Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area- F.O.R.C.E. Club Event

We finally made it, ma!

It was quite the lead up to being able to make the trip to Shamokin, PA.

I had to rush home as I had not  yet packed or quite finalized how the bed setup would work for this trip. The gas can mounts turned out great. I had minimal time to really work out changing how the in-bed toolbox would be oriented. I ended up just mounting it back in its original position. The benefit of the prior exercise in clearing out the contents was that it left the box completely empty as items were either better situated elsewhere in the truck or nixed from the packing list altogether. There are a couple things I wish I had brought. We'll get to that.

 Steve S. and I didn't really  have a solid plan on when or where we would meet. Generally we play it by ear; this was the second time that such an impromptu approach worked for us both. We ended up catching up with one another somewhere along 270 fighting traffic to get away from the city. We stopped to load up on a few provisions.

Our first step was to head to the campground to get checked in. Steve B. was able to get away much earlier and had already checked in at the campground. Once Steve S. and I finally got there, we set about quickly setting up our tents and then heading to Brewser's Sports Bar in Shamokin. Regrettably, I don't think I got any pictures of the establishment. From the outside, it is rather unassuming edifice. But inside, it is reasonably well-appointed with numerous flat screen TVs and ample space at the bar and high tops spread throughout the immediate bar area. There's also booth seating for more family-style gatherings.

 Steve B and Jake's Frontiers. This is probably the most Frontiers that have been in one trail group where I've been an attendee. Success!

 We let Maddy off of her lead within the campground. For the most part, she was a good girl. It turns out she wasn't the only canine animal in that wilderness. At some point during the night, we heard what sounded like one far off coyote. Maddy chimed in from within the tent. And then there were suddenly the voices of numerous coyotes from much much closer joining in. A few minutes later, there was a blood curdling 'screech' of whatever it was that they had succeeded in killing. I wished, at this moment, that I had the shottie. Although we were all in different tents, the story that morning is that we each clutched whatever nearby provisions we had which may have amounted to self defense, ranging from a bowie knife, a hatchet, spears (???) and car keys.

 We met up at the Dunkin Donuts on route 125 in Shamokin. Unfortunately, this was a poor choice of venue on my part. While convenient due to the proximity of food and fuel, the parking lot of the DD itself was insufficient to accommodate our vehicles during the morning caffeine rush. Steve S. made the suggestion that future outings ought to consider the Weiss/Weis establishment due to the larger lot. From there, we made our way to the AOAA gates. An earlier meetup time was decided in the week leading up to our event in response to the news that the much larger FJ Bruisers group had also planned an event for this weekend at AOAA.

 After we established our own little lineup and proceeded to do our early registration that we worked out with Barry Y., we went to visit the FJs that had assembled up to this point. I had taken the opportunity to actually join their forum and drop a friendly, mid-Atlantic hello while also indicating that we would also be coming into the area. Well the night before, as we were leaving Brewsers Sports Bar, I saw a business card tucked into my driver window. I asked the other guys if they had gotten one. I was the only one. It was a FJ Bruisers contact card. Anyway, it was a bit of a conversation piece that I used when speaking with the various folks before meeting Doug and his wife and finding out that it was them that had spotted me. So that was pretty cool of them. Throughout the day, we ran into many of the FJs on the trail and shared observations and notes on what we had encountered at varying points on the trails.

 I was once again the designated trail lead. I organize the events and all, but I do not have any strong preference to be the first one in line. Every outing I offer if anyone has interest from the outset. No one does. Then around mid-day, I ask if anyone would like to relieve me. No one does. On this outing, it was probably good that my truck was in the lead. At this point, I've got her pretty well built for getting un-stuck. And we had some stuck moments.

Below is the trail map

 Barry Y was really a gracious host. He took the time to explain some of the highlight areas that were going to be best suited to our group composition and experience level. Throughout the day, when he'd see us, he'd call me over to review where we'd gone and provide other recommendations of what we should still try to make it to. Lesser built vehicles should generally stay to the northern portions of the East property.

Jake B.

 These are some photos of our first significant obstacle for newer drivers. From outside of the truck, it doesn't really look that 'significant', but it places the vehicle a bit more off camber than what folks may initially be comfortable with. And depending on the length of one's wheelbase, there's an opportunity to get a little three-wheel tippy.

One of the invitees extended the invitation to his buddy who brought a full-sized, quad cab Tundra. Chris' truck

Matt B.

Barry Y's farm truck.

We took a mid-day break and returned back to the welcome center area. There were a few in our group who did not pack any provisions for a trail break lunch. In any event, though a few more of us had, it seemed like a good enough excuse to visit the Hot Sausage stand (which also has burgers and other American Style food offerings). During the visit, Barry asked how our day was going. I told him about the 'mud' we had found at his suggestion over at the intersection of 569 (if I recall correctly). He invited three of us, (Tyler, Sam and I) back to the garage portion to see his farm truck. Barry said that if anyone really got stuck, this is what would get them out. But he also cautioned that if someone is stuck bad enough to need this, they generally come back out in multiple pieces. Duly noted, Barry. Duly noted :) 

This was the mud that we found. There were some water crossings earlier which I had splashed through while leading the way. I have, generally, pretty good depth perception based on how expansive the water is and the general topography. In many instances, the water/mud isn't too bad. We came to a larger expanse which I felt warranted breaking out the waders. And I waded, found the deep sections, crossed it and then others started crossing and playing as well. We got to 569 and it didn't seem like it would be any deeper than what we had encountered earlier. Right before this pic was taken, I remarked, "I probably should break out the waders, but that's probably overkill to do so again at this point." Kerflunk. That's basically the sound the truck made when all progress, forward or otherwise was halted. It was deep enough that I couldn't open my doors without there being an inrush of fluid. A good sized wave had splashed in through the driver's window. To prevent more, I rolled up the windows. Then it shorted out my controls. The truck started gurgling. I couldn't get the windows to power down initially. It was not looking good. The only other truck with a winch was Ben and he was way in the rear tail gunning. 

