A proper test drive. Bowman Lake in a Jeep Liberty.

[Ashton]

This route is known by many names, and covered in some great detail in various forums online. I don't assume to provide you any new information but perhaps some new perspectives with my pictures and an entertaining yarn spun with my words.

Bowman Lake sits at coordinates 39°27'6.15"N 120°39'8.63"W in the Sierra Nevada mountain range at about 5500 feet above sea level. With a capacity of 65000+ acre feet of water, Bowman is a man made lake in the Canyon Creek watershed, one of several created by the irrigation district to collect and manage the water resources in the area. The area is remote, by most standards, and access generally requires both high clearance and 4x4 capability. The geographical area where Bowman resides has many quality locations for boating, ATV and dirt bike riding, hiking and camping. The lake boarders on the Grouse Ridge Non-Motorized Area, which can give a perspective of what true wilderness is like, though it lies within miles of a major interstate corridor. If an adventurer was so inclined, you could even reach the famous Fordyce and Rubicon 4x4 trails from these back roads. For someone like me who grew up in a remote part of the country it is a nice place to replenish those energy stores that can only be recharged by nature.

The Jeep KJ platform was billed as a replacement for the fabled Cherokee (XJ) and ran its years from 2002 to 2007. The limited numbers of production models makes this a rare classic in the off-roading world. That is a made up statement: but the limited run for this independent front suspension, highly capable, short wheel base vehicle does make it a more rare breed than some other mass production, long running model names. This being my first real exposure to any Jeep platform I found it operated with ease in environments that I typically enjoy exploring, which was endearing.

This particular model belonged to a friend of mine. A 2003 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 3.7 in some shade of grey and wearing a well worn set of Goodyear Wrangler radials in 225. The stock interior was much like the stock exterior, grey in both look and function. Of the Jeeps out there that are not intending to be flashy or assuming, this was the leader of the pack. This base model lacked the fancy refinements and electronic doodads of it's larger and smarter siblings. Professional reviews and early model issues aside, the feel and experience from the drivers seat was captivating and certainly gave this driver a sense of comfort when operating in the varied terrain of the Sierra Nevada. The rig I usually adventure in is a long bed Dodge, full size in every sense of the word. This was not and I think what I experienced driving this vehicle must have been that "Jeep Thing" people talk about.

Some might call a test drive such as this a daft idea and clearly unsafe. My better half certainly did. I say I needed to know the full capabilities of this rig before I could adequately make a decision on purchasing. The day trip was all I intended, and more so, as it ended up being the first outing in my first ever Jeep. The plan was to head up Hwy 20 out of Nevada City and get into the back country through the small town of Washington. From there, the forest highways weave paths and carve adventures through the western slope of the Sierra. Taking the road out of Washington and climbing up the ridgeline, the 17 miles or so to Bowman Lake is an alternative route to arrive in paradise. Normally, one could just head up Hwy 20 a ways further and take a left on Bowman Lake Rd, reaching your destination by a much more concrete path. This alternate route spends more time in the back country, which always pulls me into that pace of time measured by the movement of the sun and not by the watch on my wrist.

More to come!

 

[Ashton]

Any time I'm able to head out into the forest on a week day, it is a good day. When the days reach 'Satur' and 'Sun', out come the masses - those over worked and under paid flesh and bone machines that are the bread and butter of American Economic power. Anyone with the clearance and requisite number of lockers can, and does, access even the most remote corners and rutted out ATV trails of the high Sierra. Living in close proximity to both major population centers and world class outdoor activity centers can be a boon and a burden, depending on the season or the day of the week. During the meat of the week, most of those poor souls are sold to their respective industrial masters and tasked with earning their pittance, to pay off those who allow us to live in comfort. I understand and recognize the need for this enslavement. Our great country would not be what it was, nor would the human race be so evolved, without those who put their noses to the grind stone and make shit happen. I am most thankful for these weekdays off from work. I feel much like Charlie did when he found the golden ticket, full of wonder and excitement. Those trails are more likely to be empty, those small corners uninhabited, and this tingles my loins.

