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Barrett Lake
Sept 11-15

Trip Report: Sierra Trek

Aug 8-12, 2018
Trip report by Mike

Members attending: Mike, Brandi, Sami, Doug, Matt Chatman, Jeff Wells, Jorge Barrera, Jim and Cristy Whitley

Aug. 9
Mike, Brandi, Sami, Doug, Matt Chatman, Jeff Wells, and Jorge Barrera met at Safeway in Prunedale at 0700. After getting ice and other necessities we headed to Meadow lake. Robin, Bill and his friend were already in the sierra's camping and would meet up with us at meadow lake later that evening. Tori arrived around 7-ish from Winemucca and John arrived late that night. We arrived in Auburn around 1 for a drink, ice and fuel up break. We arrived and met with Jim and Cristy Whitley, who were holding spots for our campers about 50 feet from the lake. After everyone got situated we went to check in and grab dinner. We found out that there was a death on the run (winch hill #2)earlier in the day and everyone doing the full run will now be lumped in with the river run. The river run starts from meadow lake and goes down to the river just past winch hill 3, turns around and heads back to meadow lake.

The food was great. Both of the breakfasts and the 3 dinners were great. Thursday dinner was hamburgers, friday was pork loin with baked potatoe, salad bar and saturday was tri-tip with a salad bar. The breakfasts consisted of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes and fruit. The portions were generous and no one went away hungry.

Later that night we had a fire, refreshments and camp fire banter.

Aug. 10
We woke up around 6-ish, checked in and got in line for the river run (and combined full run) with the other 175 people. Jim and Cristy were going into Truckee for the day and were gracious enough to take Bill's flat trailer tire in for repair. We had time to grab breakfast and we left around 0745. We all tried to stick together on the trail but were separated because the organizers placed committee members between us. We made it to the river crossing around 10:30 and waited there until all the rigs made it down. Jeff Wells broke a drive line on the way down (fixed on the trail) and John's center pin for his front leaf spring was missing and replaced it with a bolt. Everyone made it back to camp around 4:30. We grabed some beers and went to the water to cool off before dinner.

Dinner was great along with the bar and band.

Aug. 11
Saturday was a relaxing day at the lake with games, paddle boarding, canoeing, and extreme "tree to tree to jeep winch" hammock. Bill and Robin went on the historic run and saw the old towns cemetery and other artifacts. They were high enough to see several other lakes and gorgeous views. Dinner was again great and they were shooting shirts and other items into the crowd. The raffle was that night and a couple people won some cool items and gift certificates. The band was again playing into the early morning. Sierra Trek greatly appreciated the raffle prizes from the club and All Jacked Up 4X4.

Aug. 12
Half of the group got up early and left around 0630 while the rest of us left around 9-10-ish. It sounds like everyone made it home without incident.

My $.02 on the trip. I haven't been to Sierra Trek or the Fordyce trail since 1993. The trail seams much harder now (but 25 years of rain, snow and constant use will do that to a trail). The price for Sierra Trek seams high but after seeing the entertainment, food, raffles, band I would say the money was worth it. I plan on doing the Fordyce and not the Sierra Trek next year and will suggest it on the run meeting for 2019. I would like stay at meadow lake and do day runs into the Fordyce.