Graves Mountain Rally August 30 - September 3, 2018

[CGarbee]

Time to start the thread for this year's event.

10[SUP]th[/SUP] Annual Graves Mountain Military Vehicle and Vintage 4x4 Trail Rides!
Labor Day Weekend
August 30-September 3, 2018

I need to update the registration form, get Amnon to update the website and B-Man (Chuck) to finalize the t-shirts...

However, here we are...


Last year's thread for those who want to revisit what has come before in order to get an idea of what will occur this year:
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showt...ain-Rally-Syria-VA-August-31-September-4-2017

Looking forward to seeing everyone again this year (and praying for a bit more sun and a bit less rain)...

 

[CGarbee]

We've had a bit of wind in the area over the winter and spring, so the recent focus has been on repairing buildings on the Farm and Lodge, but we are starting to think about trail maintenance...

We will be having a couple of work weekends in May:
May 19th & 20th and May 26th - 28th
The current plan is for the Rockridge Offroad (the jeep club) folks to arrive on Friday each weekend and for them to camp at my cabin at the end of the road.
We are working all day on Saturday and 1/2 day on Sunday.

We will also be having a trail cleanup/MV event/Fireworks/Band on the 4th of July. The current plan is for the Rockridge Offroad (the jeep club) folks to arrive the weekend before the 4th and to camp at my cabin at the end of the road. We will do trail rides/cleanup during the days with ample time to relax each day... Fourth of July, we will ride some and will quit early enough in the day to enjoy the festivities at the Lodge including the band and fireworks. We will depart on the morning of the 5th.

Obviously, the Lodge is available in case somebody isn't into camping...

We will have a few more weekends scheduled later in the Summer, closer to the event date.
Folks who attend a few of the cleanup weekends will be eligible for a reduced registration fee and for a volunteer shirt...
Send me a PM or post here if you are able to attend any (or all) of the work weekends.

 

[tstone]

SUBSCRIBED, want to come.

Tom

 

[Bulldogger]

I’ll subscribe as well. Will look at schedules to see if we can make one of the May dates. Likely we can come for the 4th.
Bulldogger

 

[CGarbee]

I just sent the updated dates and registration form to Amnon to post up on the event website, so with luck, he'll get to it this week...

I also sent him the link to my flickr page that has a lot of photos that I have gathered from various sources from the event for 2010, 2015-2017...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124394777@N06/collections/

Please let me know if you have photos that I don't have (especially from "missing" years...) as I would like to get the flickr account to be a fairly inclusive gathering of what has been done over the years.

 

[CGarbee]

Amnon has updated the website.
We will update the t-shirt page when B-Man (Chuck) gets the design finalized...

http://www.gravesmountaintrailrides.com/

 

[CGarbee]

Just a reminder that if you want a preview of the trails and the event site, we will be on-site this weekend doing some trail maintenance/riding...
PM or post if you think that you might want to stop by so we can arrange to meet up (otherwise, you will find it very difficult to find us on the mountains/trails....).

 

[CGarbee]

A few photos from this past weekend showing Steve cutting one of the trees that had fallen on The Devil's Backbone Trail, his Jeep in the mists on the top of the mountain, a pair of trees at the exit of Devil's Backbone that we cut, the view of the Lodge from one of the apple orchards, and a few views from the Lodge taken Sunday morning before breakfast.

We will be working on a different trail this weekend (May 26 and 27) and again in early July... Come and join us...

 

[CGarbee]

Our next preview opportunity is the trail cleanup/MV event/Fireworks/Band on the 4th of July. The current plan is for the Rockridge Offroad (the jeep club) folks to arrive the weekend before the 4th and to camp at my cabin at the end of the road. We will do trail rides/cleanup during the days with ample time to relax each day... Fourth of July, we will ride some and will quit early enough in the day to enjoy the festivities at the Lodge including the band and fireworks. We will depart on the morning of the 5th, although folks are welcome to stay longer (the 4th being Wednesday...it makes for an "interesting" time to take off from work for some...).

Let me know (PM or post here) if you plan to join us so that I coordinate space at the cabin or assist with reservations at the Lodge or Lodge campground...etc...

