CruiserFest 2014 - Thanks for a great event!

[cruiseroutfit]

CruiserFest 2014 was an absolute blast. We would like to thank all of the attendees and the many volunteers, vendors and staff that made it the best CruiserFest to date. It was a great opportunity getting to spend some time out on the trails with our customers and spend the day visiting at Cruiserville as well. Can't wait to see you all again at CruiserFest 2015!

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trail rides and event, please share yours too.

Let's see your CruiserFest 2014 pics and stories.

 

[nnnnnate]

I too had a great time. Didn't get a lot of pictures but here are a few.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

It was great having you along Nate.

 

[jeeper]

View attachment 94334

Well, if I would have know jeeps were invited..

 

[nnnnnate]

I feel like I need to change my sig to something like "such an awesome Jeep that Cruiserfest 2014 gave it an award."

Joking aside, everyone was very welcoming of me and my rig, I was ribbed a little but that was to be expected. This is the second "Toyota" event I have been on and I had a great time. I fully intend to continue going on runs with WC and the like as my schedule permits.

That photo was from the pre-pre event run I did with Derek. We'll have to get back down another time to finish poison spider when he gets his coil packs figured out.

 

[Tonkaman]

I absolutely LOVED this last week. We had a great crowd along with us (even all the Canadians).
Monday- Nate and I went down a day early to run some trails. The first night we made camp on Potash rd. where a couple raccoons bullied Nate into giving them his cot.

Tuesday- The next morning we ran Poison Spider Mesa, but my truck had issues with the ignition coils getting too hot and shutting down so we only made it up half way. I managed to find one new coil in town, just to be safe. We met the rest of the gang later that night and headed off into the white wash dunes to make camp. The weather there was perfect and the night sky was big and bright.

Wednesday- We saw crystal guyser flowing a rapid stream of water down into the river. This was the very first time I had seen it with any water and it was a beautiful experience. The highlight of the day was our trip up Black a Dragon Canyon. I had been up to the pictograph several times before but had no clue about the hidden cave above them. The hike up to the cave is steep and loose, but is well worth the effort to find a grand view of the canyon and a very unique cave at the top. The canyon drive did not disappoint either, it is easily one of my favorite drives to date. We made our way onto buckhorn wash, past the swinging bridge and out next to the wedge. After refueling in Castledale we headed toward skyline drive above Joes Valley and spent the night in a perfect spot beside Pete's hole. After scary campfire stories of curious raccoons, fires in the sky, and the ferocious drop bears some guys just couldn't cope with the unknown, and slept in the shelter of a cruiser strapped and ready to kill...

Thursday- after a short jaunt up skyline drive we burned past Little Sahara and made camp In Cherry Creek. Some of the group couldn't resist the urge and headed into the dunes for some rally time! We also met up with the Denver group and Grand Junction group that night.

Friday- the City of Rocks group joined up with us at Simpson springs and we all headed toward Miller Motor sports Park together. It was quite the sight to see do many sweet rigs all together behind the E7 trucks

 

[cruiseroutfit]

It was fun getting to hang with you Derek. Great pics!

 

[Tonkaman]

Sadly those are the only pics I took of the whole week! I really enjoyed hanging out with our entire group. It's not often that a group of strangers all get together and feel like they all belong together.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Sadly those are the only pics I took of the whole week! I really enjoyed hanging out with our entire group. It's not often that a group of strangers all get together and feel like they all belong together.

Fortunately it happens more often than not on these type of trips

 

[Chicken Corners]

Looks like a great time.

 

[Coco]

Wish our show didnt conflict with CF! I really enjoyed last year, and wanted to go again :-\ looked like a good time

 

[bryson]

We had a great time! I didn't take any pics, but I know my wife did. I'll see about posting some up. Thanks to EVERYONE involved - it was an awesome event. Extra thanks to Derek and Nate for making camp so much fun for my family and I.

 

[Box Rocket]

I suppose I should share some pics too........lots......hope you don't mind. I had a great time at the event. Thanks to Greg Miller, Anne-Marie Gunther, Kurt, Ryan and everyone else that helped put on the event.

The photo dump is officially beginning......

Truck all packed and ready to pull out.


trailer loaded and rolling both tents since I've got the whole family with me.


dirt road into Almo, Idaho just east of City of Rocks


Dinner stop in Almo for a ribeye steak that was good but overpriced.


Almo, Idaho




Fellow cruiserheads start showing up. This is one sexy FJ60.


City of Rocks






Team City of Rocks at the Bread Loaves group site.


Little morning caffeine and we're ready to hit the road.

 

[Box Rocket]

first stop at Register Rock

 

[Box Rocket]

Tim Elwood's superb FZJ80


Along the road toward Grouse Creek we came across this rolled Dodge Pickup that had been rolled the night before. It was a man and his wife and two kids and they were hauling a horse trailer with two horses. They were going a little fast through one of the corners and lost control of the trailer and rolled the truck and trailer and the trailer landed on top of the truck. Miraculously, none of them were seriously hurt, including the horses. Hard to believe given the condition of the truck.






Not much further we had our first (and only) breakdown of the trip. My trailer busted a spring hanger off the frame. Considering how hard I've run this trailer for the past 6 years with zero issues it was hard to complain. Used a ratchet strap to keep the axle from pushing back too far and drove another 160+ miles until we somewhere we could get it welded up. That's another reason I love leafsprings on my trailer. If this had been a trailing arm setup I'd have been screwed.


the axle was pushed back and the shackle was collapsed but wasn't hitting the fenders so this is how we ran it for almost 200 miles.

 

[Box Rocket]

The group made a stop at the Terrace Cemetery




Ryan Davis' daughter Hannah and my girl Zetta met for the first time on the trip and were quickly best friends.




Denver seemed to be having a good time

 

[Box Rocket]

We continued along the old transcontinental railroad grade and saw several old railroad trestles.


made a short stop at the ghost town of Lucin. Not much left here.






While we were stopped I noticed I'd picked up a hitchhiker. Luck was on my side and the nail only went through the tread block and didn't damage the tire.


After leaving Lucin, our next stop was the Sun Tunnels. These are considered "art" and are a set of 4 concrete culverts positioned in a specific manner. Two are placed as to be aligned with the winter solstice and the sunrise and sunset can be viewed directly through the center of those two tunnels. The other two are aligned with the summer solstice and the sunrise/sunset can be viewed the same way. There are a number of holes cut into the sides of the tunnels that frame different constellations during the solstices. Cool place.










Some of the rigs parked at the sun tunnels






Devin was having a good time

 

[Box Rocket]

So was Bob Dubois

 

[Box Rocket]

After leaving the sun tunnels we made our way toward the Silver Island Mountains where we would camp for the night. The Donner/Reed party camped in this same area during their tragic journey. As the sun was going down it made for some spectacular scenes with the trucks kicking up dust in the waning light.

 

[Box Rocket]

We made a brief stop to make plans for where to camp.