Prairie City 10-23-2004

On Friday night we stayed at Penninsula Campground. It was a nice place to stay, but a long way for just a quick overnight visit.

Early Saturday morning, we got up and drove to Prairie City.

The first thing we did was went out in the track area. This area is used by VORRA for racing, but also has many cross tracks and hill climbs to play on.

Here Donnie makes a muddy climb.

Off in the distance, the Tundra Solutions group does a quick fix on a truck. The person had a K&N FIPK with the open filter element. With all the mud and water, he got some into the intake and had to dry it out.

In the obstacle course area, they have a number of things to play on. On the left is the stair steps. On the right is a hill climb that you are supposed to drive part way up and then test your skills with the clutch. In the foreground, there is a ramp that you can play on.

Donnie coming down the hill.

Donnie making an attempt at going up the hill.

If this had been dry, it would have been no problem. The rain had made everything very interesting!

Rich had a problem with a large hole in the power steering pressure line. It was squirting out and smoking and burning. He had to make a run to the store and pick up a new one and install it in the early afternoon.

This section of rocky road is part of the mini Rubicon.

The group of vehicles at our area.

Rain & Mud made things slick for all the dirt bikes and ATV riders. This guy was not so lucky today.

Mark made an attempt at this long narrow off camber ditch, but had a problem at the end as the solid axle rigs front diffs would drag and hang them up as they tried to climb out at the end. Two did make it, one on 35's, and another who kept on ramming the end of the ditch until he made a trench for his diff.

This Toyota also having the same problem with the front diff.

Mark going through the large mud pit.

The pit was very large and long, but not really deep and the bottom was hard and smooth.

Todd going through the large mud pit.

Pete going through the large pit.

Just over the fence, the ATV people getting really muddy.

After lunch, we went back into the track area. The continuing rain was making things much worse. Obstacles that were easy in the moring were now impossible.

Todd getting turned around in the bottom to make the climb back out.

In the middle of all this, this guy in a Subaru came blasting along and proceded to get stuck.

Mark winched and pulled him back out, and off he went again!

I wonder if you would have been able to tell what color my truck was if the rain had not been washing the mud off as the day went on!

That night we stayed at the group camp at Negro Bar Campground. There were supposed to be more people staying in tents, but since there were only 2 people that had tents and 3 rv's, everyone slept inside.

Here my wife hides from the camera as we get ready for dinner and the kids play.

For dinner we had a little of everything. Pizza, Cheese Enchiladas, Beans, Hotdogs, Garlic Bread, Macaroni Salad, and for desert a variety of cookies. Everyone went away full.

This is one of the paved go-cart tracks.

Another paved go-cart track.

There are a few dirtbike tracks. This one is for bikes under 90cc.

There is also a skate board area.

Bottom line: Prairie City is a fun place for motorcycles and ATV's. When it comes to 4x4's, with it raining it made it a lot of fun slipping and sliding around the track in the mud. If it had been dry, there would have been nothing that you could not climb, but the rain made for quite a few things that you could not do. I would like to make another trip there when it is dry and see it again. If you are in the area, it can be a fun side trip for either a day or half day.

I had not been to Prairie City SVRA in a few years, so when Rich from the Santa Rosa 4x4's said that the October Run was going to be there I was ready for another visit. Just like Hollister Hills, Prairie City has a obstacle course area to test your 4x4 on. There were 4 members of the Santa Rosa Club, 2 TTORA members and myself. There were also a few members of the Tundra Solutions club there. For all pictures from this trip click HERE.
	On Friday night we stayed at Penninsula Campground. It was a nice place to stay, but a long way for just a quick overnight visit. Early Saturday morning, we got up and drove to Prairie City. The first thing we did was went out in the track area. This area is used by VORRA for racing, but also has many cross tracks and hill climbs to play on. Here Donnie makes a muddy climb.
	Off in the distance, the Tundra Solutions group does a quick fix on a truck. The person had a K&N FIPK with the open filter element. With all the mud and water, he got some into the intake and had to dry it out.
	In the obstacle course area, they have a number of things to play on. On the left is the stair steps. On the right is a hill climb that you are supposed to drive part way up and then test your skills with the clutch. In the foreground, there is a ramp that you can play on.
	Donnie coming down the hill.
	Donnie making an attempt at going up the hill. If this had been dry, it would have been no problem. The rain had made everything very interesting!
	Rich had a problem with a large hole in the power steering pressure line. It was squirting out and smoking and burning. He had to make a run to the store and pick up a new one and install it in the early afternoon.
	This section of rocky road is part of the mini Rubicon.
	The group of vehicles at our area.
	Rain & Mud made things slick for all the dirt bikes and ATV riders. This guy was not so lucky today.
	Mark made an attempt at this long narrow off camber ditch, but had a problem at the end as the solid axle rigs front diffs would drag and hang them up as they tried to climb out at the end. Two did make it, one on 35's, and another who kept on ramming the end of the ditch until he made a trench for his diff.
	This Toyota also having the same problem with the front diff.
	Mark going through the large mud pit. The pit was very large and long, but not really deep and the bottom was hard and smooth.
	Todd going through the large mud pit.
	Pete going through the large pit.
	Just over the fence, the ATV people getting really muddy.
	After lunch, we went back into the track area. The continuing rain was making things much worse. Obstacles that were easy in the moring were now impossible.
	Todd getting turned around in the bottom to make the climb back out.
	In the middle of all this, this guy in a Subaru came blasting along and proceded to get stuck.
	Mark winched and pulled him back out, and off he went again!
	I wonder if you would have been able to tell what color my truck was if the rain had not been washing the mud off as the day went on!
	That night we stayed at the group camp at Negro Bar Campground. There were supposed to be more people staying in tents, but since there were only 2 people that had tents and 3 rv's, everyone slept inside. Here my wife hides from the camera as we get ready for dinner and the kids play.
	For dinner we had a little of everything. Pizza, Cheese Enchiladas, Beans, Hotdogs, Garlic Bread, Macaroni Salad, and for desert a variety of cookies. Everyone went away full.
	This is one of the paved go-cart tracks.
	Another paved go-cart track.
	There are a few dirtbike tracks. This one is for bikes under 90cc.
	There is also a skate board area.
Bottom line: Prairie City is a fun place for motorcycles and ATV's. When it comes to 4x4's, with it raining it made it a lot of fun slipping and sliding around the track in the mud. If it had been dry, there would have been nothing that you could not climb, but the rain made for quite a few things that you could not do. I would like to make another trip there when it is dry and see it again. If you are in the area, it can be a fun side trip for either a day or half day.
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10-25-2004