The (mis)Adventures of Fafhrd

[Haggis]

What follows is a continuing diary of the travels of an ’06 Toyota Tundra Double Cab affectionately known as Fafhrd . This will be the place where we show where we’ve been while behind the wheel of ol' Fafhrd, the adventures we had along the way and the trials and tribulations we’ve encountered. Also this will be the thread for you to ask questions, make comments and interact about the mods and accessories associated with the non-interactive build thread. Click here for the build thread.

Now, as I like to have everything in one place, old timers will no doubt be already familiar with some of these earlier wanderings. No sense starting at the middle of a tale right? So sit back and if I drone on to much or you've seen this stuff before feel free to put yer feet up and take a little nap. First let’s set the mood…

Late into one dreary February, two thousand and nine years since the birth of Christ, snow was blowing upon chilled winds around a log home snuggled in a creek side valley. In that homestead, resides a hard bitten clan of Pennsylvanian ridgerunners, who faced a crisis of epic portions. It was time to get a new truck and they were unsure of which way to jump. The horror, oh the horror. Well after many discussions and many test rides soon a consensus was reached and the quest for the perfect truck was begun in earnest. Many a mental duel was fought between the patriarchs of the clan and the fell car dealers that barred the Clans way to truck ownership. But lo, at last a bargain was made and a new steed was secured for the Clan’s expeditions and raids. That truck was dubbed Fafhrd…

He was a young truck, and had lived a sheltered suburban life, but he had potential. Life is hard in the clanhold and any truck that resides in that glade is expected to earn its keep to be able to play, so off to work Fafhrd went. Within a month there was a big difference in his physique as that hard work and money thrown at mods paid off…

Than over Merorial Day of 2009 he was ready for his first journey…a run down to the mountains of West Virginia amidst the forests of the Monongahela National Forest with a couple of other Toyotas and their owners. We met up with James (jim65wagon), Jay (mynbike28), and Carl (CLynn95) and their families where we ran the Forest Roads around Thomas, WV, hiked some trails, and BSed around the campfire. The young Tundra turned wanderer did well and his owner was pleasantly surprised.

Than with the weekend over it was back to the grind.

 

[Haggis]

Cape Lookout, NC 2009

Over the summer that Tundra got worked hard and from time to time would take us out for a quick jaunt into the woods, but nothing of any real import. Than in September of ’09, we hooked up with my sister and brother-in-law and their kids and set out for Cape Lookout at the southern end of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Cape Lookout is an undeveloped sound where there are just a few primitive fishing cabins run by the Nation Park Service and miles and miles of deserted strands of beach. Access is by ferry service only and it is usually the haunt of die-hard fishermen . Get there at some times of the year and you’ll hardly see anybody. I know of no other place on the eastern coast where one can feel so alone.

We packed up and headed down to Beth and Jim’s on a Tuesday night to basically crash, catch some sleep and then roll on out early Wednesday morning for the North Carolina coast. On this trip, the pack mules were going to be our Tundras, Jims ‘03 Access Cab and my ‘06 Double Cab.

On the road and truckin’ we rolled on down south running primary I-95 which other than the PA Turnpike is one of my most hated roads. But traffic wasn’t too bad and we made good time and once off the interstate we wound through the secondary roads until we reached Davis, North Carolina. We had an appointment at 4:00 pm with the Davis Ferry Service and arrived a couple hours early. So we sat on the porch of the ferry office, shot the breeze with the owners, bought some shrimps to do some fishing and waited for the ferry to load up onto. Once everything was ready we loaded up the trucks side by side and the good folks of the Ferry service cast off and lead us across the Sound.

Some folks were quite happy to be heading off to the banks…

“My GPS shows the road going the whole way through…” (Appalachian Ridgerunner inside joke)

The Ferry bounced its way across the sound and deposited us on the Banks, the rangers giving us a friendly greeting as we unloaded.

 

[Haggis]

Once of the Captian Algers, James led the way. We worked our way through the Park fishing cabins and then out towards the ocean beach. My silver Tundra followed in his black ones wake as the waves crashed on the strand beside us and the salt spray wet our faces through the open windows.

We were heading towards the northern section of the island, where there are few campers and only an occasional fisherman or two working their way towards the point. Jim and Beth led us to the site of their last year camp, sheltered behind some dunes and having a nice stretch of beach to romp around on.

Once at the site we all jumped into action and started setting up camp…4 tents, a latrine, a changing “room”, two shelters with a Kelty tarp in between. By the time we were done we were all starving to death so while Beth made some of her awesome potato soup I cooked up some venison steaks for the other entrée. While we ate the wind kept picking up and the waves started crashing more vigorously. The Kelty tarp started flapping raucously despite being well secured. We sat and watched the sun go down over the mainland and as night fell we made our way to our tents and laid down for the night. I’d like to say we slept , but the wind was viscous and the tents flapped like mad ghouls most of the night.

