Missoula Trip - June 20th, 1998

OK, this isn't exactly a "Scout antic" entirely.. but there is a point to it! :)

Friday, June 19th, Dan and I climbed into the Scout for a trip to Missoula to see the new X-files movie and have a little fun. Aside from my "wide" 31x10.5s hydroplaning on water in the road ruts, and my soft-top dripping water on our knees (at freeway speeds, it seems the top "bows" up, and water collects on the top of the windshield frame, and ultimately finds it's way around and inside, only to drop on my knees), the drive over was uneventful - we had fun listening to the stereo and chatting (shouting) over the flapping of the 'top, and the roaring of the motor (with leaking exhuast manifold gasket)

We pulled into Missoula off the Reserve Street Exit, and headed to the new 10-plex THX theater. Traffic was backed up at the entrance, since there seems to be individuals in Missoula that are unaware of the proper manner to park - that is, you don't park in the middle of the main entrance/exit to the theater!

Being in a Scout, I started looking for a "way around".. there was a big field on the other side of the theater... hmmm.. there's gotta be a way around.

We drove down a side street, when I noticed a worn down 2-track running through the field. Perfect! Turn around, and climb up over the curb into the trail, and drive along.. there was a nice mud hole at the other end, just before climbing down off the curb into the parking lot, right next to the main doors! It was great.. got a little fourwheeling in, bypassed the traffic jam.. great parking spot.. and I never even locked the hubs. Only in a Scout! :-)

After the movie (it was great, BTW) we stopped at the grocery store to get some pop n' such before heading back to Dan's apartment. Dan pointed out a HUGE water puddle in the parking lot... Hmmm... moments later there was water flowing up n' over the soft-top, and we were then on our way to Dan's apartment.

The next morning we went for breakfast (Me, Dan, his two roommates Jason & Mike, Mike's s.o. Janelle, and James). Dan, Jason, & I drove to pick up James. We rolled the sides of the soft-top up before leaving.

After picking James up, we headed to Finnegan's for breakfast.. Jason & Dan were in the backseat, and Jason was thinking to himself "Oh gee, I wonder if Tom knows he's going to hit that puddle..." as I veered slightly off the road and sent water spray up and over all of us. It was a good sign that everyone was still laughing and cheering afterwards. :-)

Breakfast over, we ended up adding Mike into the Scout as Janelle went to have her Civic examined for acting up.

We took the top completely down at this point - way too nice of a day!

We started driving around, not sure what to do.. Dan directed me back to the grocery store.

Only Dan and I knew what was in store.. we drove into the grocery store parking lot, and everyone kinda noticed the large water pool in the middle.. I drove around once, waiting for a woman to get into her car and leave.. then we drove straight into the water at a decent (safe) speed, sending water crashing up and over the windshield.. not enough to soak us, but enough to wake us all up.

And then the Scout started sputtering and spitting.. it didn't like all that water. :( We ended up pushing it to the side of the street for de-watering. Didn't I feel like an idiot. :-)

I ran inside and bought some aerosol carb-cleaner (no WD40), and came back outside. They'd pulled the hood and the air cleaner while I was inside. We let it sit for a minute, then I sprayed some carb cleaner in the carb, and turned it over... a few sputters, and it was running again! We then waited for a while for the alternator to charge, since the belt is loose and it makes an obnoxious squealing sound..

We hit a few more puddles on our way back to Dan's apartment to drop Mike off.. we then grabbed James's s.o. at his apartment, and headed back out for some more fun - all five of us just enjoying cruising around in the convertible Scout in the summer sun.

Dan had an idea on where to go, so we headed down a few streets, and ended up at the Blue Mountain Recreation area... a DIRT ROAD! Heh heh.

We turned left and headed up the mountain in search of a trail to explore.. instead only finding a wide (heck, should just PAVE it) graded forrest service road with more than a few cars running up and down it. We paused a few times when we saw a trail head off into the forrest, but it was always locked and/or posted.

As we neared the top, we paused at the "Observatory Turn-off" to take a look at the spectacular view of Missoula.

A little farther along, and I paused.. there was a road heading into the woods, and there wasn't a gate or a sign! I backed up, then turned down the first part of this trail, stopping in front of a berm to do a little on-foot Scouting.

I walked up and over the rockpile that marked the trail head, and noticed that the trail continued on through the woods as far as I could see.. so I ran back to the Scout, with a huge grin on my face - we'd found a trail!!

I stooped to lock the hubs in, then climbed back into the driver's seat and slipped into 4-lo. At that moment, a beige Jeep Cherokee (XJ) drove past behind me.. then paused and stopped. Then backed up. I noticed a light bar on the top, and I could only think, "Forrest Service."

I sat still, waiting for the Rangers to get out of their Jeep and walk up to my Scout. They asked where I was going, to which I replied, "No where in particular.. just trying to see what I can see."

I stepped out as the Rangers walked in front of me. The first asked what I thought was in front of me, to which I replied "A 2-track trail." She then asked if I thought I could make it over the big rock berm at (what I would call) the trailhead, and I promptly replied with a very confident, "Yes, ma'am." There wasn't a doubt in my mind I would make it over the berm - I had walked it first to make sure!

