2015 Va Rally at Graves Mountain September 3-7

[CGarbee]

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are having the Graves Mountain MV Trailrides and Rally again this year.
As always, it will be over the Labor Day weekend… September 3-7, 2015.
Older civilian vehicles are welcome as well as anything Military.
The website is http://www.gravesmountaintrailrides.com/

Steve and his crew from RockRidge Offroad (a local Jeep club that I am a member of) spent the weekend of July 4th working on the trails and will be back again this weekend...
The trails are looking good (and have been extended so that we have even more places to ride) including a few that have been widened enough to take the five tons up...
Chuck has figured out what the shirts will look like...
Prizes for Saturday's truck games are starting to arrive...

Hope that a bunch of you can make it...
Cabell

 

[EMD567]

I plan on being there.....

 

[CGarbee]

I plan on being there.....

Wonderful!
Bring all your friends (including the one that has a hard time reading a calendar...)

 

[CGarbee]

A few shots from the July 4th trail maintenance weekend... A couple showing trail conditions after they had been cleared, the new picnic table at the Devil's Backbone Trail Overlook, the view from the picnic table (too much haze to see much), the view from a spot lower down on the mountain, and one of the many stream crossings.

 

[turnkey]

Looks like fun and nice looking trails to have fun getting stuck on..

 

[maddawg308]

Planning on attending again, work permitting - spent five years unemployed and now things are jumpin, so I have to work when I get the chance. However, need to have some of Cabell's BBQ again, so I feel the need to skip a little work!

 

[CGarbee]

The good news is that the hog cooker is in great shape (the equipment...).
I'm still trying to figure out what I am going to be driving on the trails...so that I can get whatever it is trail ready...
Good news, as always, is that we will have access to the heavy truck shop at the farm in case anyone (especially me) needs it...

The trails are looking real good.

Bring your friends.

 

[CGarbee]

Forgot to mention...
We will have a non-pork option on the menu for Saturday night.
Most likely chicken since that seemed to work well last year along with the Eastern NC Style BBQ and the vegies...

 

[EMD567]

I have informed the calendar mis reader about the rally, and will stay on top of him so that he doesn't pull that stunt again.

 

[CGarbee]

I received a box of goodies yesterday from Rick Sultan at http://www.dodgepowerwagongear.com/ for use as prizes. He's donated some really nice stuff this year.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Since I'll probably be riding with the calendar mis-reader, I'll be on his case too!

 

[CGarbee]

Mike, when you arrive, make sure that we take you over to the "Goodall Place" so that you can check out the firing range...
Before we use it, we need to make sure it is up to your standards.

 

[CGarbee]

Just a quick reminder that we don't have cell phone coverage around the Lodge or the camping area... So bring your CB, military radio, or FRS radio... Most common trail communications device is a CB, but we use them all... Frequencies/Channels used will be posted at the registration tent.

 

[Capehenery]

Mike, when you arrive, make sure that we take you over to the "Goodall Place" so that you can check out the firing range...
Before we use it, we need to make sure it is up to your standards.

Are firearms allowed? Will the range be open to use? If so what's the fee?

 

[CGarbee]

Are firearms allowed? Will the range be open to use? If so what's the fee?

The current plan is to use a range that is on the farm property, but down the road a bit from the actual rally site.
I've got to get some info to SCSG-G4 this weekend so that he can assure himself that it is up to his standards... (he's agreed to be my range officer-THANKS MIKE!)
Assuming that it is up to his standard, we'll let him determine operational times and will post them at the registration tent (or however he wants to organize things...).

There will be no extra fee for use of the range.

 

[Capehenery]

Sounds Like I get to bring some more toys!

 

[SCSG-G4]

I will be bringing the GMRS radio box, like last year. At last count there were 16 radios in it (same setup we use at the GA Rally, and the club uses at St. Pat's in Five Points). Will also be bringing the first aid and trauma packs (better to have and not need than vice versa) and some flooring for the command tent. Plus the usual, ethanol free regular gas, food, clothes, meds, money, camera, etc.

 

[Capehenery]

Myself and at least one other truck are coming from Virginia Beach. Anyone else from the area going? may be able to convoy together or meet up with others.

 

[CGarbee]

I was up at the Lodge this past weekend with some of the good folks from Rock Ridge Offroad (the local Jeep club that does all the trail clearing and maintenance for us...) as they did a bunch of mowing and other prep work for the event. The field will have to be mowed again, but it should be an "easy" mow with the little mowers and not a major job with the bushhog and the zero radius units...
Anyway, here are a few photos of my driveway (the Jeep club will be using my cabin this year...), mowing of the big field that is available for camping and where the registration tent and truck games will be, the firing range area, and my M931 parked behind my Godparent's house (with one of the orchards behind the truck)...

 

[SCSG-G4]

Here's a Google Earth view of the shooting range: