Gathering at the mobile station in Heniker worked well for having two groups going in different directions. Stephen Gallagher, Dave Booth, Mike Soter, Bill Holmes, Derek Gilbert, Chris, Mike Rizzo, Don Diamant, Mike Farnell left the mobile to meet up with our guides, Mark Bleaut, and Jaimi Nasson at the Weare Fire Staion. About a 15 minute ride brought us to teh first trail, a nice comfortable class Vi Road meandering its way under power lines and eventually leading to a big mud hole!

Stephen went through first navigating around the deep section, next was mike soter who felt the need to go through the deep section found himself on the short end of long winch from Jamie, Bill navigated teh easy section, Don attempted the tough section, a slip off of a rock found him wedged between a deep spot and a rock, Those 35inch MTR's were no use in getting out, a strap from stephen failed and almost rolled don over, common sense kicked in and don's winch recovered himself. Dave Both went through the easy section and his BFG AT's put up a battel through the mud,a nd with a coupel of forward and reverse maneuvers Dave drove to freedom. Derek in his YJ showed us all what 34x9.5 pizza cutter swampers were designed for, with out hesitation he entered and drove right through the deep section as if he was still on the class vi road! Jaimie also drove through idling his 304 and letting his 35 inch swampers crawl through.

Chris and teh pinzgauer also walked through as if it was a class vi road. Mark did not attempt the task. Off to the next trail is a class VI road paralleling a Ski slope. This trail had its share of pucker factor and was a good trail to end the scouting on. AN off camber ride with ledge protrudiung through the washout right at mirror and quarter panel height. Some were a little apprehensive at first, but with the spotting expertise of Jaimie and Stephen the only real casualty was teh mirror of the pinzgauer. The reat of the trail appeared to be unconsequential until a stop for the rear presented with the pinzgauer on his side and sliding towards Stephens Jeep. Out came the straps and teh snatch blocks and debate at eh best way to right the pinz. Again Common sense found eight of us grabbing and hoisting to an upright position. No further complications on the trail and jaime and mark split off and teh majority of us followed Stephen Back to the homestead for some vittles. No one played outback. All in all this half of the may 17th trail ride was quite successfull.

Submitted by Stephen Gallagher