Ron Vance

750

My Profile

Year Started:

2013

Off-Road Style:

Dirt Roads/Backroads

My Garage:

2008 Hummer H3 (Stock lift, 33" tires)
1971 GMC Jimmy (Stock lift, 33" tires)

I have been an off-road enthusiast since I was a kid. My dad got a 68 Jeep Wagoneer around 1980, and while we didn't off road it or take it camping very often, we did camp a lot using my parents' van, tent, and pop-up trailer. But, as an adult my off road adventures had been sporadic until about 2014. When I was stationed in Fort Drum, NY in 1992, I bought a 77 Blazer that spring and took it on some trails around the base, but then I blew the engine in that truck and gave it to a friend, then in the fall / early winter 1992 I bought a 79 GMC single cab long bed 4x4 pickup and over the winter I helped people get unstuck. After I got out and moved back to Texas, I hit the local mud runs a couple of Saturday nights in 1995 and redlined and blew the engine in the GMC. In 2007 I got a 2000 GMC Jimmy (the S-15 Jimmy, but after they dropped S-15 from the name). I took it down a couple of small hills near my parents' place, but nothing major. In 2010 we took a road trip to a family reunion in Colorado. During this trip we camped just north of Woodland Park, then the next day we went from Deckers to Buffalo Creek to Wellington Lake to Tarryall, then the next day we went up Rollins Pass to Jenny Lake. After that, I got the bug back, but it would be another 4 years before I got a truck that I really wanted to off road with. In 2014 I got a 1970 GMC Jimmy that I took to the off road park in Bridgeport, Tx. many times to go off roading with friends. After a few years I decided that truck was more rusty than I wanted to deal with, so I sold it in 2017 then picked up a 1971 GMC Jimmy that was significantly less rusty, but it didn't run quite right, so after off roading it once, it sat until 2021 before I got around to putting a new carburetor on. Also in 2014 we got an Acura MDX with no expectation to off road it, but I did take it on a few trails at Barnwell off road park in Gilmer, Tx. and in 2017 we took a road trip to Colorado and I took it about 3/4 of a mile up Black Bear Pass, but it kept bottoming out, so I came back down lol. Then in 2018 we road tripped to Colorado again, this time camping for a few days down near Durango on Junction Creek, but after that I decided I wanted something more off road worthy, so in late fall 2018 I got my 2008 Hummer H3 Adventure. I took it to Bridgeport a couple of times, then we moved to Lakewood, Co late summer 2019. January 2020 we bought a Renegade, but we don't plan to off road that very much haha, and in 2021 we moved to Florence, Co. During the fall and winter of 2019-2020 I didn't do much off roading, getting used to the move, but spring 2020 I started going out as often as I could and have been ever since, switching between the H3 and Jimmy, depending on what I feel like taking that day.

My Garage (2)

2008 Hummer H3

Lift Size: Stock

Tire Size: 33"

Adventure package - rear locker, 4.03:1 transfer case Aftermarket: sliders, and I added front and rear cameras, but the head unit died, so they are currently not in use. May get a front bumper and winch at some point, or at least a "stock" brush guard Picture taken on Radical Hill near Montezuma, Co

1971 GMC Jimmy

Lift Size: Stock

Tire Size: 33"

I wouldn't mind getting sliders for this, but I try not to take this on anything TOO crazy haha Picture taken on Rocky Balboa at Northwest OHV Park in Bridgeport, Tx

My Trail Reviews (2)

(within last 6 months)

Cedar Mountain Road (04/01/2023)

Stock H3 on 33s. Wound up doing this whole trail Saturday 4/1. Came in from the north to get to Metberry, then left from the south mainly because north of Metberry there were a LOT of downed trees blocking half the width of the road or more. Some of them were so tight I almost turned around when I was headed south. There was little to no ice or snow on the trail. Some of the deep spots on the south end had standing water that was fun to splash through. I put spot on mainly because there were a few sections north of Metberry that I probably wouldn't have taken my stock Renegade on (not the downed trees).

Fremont County Road 27 (03/25/2023)

Did this trail Saturday. Took the H3. Low traffic, only saw a handful of ATVs near the vault toilet area and 2 trucks going down. Once we got to the campsite at waypoint 6, it appeared to me that the trail kept going to the north, and it looks like it continues on the map, so we followed it a little ways up to the next switchback indicated on the map. At that point, it looks like the trail continues north, and there is a gate to the southwest. I thought about continuing north, but there was a rock in the middle of the road I didn't feel like moving and my wife was ready to head out. I thought about choosing "easier", but there were a few places I don't think I would attempt in our stock Renegade, so spot on sounds right. I will definitely be back to hit some of the other trails in the area.