Morning came and we crawled out of our tents one by one to greet the dawn. Much to our surprise the waves had been lapping at the heels of our trucks sometime throughout the night but no harm, no foul. The rest of the day was spent just mucking around…waves, shells, fishing, sea zombies. You know the usual beach stuff.

 

[Haggis]

The rest of the week fell into the same pattern. When the mood hit us, Elizabeth, James and I would throw a skewered shrimp into the surf and try to catch a fish. But the fish weren’t cooperating or we weren’t trying hard enough so no tasty fishy critters ended up over the coals.

The second night we cooked up some Filet mignon, escargot, crusty bread and noodles. Bellies full, the books appeared as folks settled down for a relaxing evening. Much to our chagrin the surf was coming in high again so we decide to park the trucks back on the Jeep road behind the dunes. We found a couple of turnouts as close to the camp as possible, out of other people’s way, and parked the TundraBirds there. That night as the wind whipped in again at least one wave was high enough to crest the slot in the dunes our camp was set in and sent water soaking into the ground of our “kitchen” and “living room”. For the rest of the trip the Toyotas slept behind the dunes, cause “Queen Elizabeth’s Revenge” (Jim’s truck) and Fafhrd (my truck) don’t swim so well. Plus we wanted to avoid this conversation…”Umm…Where’s the trucks?” or start a thread on Oceanic Truck Recovery.

The third day was much of the same except we headed up to the north point were the channel separates South Core Island from the North Core Island. We headed up at low tide, scanning for shells, especially whelks, and stopping every so often just to nose around. Here’s the TundraBirds as I looked back towards the ocean side from the Sound.

Up here there’s a lone buoy resting in the strand and a little further up the fisherman gather to try to hook the fish running the tide surge. We found a lot of good shells here with the low tide.

Here the gathered Clan looks towards the North Core Island, while James contemplates whether his Tundra can make the run to the other shore.

That night the wind died down and the first thing we noticed back at camp is the quiet. Supper was prepared; hamburgers, mac-n-cheese and nachos. And the Lemon Bars were broke out in honor of our buddy Jay. Plus, as we had been gathering driftwood from the beach, we had a fine fire that night. It was the one thing we had been missing as with the high winds we didn’t feel comfortable to have a fire. Friday night stayed calm and we finally got a good night sleep.

 

[Haggis]

Saturday was pretty much a repeat of Friday, and that was just fine with us. More waves, more shells, more napping (for the adults), another run up to the point. You do see an assortment of rigs bumbling down the beach. Camper laden pickups, lifted RVs, ATVs, UTVs, and a few oddballs. My favorite was the 4x4 bus with the back porch…

One of the best pieces of gear for the beach was our onboard water tanks. Jim’s with 20 gals and mine with 25 gals. They did yeoman duty washing of the salt stickies, washing dishes, and as camp showers. It was warm enough and private enough that we just used the warm tank water to shower and didn’t bother with the Zodis. Here's a random pic of the Tundrabirds bunbling along...

Supper that night was pie iron pizzas for the Beth’s crew, while we warmed up some homemade calzones over the coals. It was an experiment for us. Michelle baked up a bunch of calzones, wrapped them in aluminum foil, vacuum sealed them in the Food Saver and then froze them. Man did it work great, in a few minutes we had warm, cheesy goodness and they tasted like they were just out of the oven. I think they’ll be a new campfire stable for us. As we finished supper the wind picked up once again and it was another night of flapping tents.

Sunday was going to be the Clan’s last day. Jim, Beth and the kids were there ‘til Monday, but we had a twelve hour drive back home plus a ferry crossing to do. As we tore down camp with the Hayes help the surf which had been receding started to come back in. I had already brought the truck over from the Jeep road and it was loaded up, but the families were reluctant to say goodbye. Then I saw a wave crash on the dunes below us, the way I need to go. So like a Marine drill sergeant I rustled the Clan up and made a break for the Jeep road ramp. After a few tight spots and some deepening sand we reached the ramp and made our way down to the ferry via the Jeep road. From there it was just loading up on the ferry, pay the bill, air up the tires and point Fafhrd towards home and let the V8 run. The drive home was uneventful and we rolled into our glen just before 11 pm.

Next...Adventure a bit closer to home...

