The Jeep Trail (No really that's what it's called)

Neal

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 15, 2016
Messages
502
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Back in Oregon for the first time in 20 years for a reunion with some of my old Navy buddies. Flew into Portland International and rented a JL because, why not? We are spending the week in Seaside and we met up with one of the guys who drove up from California in his JK, so we decided to do some wheeling while waiting for some of the others to show up. Headed into the Tillamook State Forest and found a trail called, literally, The jeep Trail, off of Trask River Road east of Tillamook. The green of the vegetation almost blinded me after living so long in New Mexico. The trail is steep in places and narrow almost all of the way, but not very difficult. The weather must have been pretty nice recently, since the trail was mostly dry, with only a few spots even damp. My friends from Cali were just gobsmacked by the heavy growth and tightness of the trail and the ooohs and ahs just kept coming. Tomorrow we will be heading up the beach from Gearhart to Warrenton to have lunch in Astoria. Here are a few pics (I took about 50, but I'll try to keep it under control...).

My new ride at Camp 18. Great restaurant, you ought to try it. Whatever you may think about the looks of a JL, it drives great and was a very comfortable ride. The interior layout is just about perfect, with only a few minor details to get used to, like the seat back adjustment and the power window switches.
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The beginning if the trail. Yeah, it's like this for almost the whole way.
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Tiny trailside waterfall.
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Gorgeous day in the Coast range. Starting downhill, back into the rain forest.
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Trees, ferns and moss. Yep, it's good to be back in Oregon.
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End of the trail. Cross the Trask River, hang a West and head back to Seaside.
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Maybe some beach pics tomorrow.
 
X2. I don't see any photos with the Jeep and the wild in the same pic...;)

OK, so I went back and checked, and I actually didn't take any pics of the JL on the trail - I was too busy driving to get out and take the shot. Although the sides of the trail had been brushed back, for most of the trip there literally wasn't enough room to open the door and get out. Can't believe I let that get away from me. Anyway, I made up for it on the trip to the beach. Did the Gearhart to Warrenton run with a stop at the wreck of the Peter Iredale. Here's a look.

At the 10th Street entrance, Tillamook Head in the far distance.
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Cruisin' alongside my buddy's JK. 10 miles of wide open beach with very few driving rules. Lots of fun, not very technical - OK, not at all technical. Just fun.
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Couple of poser shots.
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The infamous Kelp Snake - an amphibious graboid...
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The Peter Iredale. I hear that everything started to go wrong when the skipper said "Hold my grog..."
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I probably won't have any other opportunities to take the JL off road on this trip. I really didn't want to, but I found it easy to drive and very capable in stock form. If I ever totaled my LJ and was handed a bucketful of money I might go with a JL as a replacement. Might. More likely, I'd find another LJ and build it, because I still like the old school Jeeps better than the new stuff. Later, folks.
 
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Good job . One thing leery folks need to remember, the jl represents 60 years of development. They are nice . I’d love to have one and my TJ.