The group met at McDonald's at I-15 & the 138 for breakfast on Saturday, June 12, 1999 (Tiffanies has closed).  After a brief driver's meeting, everyone was ready to hit the road.  The eight vehicle group included myself, Bud Keil, my daughter Elizabeth, and her friend Lisa Schoenwetter in my CJ; Dave Christian in his CJ; Randy and Brandt Welch and trusty sidekick and trail dog, Bear, in their XJ; Charlie Hill and his son Brent in his FJ-40; Lyle Coren in his YJ; Pete Lamar in his XJ; Roger Mauer in his Datsun; and Bisher Alkatib in his CJ.

We made our way up the 138 to the Cedar Springs Day Use area by Silverwood where we aired down.  Lyle led us on the trails since he had experience on these trails and my CJ was acting very anemic on the way up the mountain.  I took up the tail gunner position.  Shortly after we got started up on 2N17X, a frayed front brake line let go on Dave's CJ.  A quick and creative trail fix using a wire rope cable clamp fixed prevented further hemorrhaging of brake fluid.  The Inland Empire and a Toyota club caught up with us as we struggled up an obstacle.  Further up the trial, Roger's front axle let go and he headed home after we intersected with 2N33.  We continued up 2N33 after a brief side trip up a narrow, brush-lined trail that initiated Charlie's fresh paint job on his Toyota.  We had lunch in the shade at the intersection with 3W14.  Bisher, feeling a little under the weather, decided to call it a day and took the highway home.

After lunch it was on to Deep Creek.  Deep Creek was 'not so deep' since it appears to have recently undergone some reinforcement in the form of concrete reinforcement grid laid across the stream.  The water didn't even make it to my hubs with my 31 in. MT's.  After a brief stop at Deep Creek to let the lone trail dog and kids frolic in the water, it was on to Dishpan Springs.  Our group, now six strong made it up with relative ease.  But after seeing Pete Lamar's impressive show of how to get an XJ's front wheel 6 feet in the air, I decided to take the go around.  After a rest at Crab Flats campground, the group decided to call it and leave the assault of Holcomb Creek for another day.  We aired up at the Green Valley road intersection of 3N16 and headed home.

Bud (Gizmo) Keil