 

[Haggis]

Well the sights aren’t that spectacular in Sproul so we made our way north some more and decide to hit Susquehannock State Forest. This forest is more inviting and the forest roads run along clear trout stream, through dark hemlock hollows and fern carpeted forests. We had some problems finding a suitable campsite as they are few and far between. But we found a nice sight tucked off the road in an old log landing. As we were sleeping on the platform in the truck setting up camp was just gathering some firewood, setting up a table and a throwing out a few chairs. We grilled up some steaks and prepared some parsley & garlic red potatoes and as luck would have it the rain started just as we finished cooking. So we ate supper in the cab of the truck as we forgot to bring the Kelty tarp with us. The rain just got worse and worse. So we climbed up into the back of the Tundra’s bed, made ourselves comfortable and spent the evening talking, reading and just enjoying each other’s company. The next morning it was still raining and that was the conditions for the rest of the weekend.

Up early listening to the drummin' of heavy rain on the roof of the cap, we were reluctant to get the day started. I looked over at Michelle and as I did she gave me a smile and curled back up in her sleeping bag to wait out the rain. Seemed like a good idea to me so I eased back into a rain accompanying nap. Once the rain let off a bit we got up and around and headed back out on the dirt roads. We spent the day wandering along Susquehannock’s forest roads…

...just wandering aimlessly with no real plan. We found no trails here, but saw some nice sights. Then we headed our rig back towards home rolling up through Cherry Springs and getting on route 6 which is a scenic road in its own right to travel along when you need to traverse the northern tier of Pennsylvania. All in all we had a great weekend though we did miss the kids though.

 

[Haggis]

On to Bald Eagle

A couple of weeks after Michelle and I were mucking about in we threw the Minions in the truck and headed over to Bald Eagle State Forest in the dead center of Pennsylvania. This was over Father’s Day weekend of 2010. As BESF is one of the largest State Forests in our State and we have mostly wandered around the southern portion in the past, we decide to try out the portion north of Rte. 192. We stopped at the District Office on Rte. 45, got a camping permit and made our way north towards camping site 4. Not a bad campsite. It's in an old log landing and there's a small stream in the woods behind it. From that base camp we spent the next couple of days hiking, bouncing along the drivable trails and playing around in some of the creeks. This area was really busy while we were there and I think I like the southern section of BESF better but we had a good time.


We headed out on the forest roads…this is Running Gap road..

And hiked some trails….
This one led to the tower of the wizard Winklebleck…

Flush from the spoils of adventure we then hit some driveable trails…

All in all we had a grand time that weekend…

 

[Haggis]

We turned the trucks around and headed west back towards Benezette. Here and there we would spot a couple of elk or a few whitetails in people’s yards or in wooded glens along the road. We jumped off 555 onto Winslow Hill Rd at the village of Grant and made our way towards the elk viewing areas. We stopped at the Dents Run Game Commission viewing area and found the food plots under a heavy blanket of fog. We could hear a few bulls bugling but none could be spied. So herding the kidlins (and one or two of the adults) back into the trucks we struck out for the Winslow Hill Viewing Areas. The fog was not quite as opaque here and we spotted a few elk ghosting through the mist.

We could hear some bulls bellowing in the valley below the viewing area so Jay, Cam and I decide to hike the perimeter trail and see if we could put a stalk on with hopes of getting Jay a couple of great shots. But by the time we dodged looky-loo bystanders and got into position the elk had moved farther into the landscape and away from us.

Back at the trucks…

…we loaded the awaiting horde back up as we decided to head back towards camp to meet up with James and family. As we headed back west on Winslow Rd we spotted another nice bull in a field on the right….

Then another grand bull stalking out of a locals archery range (oh, the irony)...

We pulled off the road and walked back to get some shots. As we watched the bull just kept wandering towards us, eventually crossing the road and passing within 25 yards of the group. Some of the littler kids were getting a bit nervous. But the elk here know of me
(at least by reputation) and don’t mess with me and those under my watch.

 

[Haggis]

The next day we were again up early and heading back down to the Hicks Run viewing area. Here we spotted a couple bulls and a few cows. We had a young bull right in front of the blind and got some good shots. Well everyone had seen a ton of cows so we decide to explore some. This area of PA has some great scenic areas to wander through and a plethora of wildlife to see. So we crossed the river and made our way up through the forest roads that traverse the Wilds Area. Beautiful woodlands, grouse and deer were the sights out our windows as we made our way to our goal.

Where were we heading? To a secret nuclear site that was built back in the 50s and later abandoned by the government. I’ve never been all the way back and wanted to see if anything was left. So with visions of black helicopters, mutant marauders and fifty foot worms we headed into the unknown. Finding the access road gated and signed we abandoned the rigs and made our way on foot. "Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs."

