IT'S OFFICIAL - GWNF Stocker Trail Ride - September 11

    Quote from "CJ7Easternshore"

    oof course we could always try to go up towards medow and flagploe knob area, as the road into there around the lake seems nice enough for RVs, but is will be a further ride to wheel.
    You guys have a lot of options, maybe we could try to clarify who is going to camp where(and in what shelter), or sleep at a hotel. Steve, if more than ten tens show, there are two other clearings nearby the one you have mentioned where more folks could camp. Personally we will be camping a little further up the trail than last time....
    brian :flag:


    Are you camping at the waterfall? If so, can we horn in on a spot there, too?


    DrJ

    Steve, There are a number of spots past the last Large clearing that will hold 3 or 4 creatively placed tents. I am not going as far as the waterfall, as I didn't see a great camping spot just below them, only above...
    The waterfall area there is just to much for a stock vehicle to go up and down every time you want to leave :jester:
    But you for sure can come up to where we will be camping, its only a 2 min walk from the big clearing...unless somebody else takes that spot first :rollsmile:
    There are also some spots one could camp on the right leg of the fork that is just below picture rock... :spinrhead:

    Hey eveyone - this is my first post - just signed up!
    I got my jeep about 2 months ago (2003 sahara) and have been itching to get it off on some trails, so count me in! :up: This will be my first time, and the jeep is totally stock. Camping sounds good to me on both nights but i cant leave until later in the day. Work is over at around 4:00.

    Howdy and Welcome to DeJA Matty :wavey:






    I'm going to put in for that friday off and hope to be on the road before noon. :ghostly:


    As far as food goes, I'm in for what ever ya'll decide. (just don't ask me to cook :repuke: ) :rolleyes:



    PS. I'll be tent camping also. :spinrhead:

    not to tell you all what to do, but I think , in my very limited expiriecne, that communal fire, bring your own food and drinks works out the best for everybody......
    I guess I should ask for that friday off soon, as its normally a busy time of year for us. My babys b day is sept 11 so i can use that as an excuse if having alot of fun isn;t enough reason for my boss to give a day off (it usually is )
    getting excited....
    Brian

    not to tell you all what to do, but I think , in my very limited expiriecne, that communal fire, bring your own food and drinks works out the best for everybody......
    I guess I should ask for that friday off soon, as its normally a busy time of year for us. My babys b day is sept 11 so i can use that as an excuse if having alot of fun isn;t enough reason for my boss to give a day off (it usually is )
    getting excited....
    Brian

    Has anyone checked out the DeJA calendar lately? This is going to be a HUGE event!!!! We also have acouple of Jeeps from Delaware4wd coming (Erika and Alan).


    Here's a recap:


    A large group is planning on leaving on Friday (late afternoon, after work), we'll be stting up camp in one of the two clearings on Kephart Run (through Harrisonburg on 33, through Rawley Springs, into GWNF, trail is on right, before bridge over stream, clearly marked, but its a small sign). You'll be on the trail maybe twenty minutes before you hit the clearing...don't give up...it's there. Let's say CB channel 4. A couple of tent campers are going a bit further up the trail to camp. We'll maintain one main fire in each clearing for cooking, everyone brings their own food, etc.


    Some RV/camper types will be using the roadside near Kephart Run for campers, some are looking into nearby campgrounds (nothing posted yet).


    We'll wheel all day Saturday, break camp Sunday AM, maybe do a short trail or two, and head back relatively early... long drive home.


    One warning... cell phones don't work there!!!!


    There is a small country store a few minutes away from the trailhead, it's called McDorman's. Good selection of stuff, and a deli.


    That's all for now... check back regularly for updates.


    DrJ

    cool can't wait i am very excited that it is coming up soon.

    bLaTaNt DiSrEgArD<br /><br /><br />TJ 98 4 banger gone but not fogotten<br />WJ 02 limited- Do all vehicle &quot;QUICK THROW A LOCKER AT IT!!!&quot;

    How about some tips for us first time (well, first time since Boy Scouts) campers.


    I know I'll need a tent and something to sleep on/in. I'll need a light source. What else besides obvious stuff like bug spray and TP ?


    How about some ideas on what type of food to bring ?


    TIA, I'm really looking forward to it.

    Water, canned food (and an opener), beer, beer, beer, and beer. There is a small store nearby.


    We're new to camping too, and at Camp Jeep (our first camp), the local fire hall provided the lasagna dinner and pancake breakfast, so we didn't really need to cook. My guess is the obvious, frozen hamburgers should last until Saturday night if they're on ice, steaks too I suppose. Green salads, chips, beans, normal bbq stuff? Anyone?


    ...and beer.



    DrJ (will bring hula girl bottle opener and TP)

    Lets see you will need:
    tent
    sleeping bag
    sleeping pad
    change of cloths for at night ( trust me even in the summer you will freeze if you sleep in your damp cloths form the day.)
    chair (unless you like siting on logs or the ground)
    knife
    snacks (bring a bag to keep it out sid eof your tent unless you like varmets in your tent with you)
    soap for cleaning
    extra socks and shoes
    eating utensils- (Plate and fork and a travel mug will do
    jeep
    water like two gallonstrust me on this one
    that sould be all.

    bLaTaNt DiSrEgArD<br /><br /><br />TJ 98 4 banger gone but not fogotten<br />WJ 02 limited- Do all vehicle &quot;QUICK THROW A LOCKER AT IT!!!&quot;

    Definitely bring more water than you think you'll need. You'll need it for washing up your hands, dishes and utensils, and maybe to cook with. I have a water purifier I can bring too, so if need be we can get water from any stream nearby (there are some right?)


