Boy Scout Trip to Forest Lake

[fj40fax]

One of my assistant scoutmasters suggested that we take the scouts rock crawling up to Forest Lake. Since I have the only rock crawler in the neighborhood, i was a bit perplexed with how I would get close to 10 scouts on a rock crawling trail in my FJ40. He said I bet you know a bunch of rock crawlers, and RME popped into mind. I put out a feeler thread about a month ahead of when we planned to go, and the response from the crowd here was great and immediate. Before too long we had a bunch of different rigs all lined up to meet in the middle of nowhere to run our scouts up a moderately difficult trail for some guys they've never met. I am constantly amazed at the generosity of the 4 wheeling community, when it comes time to donate or volunteer for a worthy cause, true Americans. The only incentive we gave to have them come up was a free dinner prepared by the scouts. We told the scouts that whoever helped out the most before dinner and during cleanup would get to choose which crawler they rode up in. Scout #1 picked up trash in the area for almost 3 hours for the opportunity to pick first, I think he chose very wisely:

#1 cruiseroutfit Blue FJ40
#2 TJDukit Wrangler
#3 metalry101 Red Cherokee
#4 Bonker JK (not pictured)
#5 Stephen Samurai
#6 Richard FJ62
#7 krany White Cherokee

Maverick came up just as we were heading toward the trail head, so he just jumped in line. Nice to have some capable rigs tail gunning. We got to the lake with only some minor breakage, metalry101 broke a front drive shaft u-joint, so he bungeed it up to the frame and cruised up to the lake in 2WD. It had been making noise for some time, but he couldn't find the source, "Found it!" We didn't have the drivers stick around, we figured it would be a good chance for the boys to get their backpacking feet wet for the two miles back to base camp at Dutchman's Flat. Some drivers had to take off right away, and some hung out a bit to shoot the breeze and talk truck for a bit. Everyone rolled out before dark and we had to drag the scouts away from the lake (and the salamanders) to set up tents.

With the help of the fine folks here this trip was a great success! Thank you so much for volunteering your time and gas to make this one of the most memorable trips of the year. Some of the scouts that couldn't make it nearly cried today at church because they missed this one, which means we will probably need to make this an annual run

 

[fj40fax]

Post up those pictures if any of you took some.

The funniest thing I heard about this trip -- Scout #5 (in the sami) "I'm the only one that's taller than my ride "

 

[Cherokeester]

Looks like a great time, thanks to those that helped. You probably planted a few "I want to be a wheeler" seeds.

 

[metalry101]

I had a great time. Thanks for providing a great reason to go up the canyon!

 

[big cherokee]

i hope to get in on this next year as i work with the scouts up in my area here in layton, and would love to have scouts that are into wheeling. i did this in oregon with the scouts when i lived there and had my cherokee.


my yota will have a rear seat next year so keep it updated

lookes like a ton of fun good job guys.

 

[Coco]

Looked like a lot of fun!! We got a buddy that does something very similar with his scouts. He rounds us up and we take them out to 5 mile or we meet them out there when they're camping.

Looked like fun I wish I coulda made it but I have work . If it becomes an annual thing I will definately make it next year!!

 

[Maverick]

I had a great time. Thanks for providing a great reason to go up the canyon!

EXACTLY!!!

(and motivation to get my junk fixed)

 

[Paudrhound]

Great report, by the looks of the grins they had a blast! Great job everyone and passing on the love of the outdoors and recreation.

 

[SmokinCamel]

I've been watching this trip for awhile now. I'm glad everything went well. I wanted to help out, But money has been an issue with being unemployed for 6 months and waiting for 3 months of back pay still.
It's nice to see the scouts still use a reward program. Non of this everyone is a winner BS. Scout #1 looks like smart kid, and he knows how to use it. Maybe someday we can get your group together and do a 5 mile run. Use the same motives, but over a period of time to bank the points. I know I would be down to volunteer my time and rig to help out.

 

[fj40fax]

Seriously, I think if we would have said we needed 50 rigs we would have been able to do it still. I'm quite sure that there are other troops that would love to do this, and they should because a bunch of people on here would step up on different weekends. Our group size was perfect, we had 9 rigs including mine, each scout was in their own rig, but we could have fit way more scouts if we used up all available seat belts.

I think the keys to our success were not having the drivers have to stay (easy to get out for the evening, not so easy to make a multiple day commitment), good food, and plenty of notice. We only had one rig back out, and that was because he got stuck working out of town for the week. I really expected waaay more people to want to come, but have to back out last minute. I know things come up, and rigs break, and whatever else, but this was a really good group.

Good luck on the job hunt, Camel. Hope it pans out soon.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Seriously, I think if we would have said we needed 50 rigs we would have been able to do it still. I'm quite sure that there are other troops that would love to do this, and they should because a bunch of people on here would step up on different weekends.

I know my troop would LOVE it, but we have a big troop of 18 boys (and that's just 12-13 year olds)!

I'll probably plan a trip for them in a few months.

 

[fj40fax]

We have 16, but only 7 came. One more wanted to come but we didn't have a ride for him to get down the canyon because only two of us were able to stay the night.

 

[TJDukit]

I'm really glad I was able to get my rig fixed in time for this. It was a great excuse to hit up the trail again. I would do it again for sure. Maybe next year the J4000 will be ready to go.

It's too bad I had to take off early, I really did want to stay and hang out. I did manage to get back by 10:30 so not too bad.

Tell the scouts thanks for dinner, those were some good taco's.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Great putting some faces to some names, thanks for the opportunity Fax, it was a good time.

 

[Goose]

Im pretty sure I passed you guys, on my way up to the lake.
I was up there bow hunting all weekend.
it sounds like you guys had a blast!
thats awesome that there were so many guys willing to help.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Goose, how are your nunchuck and computer hacking skills?

 

[fj40fax]

You did pass us, Goose. We were just down there scouting out the trail. Nice work hitting that big rock, really wet their whistles to do the trail that evening.

 

[Houndoc]

Great outing, and good job passing motorized use ideas down to the next generation.

I have tossed the idea around in my mind of trying to take our scouts for a week in Moab/Canyonlands and getting in a trail run. Glad to see that it did work out for someone.

 

[Goose]

You did pass us, Goose. We were just down there scouting out the trail. Nice work hitting that big rock, really wet their whistles to do the trail that evening.

they looked pretty excited! thats awesome that everything worked out so well.
Im taking my scouts up to pitsburg lake this weekend (hiking, of coarse).
When we get down from pitsburg, Im letting the older boys(17-18) drive my truck through the boulders in mineral basin. (part of an incentive deal I made with them)

 

[Goose]

You did pass us, Goose. We were just down there scouting out the trail. Nice work hitting that big rock, really wet their whistles to do the trail that evening.

Goose, how are your nunchuck and computer hacking skills?

haha! Im actually decent with the skull-smackers.
I dont know what Im doing half the time on the comp. ???