VA4WDA
Sept 2006

The VA4WDA annual ride at Oak Ridge is large 200 vehicle trail ride at Oak Ridge Estates. A bunch of Scrambler owners get together to ride together and have some fun. It's a chance for those that usually only get a chance to talk on cj8.com to actually meet face-to-face. The trails are relatively easy but there are a couple of obstacles for the big boys. After a long and tiring 450 mile drive with one flat on the truck, we arrived just about as a bunch were heading to dinner. So after a quick check-in and unload, we headed almost across the street to Vitos Italian Resturaunt for some nice food and company.

Friday's ride started with about 12 Scramblers in a group of 30 vehicles. This made for a slow day but did provide plenty of time for socializing. Only interesting breakage was a stock YJ ripped the rear gas tank skid off allowing the gas tank to drop to the ground. After removing the skid and reinstalling the tank with some on-the-trail engineering with straps, the YJ was able to finish the day's ride. On this day, there was only one big obstacle but since it was almost as soon as you enter the trail system, we easily tried it but didn't want to push it too hard.

Saturday worked better with only having 20 vehicles Saturdy, a lot more trails were covered. We still didn't cover a lot, but since this ride is more about meeting folks than riding, it was a very acceptable day. There were also one nice obstacle for Stephanie to play on. This is the same obstacle I did the year before (video "Oak Ridge, VA 2005", but it has been really chewed up so took some working and a little rock stacking. However, she was the only one to make it completely up to the top without winching though some bigger rigs tried. After the ride, we went back for the famous cookout and raffle. All-in-all, a very nice day.

One of the other sweet Scramblers.

I was allowed to drive some including a little ledge.

The postal scrambler tries it but broke a front axle shaft.

Stephanie working the hardest obstacle of the day.

Stephanie making the last rock in the obstacle.

The group of 13 Scramblers that showed up for the trail ride. All but the right most Scrambler rode the trails.

(c) 2006