Official 2011 Ga Rally multimedia thread

[Jimma]

Here are some trail pictures of certain people getting stuck or in some cases un stuck.

 

[Jimma]

Here are a few more of the usual suspects getting stuck.

 

[Jimma]

Other various pictures from the 2011 Georgia Steel Soldiers Rally.

 

[Jimma]

Here are a few more various photos of some of the cool pieces of equipment at the rally. Some were from the convoy, at the rally and out on the trail.

 

[tigger]

Here are some trail pictures of certain people getting stuck or in some cases un stuck.

I wasnt stuck i was washing the top of the seat! Yea thats it!

 

[doghead]

Did anyone take any video at the campfire, of Jennifer singing with the live guitar tunes? It was just like an episode of American Idol, you know, the good shows in the beginning of the season....

Wow, what a good time we all had! Thanks to all, for all you did.

 

[Jimma]

Here are a few more, maybe some of these are a picture of your rig. Im trying to post what I have that looks half way decent in hopes that many members will see thier truck, trailer or jeep.

 

[Jimma]

Here is about the last of mine. If anyone has any pictures of me pulling the 5 ton tractor out of the mud with my deuce please post them.

 

[papabear]

This would fit better in the AAR thread when it starts but I just don't want to forget...just in case.

I want to thank Zout, Deb and his crew for all the prep and work that went into the roasted piggy.
I know Zout gave up two days and a night tending to the oinker with most excellent results.

Thanks for a most excellent feast Brother Zout!!

 

[doghead]

I think I saw him "stuffing" the pig, before it hit the smoker...

That's dedication....

Thank you Zout, with enough bbq sauce, it tasted like chicken

I think the bbq sauce gave me a buzz

I'm not sure if my lips are chapped from all the sunshine, or the hot spicy foods, or the beverages

 

[Makincold]

So the first pic is my own convoy I brought!
I had a great time, first trip on the muddy trail with the M818, love the new tires!

So, I ask again... Can we do this next week too!

 

[GamaGoatGirl]

So,here are the last few pictures I have from the rally! And the one and only video that I took during the rally! [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spVObk3wIXk[/media]

 

[Stonepicker1]

Here are some pictures that I took.

The tent was my home for 4 cold nights..lol

I had a great time taking the dually off-road and playing in the mud.

Forgot, I had a flat on my trailer also.

 

[Stonepicker1]

Some more pictures at the VFW and my equipment when I got home.

 

[Stonepicker1]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS8SDWVztts[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR8vmDQCCBw[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1QE34jQeCw[/media]

 

[Stonepicker1]

last one for the night.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLYyUTknYTg[/media]

 

[clinto]

Ok, I don't know where to start.

I sincerely appreciate all of you showing up. I know it takes a long time and a lot of money to fill these things up and get anywhere, so for 85+ trucks, dozens of trailers, tons of gear, hundreds of people and dozens of civvy vehicles to show up is absolutely amazing to me.

I hope that everyone has an amazing time at the rally. When I started doing it, my goal was to build a rally that would appeal to the broadest cross section of the hobby.

Of course, epic thanks to D-town for bending over backwards to accomodate us. They gave us the field, bushhogged it, provided 6 porta potties all free of charge and then opened up a lot of off limits trails to us.

I thank Carnac, Recovry4x4, JW4x4 & Mike for manning the front gate and getting new arrivals oriented to the field and badged with nifty nametags. Brian really liked his, he whimpered when we took it off.

I thank the amazing efforts of our MKT team, headed up by Wreckerman and SCSG-G4 and assisted by a platoon of fearless assistants for keeping hundreds of people fed for 4 days.

Much thanks to Wreckerman for organizing the hardball convoy.

I thank our trail leaders, Squirt-truck and Dumpster, along with a few others for keeping us safe, not lost in the woods and amused for 4 days.

We all thank BlythewoodJoe for his generator and lights that helped people move around the field int he dark.

I thank Streamline Graphics for the outstanding banners and signs they provided. Zout also provided a banner, it is sincerely appreciated as well.

Thanks to Drew (can't remember your username) for the neato tank barricade display at the gate.

Much thanks to all the people who volunteer and those who are asked and agree to help in so many ways, from running errands, moving gear around, delivering messages, etc.

Thank you to dhwife for giving me a ride home one night so we could bring two of our deuces and thanks to my friends David (owner of the '68 USAF power wagon) and Jason for helping us load up Saturday evening and thanks to Jason for driving clintogf's winch deuce home so we didn't have to make two trips.

Thanks to clintogf for letting me get her prized winch truck dirty.

Thanks to squirt truck and 1958 M274 for helping me get the mule back on dry land and running after I tried to turn it into a GPA.

In closing, I am flattered by all the compliments, but I do little of the hard work. The hard work, the real effort that makes the rally a success is that of the people listed above and many more like them, whose efforts go unnoticed by the mass of attendees. Without the Ga Rally staff of volunteers, it wouldn't be as big, fun or successful as it is. To those of you who step up, you have my endless gratitude.

I enjoy seeing all of you every year, and I look forward to seeing you again and meeting new members next October.

Thank you all.

Now, a few pictures and later, the story of how we found out that Mule seat cushions will double as flotation devices.

 

[clinto]

More:

 

[clinto]

Even more:

 

[clinto]

Mules don't float-we found this out

So I've had the Mule for about 4 years and I know Maccus had been done with it for awhile when I got it from him, so the hubs haven't been serviced in at least 5+ years. I have never taken the mule through deep water or mud because although it's fun, I don't feel like doing all that post-mudding service. Same for the deuces.

Well, this year, I knew I needed to go through the hubs, so I decided before the rally that we'd see just how good the Mule and it's full time locked differential 4WD really is.

Well, then it gets worse.

When we did the rally recon, the mule started running bad. I ordered plugs for it as the left cylinder plug was carbon fouled. Put new plug in it Tuesday before the rally, Saturday afternoon, it oil fouled the new plug, confirming my suspicions that the left cylinder was trashed.

Luckily I was smart enough to have a fresh set of plugs and the appropriate tools to swap it out on the trails.

That's when I decided that since the mule would be down for MAJOR service this winter (engine swap, transaxle rebuild {it grinds on upshifts} and hub service), that we'd give it a GOOD test.

First, it made it through the muddy area fine, with me driving and squirt truck as navigator.

Then the water. As I didn't want to flood the engine, we decided to back through it, to gauge the depth.

Well, as we're slowly backing, the left front wheel all of a sudden slid down an underwater embankment, pivoting the mule on the left rear tire. The driver's side foot basket was almost fully submerged, the gas tank was underwater, etc.

I fell off in water that was about mid thigh. I think squirt truck abandoned ship at some point as well, but he stayed dry.

I think I stalled it when I fell off, but it could have sucked water in the intake.

Once we were sure I was ok, we recovered the mule with 1958 M274's gama goat and went to work. The gas tank looked ok, so we pulled the plugs to check for water and there was water intrusion on both cylinders. We dried the plugs, reinstalled them, tried to turn it over and it stopped. DEAD.

hydrolocked.

Pulled the plugs, more water came out. So we pulled the air filter and it was FULL of water. Left the filter out, dried the plugs and put everything back together and it ran fine.



Drove it all the way back to camp (several miles) and it sputtered a few times but for the most part, it ran fine.

I will post a separate thread for the rebuild of the hubs and engine (anyone have an NOS 2A042 engine?).