BUST - Part 4 : The California Emigrant Trail / I Have Seen the Elephant

Great video series! I hope to be able to see some of the trail someday as the scenery looks amazing. Unexpected ending. I hope your friend is okay.

Chris
 

pop2tu

Active Member
Wow, what an ending! I can’t the hardships that were faced day to day back then. The stats about a gun costing $20 and only making $3 a week. Then the price of the trip, it is truly amazing anybody made the trip. I was sorry to see the accident, hope all was well. Thank you for sharing this series with us.


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wjtstudios

Hooked
Great series! So much history. I hope everyone was ok in the 2 door, that is scary stuff and I'm so glad it had a sport cage in it. It happens so fast.

Thanks as always for taking us along on your adventures!
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
That was awesome. Great job putting that together. I loved the gun shop owner explaining the stats and wages. Really puts things in perspective. Hard to believe that the last wagon went through not that long ago. Look where we're at in merely 100 years (better or worse?) . So what happened to the Jeep at the end? Rollover? Was driver OK?

If you ever get a chance to visit Montpelier, I would HIGHLY recommend you visit the National Oregon/California Trails Center. We only put in a very small clip of what all you will learn there. They do a great job of teaching you so much about these emigrant.

Long story short, an axle bearing seized up and literally melted the shaft. This caused the flange and the wheel attached to it to come off. A 2-door running 38's, a bigass auxiliary tank in the rear, a ton of gear and without brakes isn't exactly easy to control at highway speeds. Needless to say, he rolled 4 times and was lucky to be alive.

Loved watching the series! It's especially really cool how you planned it out. The whole family sat down to watch these videos and learn a thing or two!

You did leave us hanging on the jeep incident near the end of the video! :shock:

So glad to hear your whole family could appreciate watching this video series :)

Another great addition, definitely some cool stops along the way. I remember you telling me about this roll over and how the rock hard cage probably saved him. Crazy to actually see it. Did you guys decide to call it a trip after the accident? Overall, great series. Thank you for sharing, really gives me the itch to get back out with you guys!

The trip came to an abrupt end after the rollover. Cindy and I spent the next couple of days with Ken. He was ultimately transferred to Renown in Reno before going home. Would love to hit the trails with you and Alex again.

What an excellent but troubling end to an amazing series. Looking forward to exploring this trail or, at least sections of it at some point. Thanks for a month long adventure. Trip of a lifetime.

A lot of it is in your neck of the woods. Glad you enjoyed this final episode.

that was awesome!

the history clips were great... to think all that was crossed in wagons or walking... wow

people were tough but also sheds light on why they didn't live very long.

who got in the accident? was it someone in the group?

Pretty much everyone made the 2000 mile trek on foot. They were tough for sure. But, if you can believe it, these emigrants actually had the same mortality rate as people who never made the trip.

I’ll echo everyone else and I’m guessing you’ll let us know, the roll over. Hate to see it ever, but at the end of this epic trip?

I absolutely loved the series. I plan to sit down on a day off, with an adult beverage or 6 and watch them all back to back again. Thanks to all of you who went and for sharing this with us!

So glad you enjoyed it.

On the big screen
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Ok just finished watching the video it was awesome. Hope all is well with the individual that rolled his Jeep. Eddie I noticed you weren’t running your coopers? Or did I miss something.

This was a trip we did a while back and one we weren't sure we would ever make a video out of.

Great series, hope your friend is alright.

He was lucky to be alive and recovered nicely.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Man, knowing how this was going to end made it a little hard to watch. For being the final episode, still a bit of a cliffhanger. Ken ended up being ok, and I’m glad I got to talk with him and wheel with him later on.

I agree, with knowing the ending the series was hard to watch. It was nice to see and hear he was ok.

Great overall series Cindy and Eddie! Really made me feel like I was on the trip learning with you guys!

Thank you for keeping quite about what had happened. Glad you enjoyed seeing the series.

Whoa... that ending was intense. Hope everything is Ok with your friend. Thank you for taking us along on your epic Journey. I really hope to do something similar one day. So much History and what better way to experience it, than with good friends, and their Jeeps. [emoji481]

Not exactly the ending we would have preferred. Hope you can join us on trips like this in the future.

I loved the series, makes me miss my family trips across country when I was growing up. It reinvigorates my drive to do a vacation overlanding with my wife.

Awesome.

What a fantastic adventure with some very special friends. It is bitter sweet watching the last episode of your journey as this is the end. I so much enjoyed all the history along with the awesome editing of such a long trip. I especially enjoyed Dave at the Museum spewing out all the history along with the cost involved just to take the chance on making it to California. I cannot imagine the hardships 500,000 people went through. Just think about trying to sleep knowing you may be attacked in the night. Those were some of the toughest people ever.

How cool to see the guy wearing a Discount Tire shirt at 17:00 min. I have that shirt as well.

