Hello from the East Coast

[AppYJ]

Looks like I am a little out of place here.......seems that most members are from the West Coast. Anyway, I live in Western North Carolina in a little town called Murphy (Home of Tellico). Anyone ever heard of it? My jeep is a 1987 Wrangler that has had almost everything changed except the body. It has a 4.0l from a 2001 Cherokee, a Torque Flite 727 transmission, Dana 300 transfer case with 4 to 1 kit and Currie twin stick shifters. Dana 44's with 4.56 gears, Detroit locker in rear, ARB locker in front. Rubicon Express springs and 37" Irock Radials, etc., etc., etc. It's not much, but it's MINE.

[Roger]

Welcome AppYJ!

It's true that most members are in California but there's members all over. Even one from South Africa! They are great folks here at MJR!

Do you have battles in your area to keep trails open?

[Kodiak Spirit]

Welcome to the site! MJR is international you know, so yer not really that far away... Yeah, Tellico is a sweet off road haven from what I hear... I run a 91' Square... I mean YJ, so yer in good company. Enjoy the site, lotsa good info and good people, 'course from the list of mods yer jeep has it sounds like your no slouch either.

[AppYJ]

Thanks for the welcomes.....and yes we are fighting to keep the Tellico trail system open as we speak. Southern Four Wheel Drive Association just filed a lawsuit to reopen the trails that Trout Unlimited managed to get shut down by threatening a lawsuit. They closed Trail 9 (Slickrock), Lower 2 (Rockgarden), Trail 7 (Peckerwood) and parts of Trail 8 supposedly for just 1 year to do a "study". Those were some of the most popular and difficult of the whole trail system. I have been hunting and fishing in Tellico for 30 years and there are just as many Brook Trout in the streams now as there were 30 years ago. I have also watched the fight over the Hammers. It amazes me how the tree huggers can fight to close a place due to enviromental concerns and then the government can turn it into a firing range......like that is going to be good for the enviroment!!!

Well, I will get off of my soapbox now. I hope to do some West Coast wheeling soon.....while there are still some places to go.

And thanks for the post Kodiak. My YJ is a pretty decent jeep.....I still just call it a glorified street jeep. It is pretty small compared to some of the rigs that come here to run Tellico....but, I still manage to go everywhere they go without pulling cable!! It is still street legal also, so I can drive it to Tellico, wheel it all day and drive it home at the end of the day.

[RAT]

Welcome APP! I just saw a piece on Off Road Magazine about the fight you guys are having at Tellico and another place called Between the Lakes, or something to that effect. Good luck, and if there are any petittions that need signing make sure and let us know; we like signing things around here.

Kurt

[KNCJeeper]

Hey Apple! Another eastcoaster here! Ever make it up to Rauch Creek??

[SuFiPirate]

I'm probably not too far from you, in Blacksburg, VA.

Welcome to MJR!

[AppYJ]

Hello to the fellow East Coasters. I am located in Western North Carolina. I am about 20 miles from Tennessee and about 20 miles from Georgia also. I have heard about Rauch Creek, but I have never been there. Looks like I am going to have to travel like most other people if I want to wheel anymore. The forest service just released their plans to permanently close the trails that were supposed to be only closed for a year, as well as possibly closing the only two trails left that were considered most difficult. Fortunately, there are a few private parks opening up within 200 miles of me.