Page updated: 10/29/2000 07:42 PM

A Trip to Smell the Roses.

Written and experienced by: Mike Garner, 7/23/00
Pictures by: Mike Garner
Additional Pictures: Gil Meacham

Left on a Tuesday afternoon. Drove a few hours, then spent the night. Awoke, and drove 10 or 12hrs to SLC to meet up with Andi. Tied up at work, (not literally) she arrived at her house a few minutes after we did. We were quit comfortable sleeping under a tree in her front yard. Sure didn't feel like the 99 degrees she claimed it to be. Ahhhhhh we have escaped the midwest humidity.... Nice dinner with Andi, Katelyn, Amy, Bart, Janeal, and the two of us. A rose. The girls liked it better than Bart and I, but I'm cool with that. Afterwards, Lisa and I learned all about rocks from Katelyn, and talked into the night.... Another rose. Next day took us to a 'late' arrival at Randii's. Sorry Kam. Another great dinner, and we retired to a nice slide show from a professional photographer. Excellent Work Kam. More roses. Arrived in SJ on Friday, strolled around Palo Alto, until the rehearsal dinner. For here, we found real roses to smell. We were both enjoying all the flowers and plants that grow so well there. Nice yards all around. Sat am brought breakfast with the Bay area crew. Not a thorn yet. Thanks again Seth!! That was very unexpected. Thanks for the filter Steve, and thanks to Jen for putting up with more 'jeep people'. Nice to meet you mike and Elise. Good to see you all again. Nice wedding later that day, plenty of dance time with my 2.5yo niece. A full bouquet!

Sunday found us running back to Sac to pick up Randii, and my Jeep. Helped Randii finish up the UZI, then went to yet another meal. Left Kam in the driveway around 3pm, looking a little jealous, and a little relieved to see us all leave... Arrived at Ice house, unloaded, parked next to Meach's Frieghtshaker, and headed in. Played very little on the way in. Randii tried the 'soupbowl' but was unable. At one point, we darn near had to remove the canoe to get room to maneuver. As darkness fell I gave it a single try. Hmmmm all I needed. Cool. As we ambled into the camp at Spider, we wondered if there would be mints on the pillow like the nights before. Nope, but a warm fire, and good friends, old and new. Better than a mint, another rose to savor.

Five rigs in all in camp that night. Meach had broken a front spring on the way in, so his 'day off' was to be spent running for a replacement. Ouch! A thorn. Lisa and I started our day by paddling around Spider. Matt O. was right!! that lake is fantastic. Thanks again Randii, worth it!! Sniff, sniff...Ahhhhh. Later we wondered over to look at the sluice. Hmm new rock. Looks tough. Not sure I agree with tearing down that wall, but I will accept the challenge. Walked back, had lunch, and drove back to try it. First climb out of camp Randii tries to roll, and I cut a BFG. More thorns. Since my spare is a 33", I decided to just patch it right. Broke it down and did just that. How many people can stand on a 35" anyway? ;-) 

The rest of the way to the Sluice, Randii and I jockeyed for position. Neither wanted to be first. I won, he was. In he went, made the first set of rocks pretty quickly. then lined up for the rest. Past the one on the left, back and turn, back and turn,...... Stops with his right door REAL close to that new one. Jockey some more and then, WHAM!! he just totally lost the right door. I still feel bad, cus I was 'supposed' to be spotting. Well, damage done, he tries to just pivot off it, and go forward. a little progress then the Birfield decided to go boom. Boy, this just gets more exciting, don't it? I crawl back out to the slabs, and set up for the winch. As I pull him out, his window we thought was broke, actually did. I just love the way tempered glass breaks...... Can you say, "Tension"?? Thorns everywhere!

Ok, Randii is out, and I'm outa excuses. I'll just use Lisa's line for this next part. "Once you *finally* quit trying the wrong line, you made it over those first rocks quite easily" Oh well, she could see it, I couldn't. Did a jockey or two, and I was ready to try to pass by the new rock on the right. I stopped with it by the right 'door' and the whole Jeep slide that way. Guess I shouldn't have stopped. Took off about a dimes worth of paint. Backed away, and swung farther left. Made it up and around with only a momentary loss of progress. Cleared the right side pretty well, the right rear corner didn't fare anywhere near as well. Oh well, so much for shiny paint. I was out, just as Meach and Jim returned. Everyone went back to camp as I hung out and watched/helped Randii repair the front. Another short boat ride, supper, a good fire, and we were ready for bed. Back to that sweet smell of the rose.

Tuesday found us on our way to the Old Sluice. Nothing major happened on the way. Just ambled over, enjoying the day. I somehow ended up leading on the way down. Been there three times, lead every time.... Not nearly as I remembered. Easier. We all work our way down, with Susie being last. Took her a while to work up the courage, but asked for my hand on the way down. I obliged, and she did a GREAT job!! I just love the look on a 'newer' jeeper's face when they do something that they think they couldn't. Nice work Susie!! Another bouquet. Lisa and I decided we didn't really want to camp at Buck, but preferred to camp in a hotel.... Said our too soon good-byes to everyone, and headed out with Randii. From the bottom of the Old Sluice, we were to LS in less than an hour, and out to the slabs in two. At the top of the slabs I found a Jeep also looking for the group with Tom Z, and then found that group. 5pm, and they were only that far.... Wonder how the trip went. Out, loaded up, and said good-bye to Randii. That night at dinner we talked about how we enjoyed the trail, stayed only as long as we wanted and were going to be home early. Lisa says, "is there anything you want to do out here?" Hmmmmmmmm Looked at a map, and decided to run down to Yosemite for the day. A day is not long enough, but we walked down to a Sequoia grove and enjoyed that very much! Very big roses. In fact, I even smelled them. Full experience. Back to the park border, load up the Jeep, and head back to Carson City. Next two days we bomb on home. Bart calls me as I exit Omaha, just missed seeing him. unexpected Rose. White suburbans just blend in... 

Home, from another fantastic trip!!

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You can view additional pictures taken by Meach on this trip at these two locations:
Photo Album 1
Photo Album 2