Day two started very similarly. Cool in the morning, but promising to warm up and be sunny by mid-day. Mid 70’s were the temperatures… just right for four wheeling. Mother Nature had a little surprise in store for us, however. During the pre-trail drivers' meetings, Jamboree participants were challenged to see who could get their soft top back on the quickest, as a barrage of rain began to fall without any prior warning. It was a blast to see all the people scrambling to the 170+ different vehicles, attempting to get the top up in time to keep the seats dry. Most did very well, while others really didn’t care. They just kind of grinned while looking up at the sky.

Cliffhanger on Saturday is run “with a twist”. It’s called Cliffhanger with a Twist because the trail has several twisty sections that cause even some of the more modified Jeeps to point a tire at the sky while traversing the added section. Lunch on Saturday is held at Barn Rock, a natural rock structure with an opening large enough to seat several people inside.

With 28 vehicles in the group, it was a slow go at times, so the group was broken up into two packs. It was a blast watching the people clutch the steering wheel in fear when the rear tire would raise up in the air, or when the front tire would start reaching for the sky. Huge washouts along with a large fallen tree were many of the obstacles that posed problems for the trail riders. At one point, I had to park my Jeep and walk due to a low hanging fallen tree... it's no fun having to hike 1.5 miles back into the woods when you know that you are leaving your baby behind.

After lunch, the climb back up out of the Twister is when the damage started to occur. A brand new TJ suffered a kinked rocker panel on a large tree obstacle, and another almost ripped off his side steps on the same tree. As if that old dead tree hadn't had enough already, it reached up and tagged one more TJ, almost removing the Sahara edition panel off of the side of the Jeep. The tree was definitely having a good time.

After strapping one of the trail guides around an obstacle (he was getting ready to turn it over so we held him down), the rest of the group slowly made their way back up out of The Twist.

The rest of the day was spent conquering a few obstacles and checking out the scenery. If you've not been in the Kentucky and Tennessee area for the fall, you really need to make it a point to visit the Cumberland Falls Jeep Jamboree, the views are awesome, and the towns of Williamsburg, KY and Jellico, TN couldn't be more accommodating to us OHV users.

 

 

FOLLOW ALONG FOR MORE --->>>