Well there’s not much to see at the sight but we did find this 30’ long two headed mutant caterpillar…

Really…it was that big, and it breathed fire….our escape is an epic tale of courage and derring-do perfect for the fireside. Come along sometime and we’ll share all the gory details with you.

So it was back to camp, tear down the kit and hit the highway. As usual nobody was really ready to leave but that’s the way it goes at the end of a great weekend. Thanks to the whole gang for sharing an awesome weekend with us. Can’t wait to do it again!

Oh, one last shot, though there is hundreds we could share…Jay’s trailer likes PA muck!

 

[Haggis]

Tripping the Little J...

See, we hang out with a gang of outdoor hooligans that don’t take themselves too seriously and at the same time are some of the nicest people you would ever meet. And we like to do more than just drive around in trucks, which in turn leads to some of our best trips…

…May, 2011 and the die was cast for a float trip down in central Pennsylvania. With my wife and boy Can in tow, we loaded up in Fafhrd for the run. The secondary and lower racks I had outfitted the Tundra with really proved their worth. Boats on top, paddling gear on the rack, and camping gear under the cover in the bed…

I was bringing our old dependable Old Town Discovery 169 and my new Native Watercraft Ultimate 12 canoe/kayak hybrid or canyak if you will. I hadn’t had a chance to river run with that Ultimate yet and was looking forward to it. We got down to the campsite, caught up with our friends and listened to the trains going by all night long…every hour on the hour. The next morning we were up and at ‘em, portaging the boats to the drop off were we would float back down to our campground.

The water was up some and the flow strong but we started off well.

I was in my canyak, Michelle and Cameron in the canoe, this did not last long. While my wife is an experienced canoeist, she had never run a river this swift and tight. Rocks are everywhere and maneuvering takes quick work and some muscle to throw a canoe around. There was some unintentional swimming as a result. My boy Cam tried his hand at being the rear tiller man, but while he’s a strong as a bull, he didn’t have the experience to judge the right line to shoot the canoe down. Both were getting frustrated and communication broke down, more swimming was the result. Luckily Adam (frankinjeep) had stayed back with us and helped out getting them and their gear back in the boat. I could see the frustration in my wife’s eyes and decide to give her my new boat. She had never used a kayak before and was not entirely convinced but the only way that canoe was getting down that river upright was with me in the rear seat. So with Adam and I giving her some pointers we shoved Michelle out into the flow and off she went…right into the gnarliest chute of the float. She punched through it like she’d been kayaking forever and that was the last time I got to ride in my new boat. Michelle was hooked.

With me in the canoe and Cam’s muscles up front we worked as a team and shoot that canoe down the Little J. We work good as a team and I used that time to point out to Cam how to read the currents ahead and pick the right line. We had a blast and got a good burn in the arm muscles to boot.

As has become mandatory on our ARSES floats, everybody ended up going for a swim. Though that canoe with me and Cam stayed upright and we never rolled her once. It was close once or twice, but we never swamped. Our Float master Al went for a nice dip too...

 

[Haggis]

After all the swimming the float settled down, as far as could be expected with constant canoe carnage. This lead to a mass exodus to paddling kayaks instead of canoes during the next years float.

The trip ended in a spectacular fashion as Ted (stankfoot) and family totally destroyed their borrowed canoe on a rock and floated the last 500 yards of the trip in their lifevests.

We loaded up the boats...

...and went back to camp and cooked up some grub...Al's signature grilled Spam single on a cedar plank...

Cam was a bit tired…

This trip has become a bit of a tradition in the ARSES mythos and one of our favorites.

 

[Haggis]

Beth and Jim's and the Rapidan Woods...

Just before the Little J we had to get out of northwestern Pennsylvania… too…much..snow…and..cold. So we headed down to my little sister’s place for a weekend at the end of Feburary 2011. On our way through West Virginia we came across a member of the WV Tourism Council...

As is normal we went out exploring the Virginia environs to get some fresh air in the VA warmth. Well warm for us PA ridgerunners, maybe not for those Virginittes. We headed our trucks west out of Fredericksburg and made our way towards the woods of the Rapidan headwaters. We drove a few shale pocked trails, the loose rocks causing the need for transfer case engagement from time to time..

…at least until the Rapidan Pygmies attacked. One of these cryptozoologic tribesman left a spearpoint in my driver’s front Dean Mud Terrians in a fit of territorial anger.

So out came the jack and we threw the spare on...

We headed back to Beth’s house and feasted on eat her famous catfish cakes. After dinner we did a little hiking in the woods behind the Hays' home and came across a few interesting things...

And we found a possible fixer upper if we decide to move south....

All in all it was a good weekend.