I woke up on a Tuesday with nothing to do and a desire to see my favorite camping spot. So it was, I packed up supplies for a day trip: Water, snacks, two dogs, leashes, extra water, some of the ol' toby and a couple cold ones. My mission was to explore the route to Bowman Lake out of Washington, CA and scout the area between the two points for marks of interest, camping spots and river and lake access. My normal route to Bowman was blocked off a couple of years ago after hard winter weather washed out a creek crossing. I had heard a bypass had been formed and I intended to check it out. The drive out of Nevada City, CA up highway 20 is soaked in the history of the gold rush. In multiple locations, you can stop and walk along the old Emigrant Trail, which clearly winds its way back and forth across the asphalt ribbon that is the 20. The history here is, literally, palpable. There is a grave marker that I have never stopped to look at before, but I did this time.

There is ample history of Nevada County and it's ties to the gold rush, to the Spanish colonizers and to the Native groups that called this home before then. You can find it both online and in print form and so I only offer the opinion that the history of this area is rich and deep and interesting. If you have any interest, even passing, I invite you to do a bit of Googleometering and find yourself an adventure. I was off seeking my own adventure, but first I had to work my way up in elevation and out of the way of the haze. With large sections of California on fire, and neighboring states sharing similar fates in this record setting fire season, getting above the haze was damn near impossible, as most all my pictures will show.

 

[Ashton]

To properly gauge the performance of this base model Jeep Liberty, I was going to need to test it both on and off road. Wearing Goodyear Wrangler 225 75r16 shoes, this KJ series was set up for some serious asphalt pounding. With a average MPG of 18 and a tank size of around 20 gallons (according to the web, I still haven't filled it fully), that's about 3 fill ups between my homes in California and New Mexico. The independent suspension, rack and pinon steering and 149K miles combined well on this model giving it a taunt yet sauntering travel profile on and off the road. While barely as tall as a full grown Canadian, the body roll on these things explains why the drivers side was given an "Oh Shit" handle. Perhaps that top heavy, heavy lateral lean on turn in is what my woman refers to as '..the way a jeep drives. It's different.'. In normal drive, there are two wheels propelling this sub 4000# slush box, which is connected to a 3.7l power plant that normally harnesses around 210 horsies. In more advanced drive states there is a mechanical part time 4x4 and a low gear setting. The years had been kind to this one, with regular maintenance and up keep she was holding tight. She carried some dings, but the moving parts work - and well. I have no problem with the way this thing handles and for someone who is used to driving sedans and full size trucks, I took to the new experience with relish. I figured that if this vehicle could take me to our favorite camp site, and make it home, it was worthy of addition to the fleet. The on road capabilities were being tested first, and I was satisfied with it's highway abilities as I turned a left on to Washington Road, towards the town of the same name. Even up here at 4000 feet, there was no escaping the burnt remnants of so many peoples dreams.

The incredibly small town of Washington, CA was founded sometime around 1849 by (you guessed it) 49'ers who found gold in the area. Originally named Indiana Camp by a group of prospective gold miners from Indiana, the name was changed to Washington a year later. One of a number of camps and pop-ups in the area, this is the only survivor and it still harbors a couple hundred hearty souls. Washington is situated in a 'Y' shaped canyon, at the base of a ridge where the Yuba has a confluence with one of the many feeder creeks. This is rugged, steep, back woods kinda country full of ridges and valleys and thick pine forests. There are very little services out here, food or otherwise, and even a run to the grocery store can be a day long event. The town is quaint and outside traffic is noticed as a peculiar sort of thing. As I swung the jeep down the curves of the hillside road, I regained equilibrium after the body stopped rolling. I parked the capable little Jeep on the side of the road and walked around a bit to see what I could see. I was taking pictures and such and the few locals I did see around seemed to make me the tourist attraction, kind of a 'staycation' for them, if you will. I felt a bit uncomfortable, gawking at their signage and historical markers, the old buildings and eclectic pieces of ... scrap art? I only escaped with a few pictures of worth, as setting up for the good shots was looking like it might lead to me having to explain what I was doing. That would have been more interaction with the local fauna than I wanted on this day so I packed it up early and looked non-chalant. I must say I did not see open gas pumps, and this general store was also closed, mid morning on a Tuesday.

