Full Size Jeep Network

Matt, excellent summary!! thank you! I'm fresh off of about 12 hours on the road for the second day, mostly Kansas, I'm tired from an awesome week of 4-wheeling and way too many late nights, early mornings and beer and shots and maybe a cigar in there! This was the most amazing week. I'm ready to go do it again! So good to see all the old and new faces. The high point for me still may be a tie between my 5 year old daughter saying "Why can't we just live in Colorado??!"or her on Black Bear on one of the bigger drop off rocks saying "That was FUN!!" The trails are all harder in my opinion. Even since last year. Huge (HUGE!) props to all the FSJs who braved Black Bear on Friday, it was tougher than I remember! You all have bragging rights, I want to see pics! I was sweating and my heart was racing even in my "cheater Jeep".

Oh, yes we also had the FJs blocking the trail like they owned the place at the Black Bear summit. 10 or so were lined up taking turns at the Black Bear sign. I rolled right up, onto that rock by the sign, Bryan took a pic and I backed up again. They were honking and pissed at me! I wasn't in the pictures they were taking and our group consisted of two rigs. It turned out I could have waited for a proper picture of the sign because 10 or so FJs were parked in the middle of the trail so we couldn't continue anyway. Then one a-hole drove around me, off trail on the tundra and flowers, to get in line. Pointless because there were about 10 more behind him who couldn't fit in the one car length in front of me. So they had my JKU and Kenny's Grand Cherokee in the middle of their group for awhile. Later we got to a spot they waved us through. I hate they go and act like they own the dang trail.

We had some nice guys on Imogene as well...Toyotas but not FJs! Maybe one FJ. Offered to help with a spring fix. IMO the 200 guys seem more like fellow Jeepers than FJ types...

Thanks for the kind words guys!

It was awesome having you (redone) as a neighbor this year. The kids loved your dogs and you were a good sport about the constant kid invasion.

I'd also like to thank Gabe and Mike for facilitating last minute campsite logistics.

It was very nice to be a full-fledged participant this year. No jeep issues, non-jeep vehicles, or newborns. I feel all the work I've done was worth it.

Looking forward to next year...

I love being a dad and without my kid there yours were a welcome surrogate.

Out of curiosity, why don't you guys just move the event by a week to avoid the other large group? I am sure in the earlier years when there was like 50 FSJ's you guys would block trails as well (just because of the numbers if nothing else).

We've done it the 4th week in July and they just moved it to match. We set our dates in July of the previous year, they set theirs in March of the year of the event. Only one time did they schedule their dates different from ours.

Edited because I was whining

Riverrat wrote:We had some nice guys on Imogene as well...Toyotas but not FJs! Maybe one FJ. Offered to help with a spring fix. IMO the 200 guys seem more like fellow Jeepers than FJ types...

Yeah, I was going to say a Taco guy in a non-FJ was a big help with my spring. He loaned me his electric impact which made short work of the effort. I think I am going to put an electric impact on my gift list.

We caught a group of FJ's going up to Engineer. They were really polite and made sure we could get by. Overall not too bad.

I think if a group is going to stop on purpose to take pictures or whatever they need to make sure others can pass by. We do this. It's just polite.

Too bad the guy in the FJ flopped. I am glad he wasn't hurt. Need to keep your stuff secure!

So then it may sound like its worth while to go onto their forum and talk with whom ever sets theirs up in March, and see if it can be worked out to be a different week. Not the end of the world to have both groups there, but it can certainly be less hassle when the trails don't have two big groups at once. But I can totally understand it may not be possible. Just figured I would bring it up

Group photo:



I'll probably post more later but wanted to say, especially...

Thanks to all those who stepped up to help fill in when/where needed. I had *no* idea what happened with the site confusion and I should've been on top of that so I humbly apologize.

It isn't all that often that you see a group can pull together and resolve that kinda stuff. I'm very humbled and pleased to be associated with ya. Oh, and Casey and I talked to Dave on the way out and he was all smiles and expressed several times that he's very happy to have us.

Likewise, with the raffle, where Bob and Casey and Mike helped Scott and I out big-time by calling vendors in the remaining week, to pull off an epic raffle with some incredibly sweet prizes -- not to mention all the people who generously donated said prizes!

We sold a whopping $1200 in tickets for which Ouray Mountain Rescue was very grateful (we got to talk to Sam and Diane for quite awhile). I had fun being the emcee (normally I'd be way too shy but Bob made me)

Many thanks also to Beth-Ann and Frank for pulling off the t-shirts and stickers when we were coming down to the wire. We got some seriously awesome shirts, stickers, and raised another ~$500 for OMR.

Also, Hatchet Jack and I had some time to talk to the KOA owner Debbie. Dave had shown her the T-Shirt we gave him and she had no idea that we did the raffles,shirts and stickers and that we donated the money to the Rescue. She thanks us several times. She said they are near and dear to her and was very excited that we support a local group.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone. For sharing a spot to park/crash out, sharing a beer or chicken sandwich, and helping me by buying some of my junk. This year was kinda fubar for me but I enjoyed it none the less. Met some great people with a shared FSJ passion. Hopefully this year is better for us and I can be better set up to make next year a more eventful experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dave and Debbie are great folks, we are lucky they are willing to work with us every year. In 2008 I brought my MH at the last minute and Dave worked it out so that I only had to move one time during the week. Not only that he made sure to keep me where I could walk to the showers and the restaurant, since I didn't have spare wheels that year.

Awesome Awesome time once again @ the Invasion...ready to come back next year...glad everybody liked, enjoyed the tailgate campfire chair/bench..if ya don't know the story of the traveling tailgate show up @ the nightly fire (and not empty handed/well it'll be ok if ya do) and maybe the topic will come up...shout out to everyone/everybody who has anything and everything to do w loosely organizing this event, my family and I thank you for accepting us into this group...anything I can do to help just let me know...thanks again



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dadgumit... I missed the T-REX!?!?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Shared this with my wife and she said let's do it next year! Now I have to keep her interest peaked.
Will it be the the Gladiator or the Wagoneer?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

glake wrote:Shared this with my wife and she said let's do it next year! Now I have to keep her interest peaked.
Will it be the the Gladiator or the Wagoneer?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why not both? Rent a U Haul tow dolly and bring a spare Jeep!

Pic of Jeep wheel cap found on trail no comment on the other items


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep, that Jeep wheel cap looks a little familiar.

greatplns wrote:Yep, that Jeep wheel cap looks a little familiar.

pm me your address and I will send to you...