So what did you do on the weekend? We....

[Expat]

We were disappointed on Sunday not to be able to do Dishpan springs as the trail was closed which we only found out after an hour getting there, so all I could do was take a picture, place the GPS reference in the log and think about getting lunch somewhere!

 

[Expat]

We took the opportunity of being so close to Butlers Lookout from our camp site to go watch the sunset on Saturday evening.

From the trail end, which was not a passenger car trail despite attempts by several we saw, we climbed up a mountain side to the viewing station of the National Parks firewatch.

This was perched up on a ridge that had awesome panoramic views. It was kinda scary up there, so high and perched atop this mass of rock boulders. Inside the viewing station was a bed, stove, gas lamp and various technical instruments used (we assume) for spotting and referencing fires.

 

[Expat]

As the sun sets, we were taking photos madly and were planning to drink a nice bottle of red that Mark had carried up. More pressing was the cold closing in around us and desire to climb back down the mountain before it was too dark to see the walking trail (which was barely existent even in daylight hours!)

 

[Expat]

Anyhow, that's what some of us did for the weekend, How about you?

Will try to get some more photos of the trail and video into the Trip Reports forum soon. Hopefully the other guys will share theirs too as I am sure they have lots of good stuff, better than mine.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Expat]

Oh and one nice water crossing photo - albeit pretty tame!

 

[trd2001]

I like that area. I havent been up there in about a year. What trail did you guys run? i thought deep creek was closed? How is the ride with the spacers?

 

[Kenn]

Wow, nice pics. I am envious. I would have been there, but no lift and stock tires= no fun and being stuck.

 

[Lime02sport]

Looks like a great time, I do have to say I didnt see any beer in those pics, whats up with that?

 

[LeeRunner]

It looks like a great time! I am jealous too!

 

[AlexJet]

What that antenna is on the white 4Runner?

 

[Northof49]

That looks like one hell of a weekend man.....always good to see people living it up in the outdoors.

 

[Expat]

Wow, nice pics. I am envious. I would have been there, but no lift and stock tires= no fun and being stuck.

Agreed, this trip would have been difficult without a lift, although two of us were running stock Dunflops which got us thru the trails without too much pain.

 

[Expat]

Looks like a great time, I do have to say I didnt see any beer in those pics, whats up with that?

Actually there was quite a lot of beer but wine was the fair of the day given the Braai style. I am ashamed to say we did bring home beer. Doh! Homer would not be impressed.

 

[Expat]

What that antenna is on the white 4Runner?

Its a 5ft Firestick. SWR value of less than 1

CB antenna that is!

The rest of the group ran magnetic 2-3ft wire antenna's.

I think the Firestick gives the best out signal and reception:

 

[AlexJet]

Its a 5ft Firestick. SWR value of less than 1

CB antenna that is!

The rest of the group ran magnetic 2-3ft wire antenna's.

I think the Firestick gives the best out signal and reception:

I was thinking about that. Just want to make sure that it was CB one. I use to have radios in three of my previous vehicles, most of them CB, VHF and UHF. That means that the vehicles were looks like a Christmas tree, because they have 4-5 antennas, from 7ft to 1ft length.
I thought to get a CB for current 4Runner, but I'm not sure if people still using them...

 

[Expat]

...but I'm not sure if people still using them...

For those that offroad, sure, they are still being used. In groups I have run with, the CB gets used for

- warning the group about oncoming traffic on the trail
- warnings about upcoming obstacles and advice
- discussions about routes while on the move
- history lessons about the areas we are travelling thru
- various other commentary/advice/humor

Some groups use handheld FRS/GMRS but overall I think the CB is much more convenient and reaches over a greater distance (useful when separated from the group).

 

[dcampen]

For those that offroad, sure, they are still being used. In groups I have run with, the CB gets used for ...

The people I run with, most use GMRS since the trucks eventually can't go any farther and then we have to start walking making the handheld GMRS more useful.

Some groups use handheld FRS/GPRS but overall I think the CB is much more convenient and reaches over a greater distance (useful when separated from the group).

Actually, with an external antenna and the same power levels the distance ranges are pretty much the same. (This ignores atmospheric skip that CB bands get but skip is not very useful - it may let you talk to someone a 1000 miles away but not to someone 25 miles away.) The downside to GMRS is that to get a vehicle mounted GMRS with external antenna and 10-50 watts of power is much more expensive than for CB - you need to get a professional or high-end amateur UHF radio and have it programmed for the GMRS frequencies.

So, while I consider GMRS to be functionally superior to CB it does lose out to CB because CB radios are so cheap, commonly available and still widely used.

 

[bulldog-yota]

Excellent write-up Mark.

I didn't get too many pictures of your 4R, but got some good video though. I will finish editing the video by this weekend.

First storage space for the food as we needed to keep it cold.
My prototype drawer and fridge slide

James' current setup

Mark actually kept the beers cold

ANd this is what we looked like after dinner on Friday.

 

[bulldog-yota]

Mark coming up the trail.

Mark posing on a fire road

James picking a line

 

[bulldog-yota]

Me going up the trail.

Who said the rollover angle was bad on the 4Rs :lmao:

Everybody got some good shots of Henry this time.

See the trail was easy, even a Lexus could do it.