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Stories from the meet

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:15 pm
by Smuz
Well, Mouser let me down.

Got in and set up camp about noon on Sunday. Drove Mouser 8 miles into Silverton where I met Lift-Dr at the grocery store. Led him back to camp where SuzukiTom and Nancy showed up with his LJ10/LJ20 hybrid. Since it was early, we decided to go on a short run up the mountain. We made about 5 miles when Mouser shelled out the coupling between his two transfer cases on a very mild hill. With no connection between the engine and the diffs, he was DONE! I coasted him back down the hill and Lift-Dr towed him the 4 miles back to camp and we loaded him back on the trailer, where he still is.

Alice and I spent the rest of the week riding parasite with other people. Alice rode with Lift-Dr and his wife. I rode shotgun with Stevec and Lift-Dr and even got to drive Stevec's LJ81 one trip. Nice ride.

All in all, it was a great trip. Good companions, great scenery, and wonderful food. I did find out that I'm a bit old to be fooling around above 9,000 feet above sea level. There ain't no air up there!

Stevec had some probs with his LJ10. He fouled his plugs (gonna bring some spares next time?) had a fuel pump issue, and the little thing just kinda ran outta power above 12,000 feet (what a shocker). Stevec's step-dad had some fuel delivery issues and a bad nose bleed at high altitude. I'll let Stevec tell those stories.

We got home with no issues. Went from about 50 degrees F at Silverton to 105 degrees F at Kansas City. A bit of a culture shock, that.

Well, another meet is history.

PS: I did hear Stevec say (just before he threw my fat butt out of his LJ10 trying to climb a hill) "I shoulda brought my Samurai". Which is what I had been saying to myself every since Mouser crapped his coupling. LJ's lack a little something (power) at over 12,000 feet.

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:27 pm
by Smuz
I'm beginning to be concerned...
Other than myself and vagabond, nobody else seems to have posted that they are home.

WHAT GIVES, PEOPLE??

Are you home, or not?

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:36 pm
by Lift-Dr
We are home. Got in saturday evening. Appears Tom is home anyway he posted pics. I haven't gotten Lucy's 340 or so pics sorted thru but some are quite good. Glad you are home I tried your cell phone several times saturday but didn't get thru. We had a great time with everyone. Mel

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:13 pm
by Smuz
Lift-Dr wrote:I tried your cell phone several times saturday but didn't get thru. Mel
Yeah, my phone quit on me. Guess it's time for a new one.

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:35 pm
by SuzukiTom
Smuz wrote:
PS: I did hear Stevec say (just before he threw my fat butt out of his LJ10 trying to climb a hill) "I shoulda brought my Samurai". Which is what I had been saying to myself every since Mouser crapped his coupling. LJ's lack a little something (power) at over 12,000 feet.
Lack of power? I don't remember any lack of power :))):

Tom H.

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:18 pm
by stevec
We got home yesterday morning, about 11:00. Only made it to Springville UT Friday (saw you drive by as we were parked in Ouray!) We were going to go farther, but figured any additional mileage would be in Friday afternoon rush hour. Left earlier Saturday, and made it back to Washington, but I got tired, and the setting sun was in my face, so we stopped in Kennewick for the night (Walmart parking lots both nights!) Left at 8:00am Sunday morning, and got home just after 11:00am. Unloaded, and cleaned/put away everything while Linda and the girls got their hair done and saw the Harry Potter movie, so I didn't have time to get online. It was 83* at my house yesterday, the hottest day of the year so far. Apparently I picked a good two weeks to be gone, weather-wise!

EDIT: 6000 posts! I think I'll give myself a prize! :whiskey:

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:35 pm
by stevec
Stories/Issues:

Yes, I fouled the plugs on the LJ10. First time I've ever done it on the RHD (I've had it for 5-6 years.) Probably a combination of three things: (1) plugs were 5-6 years old, (2) LJ's run very rich at 12,000'+, especially those jetted for sea level, and (3) I ran out of Quicksilver 2-stroke oil this spring, and with very few places that carry it around here, went with cheap Valvoline. I'll use up the Valvoline, but picked up a couple of gallons of Quicksilver at Walmart on the way home.

