The Rover-Landers of BC

Karl Nylund, and Shane Annandale. Lower Mainland. Range Rover.

kris wrote:You are the first one to reply with regards to my last post.
Who is ALRE?

The Alberta Land Rover club.

kris wrote:So, anyone interested in coming on this trip could you let me know your name, where from, how many people in your party and what kind of a vehicle.

Bill Inch
ALRE - Edmonton, AB
D110 200tdi pickup
(only me for now. Will update later if need be)

I would like to attend with my 90 but I'm still waiting to see if it will work out for time off of work.

No worries Andrew,
Let me know when and I will be more than happy to add you to the list.

Gerry B here in PG .

This past week [ 12-15 May ] . Mike Allan and I took the opportunity to explore several areas , one of which was part of the Alexander Mackenzie Trail from Euchiniko to Titetown [ approx 39 kms ] with a campover at Kluskoil Lake . We took the Kluskus Forest Service Road [ south of Vanderhoof ] and turned left onto the Blue Forest Service Road [ at km 99 ] . At km 119 , we turned left towards Euchiniko and at km 12 entered the Alexander Mackenzie Trail .

Current conditions of the trail this mid May 08 .

With snow melt still happening and frost still exiting the ground , this is the roughest we have ever seen this section of the trail [ having driven this section of the trail 2 times in the last 3 years during mid summer and the fall ] . The trail has become a bit overgrown in sections with evergreen trees claiming some of the width of the trail . There was still a lot of h20 of the trail which made the rocky parts of the trail more interesting ... where were the rocks ? My 90 trusty skid plate reminded me all too frequently .

H20 levels are high at this time of the year and several creek crossings on the trail were exciting [ especially the one approx 2km east of Kluskoil ] where the h20 was 4+' high and at least 25+' across ; h20 movement was extremely fast . With movement both forward and sideways , the 90 made it across with h20 cresting the hood .

On this trip , we chain-sawed 42 pine beetle dead falls ; being the 1st to do this trail this year has it's rewards . If it wasn't us , it would have been someone else . There were no bugs [ yes !!!! ] . All I can say , this trail smells of history ; no 4 legged animals were spotted , however the grouse were plentiful . Poplar Mountain is extremely unique and beautiful as ever . There were several identifiable CMT's [ Culturally Modified Trees ] ear-marked by Forestry . Interesting . The amount of pine beetle kill around Kluskoil Lake was alarming to me .

As you folks you will be taking this trip in the summer , the trail conditions will have significantly improved with the h20 levels greatly reduced . There most likely will be more dead fall [ perhaps a few more trees ] . There will be bugs ... don't forget your therma cells !!!!
For an old timer like me , I found power steering to be an asset ; horse power is not . 64hp is just fine . My 90 has a mild lift of only 1 1/2 " . The 90 escaped with only trail cosmetics ; it certainly was not walking wounded on exiting the trail .

For interest only ; we also did the Messue trail at km 146 [ off of the Blue Forest Service Road ] . Once we reached the Blackwater , we had to back track as the river was too high to cross .
Also we went into Walt Lambert's farm [ exit km 167 off of the Kluskoil Forest Service Road ] . His driveway is 10 km long . Our goal was to get to the Home Ranch . After being pulled out by his tractor from his driveway , and discussions with him on road conditions past his ranch , we had to back track .

Sometime in June , we plan to head to Nasko and visit the Kluskus Wagon Trail [ which now has been replaced by a Forest Service Road to Klukus ] .We will see .

Gerry B

Go ahead, rub it in! Not only do we have wait many more months, but with no bugs and a challenging trail you're excursion is really making me jealous...

Kris, any chance we can move our date up, like way up? :wink:

Hello Peter and welcome on board,

Our final meeting destination is in Quesnel on Monday morning , August 4th which is a holiday.

Kris

Hey Colin
You're on the list now.

1 month to go.

A month from today, most of the group will be gathered in the vicinity of Quesnel for a noon Monday, August 4th departure. Please don't hesitate to contact Kris or I direct if you have concerns, questions, need directions, etc.

I can be contacted by email: daveblair [at] blackpress [dot] ca or phone 250-546-3606

You can send an email to Kris by clicking on the email link by one of his posts.

Any stragglers, please let us know your intention to attend so we don't end up leaving anyone behind in Quesnel.

