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Cast of Characters:

• Jeremy - '77 Jeep CJ7
• Ibby - 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport
• Timo - 2000 Suzuki Grand Vitara
• jo-jo - '87 Suzuki Samurai

Canada Day long weekend, myself and the above mentioned chimps decided to head to Saltspring Island in search of new trails (old roads).

We spent a lot of time on Mt.Bruce (or Bruce Peak depending on the map you're reading), and Hope Hill. There is a fairly extensive network of old roads to explore in this area.

For the most part we were on Crown Land, traveling roads that were used long ago for logging, and access to the top of the mountain is still active for servicing the repeater towers (TV, radio, cell, etc.).

We found a route that circles the towers, making a loop from our secret campsite around the base of the towers, through some overgrown trails, older clear cuts, fresh clear cuts, and back onto the mainline (Musgrave Rd.).

We didn't get a chance to explore every little side road that popped up, but there is certainly some interesting potential for challenging driving in the area.

We didn't push it too much with the vehicles we had, but we still managed a little carnage anyway. Timo ripped a wheel off his gas powered remote. It was a pretty funny site that I wish I had caught on film. He burned it down a straight stretch, then did a 180, ripping the wheel off in the process. As the little 4x came around on the 180 it lifted the tireless end off the ground a full 4" (that would be about 4' in a real truck). A quick trail fix, and the little ripper was on it's way again.

I missed taking a picture of Ibby's missing fender flare he pulled off. I also didn't bother taking pictures of the numerous small dents, and the two broken turn signal lenses on my truck because...well...it's sort of becoming a regular occurrence for me to do that (especially on Saltspring).

A couple of highlights:

• Finding my sunglasses that I lost on a previous trip over, at the base of one of the obstacles
• Me getting friendly with Ibby's chain-saw (thinking I should write a letter to Carhart to thank them for the double walled thigh protection in their pants...good thing I wear them every day of the week)
• Timo making a valiant effort on a couple of the obstacles
• Me bitch slapping my worn clutch through the Big Ditch
• Views, views, views...nothing like camping on the side of a mountain for free while the lemmings pay for listening to other lemmings crying, yelling, drinking, listening to Muzak etc...

Can't wait to go back. The island is truly beautiful. If you have some trails you would like to share with us, please e-mail me at jojo@island4x4.com, we're in explore mode big time these days.