Thank you for taking us along for the ride and teaching us some amazing American history. Can't wait to see what you come up with next. :clap2:

Sure hope the Jeep guy make it out ok. Good thing you guys were there to help.

Thank you. It really was an epic trip and one that help to you a taste of what emigrants would have experienced. We're so glad that we could share our adventures with you and that you enjoyed seeing it.

Both you and Cindy have out done yourselves on the production of this epic adventure . The only thing Trish and I didn't like was we weren't along for the ride. Will you be filling us in on what happened on the rollover? We do hope all is well. Safe travels-Steve

Thank you. We're glad that you and Trish could enjoy a trip like this.

Once again; Thanks for taking us along on another amazing journey!

Happy to know you enjoyed seeing it :)

Great videos as always. There are some stops i want to make along the way for sure. Thanks for taking us along with you. You guys always make me feel like on the trip with you.

Awesome, that would be the only thing we could ever hope to do :)

I think this was the best part of the series. I enjoy the West history and landscape a lot more than the east. Great end to a series, minus the accident with Ken.

I could use a new lid on my fridge if you know anyone with one. Lol

LOL - too funny.

What's nice about the west is that so much of it still looks exactly the same as it did over 170 years ago and more.

Great series! Thanks for all your time and effort to document the trip. I hope the fella at the end is ok!

Glad you enjoyed the series :)
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Exceptional!!! Thank you for the research and bringing it to life. Everyone has asked, how is Ken?

We're so glad that you could enjoy it :)

Awesome series! Sucks about the accident.

Thank you.

Great video series! I hope to be able to see some of the trail someday as the scenery looks amazing. Unexpected ending. I hope your friend is okay.

Chris

Thank you. Glad to know you enjoyed watching our journey :)

Wow, what an ending! I can’t the hardships that were faced day to day back then. The stats about a gun costing $20 and only making $3 a week. Then the price of the trip, it is truly amazing anybody made the trip. I was sorry to see the accident, hope all was well. Thank you for sharing this series with us.

It really is humbling to know what these pioneers had to do and endure.

Great series! So much history. I hope everyone was ok in the 2 door, that is scary stuff and I'm so glad it had a sport cage in it. It happens so fast.

Thanks as always for taking us along on your adventures!

It really did happen so fast and Ken was lucky to be alive. Glad you enjoyed following us on our adventures.
 

jesse3638

Hooked
I've only had time to watch the first episode. Can't wait to see the other 3. Was this a revised version from the previous video you guys released a couple years ago?

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fiend

Caught the Bug
Another great installment. The Oregon/California Trail Center looks like a great place to visit. 500,000 pioneers, 80,000 fatalities. Kind of a queezy ironic parallel to your trip and the fellow who’s Jeep didn’t make it. So glad to hear he’s ok.


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benatc1

Hooked
If you ever get a chance to visit Montpelier, I would HIGHLY recommend you visit the National Oregon/California Trails Center. We only put in a very small clip of what all you will learn there. They do a great job of teaching you so much about these emigrant.

Long story short, an axle bearing seized up and literally melted the shaft. This caused the flange and the wheel attached to it to come off. A 2-door running 38's, a bigass auxiliary tank in the rear, a ton of gear and without brakes isn't exactly easy to control at highway speeds. Needless to say, he rolled 4 times and was lucky to be alive.



So glad to hear your whole family could appreciate watching this video series :)



The trip came to an abrupt end after the rollover. Cindy and I spent the next couple of days with Ken. He was ultimately transferred to Renown in Reno before going home. Would love to hit the trails with you and Alex again.



A lot of it is in your neck of the woods. Glad you enjoyed this final episode.



Pretty much everyone made the 2000 mile trek on foot. They were tough for sure. But, if you can believe it, these emigrants actually had the same mortality rate as people who never made the trip.



So glad you enjoyed it.



This was a trip we did a while back and one we weren't sure we would ever make a video out of.



He was lucky to be alive and recovered nicely.
That's what I figured, glad he made a fully recovery and, as you clearly know, that is much more important than "finishing the run". Looking fwd to getting back out there!

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dillard09

New member
Such an epic adventure! Loved the history. Those were some tough some bitches back then!!
Glad all ended up well with Ken after the roll over. I was not expecting that at the end.
Thanks for sharing!!
 

USMC Wrangler

New member
Long story short, an axle bearing seized up and literally melted the shaft. This caused the flange and the wheel attached to it to come off. A 2-door running 38's, a bigass auxiliary tank in the rear, a ton of gear and without brakes isn't exactly easy to control at highway speeds. Needless to say, he rolled 4 times and was lucky to be alive.

...and recovered nicely.

Wow! So glad to hear he survived that and recovered!

Not to completely derail this thread, is that something you’ve seen before? Meaning, a seized bearing causing that?
 

