The Wall –
I’ve been doing Scale Rc for about four years now, and it’s a tiny dent in the total RC picture for me, but it is by far my favorite. I have been trying since I was sixteen to do scale off-roading from my Tamiya Blackfoot, to my Tamiya Toyota Pre-Runner, my Kyosho Stadium truck, fast forward to my Axial SCX10’s.
Today though, my SCX10’s have taken fun control of my attention. I started back into RCing after a fairly long break. I purchased the Duratrax Cliff Climber. I was skeptical, I wasn’t sure if I would like rock crawling and scaling. I love off-roading in my 1:1 ZJ, so down grading wasn’t going to be as rewarding. Well, four years later, my ZJ sits in the back yard, broken, and rusting away.
I quickly our grew the Duratrax, and went for my first true Scaler, the Axial Dingo TR, was my rc of choice, and I haven’t looked back since. As I grew with these, so did my driving skills, I could go ANYWHERE with these little rc’s and the spare parts are a lot cheaper and smaller than the 1:1’s!
A place I always went to test my 1:1 became my test spot for my SCX10’s and custom builds/designs. It’s out in Belvedere, Vermont, and it is a lot of fun, for the 1:1’s and RC’s. For my RC’s it is a proving ground, and the trails are endless. I go there with a full Arsenal of batteries and all my running rc’s, it’s about an hour and a half away and I don’t want to go for five minutes.
I’ve made a few video’s on youtube from this place, and a ton of pictures. We even held an Ultimate Scale Challenge get together there. It was a ton of fun, lot’s of carnage, a lot of smack talk, and just general fun.
But, BUT, there is this one spot that has plagued me and my builds for quiet sometime. No matter what I threw at this obstacle, none of my RC’s could make it. Sure, chalk it up to driver error, but I tell you, this spot has haunted me. I’m ashamed to even say this, but I even tried this spot with 2.2’s on one of my rigs, THE HORROR!! I walked away feeling less of a man….
Then, the winter of 2013 came, and I decided I was going to rebuild my beloved rc I nick named, The Goat. This is a hardbody Cadillac Escalade body I got off a road ripper. I went all out, CMS kit, metal links, servo winch, aluminum links, knuckle, hubs, rear lock-outs, new shocks, new wheels, tires, and so many more optional parts. I reworked the hardbody, installed lights, and some other scale stuff. I dialed in the suspension, worked on the tires and foams, and got ready for some spring time fun.
I was ready, got The Goat out a few times, fixed a few suspension problems, and she was ready… But was she the wall ready?? I had to find out, I had to return to this place just so I could either be triumphant or walk away head hung in shame. I didn’t even wait, I didn’t drive around wasting time on stuff I knew I could do, I went straight for the mouth.
As I arrived at the wall, I could feel the anguish of all my failed attempts nag at my mind. I quickly brushed them away, and kept my focus straight ahead, the wall… I’m going to get you today, I am going to best you. I kept repeating to myself as if some how I was going to will it up there.
I took the video camera out of my duffle bag. I placed it in a spot that would catch the entire wall and the Goat of she made it, or flopped down on the SUV body, either way, good footage. I grabbed my trusty remote, clicked the button to the on position. Plugged in the battery to The Goat, and waited for the beeping if the esc to let me know it was on. Waiting… Waiting… What the?? Why is it not turning on.. Panic mode… Did I fry something? Crap! Body pins come flying off, to inspect the reason as to why it wasn’t turning on. The connections were good, everything was hooked up right!!? I look at the box and realize I need to open up my water proof box to see if it was fried. I’m swearing in my mind, kicking crap, and generally acting like a child. As I remove the lid and all the hard work of perfect shoe goo placement, and fighting the urge to throw this thing into a rock… The esc is there all snug, not hot, no smell of smoke… I couldn’t figure it out. I unplugged the battery a few times, and still nothing.. Out of pure desperation I hit the on/off switch in the box…. Beep beep beep…. Son of…. The switch is always on because I leave it in the box all sealed up. The esc must have moved and pumped the switch just enough… Left the switch out until I get home. After a brief smile of “doh” I put it all back together.
As I wipe the funk of my stupidity away, I get the camera on, I get The Goat ready for this crawl. The wall is an easy four feet high, and thirteen feet wide with many places you can climb it, but there is one spot that is the hardest. About halfway up the rock face it cuts in, and makes the shape of a V but sideways <. I have not been able to get the front up and over. I always flop, roll, smash and crash my way backdown.
With my new tires, my new shocks, new tranny and my new design, I was hopeful to get the front tires at least over the ledge. The moment of truth. I wheeled The Goat up. The Holnes Hobby 35t motor was whinging in anticipation of the abuse I was about to lay down on it. I crept my way up the first 45 degree angle, the King Racing shocks sucked up the rough edges with ease. The Pitbull Rock Beasts flexed and gripped the rocks like gum on a hand rail. I was already impressed with The Goat as it climbed as if it were bored to be there. I angled the tires to the right like I have many times before. The hardbody creaked as the front tires dropped into the under cut crevice. The moment of truth….
The bumper scraped the rock on que. Then, it happened, the little Rock Beasts did something I've never seen, they climbed.. I got excited!! Oh man… Could this be the day??? As the front kept clawing, the rear dipped in to the undercut and the front got real light on the SUV. I eased off the throttle, the nose settled back into position. Phew..
The Goat continued to climb this rock like it was nothing. The rear came up and out with no issues. I made it.., wait… I MADE IT!!! I finished climbing the rock slab, and did a victory jig! I was so PUMPED!! My hard work had paid off, and I did the one beast line that mocked me for years….
Now what you ask?!? Now a new unconquered obstacle. That's what we do. Build, use, break, repeat…..
T-Rush
Vermont Scale RC 