CHAIN GANG #1: Zig Zag, Sunday 25th Feb 2018, Grade B

[TRBN8R]

Hi guys,

Watching this 4wd program and realised that I havent been proper 4wding in so long. So this off the cuff trip to Zig Zag.

When: Sunday 25th Feb 2018

Where: Zig Zag

RV point 1: Meccas Richmond (March Street) @ 0730
RV point 2: Zig Zag Carpark @ 0900

Grading: C+/B

Vehicle Requirements: 2" Lift, 32" Tyres, Recovery Points, UHF Radio

Tracks Planned: Wombat Holes, Pipe Lines, Ranger Bob, Son of Bob, Top Wombat Holes, Spanish Steps and any more if someone can suggest.

Plan is to hit the tracks by 0930 do the tracks, complete the run and be in the carpark by 1500. Air up and back on the road by 1530.

1. Mani @ Trbn8r
2. Dru @ DruNKerry
3. Martin @ SnakeDoctor
4. Jack @ Hayesio
5.
6.
7.
8.

Any more info pls feel free to ring me. If the phone is unanswered, pls leave a message and I will get back to you.

Cheers
Mani
0405801230

[Dru and Kerry]

Trip Canned... No point running 2 trips 1 week apart to the same area.....

All good. Just let Dru know when you are thinking of running a trip so we can co-ordinate.


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[TRBN8R]

All good. Just let Dru know when you are thinking of running a trip so we can co-ordinate.


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkHi Kerry,

Sorry, I didn't see your posted trip before and posted mine. But as I said no point running 2 trips to the same area one week apart. I will see if I have a weekend off next roster and will run a trip then.

Cheers
Mani

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[TRBN8R]

Hi guys,

So we are back on.... I have copied the list from Dru. Hope all can still make it... If not pls let me know....

Cheers
Mani
0405801230

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[Dru]

Thanks Manni - I added "Chain gang" into your title. Come on team, let's get on board. If the numbers build we can split the group.

For new club members, Mani is the guy who introduced Kerry and I to ZigZag/Newnes in a stock Rubicon, then showed us Mt Airlie. We're really looking forward to introducing the Chain Gang to Mani.

:highly_amused:

Dru'n'Kerry

[TRBN8R]

I may have a couple of guys from work turn up in their Land Cruisers.... Probably we will get some recovery practice on them [emoji6][emoji6][emoji6].......

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[SnakeDoctor]

Haha nice one guys - yeah i'm still in and excited!

Thanks Mani!

[Dru]

Mani - need to cut a couple off the list - unable to make the transfer from the original trip date:
Elio S
Jeepstar2011
Daz7

I'll pick up these guys separately.

Cheers

Dru

[StewartV]

I’m still in with the date change.


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[Hayesio]

Hi Mani,

This trip sounds great. I'd love to come along if thats ok? Also, this Chain Gang thing sounds awesome , I'll definitely sign up to that.

Regards,
Jack

[TRBN8R]

Hi Mani,

This trip sounds great. I'd love to come along if thats ok? Also, this Chain Gang thing sounds awesome , I'll definitely sign up to that.

Regards,
JackNot a problem mate see you Sunday....

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[Dru]

Hi Mani,

This trip sounds great. I'd love to come along if thats ok? Also, this Chain Gang thing sounds awesome , I'll definitely sign up to that.

Regards,
Jack

It'll be great having you inn the chain Jack!

[StewartV]

Unfortunately I have been reminded of a prior commitment on Sunday, which I cannot get out of. Regrettably, I have to pull out this time. :-(


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[Dru]

Mani

I have dropped the gpx file for Spanish Steps into the Club favourite trips section. I'm not sure it has worked as my HEMA is playing up and I havent been able to check that the file opens. If not, we'll sort it out in Zig Zag.

Dru

[Hayesio]

Thanks for a great day out all, great fun! My favorite was the Spanish steps - that was a first for me - loved it. Got to be one of my favorite tracks. We were lucky the rain held off just long enough to have a good run, but I think the torrential down poor at the end made the steps awesome!

Cheers
Jack

[Dru and Kerry]

We had a blast. Thanks to Mani for organising - it was great to see you back on the tracks - and to Jack, Martin and Brad for making the day such good fun - even though we all got soaked to the skin at the end. We look forward to seeing some pics and vids!


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[H2Micr0]

Good to see you guys up at Zig Zag.

Just so you know, I drove the WH Grand up Spanish Steps in the rain, on 29.5" tyres, with no breakages, and got home safely.

Two Discos had to be winched up though.

Love the QD2 in the Jeep.

Cheers
Ben

[Dru and Kerry]

Good to see you guys up at Zig Zag.

Just so you know, I drove the WH Grand up Spanish Steps in the rain, on 29.5" tyres, with no breakages, and got home safely.

Two Discos had to be winched up though.

Love the QD2 in the Jeep.

Cheers
Ben

Yes we saw them. [emoji16]


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[SnakeDoctor]

Thanks all for the great day!