Finally could those attending, please send me an email including your phone number and pertinent contact info in case there are last minute things we need to contact you directly for?

thanks, Dave

I've made arrangements today with a friend that lives on Dragon Lake, a few KM south of Quesnel, to allow all of us to camp on their property (several acres) on Sunday when we arrive from wherever you're coming from. That way no one has to search too hard for local camp spots...

The departure point remains the same -- Extra Foods parking lot, crack of noon, Monday, August 4th.

Still waiting for home phone numbers and emergency contact details from a few of you...

Dave

Thoughts on how much fuel a TDI was using on the trip in the past?

Ouch and I see fuel is 15 to 25 cents more expensive in BC...

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_can_gastemperaturemap.aspx

Maybe I should bring a tanker and sell fuel at the trailhead.

Ha! You can tell by the lack of replies that the price of fuel is no laughing matter out here...

Anyway, I think Phil in his D90 200tdi took a full tank plus 2 jerry cans last time. I'm planning on my tank (40 L) plus 3 jerry cans this year, just to be safe. Last time round I still had the 2.25 gas engine and I used 5 jerry cans plus the full tank. We came out in Anahim Lake with about 1/3 of a tank left, so that would be something like 115 litres of fuel... even at todays prices that makes for a pretty cheap week of holidays.

cheers, Dave

But then there is the cost of getting there from Calgary ;)

I was planning on doing this trip but my wife will not be able to make it so I'm going to hold off and wait to use my vacation time with her later.

Hope you guys have fun.

Well sorry to hear it, but there'll be other trips... I'm hoping to do a Canol trip next August...

cheers, Dave

I'll take you off the list. Sorry to hear you aren't able to attend, but it sounds like you've been having a good summer anyway!

Dave

The first group is out of the bush and beginning to trickle back... Details to follow.

Dave

GREAT news Dave, look forward to hearing all the tales and looking at the photos .....
I was starting to think the mosquitoes had eaten you all alive :shock:

Well, they did try and carry us off. Bugs were definitely as bad if not worse than other years. Black flies and deer flies were worse than mozzys, in my opinion.

Our old blue truck was put through the wringer...

Day 1: broken short rear axles shaft
Day 2: dented and ripped right rear box
Day 3: snapped inner left front spring shackle (although not discovered till later in the trip)
Day 4: dented right front fender, and several crossmember hits
Day 5: redented right front fender, broken right front lenses, broken left rear lenses, bent right rock slider, bent right rear corner of roof rack, folded backward both lower door vents

All of the above was either fixed in short order or can be easily remedied. Compared to earlier trips, the trail was generally drier, except for the final mud challenge. Hard to compare as it was midnight last time and early afternoon this time. It was a messy challenge, though. Rocks along the entire trail seemed to be sticking up more, due to further erosion of surrounding dirt, and frost lifting them, so that made for a few (hundred) challenges. And the trail was so overgrown that in a number of spots we had to get out and scout ahead just to figure out where the trail was supposed to be.

What a fun way to spend one's vacation!

The rest of the group are in Williams Lake at the moment awaiting parts for Anne's Range Rover. I'll let them all tell their own stories...

Dave

Sounds like it was interesting and no real damage to the Series. How did the others make out in comparison of damage.

-- forgot to add on Day 5, punctured fabric on top, and lacerated my hand with the chainsaw. I'm a lucky guy cuz it only went through the skin layers, but I heard the bells chiming...!

D

Just got back to town.

Great and fun trip. Words can not do it justice. A great big thanks to all the Roverlanders for putting it on. A really fun group of people to spend the week with and it was wonderful to meet everyone.

Hopefully we can try and get a trip together next summer to encourage a few to come and see our part of the country.

Damage?? I'll have to look at it tomorrow after a snooze, but nothing serious... Bent the track rod (as usual..), some body damage here and there, lots of crossmember dents and the front shock bushings are no more.

For your viewing pleasure, I have posted Ryan's photos of the Alex Mac run in the Photo Gallery. I will post more if the rest of you will jar loose :roll:
Bill

Dave wrote:Anyway, I think Phil in his D90 200tdi took a full tank plus 2 jerry cans last time.

Just to note for future reference. I used 54 liters (200 TDI 90 / military LT77 / 1.4 LT230). binch used 60 liters (200 TDI 110 / R380 / 1.6 LT230).

Phil used more but he towed a RR for the last while....

The trip was 433 km between gas stations with around 200 km in low range.