Meanwhile Don had cut a tire sidewall some where along the way.  Matt and I were waiting for the rest to catch up, walked down the trail and found that there was mutiny in the ranks, everybody was stopped eating lunch, hummmm….I didn't hear anything about eating on the radio, as I had planned to eat at the top of Nugget Hill.  Debra's Cherokee was having heating issues, and Don was now with out a spare.  So we all decided to turn and go down to play up Castle Gulch & Left Hand.  Once we reached Nugget Hill, it would have been safer to head back down to Left Hand anyway due to the off-camber obstacle down on Nugget Hill.

    The Castle Gulch portion of the trip was fun as well, Matt & his 4Runner made it past the spot where the Xterra's had problems at the Cleanup. That built up his confidence in his Yota'.  We went up to the twisty steep spot with the tree and side-hill. Instead of picking one side or the other, I decided on a line right up the middle of the rut.  I made it just about to the top, but the lack of lockers and about 2 feet of air on the left side stopped forward progress.  Drewby' made it a little farther, due to a shorter wheelbase, and being able to follow the rut around the corner farther.  Don gave it a try as well.  Da Moose was the only one to make it through straight up the rut, by pure 'Moose power'.  It was fun to play on it either way.

    The rest of the trip up the gulch was fun but fairly easy, oh,,,,,well expect about the part where I missed the turn to go down to the Squeeze.  We came the part of the trail where we were to make a right turn, but missed it.  We went straight up the hill and found our selves on unfamiliar ground.  It was decided that the unknown was part of the adventure.

    We followed the trail and it open up to a Great view of the valley floor below us.  Jeepin' on, we came to a spot where there was a nice little off camber rock with nothing to catch you if you blew it but the tree's a few hundred feet below.  After some discussion, it was decided that I would go on down the trail to scout it out.  I was spotted through the obstacle by Moose, and preceded down the trail.

    I came to another rocky spot, where I got out and looked over the edge.  It didn't look like nothing too bad, as it reminded me of the trail to Bill Moore Lake with a loose rocky steep decent.  I got back in, radioed to the rest of the group, "It's doesn't look to bad, bring them on down, I'll keep scouting it out."  I went farther down the trail to a spot where I couldn't see from up above where I was surveying the terrain.  This spot was Nasty, I Mean 'NASTY'.  The trail came down to this tight left-handed corner that drops away to near vertical for about 15-20 feet.  I was committed to going forward, cause I could not back up. 

    So I just bit the bullet and went for it.  I looked at the corner and decided to hug the inside of the corner.  I dropped the left front off into the rut and the vehicle rolled in to the hillside as I slid down the hill with the brakes locked.  I came to a stop feeling almost on my side.  Realizing that I had a death grip on the wheel and my foot pushed about through the floor, my mountain bike experience kicked in (when the rear tire feels like it's coming up, let go of the front brake and ride it out).  So that's what I did.  I let off the brake pedal, and it I came right down the chute. 

    I quickly radioed that the rest should turn around, "there is a really nasty turn & drop off down here.  Spare parts everywhere.  I'll work my way back up to you all and find where I missed the turn."  Because I could not turn around, I proceeded to follow the trail back to 5 corners and headed up through the squeeze, and back to the group.  

    We got regrouped in an hour after I found my way around Left Hand, and headed back down through the squeeze.  Though I had lost the trail for awhile, we finally wound our way out of Left Hand Canyon.  Everyone reconnected disco's and headed on home.

What an adventure!!….

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