Clayton 8-1 weekend :D

[wngrog]

Going wheeling in Clayton OK in August sure sounded like a good time when I called up this gang to meet me on my way home from Colorado this weekend. Heck, it was right on the way home from my family vacation to Silverton Colorado and I already had my buggy with me. Why not?

We assembled up on Thursday night at the Clayton Country Inn just north of Clayton. Working out in the parking lot late in the evening getting our buggies prepped for the following day’s adventure, we were all soaked through with sweat yet eager to try our machines against one of the toughest trails in the Southeast, Middle Slim’s Slope at Green Acres ORV park in Clayton.

Two years ago, Jim Alexander and I were the first two folks to make it up through this extremely challenging trail. We spent over 6 hours and winched 3-4 times each. It was June then, it was August now. I had a brand-new Twisted Customs buggy and since, Jim had added rear-steer to his Sunray Engineering buggy. We were now ready to take it without winches.

Joining us for the adventure was Hal Frost of Austin. Hal was driving his 4-wheel-steer Twisted Customs buggy. Although we have been internet friends for quite some time, this was the first time we were ever able to get together on the same trail. Carl McIntyre and his wife Anna were along as well. Cal too was driving his Twisted Customs buggy. He thought better of going wheeling in August, but he was not going to be left behind, heat or not.

Finally, rounding off the 5-some was my old friend Dan Gable. Dan and I have wheeled together for years, him in his orange FJ-40 and me in my old red FJ-40 Kate. We have not been able to wheel together in over 3 years, so when he and his wife Shakita accepted my invitation to head to Clayton in his new Rokit Enterprises buggy I was stoked.

The next morning we got an early start and nosed into the lower section of Slims at around 9:30 am. We made quick work of this section with its huge boulders and nice waterfall. This is a section that is often run by itself because it has a bail-out just before the middle section where the going really gets tough.

 

[wngrog]

Things were going pretty smoothly until I backed off a big rock to get realigned and when I came down my buggy shut off. I immediately knew that my fuel pump was dead, so I popped the hood and found a blown fuse. The new fuse immediately blew so we knew I had a short somewhere. We cut away the hot wire feeding the fuel pump to find that I had smashed it and it was shorting out on the frame. A small stitch of electrical tape and I was off in the lead again up to the first major waterfall. I had a little difficulty :laughing:

Jimbro was up next and he too winched after making it up the first ledge, the crack proving itself too much.

Dan was up next. He gave his new buggy hell and really heated up his new Maxxis tires, but it was just not to be.

 

[wngrog]

Hal worked the heck out of his rear-steer and nearly made it, but once again, the crack took him out. The sheer angle of ascent, combined with the loose surface makes this a really tough climb.

Carl was last but not least. It is clearly a tough climb when Anna decides to get out and let Carl go at it alone. He too was denied.

Immediately after this harrowing climb, there is a stack of rocks that really is tough to deal with. Jim and I both bulled cable again. It was a simple tug, but neither of us could get our back tires to climb. The problem with this spot is if you get too aggressive, you will fall off downhill and it will be a multiple roll. There is just too much fear-factor here to try to bounce it over.

Dan pulled off some superb driving and made it up next. His buggy took a nice bounce on a bump and wedged him in on the driver’s side and his Creepies hooked up and he was up.

Hal followed Dan’s lead and spanked the second winch spot with some excellent use of his rear-steer to wedge into the driver’s side wall.

 

[wngrog]

At this point, it was well after noon and we were only half-way through the half-mile trail. Carl informed me just before the second major obstacle that he had cut a sidewall on his driver’s front tire attempting the first fall. We borrowed a fix-kit from Jimbro and headed back to fix him up while the rest of the crew attacked the third waterfall.

We ended up trashing our only air source and Carl’s tire was still leaking even with the 5 plugs so he had to bail out. The rest of us had half of the trail left and we were wasted from the winch-fest in 102 degree, 90 percent humidity weather.

After I flailed away on the last waterfall and had to winch, we decided to do a little trail maintenance to make the hill at least possible for the rest of the group. We used Jim’s winch to pull some of the large boulders from the top down into the hole that messed me up so bad. In the process of doing so, we probably just made the section worse because neither Jim nor Dan were able to make it either.

Hal ended up pulling it off in the end with some excellent driving actually using the huge rock with his rear axle steering. It was great not to have to pull more cable!

After this section, we got into some nice rocks that are tougher than most all of the other trails in Clayton, yet we were all able to make it out without any more winching.