RanchoRubi

Caught the Bug
Looking back through this series, I’m still amazed by that trip. The places, the history, the experiences, and the friends.

Joe and I are forever grateful to Cindy and Eddie and the group for their passion,for planning , and providing us the opportunity to be part of such a journey.

The group that did this really felt like a family.

Cindy and Eddie, you guys did truly an incredible job bringing this epic adventure into the video series that so many can enjoy.

Well done and Thank you!

[emoji122][emoji122][emoji122][emoji122]




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Linebacker

Caught the Bug
Epic! My wife and I sat in front of the big screen every Wednesday to watch. It’s exciting to know you are DRIVING THE VERY TRAILS THE EMIGRANTS DID!! The concrete arrow was a cool find. Very happy your friend Ken survived the terrible rollover crash.
 

rubiDave

Active Member
Wow. That was an ominous ending. Not unlike some of the early pioneers that made the trek I'm sure, though they didn't have the benefit of EMTs and hospital emergency rooms. I'm glad you let us know he ended up OK.

Maybe you'll get a chance to regroup someday and complete the trail. I would like to see that.

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Trail Bud

Hooked
WOW!!
So much history, then countryside views, the grasslands.
Then Ken and the accident ( the elephant big time). It all worked out for a once in a lifetime trip.
Thanks for all of the effort you put in to make this happen.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I've only had time to watch the first episode. Can't wait to see the other 3. Was this a revised version from the previous video you guys released a couple years ago?

Sorry, we never made a video of this trip. I think we made a slide show of some of the photos we took but that's about it.

Another great installment. The Oregon/California Trail Center looks like a great place to visit. 500,000 pioneers, 80,000 fatalities. Kind of a queezy ironic parallel to your trip and the fellow who’s Jeep didn’t make it. So glad to hear he’s ok.

That's why this series was called "BUST".
Glad you enjoyed it.

That's what I figured, glad he made a fully recovery and, as you clearly know, that is much more important than "finishing the run". Looking fwd to getting back out there!

Yup. Made a full recovery and all was good. In fact, we had stored his Jeep at our place for a long time and eventually stripped it down of anything of value for a potential future build. :yup:

Such an epic adventure! Loved the history. Those were some tough some bitches back then!!
Glad all ended up well with Ken after the roll over. I was not expecting that at the end.
Thanks for sharing!!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the series. :)

Wow! So glad to hear he survived that and recovered!

Not to completely derail this thread, is that something you’ve seen before? Meaning, a seized bearing causing that?

No. I have seen flanges break but not melt off like this. I should note, he did have a leaky seal and was trying to mitigate it by periodically adding more fluid. Based on this experience, I would stress the importance of addressing a leaky seal as soon as possible.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Looking back through this series, I’m still amazed by that trip. The places, the history, the experiences, and the friends.

Joe and I are forever grateful to Cindy and Eddie and the group for their passion,for planning , and providing us the opportunity to be part of such a journey.

The group that did this really felt like a family.

Cindy and Eddie, you guys did truly an incredible job bringing this epic adventure into the video series that so many can enjoy.

Well done and Thank you!

[emoji122][emoji122][emoji122][emoji122]

We're so glad that you and Joe were able to join us for this epic trip and we appreciate you letting us know that the two of you had such a good time. It really was a trip of a life time and hope to do something like it with you again soon. :yup:

Epic! My wife and I sat in front of the big screen every Wednesday to watch. It’s exciting to know you are DRIVING THE VERY TRAILS THE EMIGRANTS DID!! The concrete arrow was a cool find. Very happy your friend Ken survived the terrible rollover crash.

Awesome. So glad you and your wife enjoyed following our adventures :)

Wow. That was an ominous ending. Not unlike some of the early pioneers that made the trek I'm sure, though they didn't have the benefit of EMTs and hospital emergency rooms. I'm glad you let us know he ended up OK.

Maybe you'll get a chance to regroup someday and complete the trail. I would like to see that.

We actually did regroup with some of the original crew and finished up the trail. It was nowhere near as epic but still a lot of fun. Maybe we'll get around to making a video of it someday.

WOW!!
So much history, then countryside views, the grasslands.
Then Ken and the accident ( the elephant big time). It all worked out for a once in a lifetime trip.
Thanks for all of the effort you put in to make this happen.

So glad that you enjoyed it and that you were able to be a part of this amazing journey. :thumb:
 

Trail JK

Active Member
Amazing video! The views are epic in this leg. Great group of people and bummed we missed this adventure but love that you’ve taken us with you all. So glad to know that Ken recovered from that awful accident.


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Such a great video series. Loved all four of them. Bittersweet at the end but thankful Ken recovered.
When I look back at all our jeep trips, this trip was by far my favorite. A great group of friends and the history we shared were more than I expected.
Thank you Eddie & Cindy for putting this together and allowing us to participate.
:clap2::clap2:
 
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