not sure. I think they said only 2 vehicles per site. This is partly why I like to get a good head count so we can plan in advance things like this.

So far from this thread we have:

DieTryin

Jonas

Fosters

Rock_Hind

And ppl that seemed interested but havent revisited this thread:

skir68

M203Steve

georgiarebel6165

Bigfeet

AJ-IN-JAX

GotSig556

So if anyone is interested lemme know.

I have to pass.

Quoted: I have to pass.

np, maybe the next go around. We can have these as often as we like as long as we get decent participation.

I am still in, and looking foreward to it.

Quoted: I am still in, and looking foreward to it.

Cool deal. yea, im getting excited been TOO long since ive done any real 4x4ing.

Where would this be at? anyone have an Address on the place. if it's in a 3 hour radius or so I might come out and play.....

Quoted: Where would this be at? anyone have an Address on the place. if it's in a 3 hour radius or so I might come out and play.....

Juniper Springs Rec Area (FL)
26701 EAST HWY 40
Silver Springs FL 34488

Quoted: Quoted: Where would this be at? anyone have an Address on the place. if it's in a 3 hour radius or so I might come out and play..... Juniper Springs Rec Area (FL) 26701 EAST HWY 40 Silver Springs FL 34488

That address is the campground. The address I posted on Page 2 is where we are meeting up (which is important to know. lol)

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Where would this be at? anyone have an Address on the place. if it's in a 3 hour radius or so I might come out and play..... Juniper Springs Rec Area (FL) 26701 EAST HWY 40 Silver Springs FL 34488 That address is the campground. The address I posted on Page 2 is where we are meeting up (which is important to know. lol)

lol, true. The meet up place is about 20 min south of the campground. But like DT said use the adress for the meet up place and you'll get a more accurate view of your travel time.

HOLY CRAP!!! 7 and a half hours from home... oh well. no go for me....

on the FRS radio, what channel?

I am still going to try to make it down on Saturday.  Can't camp, just too many things going on at home, but its less than an hour drive there from here, so I would love to try to find you guys.

Quoted: on the FRS radio, what channel? I am still going to try to make it down on Saturday.  Can't camp, just too many things going on at home, but its less than an hour drive there from here, so I would love to try to find you guys.

We are usually on Chan 4. and the same with CB.

Only a few more days!!!!!!!!!!! Hows everyone coming along.

Everyone going to be there bright and early FRIDAY morning?

The Jeep is all good to go. I'm just finalizing the trail plans for the trip. I'm planning on bringing us through the southern part of the forest on Friday, working our way up toward HW40. Then we'll make camp near 40 on Fri afternoon. Sat we can explore the trails north of 40. We can either do a long day ride, or instead we can do a short day ride, then go back to camp for dinner, then go back out for a night ride.

Let me know what you think.

Quoted: The Jeep is all good to go. I'm just finalizing the trail plans for the trip. I'm planning on bringing us through the southern part of the forest on Friday, working our way up toward HW40. Then we'll make camp near 40 on Fri afternoon. Sat we can explore the trails north of 40. We can either do a long day ride, or instead we can do a short day ride, then go back to camp for dinner, then go back out for a night ride. Let me know what you think.

Could. Ive been itching to do a nice nite ride. I know ive got the lights for it. lol

How we looking. IVe got most everything in my truck. I just got to put some food, thatll be last minute. Everyone excited?

Gotta swap tires and a few details tomorrow and I will be good to go.

The Jeep is all loaded up with the gear, all I have to put in it is the cooler in the morning and I'll be good to go.

If your coming , lemme know. Ill give my Cell via IM.

Ive already got Rock_Hind and Jonas. WHo else wants to join in on the fun and excitement.

