We hate to hear it but Fall for All is last big event at Gray Rock ORV for at least a year. The event is usually the biggest of the year bringing in rigs and drivers from all over the south. Fall for All 2011 was one for the books. Drivers were going all out knowing they might not get a chance to wheel Gray Rock again. Big name obstacles like Cable Hill and Tub Rock for many make this park the wheeling mecca of the South.
The day started off as it always does with tons of the baddest buggies in the South rolling in. Everyone got unloaded and we headed out to the first trail, Tub Rock. It was dry and even the Rail Buggies were making it up it. This didn’t keep the buggies from putting on a show. Bobby Tanner stabbed the throttle in his Coleworx built Screaming Blue buggy and never let out until he was out of sight. Ritchie Keith wheelied up it in the John Deere Buggy and Garry Smith aka Super Garry went up it in reverse. The obstacle was a great warm up for the drivers and the rigs. Once everyone had their fill we headed over to Big Egg.
Big Egg gets its name from a huge egg shaped rock at the bottom of the trail. Once you get past it the trail splits off 3 ways. The middle line being the hardline. Chris Smith started off the show with his new Burple buggy. He was hard on the gas, got a little crazy, and ended up on his lid over on the left trail. This Obstacle was tough wet or dry. A few other rigs broke on their attempts. Bobby Tanner walked right up it without hardly hitting the gas. After a booing crowd he went back to the bottom and put on a show with a full throttle attempt. Jordan Tanner throttled up the middle ledge with his Screaming 2 buggy. Tim Cameron and Trenton Park were the last 2 buggies to conquer the climb before we all headed over to Bunny Slope 3.
Don’t let the name fool you. Bunny Slope 3 is one of the most difficult trails Gray Rock ORV has to offer. It has one huge undercut ledge half way up that is bigger than most of these buggies. The trick is to climb the right side of the trail and get your front tires on top of this ledge. Then back up and give it all you got. 14 year old Hadden put on a show as he stood his buggy up on 2 wheels. Man to be 14 this kid can drive with the best of them. He kept his composure backed off the ledge and flopped it on its side. The crowd uprighted his buggy and as soon as the buggy cranked he had the throttle matted and when the dust cleared he was sitting at the top of the trail. Tim Cameron one shotted the obstacle on his first full throttle attempt breaking his second RCV Axle Shaft of the day. Travis Lovett broke in his new Sosebee built Hitman Buggy on its lid after some serious throttle jockeying. He shouted out ” I didn’t build it to look at”. Jordan Tanner shatter an RCV on his attempt at the nasty undercut ledge. Adam Woodlee did a wheel stand roll over and landed right back on his tires facing down hill so he kept on driving as the crowd cheered. Next stop was the infamous Cable Hill.
Cable Hill is the most well known obstacle in the South. Many rock bouncers measure their new buggy builds by whether or not it can make it up Cable Hill in one shot. Lack of Rain had left the once insanely slick Cable Hill dry as a bone. John G took his 38 special show rig up it like it was nothing. The extra traction didn’t keep the Rock Bouncers from putting on a show. Tim Cameron started it by riding the top of the 8 foot gully in his Showtime Buggy only to snap the driver side front wheel and tire off at the knuckle. This was the most insane carnage I had ever witnessed. Tyler Rogers pinned it to win it and wound up climbing a tree in his Yellow Buggy. The Grand Finale to the event was something I never expected. Peter Basler hit the gas in his LS3 powered BTF buggy at the bottom and never let off. He came flying up Cable Hill and hit the final ledge with enough speed to back flip his buggy onto its lid! With the trail blocked and the Trackhoe needed for recovery every one loaded up their rigs and got ready to drive home with a parts list in their head of what needed repaired or what parts they needed to upgrade before the next ride.
Gray Rock ORV is one of my favorite parks. I hate to see it go, even if it is only for a year. It is being shut down so they can mine part of the park for coal. I have been told that all of the major obstacle will stay, but only time will tell. At least we sent it out with a bang.
