05/18/15 - MaBell Club Run/Go Topless Day

It takes a lot to destroy the stock skids. I still have my gas skid although its reaching the end of its life. The tranny one lasted until a while also. One of the giant mabell cliffs and a running start did it in one year though.

I would say MaBell and Old Florida Rd. are comparable for the amount of challenge. However, they're quite different. OFR is much longer and it will wear you down towards the end of the day. Couple that with a ~3hr ride home and it's pretty nerve-wracking as well because you have it in the back of your mind that you need to get out alive enough to get back across the state.

MaBell is shorter and closer to home. If you can't make it, you can turn back early (as exhibited this past Sunday). But it's nearly a constant battle up. True that "THE" obstacle is at the entrance, but there's technical driving all the way up with nary a break. But then there are ways around pretty much everything if you simply can't even.

OFR doesn't give you much option. And there's no turning back. And then you have to cross the lake at the end.

Long story short, do them both. And anything else you can do. It's awesome.

RubiconBob wrote:ha, your mistaking remorse for Pride.  out of curiosity, where does MaBell rate on the scale of difficulty for NSJ trail runs?  

I like the pic of me on 3 wheels Certainly shows a good angle of it.

MaBell is an interesting one... As Nick and Rob have said, it's probably the most difficult trail we run, especially when you factor the overall length (or lack thereof). 2nd runner up is Old Florida Road, which we'll run in October as we do annually, and perhaps even once in July or August. It's 5+ miles of trail with many rock gardens, two notable ledge climbs, and a water crossing at the end. It's a full-day run and doesn't require anywhere near as much standing around to spot people. There's the "thrill" of the constant reminder that you need to drive 160+ miles home at the end of the day/weekend, and if something goes wrong you've got to get out either the way you came by going down ledges, or through the lake another few miles up the trail. I promise, it's fun.

Did the rock bug bite yet, Bob? Maybe we need to plan out a Rausch Creek weekend.....

Ryan McKee wrote:Maybe we need to plan out a Rausch Creek weekend.....

This. I'm still pissed I had to back out of the one Geoff planned last year but would love to do it sometime this summer. You want to talk about nerve-wracking...beating the snot out of your Jeep in Pennsylvania and then having to drive back here would definitely have you thinking about those difficult lines well after the fact.

Rausch is a much needed trip for us!

Yeah, Rausch is in the cards for me and i have family only a couple hours away. Jeep should be upgraded by July with bigger shoes and a lift.