24 Hours At The Hammers

(a charity event)

Several months ago, Chris Wood of ARB, contacted Ray Pfeifer and I (West Coast 4 Wheel Drive Club) to see our reaction to an idea he had for generating some cash for charities and organizations, while giving some great drivers a new experience and challenge. Chris wanted us to organize an event where the contestants would try to finish 7 Hammer trails in 24 hours. For those of you that have not had the opportunity to try out these trials, this was really a challenge. It is not uncommon that just one trail could take 10 hours and the trails are less than a mile. These are some of the most technical trails anywhere. One small mistake will lead to bent sheet metal, a broken u-joint, axles, drive lines, well, you get the picture.

Here is the way it went. Chris Wood and I have known each other for a long time and he needed some help in So Cal to organize the trail runs and volunteers for the actual run. The logistics for this event proved staggering at first, but we kept dogging it, and finally it came together at the last minute, as it usually does. Chris invited 12 contestants, to find 12 sponsors, to pay them dollars for each trail that they could complete in 24 hours. The potential was a total of $21,000 being raised for 3 charities or organizations.

The list of contestants included Jason Bunch of Tri-County, Pat Gremillion of Pull Pal and Premier Welders, Steve Negrich representing Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Ned Bacon, Mark Hinkley of Off Road General Store, Jim Cole, Jesse Rodocker, Greg Jevne, Don Robins, Cole Quinnell (had another driver John), Chris Wood and Al Vandervelde. The rigs were Samuri's, Jeeps (TJ's, Flat Fenders, YJ's, XJ’s and CJ's,), Broncos, TLC'c, Toyota Pickups, and finally D90 Landrovers. The sponsors were Tuffy, Rubicon Express, Dynatrac, Man-A-Fre, Hi-Lift, Tomkin, Jacobs Electronic, Bestop, JKS, Interco Tire Co., West Coast Differential, and Costa Del Mar Sunglasses.

Wow.

In a nut shell, Ray and I outlined the trails and decided on the strategies of which ones to do first, the flow of the event, the problem of finding the trails in the dark, the location of the trail head and end, and getting volunteers to help direct and communicate and marking the course. Ray and I visited the Hammer trails and plotted them via GPS coordinates and finally on a Topo map. I found that plotting coordinates was more difficult than I thought so with the help of club member, Jeff McRae, we got the trails outlined on a 7 minute topo map. Ray and I marked the trails with grading stakes painted flourescent red, and marked bushes with flourescent red ribbon. This combination of markers would direct the contestants from trail to trail, with some added help of volunteers. We had a couple of West Coast members show up to help direct traffic, a bunch of Trail Masters that I absolutely could not have done without, and some Victor Valley folks that also were invaluable in directing traffic at the extreme further away trails.

We decided that we would try to get the trails further away from base camp done first, in the day light and the closer trails last. This strategy turned out to be a very good idea.

The trail order was Outer Limits, Hells Gate, Sun Bonnet, Sledge Hammer, Jack Hammer, Wrecking Ball, and finally Claw Hammer. You might recognize the last two trails as the same ones run on the Warn Rock Crawling Challenge held a few months ago.

We had a medical team set up by T&J's Off Road. Media coverage was by Petersons 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Canadian Four-Wheel Drive, Land Rover Monthly, Toyota Trails, Big Rock & Video, K2 Automotive, and Off Road Exchange magazines.

Friday morning, after a drivers meeting, passing out maps, a pep talk, some pictures taken, and some good luck wishes we were off to the first trail. There was some confusion after the first trail (with most of the contestants not ever running these trails before). The contestants were running the trails much faster than we anticipated and we could have used more spotting/directing help, but I thought Ray and I had marked the roads well enough that we did not think anyone could get lost. But the distance between three of the trails is a long ways so there was some short term confusion. Ray came to the rescue as did Victor Valley. Only a few moments were lost for the leaders.