Washington is situated on the South fork of the Yuba River. The mighty Yuba is a staple in these parts and is well known to people as a swimming and hiking wonderland. There are established state parks and trail systems all up and down this river, but I caution anyone considering a hiking adventure in this area. A couple of years ago, 2 hikers had an 'incident' with a local protecting their property and threatening them with a weapon. In that same time frame, a hiker went missing and someone shot at and killed a SAR team member while they were out looking for the lost hiker. That shooter was later found dead at a makeshift camp further down the river. These things happen up here, this is rural and remote and either take measures to make yourself comfortable and safe, or stay home. I do not mean to monger fear, I do mean to keep you safe and informed. People in these parts are weary of outsiders and are staunchly self reliant. Poverty and paranoia mix with weed and greed very often up here. If you stop to think about it, little has changed around these parts in the past 170 years.

When people need proof that time is a concept and does not operate on a universal law, I point them to places like this. To me, I enjoy the feeling of being some where back in time and of interaction with places and senses that others in history must have had. I make up stories in my head of Billy Ranchand and Joe Taverowner and bandits and Indians and the Spanish. It turns out that over-landing is a great outlet for an overactive imagination.

It is obvious why people, of all sorts from all corners, are attracted to this place. I've met travelers from all over the world on this river, and up and down the length of it's accessible parts are some of the most amazing gravel bars, beaches and swimming holes a river could hold. The hundred or so miles covered by the three branches of the Yuba pushes out over 2 million acre feet of water a year into the Feather river, and ultimately the Sacramento. Some folks say the name is derived from the Spanish 'Uva', or grape, while most historians credit the name to that of a Maidu village (the Natives of the area, pre Spanish). This Southern fork of the Yuba descends from the lakes above Bowman (closer to Donner Pass), tumbling through steep canyons and moving across high valleys. The elevation and terrain around here is excellent for bouldering, hiking and trail running and the four seasons experienced up here makes even these haze filled weeks bearable. My Samsung s9 is not great at cutting through the haze, or capturing the light me thinks - that water is absolutely crystal clear.

 

[Ashton]

More to come as we climb out of Washington on our way to Bowman Lake!

 

[Ashton]

sorry for the delay ya'll. We went back out to the area this weekend, so i was occupied on my days off. I'll get this write up done ASAP and add a few pictures from this weekend. Much more clear up there as the smoke was not as thick.

 

[Ashton]

The road, appropriately named, that heads out of the little hamlet of Washington CA climbs up the ridges surrounding the Yuba River and then follows the fork North and East towards its spawn point. At some point in history there was a long ribbon of asphalt called Meadow Lake Road. What remains is a hodge-podge of slab to dirt change overs that vary in their smoothness of transition and amount of asphalt remaining. Around Washington, the transitions are fairly smooth and two wheel drive is more than adequate to overcome any obstacles. Since I had already tested out the 2 wheel drive function of this comfortable, yet spartan, little Jeep KJ I was looking forward to getting it dirty and seeing if there was any hint of the famous bravado that Jeeps are seemingly known for.

Less than a mile past the bridge over the south fork, you will see a sign directing you thusly. To avoid confusion and potential wrong turn, just keep heading up hill, you will come to this opening and the way will become clear.

The initial portions of dirt are interspersed with concrete patches, and there is not enough rutting of the road to require 4x4 of any kind. The Jeep - with its casual steering, elevated driving position, and rough road absorbing independent suspension - really ate up these miles on the main forest thoroughfare. The Goodyear Wranglers did not induce a feeling of fear while traveling at 25-30 mph on this mixde surface of loose stone, fine powder and shifting lines, and for that I gave the KJ a gold star. Often, and especially on street based tires, a car becomes 'squirrely' around corners when they are covered in a dirt or fine dust. This vehicle had no such problems and at the comfortable speeds we were pursuing on this test drive the JK ate up any small to mid size bumps with relative ease and comfort.

I wasn't on this dirt hybrid of a road for very long before the urge to venture off course and into the brush grabbed at my soul. I found no easy routes into paradise. All my avenues looked blocked and while climbing up the hill there were very few options, so when I rounded a bend and saw this turn off I felt that the Universe had put this path here specifically for this test drive. Who am I to tempt fate? I took a left and locked it up into 4x4 low ( I really didn't need to do that, in hindsight).

