Day 6 Breakage
STUB SHAFT AND FRONT LOCKER:
Durham TJ
HOLE IN OIL PAN: Light Force TJ REAR AXLESHAFT: Ultimate Super Duty POWER STEERING PUMP: K&N Jeepster BROKEN SYNTHETIC WINCH LINE: Cooper Tundra O FUEL LEAK AND STEER PULLEY:
Hobart JK Ö MINIMAL BODY DAMAGE: Most rigs! BENT REAR AXLE: BDS TJ
O As the official welder and sponsors of the '09 Ultimate Adventure, the Hobart crew was there to help whenever you needed a hand or a weld. Armed with their new portable Trek 180, they spent the trail days cruising in the massive four door JK piloted by Mel Wade. For those in need of a more permanent repair, Caleb Krisher, Don Foster, and Darrel Sickles were always ready to lend a hand at their support trailer, which is nothing short of a mobile fabrication shop.
0 Still running strong, the Whooper Jr., piloted by Editor-in-Chief Rick Pewe, led the group across the colossal Mackinac Bridge. A gateway to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the bridge is the third largest suspension bridge in the world.
DAY 7: FRIDAY, JULY 10
ARE WE THERE YET?
There comes a point in every camping trip when you realize that the funny smell you keep getting a whiff of is actually coming from you. For us, this day is usually Friday. Getting an early start to the day, we rolled up our dusty camping gear and packed up for the final road day. Though each day we have a certain schedule we need to stick to, this day was particularly important. Why? It all boils down to a little ferry. OK, it's actually a really big ferry and one that we had to catch to get to Drummond Island before its nightly shutdown.
Not long after we made our way onto the road, a CB call goes out that the BDS TJ needs to pull over due to an intense drivetrain vibration. The culprit for their problems turns out to be a broken-off U-joint tab on the rear yoke. Luckily the Hobart support trailer was in close pursuit and fixed them up a solution in just a few minutes.
© To get on Drummond Island we had to break off into groups and catch the ferry. Rolling off the last waves of the ride, we made it to the island just as the stars began to roll out.
& Whenever anyone needed a pull or decided that it was time to winch out, Warn Industries' Corby Phillips was there to lend a hand. Teamed up with South Carolina shop owner Fred Perry, the two Southern gentlemen made sure our crews got where they needed to be.
& Whenever anyone needed a pull or decided that it was time to winch out, Warn Industries' Corby Phillips was there to lend a hand. Teamed up with South Carolina shop owner Fred Perry, the two Southern gentlemen made sure our crews got where they needed to be.
© After almost a week's worth of wheeling, Keith Bailey's air filter on his Hemi-powered Bruiser was looking pretty clogged. Luckily he had a K&N cleaner kit. After an impromptu filter cleaning session in the field, he tossed it back on, which helped the big buggy breathe easier on the push towards our last trail.
After a little more highway driving we pulled into what seemed at first glance like a long dirt driveway. As it turned out we were heading down a heavily wooded county road that serves as a snowmobile thoroughfare in winter. Cutting through the dusty road, we stopped midway for a chance to check up on our rigs and have a midday drivers meeting.
As is the case in most trips, there is that element of "hurry up and wait." After all, this medley of weekend wheeling machines and purpose-built buggies had spent the better half of the week getting beat on in the rocks, mud, and hills, so you can expect that a few components are about ready to call it quits. Always maintaining group integrity, each participant is there to lend a hand or a ball joint when you need it. So with everyone's rig holding together for the moment, we made the transition from the dirt to the street and continued our trek north.
As we stated, we love all things olive drab, so when we spotted Pineview Surplus and Supply in Frederic, Michigan, we had to swing in. Filled with racks of Army and Navy memorabilia and items for purchase, we spent a good block of time just checking out a portion of the goods. Now loaded up with a few more camo items for the road, we began to hone in on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
To get to the U.P. we crossed the incredible Mackinac Bridge. Opened in 1957, the 26,372-foot bridge (yes, that's 5 miles) is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere. Rolling our way over the Straits of Mackinac, we made our slow drive across the bridge and officially became Uppers.
With time definitely not on our side, we kicked things up and boogied down to the docks to catch the ferry. Arriving at the docks in the nick of time, we loaded the group onboard and set sail.
With the group divided into cabins and houses mixed between the Drummond Island Resort and Yacht Haven Resort, we all got to experience the lap of luxury on this island getaway. And while we rejoiced for the showers and fine digs, we all knew that tomorrow's wheeling would likely be the toughest.
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