I was able to clear away enough of the gunk to allow the windows to operate again. And I crawled out of the window Dukes of Hazard style, and clambered over the roof of the cab to access the bed and start gettin my winch accessories setup. Long and short, I was able to coax the temperamental rear winch into snatching the truck backwards out of that mess. We found a bypass, which I scouted, only to find another 1/4 mile down the trail was an even larger, swamp like area. We had to give up on this section of the park.

I DoH'd back into the truck too. That was a bit nerve-wracking. I thought I was going to slip off of the door and somersault backwards into the muck  and drown. I have a flare for the dramatic.

Line up shots are pretty much a requirement. We found a nice crest upon which to pose our trucks. We were really trying to get to the far easternmost portion of the property but kept ending up in dead ends. I thought the group was going to mutiny after this third dead end, but someone was like "This is great that you found a place for us to take a picture." And I was like..."Yeah". As I had meant to do so.

Jake and Erin had to depart a bit early. We had a decision point of whether we wanted to hit a bar or continue wheeling. We escorted them back to the main drag and then decided to travel along the western power line trail, which took us deep into Coal Country.

There were a few descents like this one that no one wanted to take. Veronica and I started taking all of them. After seeing me Not Die enough times, Ben was emboldened to follow me down one.

 And we got to a huge strip mined crater area, and there were trails on the shale rock that one could follow.

 Ben took the lead into this area with his shorter wheelbase. And then I took a bone head line, and slammed my front end into an embankment when some of the shale broke away.

 Got some great stuffage though to show for next Flex Friday. Surprisingly, as loose as the stuff looked, I was able to gain enough traction to throw Veronica into reverse and climb out of the wedge, re-orient the truck and then take the appropriate line.

 Tyler found a bypass along with the rest of the group that lead to the area where Ben and I had been scouting.

 We got this picture at this pool which had settled and formed amongst all of the coal shale rock stuff.

There was a sad episode where a portion of the group did mutiny. They grew tired of us taking the extreme paths and wanted to turn back. I had wanted to allow Ben another 10 minutes to make it to one area to attempt a few hill climbs. The rest of the group opted to head back. In so doing, they also opted to take a secondary path in hopes of connecting with 125. They took a wrong turn and got stuck in some very soft shale mud. Steve S. called and asked could we come rescue them. I said something smart alicky, like, "If you had waited 10 minutes you wouldn't be in this mess". After the vehicle was extricated, there was strong support to continue going along this same path based on various guys' GPS suggestions.

I had really wanted to go back out the way we came in, as the descents we had taken were going to make for some very fun climbs out. The balance of the group went to try to forge ahead, and I waited with my truck oriented in the opposite direction for the inevitable radio call that would indicate that there was once again an impasse.

There was once again an impasse. Only Tyler and Sam had stayed with me there. I think Steve S was somewhere in the middle. All the same, the group reformed and followed me up and out the same way we went in.

 I was really setting the pace out at this point as probably the better part of an hour had been expended on the 'alternate exit' scenario.

I was pacing fast enough that I could get out and snap a few photos before the next vehicle approached.

 So I did.

Everyone is out and safe. My job was done.

 This really cool Comanche was there when we got off the trail.

Of the group, Steve S, Tyler, Sam and I were the only ones who were up for a return trip to Brewser's. So we got dinner there, bid our new friends farewell, and then regrouped with Steve B and Amanda back at the campsite.

The next morning, as is now customary for Steve S. and I, we went out and found a few breweries to visit. I haphazardly completed my puppy setup in the truck. I bought the windshield screen and this fan on Thursday. I didnt have time to figure out a permanent mount.

This actually kept the truck very cool today.Here we are outside of Appalachian Brewing Company. We were trying to get to Troegs, but Steve's GPS had a brain fart and took us into this town instead. And we opted to stop here before backtracking north to go to Troegs.

 SWAG.

 Sampling. The Susquehanna was my favorite.

 At Troegs we found another Frontier from MD. We never found the driver. I intend to try to stalk the owner and get them to join our club.

 Steve's 'mean face'.

 The only problem with Troegs was that today was the Color Run in this town. And instead of going home and bathing, these people showed up so that everyone would KNOW they  had just done a color run. They were not alone. I guess, by the same argument, driving around with as much mud caked on my truck as I did was equally a sign of douchebaggery on my part. But that's not really the case. When I actually made it home, Veronica was promptly washed.

That's basically my story. Now to wait on Steve S to post some video and photos of Veronica getting after it.