FM2CD VA Trail hunting: Big Levels 07/31/04
Another
one of our "trail runs that's not really a trial run". Once again the main
purpose was to explore the trail system prior to taking a large group in there
(Dale says it was to test out his new tires...he just got a set of brandie new
BFG AT's). We applied the lessons learned at Rapidan by not just eyeballing the
trail head...this time we took the trails and looked for obstacles, bypasses,
dead ends, turnarounds, etc.
Big Levels is actually a number of
trails: Kennedy Ridge, Stoney Run, Cold Spring, Mills Creek and Torry Ridge,
most of which collapse into Bald Mountain Jeep Trail. This is all George
Washington National Forest, BTW. Of course we both had our GPSes running and got
some awesome track logs...everything between BGLVL6 and BGLVL40 is trail.
We came in from the North side (BGLVL6). There was a gate but it was open. By
contrast, on the South side (where we exited) there was no gate. Although at
this scale you can't see it, on the obstacles/bypasses we encountered there are
"loops" in the track as we went around 2 and 3 times...first over the obstacle
then back around through the bypass, or vice versa. So we now have our own
extremely detailed maps of each challenge in the trail system.
Most of the trail system is made up of forest road, which gets very rough in
some places. There are a few places to play along with lots of mud holes...I
mean lots (prolly due to all the rain we've had here in VA). Using Dales XJ as
an example:
Before:
After:
Oh...and did I mention the veiw?
As is now obvious, Dale had his XJ and Jen and I were in the TJ. Since, the
mountng system for my GPS is in the XJ, I had to improvise...nuttin a lil duct
tape can't fix...git er dun!
A little hill climbing that ends up in some small mud puddles...there was a
bypass here, but pics of the bypass would be boring!
A little mud....
Now what would an FM2CD writeup be without some shots of... {drumroll}
MONSTER FLEX ON THE STOCKER!
...and of course the TJ.
Now I think this was the highlight of the trip. As we were almost out of the
system, we came across this:
So, naturally, all three of us reverted to being 5 year olds. I mean, what would
you have done? So allow us to share our play time with y'all...
WELCOME TO BALD MOUNTAIN BUSTED DOWN BUS LINES.
WON'T YOU STEP ABOARD?
OUR ACCOMMODATIONS ARE COZY...
AND OUR DRIVERS ARE OH SO FRIENDLY...
So, if ya couldn't tell we had an awesome time. But it was very productive too.
Dale and I were hauling ass though the system and we covered a lot of ground.
When we bring a larger group through, things will slow down a lot, so, we've set
up at least two future trips for the chapter...without having our members see
the same trail twice. We are targeting early November for the first club run up
there.
So let's see, are the Jeeps happy?
Is our Trail Master happy?
...um...a bit too happy there
Dale....take it down a notch buddy... 
Anyway, since everyone is happy, the FM2CD VA Trail Boss and Trail Master have
left the trail!
Rock On!
Steve