I am going to leave Gainesville about 7:30, and drive down to Altoona.  I hope to find you guys at the Kangaroo.  I have some hand held FRS radios, and will have one tuned to channel 4.
I don't have a fancy rig, just this old 1989 4Runner.  The tires are not really big but it is 4X4, and I get around in Osceola Nat. Forrest ok.  Hope it will do for Ocala.
I won't be able to stay and camp, but I am looking forward to driving around most of the day.
A cell phone number would be nice, but even without that, I should be able to find y'all.

Sam

Cant make it guys...Failed an inspection at work this afternoon which means I'm pulling in a weekend shift

Quoted: Cant make it guys...Failed an inspection at work this afternoon which means I'm pulling in a weekend shift

that sux. maybe next time.

Those coming look for this:

See you guys soon!

I met up with Jonas, Die Tryin and Rock Hind this morning in Altoona.  We drove into the Ocala Scrub, and followed the small trails.  Not so much water, but a LOT of very fine sand.  
The only thing that held us up today, was several logs across the trail.  Of course, my chain saw was home in the shed!
My Brother in Law and I left the guys around 1PM, and we headed home.  The others are camping tonight.
This is me holding the rope, afer we moved the first log.  The others could drive over it, but my little 4Runner did not have the clearance.  Still, I was able to go anywhere we traveled with the skinny P225R15 tires, and in 4high.  I was pleased with the Toyota's performance.

Good luck guys.  I hope you all have fun.  My mother just got out of the hospital, and I have to go take care of her.  Hopefully I will get to make one of these...


Bigfeet

BACK!!!. Yes, we cut it short for various reasons. But amazingly enuff no matter how long the duration you seem to learn ALOT. THis trip was no exception. I dont care how much you camp, weather its hiking or car camping there is so much to learn from each trip. Ill get into all that in a minute.

We meet up at the usual spot and did the meet and greet, everyone showed up on time and we didnt waste any time and hit the trail. The trails isnt very challenging, but still fun to get away from the Urban life. We traveled on the trails for what felt FOREVER, lol. The dust was pretty bad. Only had a couple log crossings, which wasnt too bad. After tooling around for awhile we decided to go to a dedicated campground. It was primitive camping but they had a bathhouse close by. The campground we went to was really an ATV one, so we heard and seen ATVs coming and going most of the day and even at nite.

The only casualty of the day was ROck_Hind in his old school Ford. He broke/lost a rear shock bolt and busted a front brake line, that became for an interesting trailside repair. He just doubled over the steel brake line and clamped it off with vice grips and tied it up out of the way. After topping off the brake booster , we were off, He just made sure to have enuff lead time to stop. lol

Luckily I happen to have the exact size Grade 8 bolt and nut that he needed for his shock, so that was an easy repair.

My truck did well as usual. no real complaints.

We seemed to go thru water alot, more than any of us thought, esp. JOnas. He was trading beer for water. LoL.. I brought a case of bottled and had 2.5 jug as well.

ONce camp was established. I went to use my stove and found the connector for the 1lb bottle to the stove had a FUBARd "O" ring. I was like great. But we scrounged thru my lil junk box and found a grommet about the size, thru some surgery of the grommet we made an O ring and it worked. We used the hell out my lil 2 burner stove. I like it.

I wasnt sure what I was going to do about sleeping, I had a tent, but thought about just sleeping in the back of my truck, just to see how it would be. Well JOnas had a Hammock that he never tried out and since he was sleeping in the big ass tent I figure Id try the hammock. Ive nver slept in one and always wondered how it would be. Now, let me say this. I dont sleep well outdoors. I just never have, no matter how tired I am. When I slept in the hammock, it was the best nites sleep ive ever had outdoors. It was pretty comfy. Not much room to mover around and we had it a lil high, but it worked great. Your back and bottom will feel any chill so putting something down like a pad or blanket under you will work. So, basically Im sold on the Hennesee Hammock and plan to get one for my BOB. It was 1lb 8oz with stuff sack and rain fly.

