Gorillamel: Heepin' it in Idaho!

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
You know the sad part is that no one even notices or comments on my photos on the Jeep forums. Another reason why i like X forums so much better. Jeep forums are mean harsh places that are full of people trying to one-up each other. I hate how elitist they seem to be. Oh well. Im still a goneMoaber and not an easter safari-er haha.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 

GhostX

Allergic to Pavement<br><img src="http://i164.phot
Location
SoCal
Mel...you're much more than a goneMOAB'er (like that term) or an Easter Jeep Safarian...you are an adventurer with a campfire spirit.

Love your photos, thanks for postin' up.
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Aww, thanks, John! I love seeing all your adventure (cycling) photos, too.

Life is too short to be stuck in the humdrum monotony of life. Go out and adventure whenever you have the chance, is my life motto. :)
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
I got some Yakima a1 towers so i can have a rack for my kayak. Cost me $37 for four if them at a secondhand backcountry store in town. The owner recommended i try metal rods/tubes for the bars. I went to Home Depot and got 60" bars. Then i mounted it all up and here is my ghetto fabulous set up:

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Then i put my kayak (waaaaaay) up there. And found out the bars were too flexible. Sad.

Went back to the store today and got the Yakima 78" bars. Also consigned my Yakima Mako Aero saddles. Woo!

Final set up:
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You know youre a dog person when you let the dog in the Jeep (with the windows down) while you mount up the rack and then feel bad she didnt go for an actual car ride. So you spend gas money and buy expensive drive thru coffee so she can stick her head out the window (with the AC on) in the wind AND have expensive drive thru coffee water and treats. Yup. Im a sap.

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gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
I planned a solo camping/kayaking trip to Hells Canyon this weekend. Here is the intended route: https://goo.gl/maps/qimX8

Notes to self:
Cuprum, Idaho info: http://pnwphotoblog.com/ghost-town-cuprum-idaho

Directions: From Ontario, Oregon head north on US-95 North for 44 miles. At the town of Cambridge Idaho, take a left on to ID-71. The road will cross the Snake River to Brownlee, Oregon and then join OR-86. Take a right towards Copperfield, Oregon, then take the next right to cross the Snake River again on NF-4545. After crossing the river take a left onto Hells Canyon Road. Just under six miles, take right onto Kleinschmidt Grade. This road is also labeled National Forest Development Road 050. In 5 and half miles Windy Ridge Road joins Kleinschmidt Grade at a “Y” intersection.

Sight-seeing goals:
Hells Canyon Dam
Kleinschmidt Grade (Nat for Dev Rd 050)
Wallowa-Whitman scenic overlooks of Hells Canyon (National Forest Development Road 490, OR 97842)
Possible camping spot owned by Idaho Power in canyon at bottom of K Grade: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138350 (But sounds like it will be super hot in canyon.)

Continue for another two and half miles, when Council Cuprum Road joins Windy Ridge Road. Cuprum is 1.6 miles further.
Good reference trail journal: http://www.brian894x4.com/Lowerhellscanyontrip.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post adventure update: Took an adventure this weekend from Cascade over Boise NF to Council to Payette NF, down the Kleinschmidt Grade and into Hells Canyon area. I did not make it to Sheep Rock Overlook or Hells Canyon Dam. The smoke from nearby fires was too thick to see or do much. It was about 105F in Hells Canyon, so I did not go kayaking in Oxbow Reservoir to go to the hot spring across the way. I also only camped one night vs the 2 due to the smoke. I did encounter the most amazing people at the Horse Mountain Fire Lookout- they live there 4mo of the year looking for fires. They have the most basic amenities, no sewer, power, gas, etc. They rely on propane showers and food/water driven in. Awesome! I now know what I want to do after I retire!