    As mentioned, bring a "bear bag" for food items that cannot be stored in your cooler, preferably something with handles that can be tied up. To keep animals out of your food, you tie it up in a tree. It's a real concern if bears are around. Not sure if any are in that area, but if it's a possibility, you don't even want to keep a candy bar in your tent with you, they'll smell it and eat YOU :repuke:. (fun fact: polar bears can smell fish swimming through 2 feet of ice!)


    You'll want your flashlight or lantern (preferably battery operated), and extra batteries. If anyone is bringing a propane grill, be sure you have enough propane, and everything is working right.


    Bring utentils you'll need to cook the food you bring. You're not going to want to cook your steak over a fire on a stick, but hot dogs are good.


    We might want to have one or two tarps, that we can tie up in trees to give us shelter if it rains. Bring jute twine as well (biodegradable vs. nylon rope.)


    Matches or a lighter, lighter fluid would help get the fire started.


    Bring a sheet of plastic that can be folded up smaller than the footprint of your tent. This will keep any moisture on the ground from getting in, give a little more cushion (not much) and insulation, but won't catch any rainwater.


    Make sure your tent has all it's poles and spikes.


    sandals or flip flops, or some easy to put on shoe to wear around the campsite (easy to kick off and keep dirt out of your tent.


    As mentioned, change of clothes to sleep in, and in layers. keep your next days clothes at the bottom of your sleeping bag so they're all toasty the next day. :tup:


    For soap, don't bring a bar of Zest. You can buy biodegradable liquid soap that can be used for your hands and dishes. (yes, I'm pushing the biodegradable stuff...)


    beer, preferably lager

    Make sure you change and put clothes that have food spilled on them wiht the bear bag if we are going to be in western VA then yes thier are bears use to live thier and i remeber seeing a few while hiking. i was scout and was a leader untill i left for college so if anyone has a questions on gear i can get you a check list if you want and i can help out wiht stuff when we get their. bears are even attracted to stuff like film so i would only put the stuff need to sleep in your tents and a water bottle that has only had water in it if it has had anything sweet in it iver the past 8 years the bears can smell it, not trying ot scare any one but i went to philmont(big scout camp that is like 1.5 thousand acres and you back pack throught it and bears are a big thing thier.) and i have seen what they a can do but we did all of this and they never bothered our group the entire tow weekd we were out thier.


    o and paul lighter fluid is for girls scouts aka girl scout water

    bLaTaNt DiSrEgArD<br /><br /><br />TJ 98 4 banger gone but not fogotten<br />WJ 02 limited- Do all vehicle &quot;QUICK THROW A LOCKER AT IT!!!&quot;

    ...so who's bringing the girl scouts?


    If they're smart enough to use lighter fluid instead of rubbing sticks together to prove some level of manliness, I'm all for them. I just want a fire.


    I bet the girl scouts call sticks "boy scout matches"



    DrJ (big fan of girls)


    :doh: :hmm: :suspicious: :laughing:

    Quote from "DrJ"

    I bet the girl scouts call sticks "boy scout matches"


    :laughing: :laughing:


    I agree...I'm not looking to play Survivor here. We're camping sure, but there can be some level of efficiency and comfort still.



    If you're all good, and we have some extra time on Saturday morning, I'll be giving a demonstration on how to sculpt a toilet out of a carpenter bee hive!



    Paul (was a boyscout and art major)

    Umm, speaking of a toilet, it Tony bringing that again this trip?
    Really though, bring your own shovel or spade and biodegradeable toilet paper unless you feel comfortable borrowing somebody elses to take care of that ...
    There is NO reliable source of water, drinkable or otherwise, nearby.
    There are the rivers we will ride near, but the creek near the camping area was nearly dry last time i was there (July) but half full back in may , so its not a reliable source of water.
    We usually bring a 6 gallon jerry jug of water, as well as a 6 gallon jug of gas(for Alans Chain saw, and my guzzling CJ). Jerry cans can be safely tied onto your front bumper in front of your grill slots without hurting your highway cooling power(in my expirience...)
    Also bring some sort of grill to cook on over the fire, as pots get to hot to hold easily when cooking with them....
    We haven't seen bears, or evidence of them there, or hear about them being there, but it is the woods, and thats where bears live....
    Also, an interesting but usefull bit of info, although McDormans sells lots of stuff, including Gasoline, they DO NOT accept credit cards or checks, so make sure you have a little bit of cash (tankfull of gas for leaving maybe.....)on you . McDormans also has air to fill our tires before we hit the highway again, incase alan doesn't come(or forgets his CO2 bottle...)
    Remeber, like was mentioned, cell phones dont work here, so plan on some other form of communications(CB radio, motorola radios...)
    We use $25 motorola radio(walkie Talkies, 2 mile radius)for our communications between my two jeeps.....
    And of course we are only like a 15 min drive from a big city, so dont stress too much on what to bring, foodlion and k mart are just a short drive away.

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