. I was driving behind my girlfriend and she breezed up Eisenhower in her legacy automatic and that was AFTER doing the pass out of winter park which can be hairy. Its amazing how well subarus do in the snow. Just to be safe, and because the snow was around 6 inches on the west side of the tunnel, we left her car at the top and drove mine into silverthorn. The snow was about 10 inches deep on the streets there but fortunately it was fluffy and powdery so the Beefaru could cruise through it & get us to her place.

So.....you can make up for that by coming this weekend.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=44899&highlight=SKID 10TH down on the list. Thanks for the meat offerings!

OCt 20 for the end of season BBQ. This weekend for some actual fun before the end of the season. Whichever day is better weather wise. For now, saturday is looking to be the warmer/dryer day. Sorry, the post isn't that clear, but long story short, I'd like to get out and have a 4wd trail ride this weekend before the BBQ next weekend.

Excellent. Sounds like Yeti (Don) is game & Shawn is up for it. The drive up to Georgetown can be a leisurely as we want, then the trail is definitely subaru style. Even if he doesn't come, I'm serious about the invitation to ride/drive. There's nothing to worry about with the wagon as far as driving it, the trail just isn't that gnarly after the first 1/2 mile. I can manage whether I'm comfortable with something or not by just switching to driving it myself. No big deal, plus its more fun to have someone along...... Or you can bring your rig & 4wd, or we can have some non-4wd subarus come along & just stroll over Guanella pass. When it comes to doing 4WD by myself, or hitting Guanella pass with company, I'll take the company. Of course if you guys can wing it and do the 4WD that'd be even more fun. The only unknown here is the condition of the trail. I went to Ouray and rainy season had made a lot of the trails un-doable. We could easily go for 4WD and be shut down. That's why Guanella (or something else nearby) are backup plans.

Hey Jerry......you're welcome to ride shotgun or drive the Beefaru. It'd be great to have you along. BTW, the hatch looks amazing!

Hey Shawn, I'd be great to have you up for the ride. More fun than doing it alone. Approved motorized trails...... hmm. All I know is a lot of people 4WD those dashed line roads on the map. None of the roads are gated. I've been up there about 3 times myself. It seems to be a common place to 4wd. I've seen SUV's, jeeps, some small pickups, quad sports & motorcycles. The climb off the asphalt and into the first few switchbacks is really the only significant tough spot. After that, its pretty easy going. You know, if it would make it possible for more people to come, or if we get up there & its too hairy for some of us, we can ditch the 4WD and just cruise up Guanella pass. Either way, its great scenery & fun. --E

I'm going this weekend the 13th or the 14th weather permitting. Who's in? Start here: End here: You can 4WD right to the edge of a 1.5 mile long 2000 foot "cliff" at 13,000 feet overlooking two 14k peaks and mt kelso (on map)

Kingbobdole Would those skid plates your selling fit on my wagon? Bring em to the bbq & we can check it out.

I'm shooting for around 11am start time. Does that work for everyone? STUFF STILL NEEDED snacks? -- we could use some snacks, I can pickup stuff for smores side dishes? -- Girlfriend is doing cupcakes WHO'S COMIN' - WHAT THEY'RE BRINGING Me -- cupcakes, plates/utensils, condiments, fire spears Dr Krazy -- will bring BBQ/smoker Eyesore -- you still want to come? JeffFast -- bringing beverages & a dog Jerry Demoss -- can bring small propane BBQ if needed KingBobDole -- bringing burgers and dogs, buns and cheese Offroadsubaruguy -- cancelled due to work & thus the buns are cancelled Shawn W -- is coming "I can pickup stuff for smores" Toms Brats -- bringing firewood Yeti -- he's coming, but no word on salmon Yo Danny C -- is coming SAID THEY'RE CURIOUS/INTERESTED IN COMING J2coe Dave Valiant

October 20th - saturday my place. PM me & I'll send a google map link to my place.

Heads up......the title says 11/20 so maybe that should get changed....ha ha. Does someone have a head count of who's in so far? If you guys are game for moving it to my place, but we don't know who's coming for sure, then everyone who's serious about coming can PM me and I'll send each the Gmap to my place. Its really easy to find. Maybe we can coordinate w/ Dr Krazy to get that posted if we're changing to my place. --E

Here's a crazy idea. How 'bout we do it at my place? I wasn't really set up for this last year, but I'm actually set up pretty good now. I talked to Dr Krazy about this & he doesn't care where we do it, & we can't romp @ the spot near his place which is a bummer. The only thing I don't have is a BBQ, and firewood to burn, but here's what I've got: Long driveway - plenty of parking Huge back yard fire pit with stumps two umbrella covered tables- can seat about 8-10 right there more chairs, plus fold up chairs horseshoe pit big 10x10 tent thing if it gets rainy even a neighbor's horse to pet...ha ha I'm located between kipling and wadsworth just north of 20th avenue. I'm basically 1/2 way between 6th ave and I-70 Just an idea.....here's a few photos

Man am I glad I checked in! The screensaver on the computer started throwing up pix from the meet last year & had me thinkin'.....and sure enough! Went to Chicago and back in the Beefaru just a few weeks ago. Not too far from 200k on that 96 2.2. I've been jonezing to go up that 4wd trail outside of Georgetown before its too cold/snowy.

Jerry brought up mine so here it is. Lets see - the 2.2 had around 10k on it when it was installed in 1996. So thats 10 years, and I've been through 20 states with it. It has a total 186,400 miles on the conversion. The odometer was reset when the conversion was done. I'd shave about 5,000 off though because of wheel/rim differences and the spedometer runs 3mph high. --E

I agree - nothin like a Subaru playing in the snow. This was about a week or so ago.

I couldn't go monthly with all the stuff I have going on (writing the book, music work, prep & training for storms, 2 conventions coming up, working on selling more private party performances, then the spring storms, then the hurricanes).....no I got LOADS of spare time....hahaha. BTW it was cool driving your hatch. Once you land the RPM's in the sweet spot its a little tank! I have a soft spot for the "real" old school stuff. I used to have a (2wd) '77 celica hatch. Bought it for $500 drove it 5 years across a bunch of states and sold it for $300.

Here's the photo album. I liked the part of the day where Zyewdall is rapping his wagon out at 6k in an ocean of powder about 5 minutes after the guy with the snowmobile had bogged down his machine & put a big plume of blue exhaust into the air. When Z was rapping up for his run, a group of REI geared snowshowers crests the hill to the parking lot to see Z screaming through the snow. He boggs down, then I hear a woman in the group say.... "oh...thats the stink I smelled"

Too late on plates....old security habit. I'm uploading into a thread now. I like this one.

It was a BEAUTIFUL snowy day. Some of the pix look pretty good. Speaking of, email anything you want included and I'll put it into a photo page for the day and post it. I'll PM my address. --E