My next thing is organization and gear. You know, one of these days Ill have it figured out, but not yet. I had some much gear and crap everywhere it wasnt funny. I really need to get a better system, It just seems your adding so much stuff last minute. Part of what threw me off was my adventure after the camptrip. I had it setup to go look at a motorcycle and pick it up on my back from the trip. Well, in order to do this, i needed a hitch mounted carrier. This is what threw my gear planning off. I had to put the carrier in the back and it took up alot of space due to the length of it.

ANyways. We got up this morning and sat around, made breakfast and was trying to figure out the game plan. We all were pretty tired of the trails , not much challenge and I think we covered the whole forest on Friday. So, between that, the FORD limping around (but running strong) and my side plans, we just called it a trip. If we had more ppl and planned more activities we may have stayed. But the extra day at home is nice to get things done. No one minded so we parted.

Before I left for the day, I checked my truck over really good. I have a PRE FIlter over my K&N filter on my truck. I always wondered about the pre filter, but after seeing what I saw, I plan to order another. The pre filter really did its job. I yanked it off and the K&N was pretty clean under it. So, ill just wash it off , dry it and put er back on.

MORE TO FOLLOW AS I remember it.

Now on with the pics.

Broken O ring:







Hehe..our "Little" fire. We used a no muss fire starting technique. A big ass "Fire Log" and Mapp Gas. 20 seconds and your done.



SUnrise in Ocala




Ah breakfast



Yours truely.



The Hammock



Pre FIlter removed



Here is a new variation on the term "Brake Job"



My new ride , 1998 Suzuki DR200SE. Had 5000miles on it. This thing is a blast. Its not a power house but actually gets going pretty good. Ive got some plans for it. I want to add an exhaust, open the air box, rejet, thicker fork oil and stiffen rear spring and put it on a Diet.



I have video, but ill have to work on that later.

I picked up a brake line at the autozone on 19, and drove home with all four brakes.  Looking foreward to the rest of the pics.

Hey, Hey.  Looks like I missed most of the fun by leaving early

Next trip, I'll bring the tent, and stay longer.

Rock Hind, glad you got home ok.  Jason and Die Tryin, sounds like a great trip.

Did I mention that my gas milage for the trip, including the 4X4 driving was a cool 27mpg?  

We had a great time. Thank you DieTryin,RockHind, and Mannlicher for coming out. We will definitely have to do it again.

Here's my pics, sorry it took so long to get them up.

LoL..im guess that is ROck_Hind doing the header in the springs.

Quoted: He just doubled over the steel brake line and clamped it off with vice grips and tied it up out of the way.

ZACTLY what I had to do one day on Alt19 in my old PowerRam.  My calipers locked up/melted so I removed the whole damn brake assembly (once it cooled) then Vicegripped the line and cable tied the pliers to the truck.

Man, that looked like fun - I miss my truck.  Out of curiousity, DT,  you think I could have done that trek in my 2wd Cherokee?  I've run around the hunting grounds on the sugar sand in Chassahowitzka but not sure if I could go on 'real' trails.

Quoted: Quoted: He just doubled over the steel brake line and clamped it off with vice grips and tied it up out of the way. ZACTLY what I had to do one day on Alt19 in my old PowerRam.  My calipers locked up/melted so I removed the whole damn brake assembly (once it cooled) then Vicegripped the line and cable tied the pliers to the truck. Man, that looked like fun - I miss my truck.  Out of curiousity, DT,  you think I could have done that trek in my 2wd Cherokee?  I've run around the hunting grounds on the sugar sand in Chassahowitzka but not sure if I could go on 'real' trails.

We all pretty much ran 2wd most of the time. I put er in 4wd just to use it. THere was a couple spots where im sure it helped, but if you could carry enuff speed youd have done okay. WOrse comes to worse you get stuck. THats what that big ass bumper on the front of my truck is for. lol

You got er done!! Looks like you all had a good time , nice weather too...

ETA; We're maybe going to get SNOW this weekend....