I Survived!!

I survived the camping and 4-wheelin' trip!!

Yes--that is me driving. I decided to drive for a little bit. I didn't drive for very long so I'm not considered an experience rock crawler or anything. I felt so out of my element that I didn't drive for very long. Besides, there were so many people there and the place was crawling with 4X4 vehicles it was stop and go traffic in the country! Go figure!


Oh--the guys had a a great time on this thrill seeker adventure. I had my adventure driving to the camp. I drove our Yukon and pulled Stephen's Suzuki on a dolly. At one point through steep and curvy terrain, Chase looked in the review mirror and the strap over the right tire came off. I'm glad he saw it. I stopped as far to the side of the highway as I could and my husband driving his jeep behind me gets out and puts the strap back on! Thank God He protected us! I'd much rather get my thrills by rolling a bunko & winning a prize. This feels a bit life threatening to me. (That is my opinion and not the general opinion of others in my family.)

Stephen had his maiden voyage over all these granite rocks. He enjoyed himself throughly. Here he is giving you folks a wheel wave!


Here's Stephen at the "WaterFall" which is about a four foot drop. Because of his bumper, the spotters decided it would be best if Stephen went down it sideways. He did! I took this picture just before he slid sideways down the slope there. I screamed! Forgot to snap pictures. Then I ran out of memory stick. I still had the other side, but my fingers wouldn't work to flip the button. I wonder why?


My dear husband, Eldon loves these adventures. He likes to drive over creeks on the walls if his wheel span allows him. Here is a picture of Eldon maneuvering over a creek.


Just before Eldon did this maneuver, up stream a bit I was in the passenger seat. We drove through the creek with the two wheels on the passenger side in the water and the two wheels on the driver side up on the rock wall. We're sideways. I was quoting what Eldon told Stephen several times--"Sideways is not good!!" Remember I was in the passenger seat. I noticed that the water was just a few feet below me, not deep but definitely contaminated with vehicle chemicals. If we were to slip I'd be in the water. My face was a foot from the rock wall. I was much closer to the granite than I wanted to be moving along at five mph. I had wished I were wearing the five point harness instead of the shoulder strap seat belt. Gravity was pulling my body out of the vehicle and I was clawing to grab hold of whatever wasn't moving. After that thrill ride, I decided to get out of the vehicle at "thrill" points. Here's Eldon successfully going down the "Waterfall."


Eldon tried to get Stephen to maneuver over a crack. Stephen's vehicle is basically stock and hasn't been modified enough for these types of rock climbing. Here's a picture of Stephen giving it a go with Chase leaning on the vehicle.

Stephen backed off this rock safely without an incident. Chase did some rock crawling of his own kind. At all the "thrill" stops, Chase would go climb the rocks. Here's a picture of him and his cousin Jonathon on top of these large rocks. No one knows for sure how they got up there or how they got down. I stayed at camp on this excursion.


This camping trip experience was like nothing I've ever experienced before. I've done the "roughin' it" camping trips without running water and electricity before. What made this different is the environment. The place is called Katemcy Rocks. Katemcy Rocks is to four wheeling what Sturgis is to motorcycles. Rumor was out this was the last open weekend before hunting season opens. There were 204 4X4 vehicles registered. That does not include all the trucks and trailers used to haul in all the 4X4 vehicles. Nor does it include the RV's and tents.

Camping sites were not assigned. It was first come, first serve. We got there early Friday afternoon and had plenty of room. People came in all Friday evening and Friday night and the wee early hours of Saturday morning. When I came out of the tent Saturday morning, there were tents put up just inches from tents. Eldon told me we'll get to meet a lot of people there. Well--duh--when camping that close to one another you can't help but meet other people.

I had the opportunity to visit some with my brother, who is an avid four-wheeler, and visit with other nice ladies. I learned form other women that our husband's consider this an outing fit for the wife and counts as a weekend get-a-way. We all decided it didn't. A women's conference is definitely needed! This was an experience. And I survived!!

While there, Eldon busted the leaf springs on the jeep which now have to be replaced. A new club member busted the hood latches and competition lights. On the highway home (we were driving behind him) his hood flew open. Bent the hood back and busted the windshield. Another club member got lots of scrapes and bumps on his vehicle and the battery/alternator died. Another busted an axle. On the way home, my brother jeep in flat tow dropped the drive shaft and damaged the transfer case. Stephen got bumps and scraps, excuse me, "brag marks" on his vehicle. What is that cliche? The difference between men and boys are the price of their toys!!

If you're interested in looking at all the pictures posted, you can visit Eldon's club website at SouthTexas4X4.com. Pictures of tip over are on there. I noticed other club members are posting their pictures as well.

Ya'll have a blessed day!