Graves Mountain -- y'all missed a good'urn.

[kaiser715]

Just got back from the MV rally at Graves Mountain (Syria, VA) put on by Cabell Garbee.

I had issues and had to get towed back from the first trail ride. Turned out to the be (HEI) coil (I think, didn't happen again after swapping out). Went on a good long backroads convoy on Saturday a.m., got in a good dayhike, spent time in the pool, and met some great folks.

For those that thought about going, and didn't, you sure missed one heck of an event.

Pics tomorrow after I download from the camera...

[kaiser715]

One funny story from the weekend before I crash...

I went fishing and caught a Mustang convertible.


A few of us were hanging out around camp Friday afternoon. The wife of one of the guys came back from town, and said there was a fisherman stuck off the road a couple of miles down the road. She and Neil (Hendrix?) in an M35A2, and me in my 715 headed off down the road to help. Who could turn down a rescue mission?

Get down the road...Neil pulls off in the M35 to the side of the road, and turns on the convoy lights. We walk down, the guy is about 50' off the paved road, down a grassy path, and has the rear wheels of a 'stang dropped off the washout at the edge of the (small) river. We formulate a plan, I nose down to him, and strap him out, no problem.

The fisherman is very grateful. We tell him it's cool, it made our day. He then says that he has no money, but there is an ATM up the road. Neil and I start tugging out our wallets, saying, "oh, you need some money too?...do you need gas money"...guy is flustered... "no, no, no, I want to give you something for helping..." None of us had a camera...as payment, we had him take a picture of his car and us, holding the tow strap, with his cell phone, and made him promise to show it to his wife when he got home. I hope it wasn't her car.

[kaiser715]

Finally, a few pics, in no particular order....

"average" view thru the windshield:



I spent some time right here....zzzzzzzz:



and here:



Couldn't have asked for a prettier weekend...property backs up to Shenandoah National Park...



Renee and Blaze in the M715:

[kaiser715]

M37:



M35 and M38:



M38:



In the creek:



M37 again:

[kaiser715]

A few more misc pics:

[Barrman]

Looks like a nice place. By the smiles of Renee and Blaze, seems to have been a successful weekend.

[kaiser715]

I'll tell one more story, and take my lumps (actually, already have...)

I've played offroad with Jeeps since I got my CJ in 1986. This past weekend was the FIRST time ever having to be towed back to camp. I've pulled/helped others plenty of times, but this was a first for me in 24 years. I overheated on a hill climb, and it wouldn't restart, even later in the afternoon. Next morning fired right up when I tried. This was on the first day out.

I got to figuring the coil was breaking down...replaced it (HEI), and no more trouble for the weekend.

It's a BAD feeling coming home on the end of a tow strap.

[Barrman]

Might want to get the chip for the inside of the HEI to carry around in the future. As many spare parts you have stuffed and hidden all over your CJ, I am suprised you don't have a spare HEI duct taped under the cab or something on the M715.

[kaiser715]

I have put an MSD box in the 715, but the original module is in the parts box. For this trip, I actually threw in a whole distributor...that way I'd have cap, rotor, coil, module, etc all in hand.

[Duane]

is this an annual thing or was this the first time? wouldnt be a bad trip from NJ for next year. I really hear nothing going on in the Northeast.

Duane