2008 Calgary Deli meet 16 November

[storm80y]

0900 I don't usually get out of bed till 0915

[Erebus]

Doesn't your Deli have an autopilot? Or do you have an SO who can drive?

Remember, the early bird gets the worm. Never thought worms were that tasty anyway.

[White Mule]

Nice meeting you in Cochrane this morning. Hope you had a reat trip. Thanks for the tips and thanks Green for the sticker. This is where I got the repair guide (google: pitstop books)
Cheers

[storm80y]

Sorry I missed ya's, messed up with setting my alarm.

[Erebus]

The alarm went off way too early. I looked out the window to find everything covered in snow. A careful drive on snowy and icy roads got us to the Tim Horton's in Cochrane. There we met Jungle Jon, Betty, White Mule, CrazyFamilyof5, Green1, and ourselves (Erebus). Regrets came from piyeguyo last night, as he had guests.

Six Delicas in a row. One just has to be different and back in.

TimHorton3895.jpg (54 KiB) Viewed 7676 times

We did see a Delica in Cochrane, but it didn't join us. Both White Mule and CrazyFamilyof5 couldn't spend the day, so only 4 Delicas with 7 people and one dog headed west. The 1A was not too bad, but the Forestry Trunk Road was snow covered, with an icy layer below. After about 70 km, we turned onto the TranAlta road towards the Ghost River. The TransAlta road is a narrow winding dirt road, and pretty rough for the first ten kilometres. Several centimetres of snow had fallen overnight, and was still falling. Where it was packed down it was pretty slippery, so on one or two hills we would go 1 at a time. Handy to have radios to be able to tell the next vehicle that you've made it to the top.

PhotOpOnRoad3899.jpg (52.07 KiB) Viewed 7675 times

From here, we could look down and back at the Ghost River floodplain. This shot looks to the southeast, but we would be going west.

GhostRiver3898.jpg (49.44 KiB) Viewed 7675 times

At the steep hill that drops down to river level, we take a walk to check it out first. All is fine, so down we go, one at a time, using 1st gear in low range so no brakes are needed.

TopOfHill3903.jpg (49.52 KiB) Viewed 7675 times

A 5-kilometre drive along the Ghost River, and we arrive at river branch that was easy to cross last October, but this time is a little deep. We watched a Jeep cross and listened to him bottom out. There wasn't any point in trying to cross this little branch because 500 metres further the main creek would probably be a foot or more deep. We all gathered in Betty's 8-seater for lunch.

GhostRiver3910.jpg (75.86 KiB) Viewed 7675 times

When we get back to the steep hill, we find it a little slicker than before, since several vehicles had now spun their way up. Three of us make it up no problem, but the fourth (I won't embarrass Jon by naming him) has trouble. Even though his tires look better than Green1's, they just dont have the grip.

Green1 coming up the hill, the river in the background

Green1comingUp3912.jpg (55.94 KiB) Viewed 7680 times

We decided I'll head down to tow him up, since I have a good trailer hitch. When I get down there, I discover a Unimog is there, and willing to tow him up. Much better idea. Half way up, they have to stop, so the Unimog can tow a pickup truck with chains that got stuck. Then they finish pulling Jon up. At this point I'm wondering if I'll get up by myself, but it turns out to be no problem.

Unimog&Jon3915.jpg (56.94 KiB) Viewed 7676 times

After that is is just a matter of an 80 km drive on icy snowy roads back to Cochrane, where we all go our separate ways.

And a good time was had by all. Green1 has a wish list: he's always wanted a photo of a Delica pulling a Hummer out of trouble. Me, I want a photo of my Delica pulling a Unimog out of trouble. Ya, I know, it ain't gonna happen

[Green1]

a couple of pics I took...






I had a good time, despite the road conditions, and I hope everyone else did as well, as always I hope for a better turn out next time, though we are up from our last attempt.

And Jon, don't be too embarrassed... it was after all a Unimog, to be any more capable off road it would have to have treads! (Though I am curious as to what tires you have so that I don't buy the same ones!)

[CrazyFamilyof5]

Judging from the pictures I missed a good drive. It was great to meet you all in the morning at Tim's, nice to put faces to Delicas. Thanks to Green for the stickers and White Mule for the info on the repair book. Hope to do this again sometime soon.

[turf'd]

Those photos look great! I imagine a good time was had by all. Would have liked to attend but alas I was tied up in other things. Who knew there were any unimogs in Alberta?

Looking forward to the next meet!

[mararmeisto]

...Who knew there were any unimogs in Alberta?

Actually, talking with the driver of a brand-new 'Mog' here in Victoria, he said the North American distributor is located in Alberta - that's where he got his from. Sweet machines, but as I'm unlikely to race Dakar in the near future, I don't have a need for one.

[Jungle Jon]

I guess that'll teach me for putting off mounting the snow tires until December, I guess if you've got to be helped up, cant complain about being helped up by a mog. She's got a nice beauty mark below her wiper from those big tires kicking up a rock.
It was good seeing everybody again, and some new faces. What a great trip. Thanks again for putting it together Erebus.
Green1, I'm still looking out for you! I usually see 1 or 2 Delicas a week. I bumped into Pavel and his Chamonix at a garage sale last weekend, (Yes there ARE garage sales in late November in Calgary, go figure. Hi Pavel ) and then this morning I zoomed past a blue and white, 4x4 stickered, BC plated Delica. I waved but they looked shell shocked at encountering rush-hour Deerfoot trail at 6:45 in the morning.
Once I get my pics developed and scanned, I'll put them up.