Matt, Ryan Paul and Mike

Okay, getting people to believe that there is great four wheeling in Kansas is almost as hard as convincing the non-believers that the Explorer is truly a capable off-road vehicle! Mike (aka DOGMAN) and I had spent a couple of afternoons here previously when the thought struck to post it on the site as an informal Run. We figured there were enough Explorers in the area to accommodate a small get together - - wheel, check out each other’s rigs, and generally share some 4x4 camaraderie…

 Eighty-something posts on the website later, Mike and I decided that the motto for this run was:  “Never has a Run thread been so frequently posted, for so long, to be attended by so few….” The turnout was small, four Explorers and five people (the four listed above and Ryan Penner, your “Shocks and Suspension” Moderator), but we all had a great time. 
 

TUTTLE CREEK LAKE HISTORY*

A reservoir for flood control, conservation and other purposes near the mouth of the Big Blue River debuted in official documents in 1928. A 1950 review found that the single reservoir was the most feasible for controlling floods on the Big Blue River. 

A series of 1951 flood events culminating in the disastrous July flood far exceeded all other floods of record on the Kansas and lower Missouri Rivers, both in magnitude and damage. Rains of unprecedented intensity occurred over the Kansas River Basin; during the period of July 9-13, some areas received 18.5 inches, and the eastern half of the basin averaged 8 inches. All transportation was brought to a standstill, communication lines were down, radio stations were inundated, and electric power and water facilities were disrupted. One hundred sixteen cities and towns were affected, and 85,000 persons were evacuated. Approximately 22,370 residences in the Kansas River Basin were inundated, about 2,480 being demolished. Nearly 3,270 businesses were flooded of which 336 were destroyed.

In 1960, Tuttle Creek Dam, still incomplete, experienced its first large inflow. The heaviest statewide average snowfall of record, 46.3 inches, fell in February and March, followed by mild weather March 21-28. The rapid snowmelt caused moderate to heavy flooding on the Big Blue River. The Kansas River stage was reduced almost four feet at Topeka due to Tuttle Creek Dam, which was credited with $15,243,000 in damages prevented during this period. Construction was completed and operation began July 1, 1962. The reservoir was dedicated June 1, 1963. Total cost was $80,051,031, with an expected return of $4.20 on every dollar invested. (To date, Tuttle Creek Lake has prevented over three billion dollars in damages, yielding an actual return of $37.68 on each dollar invested.) 
*Tuttle Creek History obtained from U.S Army Corps of Engineers Web Site

 Hey, enough of the History Lesson - - if you want the full story, check out this link: http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/tuttlecreek/recop.htm. This story is about wheeling, not flooding!!

TUTTLE CREEK ORV AREA

 One benefit of the construction of the dam and reservoir was the creation of the Tuttle Creek ORV Park. The ORV Area is located approximately 25 miles north of the college town of Manhattan, Kansas. The 310-acre park contains miles of trails with steep climbs, sharp turns, and rugged terrain for the off-road enthusiast. Trail names like “Drive Shaft”, “Hard Luck Hill”, and “ARB Hill”, give a hint of the challenges that lay ahead. 

 The ORV Park has multiple paths and trails, and many obstacles have several different lines that can be attempted at different “play areas”. This is the true benefit of Tuttle Creek. A wide variety of vehicles can stay together for a day of wheeling and each test the capabilities of driver and vehicle without having to split into separate groups to accommodate heavily modified rigs and near stock vehicles.

SATURDAY, 19 FEBRUARY

 The day dawned overcast, but our spirits were bright as we headed up the road to the ORV area. I had met Matt and Ryan Penner at the Colors Run last October, and had wheeled with Mike on two or three occasions, but Ryan Johnston was only an e-mail contact. For some reason I felt a bit apprehensive about the Run. My concern was that the guys would consider the trails “average”. Matt and Ryan drove several hours from arguably the best four wheeling state in the country. I sure didn’t want them to feel the long trip had been in vain…. The terrain in this part of Kansas can best be described as “rolling”, with no prominent terrain features, but far from preconceived notion of “flat” that most people conjure up when discussing Kansas. 

 After airing down and stowing sway bars, Ryan Johnston pulled into the staging area. As a college student, he was up for the trail running, but not the expense of a hotel… Good choice, in my opinion, think of the money he saved for future modifications! Quick introductions were made and we started out on the trails. 
 
 

Mike exhibiting some articulation flex

The first trail wound its way through a fairly deep gulch, with about 100’ of elevation change from top to bottom. This was the first of many occurrences where we noted how just a small amount of precipitation had made the usually dry trails quite challenging. Ryan had a bit a trouble maintaining traction on the way up the gulch, but after a few attempts made it up without a problem. This was not an anomaly for any of us for this weekend…

This trail led us to an area of rocks and ledges that is a great place to test articulation, traction, balance, and stupidity - - luckily, we were only interested in the first three categories… The sun had broken through the clouds and the weather was turning in our favor - - Clear skies, plenty of sun, and about 55 degrees. 

From this location we made our way over to “Drive Shaft”, a hill I had easily conquered several times before this trip. The recent rains and constant shade at the top of the hill made for a muddy final ascent, which is also the steepest part of the climb. Incredulously, I found myself unable to get to the top of this oft-ascended hill! Needless to say, I was torqued! I guess I should of just stomped the gas, but the trail is lined with enough trees to cause some damage, and I just didn’t feel like taking a chance of doing significant body or drivetrain carnage. Backing down the hill was no simple task either! This hill has an elevation gain of about 150’; it’s narrow, twisty, and there are enough rocks and ledges to do some undercarriage remodeling if you’re not careful. Well, I made it back down the hill, only damaging my pride on the descent. On the way down I was trying to concoct a plausible excuse, but luckily, Matt was just starting his “Wet Drea… er, “Deep Water Crossing”. Perfect! Someone else to capture the attention of the group! There has already been a few comments on his maneuver on the “Mud Bogs don’t Mix” thread, but here it is again…
 
 

Conversation Mike: “Well, I think he’s stuck.” Paul: “I dunno, he may make it.” Ryan P: “Yeah, I think he’s going to get out.” Ryan J: “Holy Sh**!” Paul: “Yeah, I think he’s got it.” Matt: “WILL SOME-BODY PLEASE COME AND YANK ME OUT ?!?!”

The U-Boat Commander

Well, after a roll of quarters and a few dozen pounds of mud deposited at the local car wash, Matt was right back at it. 

From here we headed for “ARB Hill”, a short steep climb with the ever-present rock ledges and mud. This hill was almost constantly shaded from the drying effects of the sun, so it was slicker than most hills we attempted. The hill has about four different lines, and even the easiest (but by no means “easy”) line was too much for our rigs. Here’s a great shot of Matt giving it his all - -He made it to the same spot that I did…

We played around for a while longer, but decided to end the day on a good note, working articulation and traction on yet another series of rocks and ledges. Ryan Johnston proved to be a capable off-roader, working his near stock Explorer over most of the trails. He definitely gave his truck a work out, showing great composure in keeping his rig off the rocks, escaping the weekend with just a minor blip on his running board.