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Bought the new Bronco on Moday, just messes with it yesterday and today up the MERA -Mt Emily Recreation Area, just outside of La Grande, OR. Headed up Fox Hill Rd and stopped to take a look out over La Grande and the Grand Rhond River Valley.
It was a beautiful day and ended up about 97 degrees when we made it back to town. This is mostly a drive around and enjoy the view area, but a few of the trails are a little tough. But today was just going to be a ride around day as my wife and I were going to be by ourselves and I am no longer able to deal with tough recovery situations.....but that changed.
We pulled into the parking area and I started trying to learn some of the electronic systems and controls. For example, I have never had "MODES." I played with stuff and was able to experience changing MODES and the results of different MODES selected. Never had this stuff in a Jeep, and quite frankly, didn't see much need. However, that changed when I saw how the mode switch, shifted into 4wd, turned on the rear locker, and generally just kind of made it easy. Might be something to these "MODES!"
During the time I was learning about MODES, a longtime Jeep buddy called and wanted to know if he could tag along and of course in t
10 minutes he was there and we headed out on the trails.
Kevin in brand X following.
He's a very serious guy who has spent many years in Search and Rescue, and traveling the back county of the western US. I value his friendship and knowledge greatly.
We decided to take a Black Diamond trail that we both had been on before, but it had been a while....and these images do not do it justice....
The trail started as an nice drive through the woods, but quickly changed. Again, the following images do not do it justice. This is how it started:
Nice and easy but quickly got more narrow, steeper, and uneven.
Until we popped out to see this next view. What this image does not convey is the fact the we are basically on a ledge trail with a dropoff on the edge of the trail.
The trail turned uphill in a bit towards the hard right hand turn ahead that has a small ledge right in the center of the turn.
The inclinometer on the dash indicated about 15 degrees up and this point and by the time we got to the halfway poing to the turn it was up to about 20 degrees..... This trail had changed quite a bit since the last time I had been on it. Vehicles and the weather have worn away a lot of dirt and left rocks exposed.
Much tougher than it looks.
After completeing that turn we then had this to deal with. The trail makes a hard turn to the left uphill around that double tree. It doesn't look lke much but...
This image was just as the front axle got to the turn and the tree was obviously next to the drivers door. Just around the tree there is about a 4 - 5 foot increase in elevation and large rocks. I started around this spot with the truck in 4wl and the rear locked. I ended up most ot the way up this "step<" with about 22 degrees up on the front of the truck and stuck. Locked up the front and drove over. I wanten to get a picture on the step, but didn't happen.
From there on it did not get worse but there were a few instances of pucker. I did not get any more images untl we decided to head back home a different way:
And finally almost out and back in the valley.
It was a great day to be out in the woods. My first impressions of the Bronco after 19 Jeeps is very favorable. It does what it's supposed to on the trail, it's easy to drive, and it seems to be forgiving to mistakes on the trail. It's very comfortable for me...I'm 6'8" {the real reason I don't drive a Jeep any more}. and I'm getting older with all the age related issues that come along for the ride.
I wish the images were better and I wish the gave a true representation of that trail, but they are what they are. I really had fun up there in the Bronco. I hope we have many more like it..
Have a good day!
It was a beautiful day and ended up about 97 degrees when we made it back to town. This is mostly a drive around and enjoy the view area, but a few of the trails are a little tough. But today was just going to be a ride around day as my wife and I were going to be by ourselves and I am no longer able to deal with tough recovery situations.....but that changed.
We pulled into the parking area and I started trying to learn some of the electronic systems and controls. For example, I have never had "MODES." I played with stuff and was able to experience changing MODES and the results of different MODES selected. Never had this stuff in a Jeep, and quite frankly, didn't see much need. However, that changed when I saw how the mode switch, shifted into 4wd, turned on the rear locker, and generally just kind of made it easy. Might be something to these "MODES!"
During the time I was learning about MODES, a longtime Jeep buddy called and wanted to know if he could tag along and of course in t
10 minutes he was there and we headed out on the trails.
Kevin in brand X following.
He's a very serious guy who has spent many years in Search and Rescue, and traveling the back county of the western US. I value his friendship and knowledge greatly.
We decided to take a Black Diamond trail that we both had been on before, but it had been a while....and these images do not do it justice....
The trail started as an nice drive through the woods, but quickly changed. Again, the following images do not do it justice. This is how it started:
Nice and easy but quickly got more narrow, steeper, and uneven.
Until we popped out to see this next view. What this image does not convey is the fact the we are basically on a ledge trail with a dropoff on the edge of the trail.
The trail turned uphill in a bit towards the hard right hand turn ahead that has a small ledge right in the center of the turn.
The inclinometer on the dash indicated about 15 degrees up and this point and by the time we got to the halfway poing to the turn it was up to about 20 degrees..... This trail had changed quite a bit since the last time I had been on it. Vehicles and the weather have worn away a lot of dirt and left rocks exposed.
Much tougher than it looks.
After completeing that turn we then had this to deal with. The trail makes a hard turn to the left uphill around that double tree. It doesn't look lke much but...
This image was just as the front axle got to the turn and the tree was obviously next to the drivers door. Just around the tree there is about a 4 - 5 foot increase in elevation and large rocks. I started around this spot with the truck in 4wl and the rear locked. I ended up most ot the way up this "step<" with about 22 degrees up on the front of the truck and stuck. Locked up the front and drove over. I wanten to get a picture on the step, but didn't happen.
From there on it did not get worse but there were a few instances of pucker. I did not get any more images untl we decided to head back home a different way:
And finally almost out and back in the valley.
It was a great day to be out in the woods. My first impressions of the Bronco after 19 Jeeps is very favorable. It does what it's supposed to on the trail, it's easy to drive, and it seems to be forgiving to mistakes on the trail. It's very comfortable for me...I'm 6'8" {the real reason I don't drive a Jeep any more}. and I'm getting older with all the age related issues that come along for the ride.
I wish the images were better and I wish the gave a true representation of that trail, but they are what they are. I really had fun up there in the Bronco. I hope we have many more like it..
Have a good day!
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