Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Been There Done It ...(Rubicon Report)


mudrat79
 Share

Recommended Posts

Seeing's how I'm the First one with a chance to get on the puter,

 

WE WENT , WE DID IT and WE CAME OFF THE TRAIL UNDER OUR OWN POWER....:moon:

 

We also gained the respect of many jeep and Toyota Rock Crawlers.......

 

Those guys have nothing on our rides.....

 

Its Super late, And I'm way tired....Eric and Ken should be getting home any time, or may be there passed out already.....? We will post more later.....

Got lots of Pics to go thru, and about 2 hrs of Very Kick rump roast Video thanks to Eric and his Killer cam...:headbang:

 

We broke lots of axle stubs, axles and bent 2 struts, but we fixed it all, and still drove them off the trail and Home.....

 

Many thanks go out To Subaru of America For sponsoring the Welders, I got to use it 4 different times on our rigs,

 

I won't say too much, other than it was WAY WAY COOL to have toyota Guys jumping out of their 30,000 dollar trail buggies to take pics of our rigs like they were foreign tourists on the trail for the First time........:banana:

 

Anyhoo......Enough for now, Eric has the best pics and Footage, I'll let him or Ken post the first Pics.......

 

Nite All........John and the "BEAST"

 

AKA New name :

"WEEBLE WOBBLE "....:D

You'll have to see video to understand it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, made it home, and it's pretty late. The only real reason I'm posting is cause my computer is already on, and everything.

Had a great time today guys, glad that I got to ride up with ya, and hang out for a while. Can't wait till I can take mine out on a trail with ya'll. Although anything local that we go to will prolly be like nothing to you seasoned Vets. Hats off to you, and a 21 gun salute.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bravo guys and gal!!!

So when you get recovered enough to post more info, how about a run down of what each of the vehicles were like going into this. I'm talkin like mechanical specs (and of course photos) since I know you guys have been doing major mutations to get ready. Congrats you pioneers of Subaru offroad!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First. To all of you who doubted or hated. . .

You can kiss the Hatch Patrol/Oregon Off Road Subaru Club's collective rump roast!

:moon:

 

Group.jpg

(Yeah, that IS a 12 inch lift on John's 2.2 powered hatch.)

 

With that said.

I could not have been in abetter group of companions. Any body who ever talks bad about Ken, John, Anthony, Robert or Lori will be black marked in my book for good, and I mean that. Decisions were made as a collective, there was no real leader, we all took our turn. We all worked as a team, sharing responsibilities and duties. We kept each others' spirits high every time another break happened. We looked out for eachother and everybody pitched in to his/her best ability. We stuck up for eachother when the occasional rump roast hole reared his head. We did our best to respect the rules of the trail. They were all very patient with me as I ran ahead to set up my camera to film, even though I know they were chomping to get over that new obstacle. (did I mention I walked/jogged about 30 miles or so on my bum knee in 4 days?)

 

We did indeed beat a couple of the harder parts of the Mighty Rubicon! I do indeed have proper documentation of it on digital tape about 1 hour and 40 minutes long. Anybody who's seen my Off Road videos has seen nothing yet. The hardest stuff we've ever done in the past was about a 3 on the scale of 1-10, the Rubicon would rate a 9. It is as it's described. I have many many many still shots, taken with both of my digital cameras as well. Pics soon, I promise video in it's time. (I'll start a separate thread soon)

 

The photos will be posted on the Hatch Patrol.com as we sort thru them.

 

We did not make it to the famous Little Sluece Box, but did conquer the equally as famous Gate Keeper, or "Post Pile" or what the locals call "Rookie Filter". ( The VAST MAJORITY bypass this obstlacle and come in just 3 miles of so below the Sluece thru relatively easy trail. ) :D We did indeed make it up Walker's Hill without moving rocks, even though told groups had been lately. We did it in front of a group of seasoned Rubicon spectactors who's first comment was "We wanna be impressed". They had broken a transfer case on one of their big Yotas attempting it. They walked away impressd, believe me. (nother story, all on film!)

 

We did indeed gain the respect of jeepers, yotas, and the locals. They also, except a minute few of the guys on the trail, gained respect from us. Not only does it reside on the refridgerator ant Uncle Tom's Cabin, but our "Hatch Patrol Rubicon 2003" logo sits proudly on the wall of "Robb's" wall of club logos at the camp ground/general store/bar/restaruant!!!!!

