May Long 2001

After a few e-mail's and ICQ messages, Keith (Redape) and I decided to head over to Saltspring Island to meet Jamin Stocks, and explore some of the trails over there.

Seeing as I work for myself, and time is kind of an abstract concept for me...we ended up missing the 10am ferry to the island. Normally we would have made it on, but this was the long weekend (another concept I am still working on figuring out), and ended up catching the 11:20am ferry instead.

On the ferry we met some crazy islander who is a crew member on the Skeena Queen (BC Ferries), who just happens to be a member of the Coastal Cruisers. Running into him seemed to be an appropriate start to our trip to Saltspring. It reminded me of hanging with the Gulf Islanders when I was a teenager. Something a little different about people who live on small islands, and I seem to be able to relate (my mum lives on Hornby Island BTW). Good people!

Unfortunately our guide Jamin, was nowhere to be found when we arrived in Fulford Harbour. We waited around for a while, and then assumed that Jamin assumed that we had bailed on him (and we all know what happens when we assume things don't we).

Keith and I decided to head into town (Ganges), and see if we could rustle up some food, and some 4x4s. We went to Moby's Pub on the far side of Ganges where I ordered an Oyster Shooter. It had been a while since I had had one of these little delights, and I wasn't quite prepared for the shear volume of this particular shot. Luckily it all went down without coming back up or dripping out the corner of my mouth.

When we had finished our lunch, we went for one more spin through what could be called the main drag I guess, looking for Jamin or anyone else who wanted to come play. No go on either front so we headed out, passing the dude from the ferry on the way (would have used a name if I had thought to ask what it was, but dude will have to suffice for now...sorry Dude).

I am somewhat familiar with certain areas of the island from the last couple times that I had camped there (and a little bit of a fading memory of hanging out there a few times when I was a kid). There are a couple secret camping spots I have found that are quite nice, and best of all free and very private. We decided to head for this area because I figured Jamin might be kicking around there, and it is the only place I knew of that would almost guarantee to provide us with some form of 4x4 entertainment.

We headed towards the mountains, airing down to 8psi at the start of the logging roads. 5psi is the status-quo for me and the Samurai, but I wasn't expecting anything serious so 8 pounds seemed like the logical pressure for my truck on logging roads and mild trail running.

The area is active with logging during the week, and has seen a lot of action lately. There have been some very public events surrounding the local logging, and I was a little wary thinking there may be gates ahead. The only gates that we saw where the same ones that were there the years before. There had been a lot of logging in the area, and it was difficult to recognize where I was sometimes due to the loss of certain landmarks and the general change of appearance in the landscape.

Not too far up the road we saw an interesting side road, and a decision was made to explore it. We came across a washed out bridge that is no longer used by trucks, but obviously sees some dirt bike action. We walked past the bridge to see if it was worth risking a crossing in the Samurai, but as the trail narrowed into a dirt-bike trail we came across a very large dead fall that wasn't going anywhere unless Keith ate some green bananas from Panama and the hulking alter-ego Redape came to the rescue. Alas, no green bananas from Panama or Mexican Black Acid (Keith's alternative to Panamanian Green Bananas...and if you don't get that I'm joking here there is no hope for you figuring out any of my other trip reports).

We turned the truck around and crept down the trail, all the while scouring the sides of the road for any signs of obstacles or potential obstacles, and skidder tracks. We found a wonderful little down hill rock section that opened up into a whole play ground area. Tentatively we are calling it the Play Pen.

This little area looks to be a place where teenagers might come to drink and get high on weekends...not to mention a little bush sex. It's an old clear cut area with some fire-pits and a little bit of garbage like beer cans etc. It looks like people drive in and park wherever, but we saw no signs of anyone using the area to it's potential for 4x4s. Keith and I on the other hand saw many different rock obstacles that we could create. We'll be back to clean up the OTHER PEOPLE's garbage at a later date.

I'm not sure what our Saltspring Island counterparts would think about the obstacles we have in mind, but I have a feeling they may think we're a little nuts. That's OK though, we have a tendency to bounce of the walls a little, but no straight jackets needed here. Just toss us a banana or two, and a few moss covered rocks, and we'll calm down after we wear ourselves out a little.