Peter Basler’s insane Cable Hill Back Flip!
Tim Cameron’s insane Showtime Carnage on Cable!
Be sure to check out the Full Playlist Below that includes all of the videos from Fall for All 2011. Just click the Next Button to go to the next video in the playlist. You can watch them all right here.
caught up with Adam Woodlee of Wide Open Design and Nazir Adam who owns the infamous Blower Buggy. They were getting ready to head out for a trail ride. Nazir asked me how I was getting around. I pointed at my 400EX and laughed. He chuckled and yelled “nope your riding with me”. Without hesitation I hopped in the 830hp supercharged monster and we were off. The buggy has PCI Race Radios so you can talk and not be deafened by the throaty exhaust. We did some mild trails and I got out from time to time to catch some of the action. The new 42″ BFG Krawler stickies wrapped around 20″ beadlocks stuck to everything. He made the new “crackhead” obstacle look like it was nothing. The sun started to go down and the weather started to get cold. The cold weather was no match for the heated seats in the blower buggy. We got back to camp and I climbed out and headed back to the hotel.
Saturday morning is the main day at Dixie Run. There was a competition for all rigs. It was on a course right off the main drag. Competitors had to start the course facing down hill and back up and spin around before they could begin. They then went up a ledge at the bottom and had to make a loop at the top choosing to either go up a nasty climb for a bonus or go up the easy line and come down the nasty ledge. A Toyota Truck on 38″ tires started the show by showing all the big dogs that he could one shot the nasty ledge at the top of the hill. All of the competitors made the nasty ledge at the top. Some took more attempts than others but the action was great! The Rancho buggy had all kinds of bad luck after Running out of gas trying to get to the start line (they will never let him live that one down). He broke a driveline on the crazy ledge at the top after a few throttle happy attempts and had to be winched. Adam Lee put on a show in his new 4 wheel steer buggy and had the fastest time of the day.
went crazy! Jake feeding off of the adrenaline strapped on a helmet and went for round two. His second attempt ended with the Jeep on its side. He was recovered and back down the hill for Adam Woodlee to give it a try in his KOH buggy. Adam is a Bounty Hill Veteran and has climbed it multiple times. After getting lined up just right he launched his LS powered buggy hard up the near vertical rock face. SNAP! Something let loose in the rear 14bolt axle. He was done for the day. PJ Mallory was up next in his FJ40 skinned buggy. He had already climbed the obstacle the day before and was ready to show off this time in front of a crowd. He wasn’t so lucky this time. After lining up with his rear steer he launched his buggy hard with his Maxxis tires scratching for a grip. He slides sideways and rolls over onto his side. Nazir Adam (the owner of the Blower Buggy) has been watching everything unfold from the drivers seat of his 830hp Rockwell endowed Blower Buggy. He sikes his self up and gets ready for battle. The Buggy is stripped of its skins and readied for battle. Nazir and his co driver throw on 
some helmets and pull up to feel out the rock wall that is Bounty Hill. He gives a few good launches and warms up the 42″ sticky Krawlers. Adam Woodlee guides him into position. In one fluid motion Nazir grips the wheel and stabs the throttle the krawlers are no match for the heart pounding horsepower. They lose grip at the top and throw the rig sideways into a roll. When the dust clears Nazir and his Co Driver are high fiving. They line up to give it another try. This time Nazir stabs the throttle and loses traction at the top of the rock face which this time throws them right into a roll. They once again land on all fours. Thats it. Four rigs came to try and tame the beast that is Bounty Hill and they all leave with an adrenaline infused memory and a few new scratches and dents. What a great end to and epic day. We all headed back to the pavilion where food was served, prizes raffled, and awards were given.
11:00a.m for entrance, it will then open again @ 5:00p.m. to 10:00p.m for everyone to exit. The top gate will remain open all day for entrance back and forth to the mountain.
