Smoky Mountain Venture, Upper Tellico, NC, April, 1999

My first really challenging offroad event was the Smoky Mountain Venture at the Upper Tellico ORV area near Murphy, North Carolina in April, 1999. I signed up for the easiest, or "spare film," drive (the others were the harder "spare parts" and the most difficult "spare vehicle"), which was conducted on trails 4 and 6.  My jeep is pretty much stock with 30" tires and no lift. It was marginal, but I made it. By the end of the event though, I gained a new appreciation for suspension lifts.
 
 

Rick Banister had to make a few last minute repairs to his Jeep at the Hanging Dog Campground site.  Those with the pioneer spirit, Rick, Kevin, and Mark, camped out.  The rest of us (the guy in the red TJ) stayed at a motel in Murphy, NC, where we were forced to shower each night and sleep on clean sheets.  Off-roading does not always mean off-bedding!
The Wolverine gang, Rick and Kevin Banister and Mark Lott (minus photographer and red TJ driver Lee) at the Upper Tellico ORV area trail head ready to go.  That's Eddie Adams, webmaster of the Smoky Mountain Venture website in the white Toyota at the rear.  Eddie was everywhere...he drove his truck, took pictures, and helped drivers out of fixes...and even had time left over to say some nice things about a certain rookie's driving.
The water crossing on the Tellico River was one of the highlights of the ride.  And the tires got a nice wash job.
The most difficult part of Trail 4 was the climb out of the Tellico River crossing. There was a step that was just about as high as my clearance.  Contrary to rumor, Lee was not sweating so much he could not hold the steering wheel...it was already wet for some reason...somebody must have spilled a Coke on it.
But with a little help on the front end from the spotter and some muscle from the spectators...and after scraping and bumping a bit...I made it...and without any damage. Those two guys are pretty brave to be in standing front of a rookie driver with his foot on the gas pedal.
This photo was taken on an easy section of Tellico Trail 6.  But it got a lot rougher before the trail ended...a lot rougher!

You probably recognized immediately that this is not Lee and his TJ.  And your first clue was?  (1) The guy in this picture has brown hair...Lee is blond.  (2) The Jeep is topless...Lee's has a rag top. (3) The Jeep is blue...and Lee's is red.  (4) The Jeep is a CJ...and Lee's is a TJ.   OK...OK...it was the big rock that Lee would still be stuck on if he had tried this trail!

This trail is "Lower 2", and this section is several hundred yards of rock.  It is definitely worse than Michigan roads (but maybe not much).

The "Lower 2" was pretty rough, and few escaped unscathed.  Broken driveline parts were frequent.  We even had one Jeep tump over its side without any major damage other than to the driver's pride.  But all the drivers left with smiles on their faces.  These "rock crawlers" who challenge the worst trails must be the world's happiest people...they smile when they break down...and they smile when the don't. 

Man, those do look like Michigan roads...sorry Governor Engler!  Is my tax return going to be audited?


Man, those do look like Michigan roads...sorry Governor Engler!  Is my tax return going to be audited?