Here are a few tips for those who don't know:
The stock step rails on the Xterra are made to help your grandmother get into your truck. They tend to do more damage than good if they come in contact with a rock. Same with the mud flaps. They're easy to take off, a few bolts, unless you try to do it at 7:30 in the morning in the Rausch Creek parking lot while a bunch of grumpy guys are waiting on you.

It?s a real PITA to lower the spare tire down from under your truck when you have a flat in the woods (trust me on this one ). The spare also limits your departure angle if you're dropping off some ledge when it's under your truck. You might want to move it. If you decide to put it inside your truck make sure you tie it down (ala Gene) or it will smack into the back of the head as you bounce your truck around "Snake Bite".

After relocating your spare the chain that was holding it in place is going to hang down, if your luck is anything like mine it will catch on something and rip it off making it imposable to put the tire back when you're past your mid-life, four wheeling crisis and your wife will curse you every time she can?t put the groceries in the back. Save yourself the heartache; spring for some zip ties and tie it up.

You could do me a personal favor and install a CB in your truck. It?s a cheap and easy mod that will make life easier for who ever is leading your group. I have two FRS but I hate having to use them, just one of my many personal hang ups, sorry.

Lunch; I always stop at the gas station before going to the park. There is an Exxon at exit 104 off of 81, I go to the Hess. Go past the Exxon make a right, 3-4 miles in Pine Grove, cheaper gas, free air (for after wheeling) and better sandwich (Blimpie). I fuel up, get a sandwich, a few drinks some chips and I?m good.

So the minimum a person wants to have with them to run Green type trails with us their first time;
Air pressure gauge
Baling wire
Basic Tool Set
Electrical tape
Jumper Cables
Full Size Spare Tire
Tow Strap (no metal hooks)
D-Ring or two
Vehicle jack capable of lifting you truck enough to change your tire on the trail.
Gloves
Duct tape
Tire plug kit
Water
Snack or food

That's all I can think of at the moment. Oh, since you've already taken off your step rails and mud flaps at home. When you get into the parking lot a half hour before everyone else and the office isn't open yet for you to check in; take out your Tire pressure gauge and air down your tires to at least 20 pounds, yes 20 pounds. Do not wait until you're on Yellow Jacket attempting to climb some rock and your spotter is can't figure out why you can't!

Tom there are very few of us who arrive early.

I knew you'd like that one.

I knew it would be in there just had to read the entire thing.

Nice write up Tom!

im down cant wait to go

thats a great write up tom...i'm gonna make that its own "sticky" topic on the board!

Thanks, since you made this a sticky.
First time visitors to Rausch Creek should check out their site LINK.
Get directions to the park and check out the rules. You might want to download and print out the membership application/waiver (HERE) and the parental waiver (HERE) if you need it, so that you can fill them out BEFORE you get to the park. Everyone from NEXTerra will be willing to help out everyone else, mostly new wheelers. No one will ever scold you or put you down if you don?t do something you should have, at least until you?ve been out with us a few times and then you can feel free to break my balls for forgetting all the crap I asked you to remember. Most of us enjoy trying to turn new people on to our hobby, so there is an effort made (especially by the NEXTerra officers) to help new people have a good time. That said, I am always very impressed by new wheelers that are, even some what prepared.

Yeah, good point Tom.

You never have to do an obstacle you are unsure about. No one here will make fun of you if you choose a bypass.

That being said, we all drive pretty similar trucks, so if the guy in front of you can do it, you probaby can too. Watch a couple of other people go over/around/through, and then give it a try! (The only way to learn this is to DO it).

NEVER be afraid to ask for a spotter if you are unsure!!! A couple extra minutes to spot someone through can save a lot of time in recovery, damage, etc...

Well said Anthony.
We are going to a park, not heading into uncharted wilderness by ourselves. What keeps me coming back to this insanity is accepting a challenge with some great people, figuring out how best to over come it safely and then, hopefully, enjoying the satisfaction when we all succeed. If you bring your truck to the run, accept the challenge with us and run that bitch. Everyone here wants you to succeed, will help you in any way they can and will never knowingly put you in any danger... but when all is said and done its your truck, you are the only one responsible for it and your safety. Not your spotter, not the group, not the park, YOU. If some wise a$$ from Brooklyn gives you a hard time (more than ?I know you can make it?) because you don?t feel comfortable crashing through some rock garden you just saw him trash his exhaust system on tell him to go F%#K HIMSELF! You can?t trust that MF?er anyways. If you or your truck gets f%#ked up you will be paying the price, not some a$$hole you met online.

Sounds like fun, right?

What a bunch of morons we are. Every time people find out I take my truck off-road I feel like such an idiot trying to explain why.

When trying to figure out what trails can be run during an event it?s a good idea to think about it in advance so we?re not all standing around in the parking lot like idiots the morning of the run. I like to use the ECXC trail ratings because they seem universal. It consists of 4 different trail levels: Stock, Intermediate, Advanced and Hardcore. The following is all paraphrased from the ECXC web site.
Rausch Creek rates their trails in 4 different color groups, Green being stock, Blue being modified, Black being heavily modified and Red being extreme.

Stock trails - Stock trails range in difficulty from flat dirt roads to slightly off-camber and rocky trails. Stock trails can best suited for inexperienced wheelers and bone stock vehicles. Threat of vehicle damage is non-existent as long as you drive responsibly, however brush scratches are possible. Trails that would be included in this at Rausch would be Green trails.

Intermediate Trails - Intermediate trails offer more of a challenge for slightly modified vehicles. Trails will be rockier, may have more off camber situations and may include rocky creek crossings. Bone stock vehicles can handle most of these trails, but without skid plates and rock sliders, both undercarriage damage and rocker panel damage should be expected. The threat of damage on these trails is minimal, but should not be unexpected. Careless or inattentive driving will result in body damage. Trails that would be included in this at Rausch would be Green trails and the easiest Blue trails.

