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2009 Ultimate Adventure Midwest Four Wheeling Part 2
Part 2: Midwest Mayhem Tour
Welcome to Part 2 of the '09 Ultimate Adventure. For those of you just joining in, here's a refresher on what the UA is all about. While the off-road convoy can easily be confused for a traveling circus, the reality is that this off-road adventure is great mix of people, trails, camping, and drives through the amazing countryside and small towns across the nation. With the expedition covering fresh territory each year, it has evolved into one of the most challenging and incredible weeklong wheeling trips on the planet.While most of the group enjoyed... While most of the group enjoyed a nice road day and fun-filled afternoon visiting the stores and sights of Michigan and Ohio, a few were hard at work. Now equipped with the correct pinion bearing, the Watson, Stearns, and Hobart crews were able to get the Ultimate Super Duty back in action and even managed to show up in time for the barbeque buffet dinner at Rocks and Valleys Off Road Park. The town of Somerset built... The town of Somerset built a monument to General Sheridan's ultimate adventure! Waterballon warfare is all... Waterballon warfare is all part of the Ultimate Adventure. For many it's the only shower they'll have for a few days! For those of you who missed last month's coverage and want to know more about what it takes to come on the Ultimate Adventure, visit 4wheeloffroad.com. If you're into the outdoors,... If you're into the outdoors, we suggest taking a trip to a Cabela's near you. We're not sure if they are all as massive as the one in Dundee, Michigan, but it's almost certain that you'll find something in the store that you didn't know you needed but now must have.
On The Road Again
After a great night of camping under the Ohio stars we awoke to a cool breeze and clear sky. All loaded up, we said our goodbyes to the crew at Painted Rock Adventure Park and headed through the village of Somerset for an extraordinary drive past the General Sheridan monument and historic courthouse. With the UA Super Duty waiting on parts, Péwé hopped in Whopper Jr. (the $500 F-250 roadside purchase) and corralled our group toward Dundee, Michigan.While Dundee doesn't hold any particular wheeling history to speak of, it does have one of the largest Cabela's Outdoor stores we've seen. Stopping by the massive outdoor-enthusiast Mecca, we loaded up on more bug spray, scored some new stuff that we had to have but didn't really need, and then fueled up for the highway journey ahead. After downing a few convenience store burritos, listening to a couple hours' worth of garbled CB chatter, and gaining a nice rotisserie glow from the relentless sun beating down on the blackened pavement, we pulled into another surprise pit stop. This roadside rendezvous was all a little more drab than our last stop, but for this group that was just fine. Swinging into General Jim's Surplus store in Clare, Michigan, we got the chance to browse some sweet military goods and embrace our inner G.I. Joe. From complete military trucks to combat gear, General Jim's had plenty of new and old military items to choose from. Leaving the store with our arms packed full of olive drab goodies, we hopped back in our tired 4-bys and headed a little farther north. We love military surplus stores...  We love military surplus stores like Winnie the Pooh loves honey. It's a natural attraction and for some a lifestyle that rotates around one color: olive drab. |  Have you ever wondered why...  Have you ever wondered why they make you sign the waivers at the off-road parks? Needing a little extra up pull to get our crew over the massive ledge at the end of the mud hole, Clifton Slay played jungle man and secured a snatch block high atop the tree. |  Although this may look like...  Although this may look like a bunch of hippies lost in the woods, it's actually just a few of our crew and cronies continuing the 10-year tradition of sporting old UA shirts that have been tie-died. Thankfully, the Michigan locals didn't run them off, but we generally don't claim them in public. |
At Rocks and Valleys Off Road Park in Harrison, Michigan, later in the evening we were met by a huge group of good old-fashioned fun-loving wheelers. We were treated to a mouthwatering home-style barbeque buffet hosted by Ron Price and the Rocks and Valley Rangers. It was by far the best meal we'd eaten all week. So with our bellies full and sunlight still on the horizon we set up camp, looked over our rigs, and shot the bull around the campfire into the late evening light. After taking a rock to the... After taking a rock to the oil pan early in the day the Light Force TJ, piloted by Chris Corbett and Chris Begley, headed back to camp to patch things up. With help from Hobart and Chris Durham, they made a record-setting pan repair and were able to catch up with the group before we even stopped for lunch.
