Jennings Camping Trip
February 2001
<Click on any image to enlarge>
It was pure accident and fate that resulted in this month's
trail ride and campout. On an earlier scouting trip on the Alapaha River near
Jennings Florida, we found the river running impassably high and signs pointing
to a new "ATV Trail". A local farmer had posted these signs hoping to
attract riders to a ATV track that he was building on his field. His family had
earlier decided to stop farming and turn the family's 500 acres into a offroad
motorsport park. He had no idea what folks wanted, but was willing to use his
heavy farm equipment and materials to "build anything that you want".
"Okay," I said,"how about a heavy clay mogul field, a high
speed dirt track, and a couple of mudding holes? And oh yeah, how about a 100
yard long Tank Trap filled with water and hiding some drop-off holes?"
We put the farmer to the test and he did not
disappoint. Eleven families arrived on an early Saturday morning and were
led to our campsite in a cleared oak hummock that was fitted with water,
electricity, and firewood. Later, with Scott Montgomery behind me I decided
to check out the Tank Trap - a 100 yard long trough bordered by a dirt berm and
with a sturdy oak at either end. The water at the end "seemed
shallow" - at least until my Jeep's nose disappeared underwater and the
humming of the engine was replaced by the sound of water gurgling through
the floor into the Jeep! Of course, by then a crowd had gathered and the farmer
(who had just pulled up to check on us) was witnessed wearing the biggest
****eating grin!
After Scott rescued me, we all went to the clay
mounds. The farmer had built 4 parallel rows of moguls on the side of a clay
hill. Each mogul was one jeep wide, one jeep tall, and separated by a hole one
jeep long and one jeep deep. For fun, he also flooded the last mogul of each row
with water! Big E was driving the big-hearted-but-ground-clearance-challenged
Mighty Jeep and proceeded to top off every mogul with his bellypan before
driving Mighty's nose deep (real deep) into the muddy final hole. Lee Myers
broke a front driveshaft trying to pull him out, and Ernie give new meaning to
the term "clutch smoke". Everyone else tried their hand on the
challenging moguls - with some good stucks.
We all then went to a neighboring rye field that was
flooded with water. Rye grass is real slick. And my water-and-sand-filled
starter decided to seize right in the middle of the field. The local farmboys
had a good laugh as Ellen buried her jeep to the frame (so much for keeping it
clean for the Jeep show, eh Ellen?), and two jeeps trying to drag a very dead TJ
through the muck. We push-started the Jeep and proceeded to the dirt track.
Originally designed for ATV's, the farmer had cut 2.3
miles of switchback turns, whoops, jumps, and high speed dogleg turns in a
hillside field. Steering with a heavy right foot and 2WD was the key.
And everyone soon mastered the art of roostertails and lock-to-lock powerslides
through the corners. Everyone was thoroughly dusty and smiling when they were
done, and we all headed for the Suwannee river to see Bill Lanman ford the
waters.
Scott Allen joined up with us after dinner (with a
new starter for me), and we decided to do a night ride on the moguls. The
earlier TankTrap episode got the best of Scott, who after warming up with some
bank-to-bank crossings, decided to charge the length of the Trap at full speed.
Everything looked good until the final 10 feet when Scott's TJ lost contact with
the bottom and began to float...before sinking rapidly up to the doorhandles.
His engine died, and his voice clearly began to waiver on the CB "could you
please hurry, the water is coming up to my butt". It cost me my pager and
last change of dry clothes as I volunteered to wade out with the winch
cable....until my foot dropped into a 38.5" Baja Claw deep hole! It
took the winches on Bill Lanman's, Harry Portellos' and my Jeep, with Lee Myers'
Jeep and an oak tree to pull Scott out. Needless to say, his starter also bit
the dust.
Sunday was spent fixing Jeeps and then riding on the
moguls and mudding fields again. By then the hills had been knocked down enough
for us to start criss-crossing across the moguls. John Micelli demonstrated
the art of being high-centered, and I demonstrated how it is possible to roll a
Jeep on a farm field in the middle of Florida. After a final mudbath in the rye
field, everyone started packing up and heading home.
I think it was unanimous that this place is a must-do
event for the future. The farmer is optimistic, and interest from other clubs
appears high. Let's do this again !
The
Ocala Jeep Club of Florida 
