Florida Land Cruiser Association

GSMTR ‘09
The 18th Annual Great Smokey Mountain Trail Ride
- A TLCA Sanctioned Event hosted by the Upstate Cruisers.

When: June 18th-21st, 2009
Where: Crawfords Campground, Murphy, NC.

Important Update:
Here is the skinny on the new GSMTR. I should have more details as we get closer. We had to wait on sending out most sponsor letters due to not know what the format would be. Now we know. As they come in I’ll make sure to let everyone know. Online raffle will start in the next week or so.

As I’m sure you are aware, Tellico is under severe threat with a recently announced “temporary” closure until 2011. All along, this years GSMTR was about raising funds for the “Rescue Tellico” effort. Even with Tellico temporarily closed, we are not giving up on supporting and fighting for the cause. So, what does that mean for GSMTR ‘09?

GSMTR ‘09 will still happen but it will be a Rally even more highly focused on raising funds for “Rescue Tellico”.

The event will run from Thursday thru Sunday, June 18th through the 21st.
We will have a parts swap Friday as well as a Rock Climb Competition
We will have a tug-o-war on Saturday
We will as a group drive through Murphy Saturday to show support for the local community.
We will as a group drive up the skyway and back through trail 1.
We will have a big raffle at the event on Saturday
We will have a 5 big item online raffle
We will have dinner for Friday and Saturday night.
We will donate all (100%) profits to the Rescue Tellico fund for the fight to open Tellico back up. The event will be a pay as you go event. Book your reservations at Crawfords, and pay for meals, raffles etc… at the event.

As far as your currently pre-paid registration dollars, all will be refunded in full. Those of you who wrote checks will receive a check within the next 10 days. Those of you who paid through Paypal, you have a choice of check or Paypal (there are fees associated with that). Please just let me know how you’d prefer to be refunded. If your address has changed from the time you registered, let me know your new address.

And, PLEASE support the “Rescue Tellico” cause, don’t change your plans to attend this years GSMTR! This may be the most important event of the year. The cause needs support, financial as well as through a show of support for the community. If your plan now is to go somewhere else during GSMTR your letting them win. We have a chance to make a difference. A very big difference. I will also promise you will have a really good time. It’s a beautiful place.

Thanks,

The Upstate Cruisers BOD
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Is anyone going to this?

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82 FJ60, Trail rig, rag top, SUA, 37" MTR's, 4BD2T diesel, veggie burning trail stinker.
83 FJ60 "Stinky" 6.2 diesel, NV4500, 33's Daily Driver.

Unfortunately, Steve, no one seems to care. The complacency and lack of interest in fighting to re-open one of the greatest natural off road areas, certainly the greatest east of the Mississippi, is baffling to me. I guess the times are imposing too much financial strain on too many. It's a shame to just let this go away but based on the turn out at the Spring Fling up there, which was a bust, it was obvious that no one cares. Sad thing is that Southern and Blue Ribbon have some very strong financial commitments to fight and don't need a whole lot from the members...but do need some contribution to keep it going. I firmly believe, having talked at length with the attorneys at spring fling, that with enough support this can be turned around. Sadly, it will probably fall as the "big victory" to the lobbyists. There's no sense spending all that money when the people who were thought to be supporters tucked their tails...

To answer your question I will be there.

GSMTR 2009 didn’t come off as originally planned due to trail closures. The event was re planned to focus on saving Tellico and was opened to all off-road enthusiasts.
The event came off as a success even given the circumstances of the trail closures.
There were some awesome vehicles there and a great group of people.

A few people from Florida showed up.
Archie, Mike & Morgan Mcinnis and Terri & myself.
Archie was very generous and bought food for everyone in attendance Sat night.

Mike brought his BJ75 diesel Troopie. Very cool vehicle, and won the award for most desirable vehicle.
Terri and I arrived Friday afternoon. Friday everyone gathered under the pavilion. We all cooked on the grill, had some drinks and watch 4WD videos. Saturday morning everyone met in Murphy. A tent was set up in a shopping center parking lot, we made a fine appearance with all the great vehicles in the parking lot. It was a pretty decent showing with what I estimated to be around 60 or 70 vehicles. After we hung out for a while, different groups were formed and headed different directions. One group went to Beasley (never heard of the place before) to do some wheeling. Another group went off to do a scenic drive on the skyline and back trail 1. I was bummed we couldn’t wheel due to having a broke carden joint on the front drive shaft. Terri and I went to see Lake Hiawassee and the dam.

Late Saturday everyone met back at Crawford’s and there was a rock garden competition.
Then Archie fed us all. After that there was a pretty good raffle. Grand prize was a set of BFG tires of your choice up to 40”. Someone else won them .
I wasn’t thinking….. I should have asked everyone if they wanted raffle tickets before I left.
Heather with SFWDA, Upstate Cruisers and Georgia Cruisers gave us an update on the save Tellico front. After attending this event I didn’t come away with the feeling that the fight to save Tellico is a lost cause or hopeless. It doesn’t appear anyone on our side is ready to raise the white flag or throw in the towel. An independent study by one of the most credible firms in the US found there hasn’t been any degradation of the water quality due to trail use. The reason presented by the Forestry Dept for closing the trails. There are some organizations like the Blue Ribbon Coalition, Southern 4WD and others named I forget stepping in to help in the fight to save Tellico. Some very good Lawyers are working Pro bono. Many other people are volunteering too. We were told that the lawyers said the conditions to win this case are more favorable than any of the past battles for trail closures. And of course we were also told more money is needed for the legal battle.

It appears the Cruiser community is doing more than others. Of the dozens of Pirate BB people that promised to come, only one showed.


Georgia Cruisers came up with a great fundraiser by stepping and donating the FJ62 to be raffled. The FJ62 is getting rebuilt by Georgia Cruiser volunteers., and many vendors are donating parts. Warn donated a winch, BFG tires. At the raffle people donated parts they won to the Georgia cruisers for the FJ62 build including a winch rope. The 62 should be pretty built up by raffle time. I'll have to post a link for the FJ62 raffle.

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82 FJ60, Trail rig, rag top, SUA, 37" MTR's, 4BD2T diesel, veggie burning trail stinker.
83 FJ60 "Stinky" 6.2 diesel, NV4500, 33's Daily Driver.

Excellent report Steve! Here's a little of what took place:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b09jsOQgLF0