Rocks and Valleys
After a cozy night's sleep under the northern moonlight we all squinted our way through early morning sunshine and gathered around for our daily drivers meeting. Since Rocks and Valleys had opened only 12 months before our arrival, we eagerly anticipated checking out the freshly laid trails. Shaped by the hard-working guys and gals from the Rocks and Valleys Rangers, the park is filled with a seemingly infinite amount of steep climbs and sharp drop-offs. Generally they require you to run marker flags on the front of your rig so it can still be seen as it drops in and out of the endless gullies. And while their manmade rock sections are tough, to say the least, the park's mud-soaked trails hidden throughout the dense forest would prove to be quite the challenge for the group. Zane and Dale Znamenacek were...  Zane and Dale Znamenacek were one of the husband-and-wife couples invited on this year's adventure. Using good communication and taking turns spotting and driving, they dominated each obstacle with ease and ended not only the day but the entire trip with no breakage. |  The Ultimate Super Duty was...  The Ultimate Super Duty was having a flawless day right up to the point when the rear axleshaft went snap! Luckily the guys at Zemko's 4x4 in Clare, Michigan, had a set of the full-float Sterling shafts in stock and we were able to run down the road and replace everything in no time flat. |  Sam Gillis and his custom...  Sam Gillis and his custom Overkill buggy went for a nice flop after getting a little too off-camber making his way up the huge rock pile. If only the massive tractor tires at the start of the obstacle had been at the top of the hill, maybe he could have just bounced right back up and kept moving! |
A balance of wheel speed and... A balance of wheel speed and momentum was all it took to make it through the Northern Michigan mud. Jonathan Cooper and Andrea Miller piloted their '01 Tundra through the thick of it and still have the muddy floor mats to prove it. Once we all drug and clawed our way out of the pit we headed to a more wide-open section of mud. Admittedly, there was a curious smell eking out of the earth, but each driver took the plunge through the muck and made it through to the other side. With sheets of goop now dropping beneath the rigs we made our way to the mega rock hill. Each participant attempted to navigate his or her way to the top without being tossed over by the washing-machine-sized boulders. Equipped with BDS coils at... Equipped with BDS coils at all four corners, Mike DeMarco's ZJ had no trouble stuffing the massive 42-inch MT/Rs over the rocks. While the new Goodyears seemed to perform well in a variety of environments, they really shined in the rocks. Using the big cleats to hold traction, they hooked on and rolled over the dishwasher-sized boulders with ease. On Winch Hill, a moderately difficult rockcrawl course set up through the woods, each participant made his or her way to the top and crept back down. Short on daylight and with all of our bellies on empty, we headed back to camp to unwind. We were greeted with another all-too-delicious barbeque put on by the locals. Feasting late into the night, we aired up our tires and began preparing for a long road day tomorrow.  Glen Hard and Mike Maloney...  Glen Hard and Mike Maloney pushed through the slop and the trenches of the park like men on a mission. Little did they know that one of the ears on their Dana 35s yoke had become damaged and would lead to a roadside repair in the morning. |  James Watson of Offroad Design...  James Watson of Offroad Design is one tough guy. Anyone who would joist a fullsize buggy is pretty hardcore in our book. OK, maybe he was pulling the tree out from between his son Stephen's rig, but that doesn't make him any less of a walking tank. |  One of the unique aspects...  One of the unique aspects of the Rocks and Valleys Park is the ability to access virtually every trail in the park by way of a basic dirt road that winds through it. This makes it a little easier to get back to camp if a vehicle fails. While we had some moderate breakage throughout the day, John Bjorum and his LS1 XJ made it through flawlessly. |
Stub shaft and front locker: Durham TJ
Hole in oil pan: Light Force TJ
Rear axleshaft: Ultimate Super Duty
Power steering pump: K&N Jeepster
Broken synthetic winch line: Cooper Tundra
Fuel leak and steer pulley: Hobart JK
Minimal body damage: Most rigs!
Bent rear axle: BDS TJ
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