you live in windsor NY????? Just curious...I'm from Sidney....not far at
all...if you are in windsor that is....
Eric Jerman
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mr. Plow" <adam_is_mr_plow@hotmail.com>
To: <dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 12:36 AM
Subject: DML: Finaly back home, still w/o dak though...
>
> Hey all,
>
> Ok.... I'm finally back in Windsor, and at my computer, so i can respond
> about what is going on with my truck, and the absolutely GREAT time i had
at
> the BBQ!!!!!!
> (Even though it's gonna cost me some big bucks) hehe
>
> Ok, first off, i have to thank Jon immensely!!!
> He has been good enough to invite my crazy butt back to his home for each
> year's BBQ. That in itself is commendable!!! hehe
> Second, he has been just fantastic with all the help he has given me in
> trying to get my Dak's engine problems figured out. He even washed it
down
> before getting it towed to the dealer, still can't believe that one.... I
> wouldn't even have done that!!! hehehehe
>
> And now i'll get to my take on this past weekend, did i mention t was
> awesome???? :)
> Ok, the infamous mud pit... The vehicles that had trouble in there all
> (including myself) did the same thing wrong. We entered the pit WAY too
> fast, and sucked water into our engines. This is one of the causes for my
> engine trouble i'm sure, especially since Jon found muddy residue INSIDE
the
> intake manifold, not usually a good sign.... hehe
>
> Anyway, after playing in the mud pit and sucking in water, we hit the
trail
> to get down to the creek, and to the lower waterfall. On the way, my Dak
> started to overheat, i pulled over, and shut her down for a couple
minutes,
> and it was at a reasonable temp. again. And of course, once i got down to
> the creek, and splashed around a little, the temp was back to below
> mid-level, perfect.
> About this waterfall in case you all don't know.... EVERY year so far,
> someone has tried to climb this thing. It's not really that high, maybe
> 10-12 feet or so, around 30+ degree incline, steep enough that when you're
> on it, all you see is sky. :) But it's crazy slippery, with a constant
> stream of water flowing down the slick-rock surface.
> Anyway, it started with David Martin in 2000 (AFAIK) and he didn't make
it,
> just bounced around and spun the tires a lot. Then Peter Cutler tried it
in
> his jeep last year, and nearly flipped, then lost his battery and
alternator
> from all the winching he did to safely get himself down.
> This year, first up, the jeeps started attacking the waterfall. The
really
> ironic part of that situation is that the first jeep that tried it, got up
> it. That was Don in his teal jeep.
> Then the breakage started....
> The Willy's brakes were dying (probably just brake fade really) and so
after
> a few attempts, the driver gave up, wisely. To his credit though, he
didn't
> have any power steering on it, and that can't be easy to try to turn a 54
> year old jeep's wheels at a 30+ degree slope....
> The jeep that snapped an axle was not surprising at all after i learned
that
> he only had a Dana 35 under there, and a locker. He was running 36" tires
> as well. Basically, i'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. But at
> least now he has an excuse to get a 60. :) :)
> Then a guy with a nice snorkel setup got up the falls, with minor
assistance
> from Don's (the first jeep up) winch. The winch didn't really help him
get
> up the falls, it just prevented him from sliding back down when he lost
> forward momentum. I still haven't decided whether he "conquered" the
falls,
> or just got a passing grade. hehehe
> Then to everyone's surprose, including mine, i stepped up when there was a
> lull in the action, and started hitting the falls in my own unique way.
IE.
> stuff falling out of the back of the bed because i was bouncing so much,
and
> had taken the tailgate off with flag version no. 6, or was it 7??? I lost
> track. hehehe
> Anyway, on the trails we used the FSR radios to communicate, and i had
mine
> clipped to the sun visor. I forgot to take it down before attemting the
> falls. And at the very instant when it hit me square in the forehead, i
> realized the solution to getting up the waterfalls. I took another run at
> it, and successfully bounced the back tires up the lower ledge, and the
> truck pulled up the rest of the way like nothing.
> On the tape it's pretty cool. :) :) :)
> I actually think next time i try them, it will be a lot easier with this
> year's experience under my belt. Of course by then, my Dak may have a
> little accident with some gasoline, and a match... hehehe
> At any rate, getting up the falls was totally worth the damage i sustained
> to the engine. I can always get the engine fixed, but it's a lot harder
to
> get the satisfaction i felt after climbing those falls!!!!!
> And after i got up, Jason Yates and i went playing up the river a bit, and
> another much easier waterfall, only to return to the site of another
Dakota
> on top. He couldn't even wait til we got back, shaammmeee.... hehehe
>
> Four of us made it up this year, hopefully next year there will be even
> more. Then maybe we can explore farther up the creek. :)
>
> Oh, and i still don't know exactly what is wrong with my Dak, but i should
> know by this weekend. I will be calling the dealership Thursday to see if
> they have looked at it yet.
>
> Thanks again for everything Jon!!!!!!
>
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