I then informed the Ranger that this was the first trail that I had found that wasn't posted or gated, and I had been keeping my eyes peeled for anything noting this area was for "Designated Routes only", and I had yet to see a "Designated Route" sign on the road I was on.. so I (wrongly) assumed if it wasn't gated or posted, it was fair game.

The Ranger then informed me that the large rock berm should have been a sign to me that the trail was closed. I told her it made a great trailhead marker, and a nice little challenge just to start the trail, and it kept the yahoo drinking college kids from taking the trail.

I was then asked if I had my driver's license with me, to which I replied the affirmative. She asked if she could please see it, and I said, "Only if you ask nicely" as I walked back to the Scout to dig out my license.

While the first Ranger ran my license (why do they always insist on doing things like that?), the other spoke with me, and commented that my truck was an International, and we spoke about it a bit - I told her how I'd mangled the rear bumper on Tizer Lake one week before, and how I follow "Tread Lightly" n' such. She asked if we were in town for the Pearl Jam concert - none of us were. At that point, one of the Rangers made some comment about the way I was dressed and my truck, and obviously I wasn't there for the Pearl Jam concert. I told 'em I only had my cowboy hat on to keep the sun from burning the back of my neck.. :-)

I walked back to the Ranger's XJ where they showed me a forrest service map that marked the area I was in as RESTRICTED. They were also kind enough to show me that, once I came out the other side, a 10 mile drive on paved roads would bring me to a place that I *could* go and play in.. I asked if the trails marked on the map were passable by stock Ford Explorers, to which they replied, "Yes".. and I commented that the Forrest Service maps are always inaccurate and don't show the good trails.. I want the trails that Explorers can't follow me on - I'd rather leave those people a very great distance behind me.

Before they left us be, I was informed that as the Rangers pulled up, the driver was thinking, "Oh please.. don't try to run!" because she knew she'd tear up her XJ trying to follow my Scout up n' over the berm. In hindsight.... I coulda out run 'em, but I'm glad I didn't. She also told me if I'd driven over the berm, I would've had a ticket.. though she did finally agree that my Scout would have had no problem making it over the berm.. which I had already known.

We then backed up, and headed farther down the nearly paved road, with me in a cranky n' foul mood, mouthing off about the wonders of Eco-Nazis and trail closures... and then we found what looked like a very well traveled 2-track that wasn't posted as not-a-trail, nor did it have a large berm in front of it.. and it was heading downhill, so we took it.. then found ourselves a good ways in, with the trail switching back and heading back *up*hill.. at this point, I was pretty low on gas, so we turned around and headed back to the main road, and continued on.

I started explaining my theories on road closures to my friends.. if I saw that trail, and I thought I shouldn't be on it, and I didn't go, maybe no one else would. Maybe the trial IS open, but everyone is afraid to drive on it. Eventually, the Eco-Nazis will take note that no one has driven on this road, so the Forrest Service might as well close it.. Thus I make it a point to travel the "road less followed" whenever possible to see to it I leave my mark and the trails are visibly *used*, and thus do my small part to combat trail closures. We also mused that, if I had been fined and paid it, would I be able to continue down the closed trail, since I had paid the "toll"?

We reached "Woodman's Saddle" I believe, at which point I decided to turn back the way we'd come.. gas was not looking good. I had filled up in Helena a few days before, then drove to Missoula, and then our running around.. and then this "wheeling" trip.. so we zipped back towards town, passing the Rangers with another Ranger, blocking the road.. and then pulling into the first gas station we found.. I squeezed 18.96 gallons of gas into my "19 gallon" factory fuel tank... *whew*

I need to swing by the Forrest Service office in Helena this week and buy an official F.S. map for the Missoula area.. next time we head over to where the "official" trails are.. but I still claim the Forrest Service maps are outdated and inaccurate - and I wouldn't go so far as to say the inaccuracies are not on purpose. It's been my experience that even if the trail is marked as "Unimproved 4wd" it's not.. it's a 2wd road that stock Exploders can follow along on.. the "good" trails are never on the maps - the F.S. either claims to not know the trail exists, or they don't bother to mark it as closed, yet enforce it as such. Like the trail we tried to follow on the top of Blue Mountain - it wasn't posted as closed, and it wasn't on the F.S. map either.. and it looked like fun.

Oh well.. we returned to Dan's apartment, watched a little TV, then stopped at Walmart to purchase a new ring terminal to fix the stereo lead that had broken off on the washboards.

After the "field fix" in Walmart's parking lot, we headed back to Dan's apartment for him to grab his cowboy hat, and we then headed out. We drove by the HUGE line of Pearl Jam ticket holders near UoM campus, with the stereo going and the two of us in the topless Scout with our cowboy hats on. We then cruised on out of town and onto the Interstate.. I seated my hat down tight on my head, and hammered down.

30 miles outside of the Garrison junction, we noticed the weather turning sour.. we pulled off at the next exit, and put the top up, then finished off our drive home.

We pulled into Applebees in Helena around 10:15pm or so for dinner and some more conversation before calling it a night.. both vowing we'd had a blast this weekend, and we'll have to do it again soon.. Next time we'll go exploring on the trails in earnest.

-Tom

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