And, of course, no adventure is complete without a break or few. Right off the bat I snapped my parking brake before I even got started too far. Then my kayak rack broke and I had to tie to together with a spare tie-down strap and some paracord the fire people gave me. *sigh* I guess Yakima roof racks are not meant for off roading with a kayak, haha!

Here are some highlight pics:

Council-Cuprum Rd (near Ox Ranch):
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Camping Lone Wolf style- all the needed amenities :)
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Turn off for Horse Mountain vs Cuprum:
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Horse Mountain Fire Lookout Station:
Toward Hells Canyon (smoke from fires was horrible):
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Looking toward Cuprum:
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View from Horse Mtn overlooking Hells Canyon (stupid smoke):
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Road into Horse Mountain Lookout:
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Abandoned mine near Cuprum, ID:
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Lake at abandoned mine:
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Sign to Kleinschmidt Grade:
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Kleinschmidt Grade:
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Sign at bottom in Hells Canyon:
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Snake River in Hells Canyon area:
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gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Not a whole lot new. Finally ordered a part to fix my parking brake. Hopefully it'll come in soon.
When money permits, looking into getting a raingler net for behind the seats separating the cargo area from the front to keep the dogs from being annoying while I drive.
Till then, here's some pics I took today while I took a fun relaxing drive in the Boise foothills near home- route 8th St/FS 231 to Boise Ridge Rd/FS 275 to Shaw Mtn Rd/FS 260.

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view looking toward Hwy 21 in distance (along Rocky Canyon Rd toward Robie Creek)-NE.

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view looking at intersection of 275/260 (east)

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view looking toward Boise in the distance (along Shaw Mtn Rd)- SE
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Finally fixed my parking brake today. It has only been broken since Aug. Ive been a bit lazy and lacking a T30 to remove some of the bolts.

I used this as my how-to: http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58089#/forumsite/20570/topics/58089?page=1

Pics
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Center console removed. This is the oem brake. Below is a close up of the area that the pin broke from.
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Old and new side by side
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PITA part was getting these out of the harness.
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After new one is installed, the tension was so great that we had a hard time pulling it up to put the console back on.
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Eff you broken piece.
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And showing off my new Factor 55 Prolink my friend who helped with the install gave me.
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gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
That all sounds way too confusing for my simple blonde mind to grasp. I just like the pull and button release for my hand brake. Now I can finally turn on the Jeep in the winter to warm it up while I clean snow off of it and not worry about it rolling away!

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Biggest snow storm in history this early in Nov in the area I live. I had to spend the night at a friend's house and park the poor Jeep outside, haha.
 

J Everett

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Houma, LA
You're not a real mechanic, amateur or professional, until you have a set of snap ring pliers. :)
 
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gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Now I have a set with 4 different types/angles to use! Does that make me badass mechanic now?

I realise I have not really updated this thread much with my off roading antics. My error. So, to do some brief catching up, here are some pics:

I like to keep it classy- redneck, dirty-minded style:
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Muddy recovery sticker (thanks, Joe!)
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Labor Day exploring in mountains and having a picnic overlooking Boise with a friend:
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I bought a house in Sept and there is an off road park less than 5min from my house. Here I am taking Panda out to play off leash at it:
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We finally got snow in the Boise foothills. This was taken a few weeks back. But now we have even more snow!
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I took Panda up to the snow to play in it. Yep, I'm one of those dog owners that takes lots of pics of her dog. I just love how happy she looks in these pics.
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gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Awesome!
She is a rescue. We think about 4-5yrs. Unfortunately, she was not socialised young and thus is animal/dog aggressive to most animals. Which makes me sad we cannot take her to the dog park or events involving dogs b/c her anxiety sky rockets and she screams and bites at other dogs. Luckily, a friend of mine has a dog that she loves and they can play together safely and get their energy.