The ascent on to this spur was an angle approaching 45*. While that might not be remarkable, it does provide an opportunity to test the flex and play of the stock suspension on this 2003 KJ. There were no creaks and groans, pops or whistles when I put the front suspension into the up angle, catching the off camber on the passenger side. The back end deftly followed the same path with similar lack of complaint. The short wheel base (just over 100inches) and the nearly 12in of clearance on your departure and approach angles means those little transitions between flat and angle are little more than a change of view out of the front window. The canine co-pilots and I meandered down a narrow track with extended views still being hidden by the haze of the fires in our region. The 3.7 litre, six cylinder engine on this particular model ate up the burnt particulate and effectively smashed it in a compression stroke with fuel, creating a steady MPG right around 15.

The track I had chosen had appeared, at the entrance, to be full of 4x4 testing terrain that would make me wish I had bought some skid plates and sliders before I ventured out. In reality, it meandered a ways to a spot where other 4x4 owners had clearly been testing the uphill climbing abilities of their rigs. The ground was a fine powder, about an inch thick and the angle was close to 40*, so I determined this to be a fine time to test the 4x4 low gear - more commonly known as the crawling gear. I was impressed with the JK's ability to slowly and surely move its way up the embankment. I was less worried it would fail because of the 4x4 system and more worried the poor choice in rubber would set me back. Wasted worry it turned out. I went up and down this ring several times. The trashed nature of the clearing had me angry, and I took a few bits of trash home with me to toss out. More out of respect and as a gesture than any real attempt to make up for this complete lack of respect for our forest.

Turning around at this point and heading back out to the main forest highway, I saw what was behind me on the way in. It did not disappoint, and on the exit I was able to again test approach and departure angles. Again, a gold star was awarded for clearance. My home driveway is a rather steep angle and a sharp turn, so this was a very real world test to me. Shortly after I hopped back in the JK, after looking at all my clearances, a NID (irrigation district) worker pulled along side me and we got to talking about his little JK and his fondness for it. So far, this Jeep was making a hard argument for being an addition to our fleet.

 

[Ashton]

One of the important qualities of a vehicle intended for overland travel is the ability to pack shit in it. Having a Tetris like mastery of the art of packing certainly helps, but if you can't fit what you wanna fit and still be comfortable it is pointless to invest for that purpose. First and foremost - my beautiful, wonderful, most amazing, perfectest, flawless, lovely woman not withstanding - any rig I intend to travel in must be able to fit my furry head of security, my main road dawg, my Bitch Indica comfortably and with consideration for her movement through out the cabin. It's a non-negotiable and my most important consideration - my beautiful, wonderful, most amazing, perfectest, flawless, lovely woman not withstanding (she reads these...) - so if that's a no go, the KJ is no go status. I think this picture sums up the opinion of aforementioned Bitch.

Traveling East and North towards higher elevations, and the drainage systems of the Bowman Lake area, the otherwise marvelous views are cut abrupt by the haze. I pack the stout Samsung S9 phone, and even its camera could not do it justice and seeing the smoke interwoven with the thick evergreens was surreal at times. One of my favorite movies is 13th Warrior, and I couldn't help but be reminded of the scene where the fire worm comes into the valley as the fog rolls in and Antonio Badass and his men watch from the walls.

Berry season is really on the way out. I was lucky enough to take good part in blackberry season this year. We made a haul and ate a couple of delicious pies out of it. I'm a cook, I'm not a baker and I am counting this as a successful season on the two pies coming out tasty and zero ovens burning down. I was able to find a couple of cling-ons (dingleberries?) and snatched up their delicious juice.

I like rocks. They appear simple at a glance and they often serve little purpose, yet most of them are intricate and complex, if not old as dirt. I dig formations and the different angles the shale type rock (see, I don't even know proper geological terms, i'm just a fan) grew at was really fascinating. Some formations would grow diagonal to the roadway, some down hill, some uphill, some straight up like this example.

On wards I ho'd and made faster tracks for Bowman. I settled into a steady grove of analyzing the interior space and it's comfort level for the dogs and maintaining vigilance for potholes. I didn't quite own the Jeep yet and while my test drive was going well, there was no need to force my hand and do damage - there by enacting the age old law of 'you broke it you bought it'. I happened past this turn off, inconspicuous as it is and that familiar urge grabbed a deep handful of my loins and twisted, rendering me adventuresome. I applied steady, firm pressure to the left pedal and slowed to a halt, effectively testing the braking system of this 2003 JK 3.7l slushbox. Gold Star. I shifted the transmission into reverse and applied gentle and firm pressure to the right pedal, which brought me even with this devilishly plain avenue into Nirvana. Gold Star.