Fuel Delivery:

To the best of my knowledge, Stephen and I were the only ones running stock LJ10/20 fuel pumps at the meet. The combination of thin air and steep hill climbs were too much - once the gas tank was down to 1/2 or lower, our LJ's would stall out on steep climbs. After the first hill (Engineer Pass), I would run until it stalled, then just top off the tank. With a full tank, they seemed to do fine. I did put in an electric pump back by the tank (thanks again, Mel!); now all of my LJ's have electric pumps. We'll put one in Stephen's LJ20 in the near future.

Power:

Stock LJ's do have enough power to run those trails, but just barely. After putting in the electric pump, I drove the first half of Eureka Gulch in high range - before I was running in low range soon after turning off the main road. When I threw Smuz out going up Picayne Gulch, I think the issue was my (air cooled) engine overheating. Once we stopped at the mill and it cooled off, I was able to make it easily the rest of the way, mostly in 2nd gear. And for the record, I did offer to get out and let Smuz drive it up the hill (figuring I outweighed him by at least 40 lbs!)

Nosebleed:

I've never seen a nosebleed like that - it literally bled for hours, and just didn't want to stop. (Of course, every time it seemed to stop in camp, Stephen would get out and do stuff, and then it would start up again!) :roll: No bleeidng Friday, and only a minor bleed Saturday (they got home Sat. evening.) He stopped taking those blood thinning drugs, and will check with his doctor this week.

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 8:17 pm
by Myers
7 pm Monday: Just got home. Enjoyed the meet as usual. Good to see the old friends and make those new. Trails were great as was potluck night dinner. Coming home told the Bride that if we could peek under her trailering cover Miss Alice would be taking a nap with her headlights closed and a grin in her grill. She and the Bride sure like to go to the meets. Seems to like she (Miss Alice) likes to strut her stuff. Seems like she (the Bride) is getting to like steep trails with steep drop-offs. Thanks to everyone for a great time.

Note: At seventy the Bride and I enjoy letting others make the decisions pertaining to the meets and letting others lead on the trails. However, once we make eighty we request that for one time we get to decide as to where and when the meet will be held and we lead when the group is on the trails. The others can still do the hearing and seeing.
Until then, thanks for the fun in 2011.
Myers

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:20 am
by Smuz
stevec wrote:Stories/Issues:
And for the record, I did offer to get out and let Smuz drive it up the hill (figuring I outweighed him by at least 40 lbs!)
Yes, you did. But it makes a better story saying that you threw me out. Don't mess up a good lie.

I got Mouser's transfer cases out and apart today. As suspected, the coupling between the transfer cases shelled the internal splines on the LJ side. Drat!

Time to explore some options. I'll document what I decide to do in the Projects/Mouser thread.

Re: Stories from the meet

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:39 pm
by stevec
Apparently Stephen's nosebleeds didn't go away:
Pat wrote:Stephen had a nosebleed everyday since he left so he called Kaiser yesterday. He can't get a nose and throat appointment until 8/3!!! He mentioned to the advice nurse that he had trouble with his speech and vision a month ago so they insisted he go to the ER. It worked out well since they looked at his nose and suggested he buy a nasal spray (Ocean Spray-not cranberry flavor) that can also be used in dry climates (like the airplane). Anyway, they ran a number of tests: first a brain cat scan - results negative, that is, there is a brain, but no apparent problem! Then an EKG, then another cat scan of his neck arteries. No apparent problems but they prescribed Lipitor which lowers chloresterol and stroke possibilities.
Larry, Pat wanted your phone number, so I gave it to her. If you get a call from area code 530, it is probably her or Stephen.