Here is my shameless plug to my fav coffee place using her, haha:
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gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Proof of how awesome the off road community is:
When I bought my Jeep, a fellow club member gave me a 2-3" lift (spacers, shocks, etc.) for free. I then got JKU springs to help with the lift for free from a local off road shop.
Another off road friend gave me that Factor 55 ProLink. Just for helping promote his shop on FB by adding people.
Yesterday, a Jeep friend gave me his OR Fab rear tire/rotopax carrier and OR Fab tube bumper for free. I intend to give him money for it, since something like that I cannot accept merely for free. This guy also helped me install all my lift parts, which included him buying some specialised drill bits to get the job done. Hours of work. Free.
Today, I got the Bestop Halftop (soft top with Windjammer, Bikini and Duster) from a fellow Jeeper for free since he sold his crawler JK a few years ago.

I am constantly blown away by how open and generous the people I have met in the off road community are. I think this, more than anything else, is why I love off roading- the people. The adventures are fantastic, but adventuring with like-minded folk just cannot beat doing by yourself every time.

Thanks off road friends. You all rock! My Jeep thanks you, too. :)
 

J Everett

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Houma, LA
Yeah, the people are what keeps me coming back here. If it weren't for that, I would probably have traded for a Subaru STi by now, but I just know as soon as I do something like that, I'll miss out on some adventure with my XN friends.

I can't wait to see you Jeep with your new bumpers installed. I really dig the OR Fab stuff. That was incredibly nice of your friend.
 

Timrich

Super Duper Moderator
Founding Member
Location
Central FL
Awesome!
She is a rescue. We think about 4-5yrs. Unfortunately, she was not socialised young and thus is animal/dog aggressive to most animals. Which makes me sad we cannot take her to the dog park or events involving dogs b/c her anxiety sky rockets and she screams and bites at other dogs. Luckily, a friend of mine has a dog that she loves and they can play together safely and get their energy.

Here is my shameless plug to my fav coffee place using her, haha:
10659405_777280197523_8577574690556608917_n.jpg
Thats awesome! I got my two from my Uncle. He has 3 aussies noa and had a litter of ten so we adopted 2 from him. THese guys are so full of energy!
Oh Congrats on all the new parts! Looking forward to seeing them on!
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
Here's the bottom rear bumper installed:
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Thank goodness it was super easy- remove stock bumper, shove this one in the frame holes and shove bolts through holes already there. I had to get creative in stacking things to hold it up since I did it on my own.
Granted, if any of you are my FB friends, then you are aware of the "issue" I encountered prior to install. For those that are not my FB friends, here is today's post:

"Mel's dumbass moment of the day: left a giant baggy of sockets and a socket wrench on Jeep fender flare. Get distracted. Drive away with said equipment still on fender. Notice a few miles later and grab what I can find at major intetsection. All in all, lost almost all of them, even after retracing my path twice. Great. Not happy with myself. Now have to save up to buy all new equipment. Grrrr."

Here are pics of the OR Fab rotopax/tire carrier:
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I bought all new hardware for it at Tacoma Screw (except for the 6 M8 washers at 90 degree and the spacers):
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My friend gave me the standard NATO can carriers, too. I'll need to buy the base Rotopax holder and 4 2-gal rotopax:
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I know this photo is not the best, since everything is mostly rolled up on the couch, but these are the pieces for the Jeep soft top:
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The end result should look like this with the new top on:
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And this is what the OR Fab rotopax/tire carrier looks like installed:
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metzican

Suspension Lift
Location
Lafaytte, la
Wow, it seems like you have a great community up there. Just remember to PIF when you can. This is how I try to live my life.

Sorry to hear about the tools. I hope you only lost the sockets you will never use. We all know which one's I'm talking about.
 

GPD605X

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Gulfport, MS
Looking good! That's why I love this forum and most of the off road groups. Most try and help out anytime they can! That's awesome that they are doing all that for you.
 

gorillamel

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Idaho!
All the parts I have removed from the Jeep over time I have been giving away in an effort to pass it forward. I have no need for them, might as well let someone else make use of them. :)
 
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