After coming across multiple rock outcroppings that we felt would make some good fun, we decide to move on in search of more trails. Back on the main road we ran into the big-ass Ford in the picture at the top of the page. Sorry Dude #2, but I'm monkey dungy with names. It takes me at least a few months of knowing you, talking on ICQ and via e-mail, having you over at my shop, and running trails with you before I remember your name! I won't say what depleted all those name remembering brain cells, but lets just say the old noggin took a bit of a beating in my youth.

After chatting a bit with this dude, and the Dude's friends, Dude, Dude, and Dude...Jamin came down the road, and we got to meet him and his two dude friends. All in all good people if you ask me. Very friendly, and eager to show us the trails and invite us over for some fun. Cool!

Dude #2 was almost out of gas and had a strange sound emanating from the drivers side hub area. He had to bail with his dude friends so Jamin and his dude friends took us up the mountain to show us a couple trails. It was interesting because pretty well all the trails he took us on were the trails I had explored on previous trips to the island, but in different directions with some of them.

The trails were pretty tame, not really needing 4wd, but Jamin was driving a bone stock Jeep XJ, and was just showing us the trails he knew. Eventually we made it to the mud pits which were a lot of fun. I didn't play too hard in them because this was a scouting mission more than a play day for Keith and I. I don't really like mud that much anyway. The stuff gets into everything, and can make a mess of your mechanics like hubs and wheel bearings etc. It is kinda fun to say what the hell and do a little tire spinnin' every once in a while though (for me that's every couple years if that).

After the mud pit where Keith spotted me into a stuck, and Jamin gave me a tug (almost pulling me onto my side), we chatted with the island boys for a bit, and then split off. Keith and I were heading for the top of the mountain where the towers are, and then for the ferry.

Along the way to the radio towers, we just couldn't help our Rock Monkey instincts from drawing us up every little side trail off the mainline logging roads. We spent a lot of time exploring different diversions, and by the time we got to the top of the mountain it was time to head for the last ferry. We spotted the ferry coming into the harbour, and unsure of the departure time, we decided it would be prudent to kick ass down the mountain.

I think sometimes there's a little rally racer in me just itching to get out. Nothing I like more than hauling ass down a mountain side in a little 4x running low tire pressures. A little fish tail here, and a little "oops we almost went over the cliff" there, and we were down the mountain in about 10-15 minutes. Good thing I was running the 8 pounds rather than my usual 5 too. I could swear as soon as we hit pavement and made the first corner doing 60km or so, it sure felt like the passenger side tires were about ready to vacate the rims. Pretty sure Keith was wearing his Depends™ because I looked over to see a face of horror, but all I could see was a great big grin...guess it was a satisfing one eh Keith?

We pulled into the ferry dock area, and seeing that we had some time decided to hit the little store there. Mmm, island girls sure are cute!

Pulling into the ferry lineup we could sense, and see the heads turning. It seems we were a little out of place, and kinda stood out with all the mud covering our doorless ride. I think Keith has a little more appreciation for what it must be like to be black now....well, brown anyway.

At any rate...very much funage...an "ahh...I needed that" kinda deal...

Keith, Beer and maybe some others and I will be going over again soon to do some more exploring, and too prepare for the Big-Ass Saltspring Camp-out coming up in the summer sometime (an officially unofficial Island4x4.com event). Maybe a little Cougar hunting while we are there too...just another bad joke you better be getting right...about...NOW! I don't actually kill animals, I just eat them...hmm...nah, I'll leave that one alone...time to get some sleep! I have to start remembering to not write these things at 3am when I'm feeling a little frisky.

Stay tuned for some more Nefarious rants and raves...brought to you by the Monkey Brothers!

Disclaimer...jo-jo and Island4x4.com are not responsible for any errors, misleading comments, rude comments, blatant exaggerations, Keith bashing or other erroneous smart-ass musings inspired by this report. If ya can't deal...read the Times Communist...lots of PC and biased reporting to be had there!

jo-jo
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