 

**************************************************

We want to also thank Frank and his employees for not only letting us leave the two tow rigs for 4 days, but for their hospitality, kindness, trail information, and encouragement. We were timid and unsure if we were nuts when we approached, we'd been told since day one of planning that it was an impossible trail for the likes of our rigs. Once they got a look at our rigs, heard our story, saw we obviously meant business, they were the first to ever tell us we could most likely pull it off.

**************************************************

 

We were prepared as well as anyone who was on the trail, and more prepared than most of them, no spoob. We possessed every item on the long list of things needed and recommended in the Rubicon "Bible" but 2 before tackling the trip. The two included: an experienced guide, and spare keys. We found out that we did indeed possess vehicles prepared for the Rubicon Trail.

 

The actual story in another post.

 

Back safe and sound, Eric Zap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm,

 

Not much to add except that those who supported us rock...those who didn't:moon:

 

We did what we set out to and more. We took three mostly untested rigs into the 'Con" and drove them out. We had damage but not what we were told would happen. Suspension and axle damage but not any body damage to be seen.

 

This is not a trail for the faint hearted or unexperienced.

 

BTW, I took my Brat in with about 50 miles on a new motor and drove it like I stole it then drove it back to Eugene.

 

We stopped and chatted with many drivers along the way.

 

I'm still tired from the week. I'll add more later.

 

Qman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another thing the guys should be congratulated for is pulling off this amazing feat without the whole world knowing about it until they had finished the project. While they were on the trail I kept checking the Pirate bulletin board hoping for information on their progress. Nothing but silence until they should have been done. Bob finally asked if anyone had seen them and then it was cool to read their discussion when the news of Subarus on the Con got out. Check it out, they seem both impressed and curious about the technical specs of the machines. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=170181&highlight=subaru

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hehe If they were at Spyder Lake and didn't see us, it's because they took the easy way in thru Loon Lake and not thru the Gate Keeper like we did. It would have been impossible to miss us on the trail we were on. When the Toyotathon is over, they'll most likely drive home and have plenty to say.

(Did you know that locally, the Pirates are reguarded as the assholes of the trail? They're the ones known to gladly strip your stuck vehicle and the ones drinking and shooting guns, leaving garbage and parts behind?)

 

We never did make it to Spyder or the Sluece. We made it about 2 miles from the Sluece. We ran out of spare parts, and didn't wanna be dicks and possibly block the trail for the hundred or so Yotas coming thru in groups of 20 about once an hour on Friday. The people we explained this to didn't say we were pussies for deciding this. They gave us respect for repecting them and the trail. They thought we were unlike most idiots who would insist on proving a point and continuing. We had already done the Gate Keeper, the Slab, and Walker's Hill. 2 of the 3 are listed among the "most difficult" on the map's legend. We were satisfied.

*****edit****

to keep the record clean, we may have confused the post pile with the gate keeper. Gnarly at any rate. We can only go by what we're told, as the gatekeeper was not mentioned in the "bible".

****edit****

 

More and more stories soon. Pics also, I promise. The video will take a little while. You've waited 10 months, another won't be so bad. :brow:

 

Zap

 

"jeeps. . . taste like chicken"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Zapar

(Did you know that locally, the Pirates are reguarded as the assholes of the trail? They're the ones known to gladly strip your stuck vehicle and the ones drinking and shooting guns, leaving garbage and parts behind?)

 

 

This is a very interesting thing to say, and I'm sure others (including members of that club) would have something to say about it. I'm not gonna start a flame war between this board and that board, but without actual proof (and not third hand info), I think it's a pretty bogus thing to say.

 

I've talked at length with Lance, the owner of Pirate4x4.com, and he's always been a nice guy. He's also helped the sport of rockcrawling along in many, many ways.

 

**EDIT**

 

And just to be sure, are you talking about the Pirates of the Rubicon, or about board members of pirate4x4.com? While you might think they are one and the same, they are not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Zapar

(Did you know that locally, the Pirates are reguarded as the assholes of the trail? They're the ones known to gladly strip your stuck vehicle and the ones drinking and shooting guns, leaving garbage and parts behind?)

 

 

Zap

 

"jeeps. . . taste like chicken"

 

How do you know this? Do you know any of the actual members of the Club(not pirate4x4.com)?

 

I personally know alot of the members of the club and they are NOT known as the "assholes" of the trail. They will NOT strip your stuck vehicle, they do NOT just go off shooting guns and leaving trash and parts on the trail. Actually, this year will be there 7th annual Spider Lake Clean-up run where the trail get picked up of trash, parts, and even human fecies from Loon Lake to Buck Island. So please don't go and spout off saying lies about the Pirates that are NOT true!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...