We split up into our work parties and hit the trail. Jeremy, Dave, and Kris, along with several volunteers, took the first section of trail which included blocking several illegal trail by-passes, busting unregulated fire rings, and setting the first of two Adopt-a Trail signs showing that Four Dice, along with Webilt and the Sacramento Jeepers have made a commitment to help keep this beautiful and challenging trail, beautiful, challenging and open for years to come. Next, Tinman (that’s me) and his dedicated partner, GangstaCrusher (that’s Traci,) along with Bernie and the Blue Devils (sounds like a Doo-op group, doesn’t it?) rebuilt by-pass barriers that had been erected last year, destroyed the next day, rebuilt that same day, and destroyed some time in between then and the ’04 clean-up. These alternate routes don’t even go anywhere but parallel to the trail and if you people who tore them down last year are reading this, you’re vile scum sucking vermin. Better not touch them this year; we may have put some surveillance in place. As I turned from sawing sections of downed trees into lengths manageable by two men, I was shocked to see Traci curling one of the sections as a way to warm up in case those chromed mogs appeared. Seriously, she pitched in with the hard work even though all she was supposed to do was take pictures. That’s my Gal. Keith, Jerry, and several more volunteers tackled the off camber section on the approach to Sunrise that is becoming more eroded and dangerous as time goes by. Those of us in group 1 and 2 finished our jobs and leapfrogged up to help with the off camber. As we arrived, the sweaty mens, all glistening with perspiration from their exertion had gotten a good start filling in the holes with strategically placed rocks in the hope of making this section safer until a more permanent fix could be formulated and implemented. This part of the trail is especially deserving of attention because the result of a departure from the desired route is a quick trip to the body shop if not the wrecking yard. No kidding, the only thing that stands between you and a multiple roll scenario is one small tree, already scarred from it’s valiant efforts at saving some unknown soul. It won’t last forever. The first test of the stacked granite by the brave if foolhardy Bling ended with a “STOP, STOP, STOP, whoa, (grab, grab,) whew that was close, that didn’t work at all!!!!! The second attempt resulted in a much more satisfactory result allowing all of us to safely traverse the obstacle on our way to help the next group, headed by Webilt, up at the MAJOR REOUTE located in-between Sunrise and Hamburger Hill.

Much to our surprise, by the time we got there, Webilt and their group had blocked the entrances to several sections of the old trail thereby rerouting the path of Fordyce onto the relatively impervious granite adjacent to the old forest route. They had also completed the “Great Wall of Fordyce” that blocked off access to a hillside by the first water crossing that was beginning to be used for a play area. It was both a dead end and dangerous. Reminder to all. Please stay on the trail. It will help keep this trail open! By this time, the last group, headed by Ray, and our friend Dean of Performance Cryogenics (free plug) had finished setting the other adopt-a-trail sign at Meadow Lake, done their trail maintenance on the section from Meadow to the Cut-out and headed back to camp. It was still early in the day so we decided to do some Wheelin’!! El Rolo, Tinman, Bling, Mouth, Woody, and Mark, who would later earn the name “Break-a-lot,” splashed through the first water crossing and headed up the trail to abuse some parts. To make a long story not much shorter, all was well until Winch Hill 1. This section of trail, which had apparently be a piece of cake the day before when part of our club ran it had turned evil overnight. First up was Jerry with passenger Rika. The woman should get at least a Silver Star for bravery as Bling tried every line, lifted each wheel at on time or another, was totally sideways on the hill, and bounced the mill off the rev limiter in his attempt to conquer the rock. Through it all Rika never asked to get out and later exclaimed “Gee, that was fun!” Somewhere in all the excitement she even managed to take pictures in her official capacity of Swedish Photographer/Goddess. In the end it was a few strategically placed rocks that got Jerry over the top. Mark was next and about halfway up the hill sacrificed more steel to the gods of four wheelin’. At first it looked really bad because as throttle was applied all that happened was a clack, clack, clack, and no movement. It was quickly determined that only the low range gears in the transfer case and one front axle was broken. Heck we still had 3 wheel drive in high range. Sweeet! He was dragged back to the by-pass and pulled up by Mouth would had also elected to go that route. I had earlier also decided, in the interest of time, to take the by-pass and also not to risk the possibility of broken parts. We already had one semi dead rig and if mine broke (all 6000 lbs. of it) we would be in deep doo doo indeed. Woody was next and true to form made his own lines, impossible lines, and almost made the most difficult with no front locker, only 35’s and front springs coming all kinds of apart.

Again, truly amazing how he gets the most out of a rig. In the end, he’s up. So we’re all up and El Rolo timidly asks “Do we have time for me to take a try?” Of course says I. Why not, Keith will make it, hell he always makes it. He didn’t make it! Tried the Bernie line but was too short. After almost going over backwards twice he decided better and took the main line. Several tries into the attempt we all yelled “Rear Leaf!!!” He thought we meant he was hung up on the damn thing but what we really meant was that the spring was now the same shape as the rock he was resting on. Didn’t look at all like it was supposed to. Winch off the rock courtesy of a 6000 lb. anchor at the top of the hill and we’re on our way. To make a longer story an epic I drug Mark up the hard stuff, Rolo took it easy on his injured rig, and when the panhard bar broke off the Blue Devil rig we left them on the uphill side of the Committee Crossing (at their request) in order to get back to the Clean-up raffle and BBQ. We were already late and they were holding it up for us. We did this against our motto of “Leave no one behind” but we had responsibilities, they said go, and we fully intended to go back for them later.

Carl had the Q going and we scarffed down delicious chili, dogs, hot links, and washed it all down with Rockstar energy drink. Ratz, who had been back at camp all day organizing all the raffle prizes and had actually remembered to bring the raffle tickets this time was all set to go. We gave away the generous donations provided by our sponsors and everybody went away fat and happy. We can’t thank our volunteers and sponsors enough for their generosity and hard work. Four Dice, the Fordyce trail, and the Forest Service are indebted to you all. We retired back to camp, and kept in close touch with the lost sheep (love those cell phones!) Before we knew it they were back in camp and we fed them the food we kept warm for them and awarded them the gifts they won at the raffle. We sat around and disposed of yet more refreshing adult beverages, reminisced about the day’s events, and retired to a well-deserved sleep. Of course some of us had a better well-deserved sleep than others courtesy of the Tinman Motel. Apparently the others were tired of sleeping on the ground and had packed up to leave long before Tinman, El Rolo, and GangstaKilla stirred. After a leisurely breakfast and fresh brewed coffee we packed up, made like a tree, and left. See you next year at the 4th Annual Fordyce Trail Clean-up. P.S. GangstaRedneck never showed up no doubt due to the knowledge that Death-to-Gangstas was there and ready to kick some Gangsta ass. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.