[TRBN8R]

Hi guys,

It was a good day out. Following guys attended the trip.


1. Mani @ Trbn8r

2. Dru @ DruNKerry

3. Martin @ SnakeDoctor

4. Jack @ Hayesio

We met up at Richmond McDonalds on time and were on the road about 0745. We reached Zig Zag around 0845. Aired down and hit the tracks soon after.

We got to the first challenge at The Wombat Holes. Dru accidentally slipped off a side and damaged his rear flare trying to back out. We all had fun on the wombat holes.

After that we headed to The Pipe Lines. Dru took us through a new route which was full of further wombat holes. We got to the Pipelines and did a full walk through before attempting it. We approached the start of the Pipelines from the chicken track and while doing so I got hung up on my belly going down a hill. Jack came around to help. Together we jacked up the rear wheels and placed some rocks under the rear wheels. Bit of driving and bit of rocking the car we managed to free it and join the rest of the crew patiently waiting for us. Every one did the track easily with minor road building. Martin needed a bit of tug from Dru to make it over the last rock step on the first stage. Me being the smallest car had to do a bit of bouncing around to get over it.

It was time for lunch and we stopped for lunch at the end of the power lines. While we were having lunch a mist suddenly descended and looked like it was going to rain.

We packed up and started making our way to the Spanish steps. On the way we it started to rain on and off. We made it to the start of the Spanish steps and we came across a group towing out a broken Toyota. As we finish the descent into the valley it began to rain heavy. There was a group at the bottom of the big step with numerous cars of various brands half on top and half on bottom of the big climb. They kindly stepped aside and let us pass through as we only had 4 Jeeps. We did the climb without much trouble and only me needing a few go's to lineup the Jeep properly. We got up to the top relatively easily after that and it started to rain even heavier.

We decided to give the rest of the planned tracks a miss due to the deteriorating weather and headed out to the main road. I had to go into Lithgow to pickup something I had bought on eBay a few days before, so we parted ways at Slate Mine Gully Road. I headed to Lithgow and the rest of the crew headed to Zig Zag to air up.

It was a fun and fast trip with only 2 casualities to report. Dru damaged his rear fender and Jack lost his rear mud flap.

Hope to see you guys again on more trips (roster permitting)

BTW we got a brief on the cyclic roster today by the rosters unit. It will be implemented towards the mid of this year and will give me a planned rotating roster for 1 full year in advance. So I can plan trips with a bit more notice.

Cheers

Manihttp://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a9502d0c2d02/VID-20180225-WA0044.mp4http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a9502ef25b51/VID-20180225-WA0036.mp4http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a950311b1a34/VID-20180225-WA0012.mp4http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a950332c1ac9/VID-20180225-WA0043.mp4http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a950326d3088/VID-20180225-WA0038.mp4http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a950336ee979/VID-20180225-WA0012.mp4

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[SnakeDoctor]

https://youtu.be/eSjQJ7fHg9k


https://youtu.be/IGpI3PNa_AI

EDIT: Dru's Spanish Steps ascent incoming shortly.

[SnakeDoctor]

https://youtu.be/z-cGAkMEa4s

[SnakeDoctor]

https://youtu.be/umz0013LjbE

[SnakeDoctor]

https://youtu.be/POfQejBEB2w

https://youtu.be/8-exjj_HKOI

https://youtu.be/cGxlx_QukLo

[Dru]

Fabulous work by Brad on the video. Awesome work by the Chain Gang crew. Hope my belaboured discussion helped - sometimes I need to learn to be more succinct. :highly_amused:
Also loving the work by Armand on the (internal) SJC facebook site. AND must say thanks to my beloved, water allergic kitten that she is, continuing to spot through the downfall. Awesome job, honey.

Think I need to explain myself to the world as to why we continued in these conditions, lol. OK Spanish Steps is true rock crawling. Rain does not increase or decrease risk of damage to the trails. We would not have continued for instance in the dirt base of the wombat holes in those conditions. Not because of risk of damage to the jeeps, but risk of damage to the trails. Yes, that IS something that is important to SJC.

Spanish Steps though, recently, at the end of drought, has been at it's slipperiest. Dust settled on the rocks and removed traction. The rain simply took away that slipperiness. And then replaced it with water. :shame: Of course, I suspect it's a first for needing to check our fording depth before climbing the steps. Spanish Steps? No! Spanish waterfall!

We were, however not likely to damage the trails in these conditions.

Another note for those watching what happens with the Chain Gang. The Spanish steps were a car park. 4WD parked up in place and littered with broken trucks. Great to see Ben out there in his WH and that he didn't struggle on the steps. But honest, we had to weave around busted trucks. Have to give a big shout out to Ben's group though. Sincere courtesy on the trail and waiting back for the interrupting SJC group to go through. Fabulous courtesy and something we should all respect out on the trails.

[SnakeDoctor]

Last video:


https://youtu.be/ootL0BASn4Y