The Poet Creek Express - Foamie Hybrid

[bonnie]

Congrats!


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[Ned B]

Saw Mr Ballista on my news feed!


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[KCStudly]

Thanks for posting that Ned, great photo. The guy who took that pic is a reporter for the AP that had been assigned to cover the event. He spent a bit of time interviewing us and really seamed to take a liking to Mr. B. Most people do because it is unique and identifiable. We even had a team member from the top throwing catapult secretly tell us that it is his favorite machine (what a compliment!).

Here is an update to the team Google+ website. Be sure to click on the pics with time stamps and > in the upper right hand corner as they are videos.
Mista Ballista 2015 Extreme Chunkin

[lthomas987]

KC,

Thanks for Mister Ballista the photos they are fantastic!

[KCStudly]

Thanks Laura. Glad you enjoyed it.

The next chapter in The Poet Creek Express story may or may not be told here; TJ Rubicon Dana 44 Rebuild.

[Wolffarmer]

Mercy

[GPW]

There was a blip on the news this morning about a pumpkin tossing incident ??? ( I missed it) You guys tossing Trumpkins’ ... ?

[KCStudly]

Such tragedy. I hope things work out okay for the people involved.

With the uncertainty of the event happening in DE the last couple of years, and the relative proximity of the new event in NH, we have been going to NH and were not in attendance in DE.

I hope this doesn't put a complete end to that event.

[KCStudly]

There is a new video up on u-tube (by Dee Gardiner) showing their dual sport motorbike travels on the LOLO and Magruder Road. There is a great segment towards the end climbing the access to Burnt Knob Knoll. The last few seconds show them at Poet Creek, with some other campers (presumably Elk hunters) where they spent the night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO058_JuJO0

[KCStudly]

Stumbled upon the blog that goes with the aforementioned video: https://gardinerfamilyadventures.wordpress.com/.

[Atomic77]

Really looks like a beautiful place! Some of those trails look a bit rough! Might want to consider an off road suspension on the PCE?!

[KCStudly]

Might want to consider an off road suspension on the PCE?!

Done. I chose a 3k lb axle with the big bearings and big brakes. It's beefy, can easily handle my tire and wheel selection, and I won't have to worry about breaking the spindles or braking on steep down grades. I have derated it by using Jeep YJ rear leaf springs rated for 1750 lbs. The YJ springs are longer than common trailer springs, so should help with dampening and reduce stiffness. I built in polyurethane bump stops and shock absorbers, and will be running the same Toyo Open Country 31 inch AT tires as the Jeep, on the same ATX Mojave 15 inch aluminum rims (that happen to be Teflon coated so that they shed dirt and mud, maintaining balance). You may also recall that I am building (...have built...) my own 360 deg coupler. All of the suspension mounts/shackle hardware is from Ruff Stuff Specialties and are super beefy. (For all of the gory details, refer back to the beginning of this thread.)

The main road isn't so bad... when it is open. The spur access roads to the fire watch towers are the worst of it, and we won't tow the camper up those.

If I had more time off I'd consider the LOLO route, too.

[dales133]

Great looking place.
Kinda fogot what your trailer looked like but i remember now after your description

[KCStudly]

Dale, the best part is the vastness of it all and the views. One minute you are in a valley with a mountain stream ("crick") babbling thru the pine trees and a few minutes later you are on top of the world looking across the state at several mountain ranges; and it goes on like that for well over 100 miles. I am so looking forward to experiencing it again in person. The smell of pines, the cool clean mountain air. No noise pollution, no light pollution. Babbling brook and a warm cozy campfire.

Having the proper gears in the Jeep, and not having to worry about breaking the weak D35 axle out in the middle of nowhere will be a big relief when it's done. I'll post more details soon on the axle rebuild thread, but the short catch-up version is that the backing plates and axle shafts are in; the brake assemblies are complete; and one of the new drums has been cleaned of its packing/shipping oil, installed and had its shoes adjusted. Today I do the other drum, make a new wire tie for the locker air hose (dealer couldn't find the parts on their little diagram), lube the diff, seal the cover, make new brake lines, remove the aftermarket panhard bar mount, and... if I get thru all of that... start installing in the Jeep.

[dales133]

Should be pretty capable with the new gears and locked up.