 

[Bulldogger]

My son and I are hoping to attend. I have to confirm his availability and just as importantly get the HMMWV steering rebuilt. If it doesn't rain too much next week, I've taken days off to accomplish it.
We will camp if we make it down. Two tents as usual, one for the humans and one for the snoring machine (bulldog).

I will PM once sure.

Bulldogger

 

[CGarbee]

My son and I are hoping to attend. I have to confirm his availability and just as importantly get the HMMWV steering rebuilt. If it doesn't rain too much next week, I've taken days off to accomplish it.
We will camp if we make it down. Two tents as usual, one for the humans and one for the snoring machine (bulldog).

I will PM once sure.

Bulldogger

That would be great! I am really, really, wanting to get a HMMWV up on Doubletop Mountain behind the Lodge on the new trails that we have been cutting with the log skidder...and on some of the older ones to confirm that they are wide enough...

 

[Bulldogger]

That would be great! I am really, really, wanting to get a HMMWV up on Doubletop Mountain behind the Lodge on the new trails that we have been cutting with the log skidder...and on some of the older ones to confirm that they are wide enough...

Cabell, and All,
I am pleased to report that the HMMWV steering is rebuilt and tracking true with no wobbles. Whether I get an alignment, time will tell. I took great care to replace the tie rod ends first and match their new length via a drawing and measurements for each to their original length. So far so good.

My boy can make it as well, so we will plan to come on down. I'm looking at coming down Sunday eve, leaving the evening of the 4th perhaps, or morning of the 5th. My son doesn't like loud noises, so fireworks are nice but not essential and leaving the afternoon of the 4th would see me back to work the 5th which helps my diminished leave balance.

Regardless of those plans, I am very happy to help with trail maintenance and with trying my HMMWV out on some of the Doubletop trails for you. When is the best time for those? I can change my plans if need be.

Lastly, it was hot but bearable for our dog during the last Labor Day campout, but I am worried about July. Based on your experience, would you say it'll be similar or hotter than Labor Day? If noticeably hotter, I will kennel Betsy rather than have her panting the entire time. It may be more bearable by your cabin for instance, but I don't know myself.

I've mentioned this to TheCaptain, who missed last Labor Day. He and his family might also be able to bring their HMMWV down. Time will tell.

Bulldogger

 

[CARMAN]

My son and I are planning to attend.

 

[CGarbee]

Bulldogger,
The cabin is usually five to ten degrees cooler than the field at the Lodge... It is seriously shady, with the river beside it and a small stream from the spring outflow in the side yard (suitable for dog wading...). We can also fire up a fan if needed since we have electricity at the cabin, but there is no A/C... Hard to answer the question for you other than to say that it has been cool so far this year...

We tend to pick the trail that we are working upon based off of who is there and what the weather looks like. The usual plan is get up, have breakfast, then go work on a trail... Khloe and Laura mind the cabin during the day and/or run errands...

I'll be there before you arrive, and will be staying later, so your schedule works well.

Thanks,

 

[Bulldogger]

Cabell, you’ve sold me on the idea. We’ll bring Betsy and she can help Laura and Khloe mind the cabin then. With shade I think she’ll be fine.
Glad to hear the schedule will work.

See you all soon.

Bulldogger

 

[Bulldogger]

My son and I are planning to attend.

Carman, how old is your boy? Mine is 9. He’s hoping he won’t be the only boy there.
Bdgr

 

[CARMAN]

13 going on 21

 

[kcobean]

I made a day trip down last year for some trail rides in my HMMWV and had a good time. I'd like to come down and camp overnight and get some more trail time in this year, schedule pending. Glad to hear Bulldogger is going to come down and make sure the HMMWVs will fit before hand.

 

[CGarbee]

A big thanks to Bulldogger for coming down and helping out on our most recent work weekend. Along with some of the folks from Rockridge Offroad, we managed to get a few more trails free of large trees (had a lot come down over the winter...) and we know a few more that a HMMWV can handle (if you air the tires down...).

We managed to spend a lot of time swimming in the river as well, we even manged to get Betsy the bulldog in the water a couple of times, but she really preferred to lifeguard from a shady spot on the bank.

Some photos...

 

[CGarbee]

Our next work/preview weekend will be August 18 and 19. We will meet in the camping field at 8:30 Saturday morning and will hit the trails shortly after....
PM me directly or post here if you can help...