In the end, Hal Frost was the victor as he only winched one time. This is still the standing record for Middle Slims Slope. John Galbraith from Birmingham was in the last group to run the trail and he too only winched once in his rear-steer single-seat buggy.

Dan was runner-up with 2 winches. His new buggy is awesome and he is one of the most talented drivers in the country. It was great to be out there with him.

Carl was not able to take on the last fall because of the tire situation. Maybe after watching Hal’s line, he may have been able to pull it off.

Jim and I did not improve on our record of 3 winches in spite of a new buggy for me and rear-steer for him.

The good thing is that we will be back. The trail is just waiting for that first person that can drive it complete without a winch. Post up pictures when you do

Check out the rest of the pictures from the weekend at www.rockmidgetphotography.com

 

[InDaShop]

Copy, Paste Pirate reply


CHERRY POPPED!!!!

Sounds like you guys beat the snot out of some TC buggies! Good job Hal, glad to see you out trail riding.
Thanks again for the sweet write up Nolen. Almost felt the heat from my A/C of my home office. LOL

 

[BamaTJ]

Nolen, I don't think that crack is doable, it is just nasty. That next obstacle after it is also plain nasty. Love that damn trail!

 

[LOSER]

nice pics and writeup. Man i betcha it was hot as hell!!
where is middle slims? is that off of Van Alstyne?
Hope it cools off at least a little for the memorial day trip we got goin.. :-\

 

[Willymutt]

Dan's buggy is bad ass. I looked at it at RROCK and was really impressed with it. It was cool seeing it next to another TC buggy and comparing the differences. I really like the brake and turn lights he used.

Good to see you using your buggy too Nolen. First roll and all.

 

[wngrog]

Nolen, I don't think that crack is doable, it is just nasty. That next obstacle after it is also plain nasty. Love that damn trail!

It is doable with a little work. I am going to take out the two trees right at the base so you can get lined up on it correctly. The other 2 bad spots have been driven now. If they have been done, then I don't see any reason to mess with them, but that crack needs some work.

I have to get my idle lowered and my brakes need adjusting. I am kinda out of control out there right now. I have about 8 weeks until my next real run so I have time to get it all worked out. I am getting an a/c for my shop.

 

[P]

Nice write up Nolen, thanks man !! those pics are sweet and needless to say, thats a sick group of rigs right thar ! drool

 

[under_psi]

great write up.....looks like you guys had fun....

 

[vanguard]

Every time Nolen posts up Clayton pics I look up the directions on my google map (link in sig). 17 hours 46 mins but man, it looks worth it.

 

[bigsilly]

Every time Nolen posts up Clayton pics I look up the directions on my google map (link in sig). 17 hours 46 mins but man, it looks worth it.

That is a long haul for you, but you would so love it. I have not wheeled out West, but I just do not see how it could be any better. Of the places I have seen in the South East there is nothing better.

 

[Bones]

Van, you got KSrocks on your list.....really?

 

[P]

Van, you got KSrocks on your list.....really?

laughing1 Man that would be a very big let down for anyone that "traveled" to get to it.

That park is for residents of Ks only, if you dont live in that state you wont have any fun. (even then its only because it is an off road park )

 

[vanguard]

Nolen should give us a tour in the fall.

 

[InDaShop]

Nolen should give us a tour in the fall.

I have access to a full shop 4 miles from there, and no **** fellas, 4 full on rock quarries within 10 miles either direction of Redfield.
XRRA around Ft. Scott anyone?

 

[Woodlee]

Man I can't wait to get a buggy built and get out there with you and Carl. That place looks like one heck a good time.

Great pic Nolen

 

[vanguard]

I have access to a full shop 4 miles from there, and no **** fellas, 4 full on rock quarries within 10 miles either direction of Redfield.
XRRA around Ft. Scott anyone?

That's just as far as Clayton. Without pics like Nolen has it seems like Clayton has the edge. Meet up there and Nolen will show us around. (If he doesn't mind slumming with a guy the runs toy axles.)

 

[InDaShop]

That's just as far as Clayton. Without pics like Nolen has it seems like Clayton has the edge. Meet up there and Nolen will show us around. (If he doesn't mind slumming with a guy the runs toy axles.)

Whoa slow down son, I would never waste a trip to Kansas to wheel that place, CLAYTON ALL THE WAY! Clayton is where its at.

My suggestion is, I could easily get a quarry to host an XRRA race. Family business.