Jason finished first at 5 1/2 hours, Ned Bacon was right on his heals, Pat was next. Then the contestants became pretty well spread out over the next few hours. Jason finished up and ran interference almost all night where he was needed. Part of the rules ya see, was that a flag person (volunteer) directing the contestants to and from the trails could not help except to direct them where to go. If we helped in any other way, they were disqualified. But a contestant could help a contestant all they wanted. Pat welded, Jason directed and lead, Ned helped locate, etc. You get the idea. Also, there was a question of gas. Some of the contestants that did not need to carry a lot of gas, left gas at various trail heads for others in case they needed it. I saw the best competition and camaraderie that could ever be seen with these folks.

Did I mention that there were 3 support rigs that swept the trails last in case there were broken parts that needed to be fixed? All of these rigs were broken by the time they got to Wrecking Ball. Only one rig had to be salvaged Saturday morning, and that was done by the Tuffy supporting, with broken shock mounts and axles, and Pat and Ned welding and pulling them back to camp by noon.

The last rigs to complete the trails were Chris Wood (with Paul Beckman his spotter and co-driver) at about 3 am, and Jesse Rodocker (D90) at about 4:30 am. We waited until light to have a person at the top of Wrecking Ball walk the trail to finally see that the broken rigs were picking their way back down the trail. The broken Flat Fender had...a broken steering box, broken completely away from the frame, a broken power steering pump and hose, a broken drive line and more. He was toast.

The overall carnage: Broken axles, u-joints, drive lines, broken frames, bent wheels,

body damage, scrapped sliders, rocker panels, bumpers, radiators, motor mounts, transfer cases, steering box(s), blown clutch, power steering components, and I think that is it.

None of the support group (flag vehicles) broke anything. Jason's new rock rig that was just written up in Four Wheel Drive and Sport Utility mag, as did Pat and Neds rigs, proved themselves well. Chris Wood was driving his new stretched TJ with everything longer and it did ok, except for a bit of body damage (first trail(s) out with this mod) and the darn D90 even did ok.

Jeri Ferguson of CA4WDC stayed with us almost all day and all night helping where she could. She and I transported the magazine writers and photographers all over the place, and got their little rental truck unstuck a lot.

At the end of the competition, Saturday morning, Chris Wood made out checks to CA4WDC, Blue Ribbon Coalition, and Children's Hospital, for $5333.33 each. And $500 to West Coast (and the Trail Masters) for Toys for Tots, and $500 to Victor Valley to help in the trail building or any other way they want to use the money.

On the down side, Jason's spotter Steve, dislocated his knee on Sun Bonnet, right at the end of the trail. They splintted the leg with wood and duck tape and headed for camp. Danny Grimes left the trails like lightening and headed for his truck at camp. By the time Jason got Steve to Danny, Danny was ready for transportation to the hospital. Jeri padded Steve's knee with her sleeping bag and jackets and Danny was off to the hospital. Later, somehow, Steve made it back to his motorhome with an interesting bandage from his ankle to this thigh, and with good news that it should heal fine, without surgery. Jason's new spotter was Allan. There were no more mishaps.

Now, do I really want to stick to my Detroit's? The ARB's seem to have done well this weekend. All of the contestants were running them. Naw, I still like my Detroit's. (Just funning ya Chris!)

Wait, that’s not all. What about the next event? Yes, there will be another and another. Chris has suggested that with the success of this event, he will hold another 24 hour event, but at a different location. Ever heard of Tellico, Tennessee? Well, I have never been there, but I am sure there are lots of middle country folks there that have and will want to help Chris out. I think we can see Canada, Farmington, Los Cruces, or somewhere on the east coast as likely spots. The next event will have half of the participants picked by ARB, and the other half done via a lottery. So, if you are interested, send a resume/personal profile to Chris Wood at:

ARB USA: Air Locker Inc.

20 South Spokan Street

Seattle, Wa 98134

Steve Friend

Member: West Coast 4 Wheel Drive Club.