Advanced Trails - Advanced trails are rocky, tight and off-camber. Most of these trails should only be attempted with a 32" tire or larger tires. Full protection of the undercarriage and rocker panels is advisable (unless you just don't care about your truck). Any vehicle with tires smaller than 32" will spend a good part of the day at the end of a tow strap or winch. These trails require attentive driving and concentration. The threat of damage and breakage is possible, but careful and responsible driving should greatly reduce the threat to minimal. If you absolutely can not have any damage, don't take these trails. These trails include all Blue trails at Rausch. Depending on the group make-up some Blue/Black (13, Yellow Jacket, etc) and the easiest Black trails at Rausch may be taken.

Hardcore Trails - They are tough. They require 33" tires as a minimum, at least 1 locker, a winch and full protection. They also require a carefree attitude towards damage, and breakage, the ability and supplies to repair any breakage. Both should be expected although careful and responsible driving should reduce the threat. These trails include very large rocks, very off-camber sections and are usually tight to make them that much harder. These trails include all Blue/Black and Black trails at Rausch (Red Trails won't be attempted as they require a park guide).

Pick your poison, let everyone know and run that bitch. In the now famous words of Nancy and Niki; ?WAH-HOO?!

Here are some useful physical addresses and phone numbers;
Rausch Creek Off Road Park
453 Molleystown Road
Tremont, PA 17981
Park Contact Info:
Lynn 570-640-0194
Bruce 610-842-3596

ECXC campground;
Twin Grove Park & Campground
1445 Suedberg Road
Pine Grove, PA 17963
Exit 100 off 81 then west on rt.443, 14 miles from Rausch
(717) 865-4602

Hotels nearest to Twin Grove;
Exit 100 off of I-81 (5 miles from KOA)

Hampton Inn
481 Suedberg Road
Pine Grove, PA 17963
(570) 345-4505

Comfort Inn
433 Suedberg Road
Exit 100 off of I-81
Pine Grove, PA 17963
(570) 345-8031

Econo Lodge
419 Suedberg Road
Exit 100 off of I-81
Pine Grove, PA, US, 17963
(570) 345-4099

Gas Near Twin Grove KOA;
Gooseberry Farms Travel Plaza‎
(Gas, Dinner, Subway, Dairy Queen, Beer)
Exit 100 off of I-81 (5 miles from KOA)
490 Suedberg Road
Pine Grove, PA
(570) 345-8800

Gas Near Rausch;
Exxon (closest to Rausch, exit 104 I-81)
10 Molleystown Rd
Pine Grove, PA
(570) 345-2498

Hess (a few miles past the Exxon, Blimpie, free air)
6 Tremont Rd.
Pine Grove, PA 17963

Beer (across from Hess);
Daubert Distributors
18 Tremont Rd
Pine Grove, PA 17963
(570) 345-2337

Grocery Store
BG’s Value Market
162 east Pottsville Street (rt 443)
Pine Grove, PA‎ - (570) 345-0464‎

Nearest towing;
Seltzer's Towing (AAA)
274 Hidden Valley Rd
Pine Grove, PA 17963-8049
570-739-0050`

Trailer Rental & Vehicle Storage;
4-Winn's Farm Center
888 Oak Grove Drive Road
Pine Grove, PA 17963
570-345-1202
Sat. 7-7, Sun 10-7

Nearest Hospital;
Pottsville Hospital
420 South Jackson Street
Pottsville, PA 17901
570-621-5000

Weather in PA now;

Here's another usefull contact. U-haul. I always get the number and address of a local U-haul place to trail I'm going to incase my rig breaks and I gotta get it home. It'll be way cheaper to rent a truck and trailer from there then to get a tow back home. And way better than having it towed to a local Nissan dealer to be fixed, and if your not from the area getting back down there to pick it up.


U-HAUL OF LEBANON
(717)274-3681
1440 CUMBERLAND ST
(RT 422)
LEBANON , PA 17042
8.0 miles from the campground

Mon-Th: 7am-7pm
Fri: 7am-8pm
Sat: 7am-7pm
Sun: 9am-5pm

I figured I'd also throw these up there as well. Here's a few local parts places incase anything is needed..


Maguires Nissan
2201 Cumberland st.
Lebanon,PA
717-272-7671


Autozone
2515 Cumberland st.
Lebanon,PA
717-274-8994

Advance Auto parts
1450 Cumberland st.
Lebanon, PA
717-306-4201

Carquest auto parts
1101 Cumberland st.
Lebanon, PA
717-272-3024

Napa auto parts
329 S Tulpehocken st.
Pine Grove, PA
570-345-3491

Oh and for you people bringing dogs or any other pets along for that matter.

Lebanon Valley animal hospital
2213 Cumberland St
Lebanon, PA 17042
(717) 272-3223

Feed related

Brandt's Feed Mill
630 N 9th st.
Lebanon, PA
717-272-6781
www.brandtsmill.com


Petsmart
1125 Quentin Rd
Lebanon, PA 17042
(717) 273-8070

All good information to have on hand - so thank you Tom and Gene... I know that I'll be printing / copying / retaining that information for next week.

As for trails and new(er) members.. Tom is right on the money.. I listened to him, watched others and still asked questions my first ECXC and didn't have anyone give me a hard time about any of it. Now that I'm a little more seasoned and have done some trails that I used to think were just not possible, I feel far more confident in where I go and what I run, but when it comes down to it, it's because of this group that I have been able learn most of what I have so far - and still know that I have a lot more to learn.