Oh... the adventure most certainly continues.

 

[Ashton]

When one has ones loins twisted internally and ones adventuresome button pressed, one does not simple carry on as if no thing has happened. One is inclined to follow said twistings and pressings and venture forth bravely and boldly. With such bravado I set a course towards left and ventured down the inviting back way. I hadn't necessarily intended for my test drive to include ATV trails, and it wasn't until shortly after I made my course due left that I realized I was truly going to test the capabilities of this 2003 KJ.

When you drive around in the city, there are various obstacles that alter the width of your path of travel. We can't all drive around H2's without increasing our risk of insurance claims, it's a proportional equation. A narrow vehicle with a short wheel base serves a purpose in the city, being nimble and agile and fitting into spaces where space is a premium. In the country, it allows for exploring where longer wheel bases and wider bows keep some explorers from venturing. Shortly after making my course corrections based on testicular comfort, I saw that the 71 inches of bow width that this Jeep Liberty was pushing would be useful. I also saw that this trail was much less tame than I had initially suspected. Adventure on!

Not far up this spur was a lovely little campsite, dispersed to be sure. A small rock fire ring, which would have been illegal to use right now, sat in a prime spot to observe the view when not obstructed by smoke. I'll find this place again I'm sure, but I didn't mark it on my Googleometer. I wanted to keep this trip more organic, so I only intended to take pictures and write 12 posts.

Not satisfied with finding a nugget in Gold Country, I sauntered deeper into the forest. One is not satisfied with seeing a thing, I must see more. I had lost all thought of my test drive - my gentle drive to my favorite spot to enjoy a dip in the lake. Instead the spirit of adventure struck me and drug me and dragged me deeper into the woods. I'd bet a 50 dollar bill that other men in history have felt similar feelings in these hills and experienced all sorts of things through out history.

The trail only got worse from this point on. If you have actually read all this jibberish you remember me saying I didn't want to do anything that instituted the age old rule - 'you broke it you bought it'. I made a critical mistake on this trail, I completely forgot this wasn't my rig.

I got caught going through two manzanita groves without the ability to turn the Jeep around. Now, in terms of the test drive the KJ performed flawlessly. I powered easily through the terrain and when I encountered terrain I couldn't power through, I crawled. The screeching and clawing at the sides of the rig made me grind my teeth. I ignored them - at the time I had no memory of the vehicles true owner. I was in a zone, enraptured by the unknown forest around me.

On a positive note the low gear of the 4x4 drive in this Liberty was applying the torque exactly as my right foot input pressure on the gas pedal. The 3.7l has plenty of pep in the low range and crawling up these obstacles was no real obstacle. I was able to pick lines that lead me up and over and I didn't even regret the lack of skid plates or sliders. I could have been alone for days in this neck of the woods. Gold Star.

After I finally found a turn around point, i found myself in a familiar pattern. If you have read my other posts, you might remember a scene much like this in my 2500 Dodge on the Plumas BDT.

It was about this point that I got out of the Jeep to see what I was backing up into. I didn't want to come this far and put a hole into one of the 225 Wranglers on these 16in rims. Thus far, I had been impressed with the rubber and it's ability to create grip. Gold Star. I know having deep channels to move rocks, dirt and mud out of the path of travel is good and airing down your tires helps with comfort, but I'm tempted to take similar tires on a longer trip and report on their performance. Another adventure for another time. While checking my rear for safety, I noticed this lovely addition to the rig. Remember what I said about 'you broke it you bought it'?

I returned the direction I came. That means you can scroll back up this post and see all the same obstacles I saw on the way out, including the two manzanita groves. I was sure I gained 5mph on the straights with my new pinstriping, but it didn't occur to me till later that when I finally turned around on this trail I officially owned a 2003 Jeep KJ 3.7l 4x4.

All this excitement and I still haven't reached Bowman Lake yet! Back with more soon.

 

[JCWages]

Bravo! The makings of another fine tale. I am eager to consume the next passage.