It’s important to take the road less traveled from time to time.
Sometimes it’s smooth sailing and then sometimes you get stuck. It’s a metaphor for life (thus the sermonette). It’s always good to have recovery gear to get out of the mess you put yourself into. It’s also nice to have friends help pull you out. But sometimes you’re on your own.
Sometimes, despite my best efforts, the rig sinks in mud and the laws of physics take hold. This is the Virgin River near Kanab, Utah and things were going so well until I learned the hard way that the river went underground this time of year. This recovery required substantial winching (attached to cottonwood trees off photo to the observer’s right. It doesn’t look that stuck but on the other side of the rig, the door touched the mud.
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| There are also times when you drive across a “dry” lake bed and should go down to the axels and get stuck but by some miracle, you don’t. |
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| A photo taken of me taking a photo. |
That vehicle looks like its fit to weather the apocalypse that preppers are looking forward to. It could use a bit more armor,though. And a few .50 cal machine gun mounts.
Reminds me of taking a tumble down a hill on my bike. It broke off the hand break and the hand clutch arms. The only way I could ride it back was to sink the timing of the rpm's with the speed of the bike. Luckily it was a Saturday and I made it back to a used bike shop for replacement handles. Fun in the sun.
Fuel capacity is a big deal in the west because when you're running an expedition style trip, there are times when there is no gas station/convenience store handy. The Toyota FJ has a 19 gallon tank. I have a custom fab'd auxiliary tank that sits behind the rear tires, tucked in front of the rear bumper that adds 21 gallons to that number. I routinely carry an additional ten gallons in Jerry cans.
Armor would be nice as would M-2's in a cupola or something.
I have thought of buying a Ferret (British Mk 2/3 Scout car khakicorpsimports.com/in-ferret-scout.htm) to prep for the Apocalypse, but haven't quite pulled the trigger. It would make a statement if I parked it in my driveway… or would I be better of with a tracked ride?
Alright then sexy legs, well this is what happens when you play in unknown territories. Was that a metaphor?
I've been stuck in snow drifts, boggy fields and once nearly rolled off a slate cliff. If you need any tips, let me know.
John, I think that you're lucky to have survived this long.
There was a lady in the Old West named "Calamity Jane". If you moved to the US, we'd likely transfer the title to you, "Calamity Jules".
"The Road Less Traveled" is not a bad choice in life, or when you're wishing to get in the middle of nowhere, looking for a little peace. As you know, I grew up with horses, riding, the way my friend LSP (also from England) does today. Horse, foot or 4×4 works, but out here in the desert you're better off with an engine — until it breaks.
There are times old school tire chains are your best option. Common sense helps, but what fun is that?
Naturally I do keep chains for mud or snow, but a winch works better if it's horrible. I have a pull-pal to winch to or can bury the spare tire and winch to that, but it's a P-I-T-A to do that. Better to have than need.
No! Nothing to compare with your life. I did not some crazy stuff back in the day, and I do feel lucky, but most of my life has been pretty boring… and safe.
As you are well aware, there's always trade-offs in about every choice you make: wheel or track, plusses and minuses on both. Depends on how bad the apocalypse as to which way to go. Tracked vehicles suck eggs on fuel consumption but can take a hit. Wheel vehicles can scoot, have lots of range, but are a vunerable target.
What to do, what to do….
Total apocalypse, where no more manufacturing, refining, agriculture are available in the short and medium term, I am thinking that your ferret would probably get the job done: get you the hell out of Dodge, and have reasonably good range to get you hell and gone from urban centers. If you are confined to the LA area during a big mambo apocalypse, that would be a death sentence.
A mild apocalypse, where you might be able to hook up with mini-armies of righteous folk, some ag and mfg and refining might get you another tankful of diesel or two, then the track vehicle will get the job done and you won't have to head for the distant hills with a unit that gets 1 mpg. a tracked unit will certainly add to your desirability rating to the local warlord in charge who'll be eyeballing you as to whether you are an asset or not.
Four wheel drive in the mud allows you to dig four holes instead of a measly two.
You need tires with a bit more aggressive tread pattern if you're going to go "muddin", LL!
Had some friends that used to do that back in the midwest, and I've helped many a mudder get unstuck.
As far as the scout car goes, you should buy one, and then have it painted like the current coalition vehicles used over in the mideast.
Probably drive your muzzie neighbors totally bonkers….
Yes indeed!
Naturally as you suspect, I'd have the ferret for when the locals take up the jihad. One thing is certain. I'd have more fun than they would.
As to tires, I definitely don't have a mud tread pattern. I run Nitto Terra Grapplers, which are perfect for desert and summer mountain terrain, which is what I normally drive. They are also far more quiet on the freeway than mud tread.
It would be ideal if I could round up a gaggle of neighbors who would have tracked vehicles (and fuel trucks) to form a boar's head and simply plow down everything in our path in our mission to "bug-out". The Ferret is small enough to be manageable, but heavy enough to protect me from small arms fire. The tires are hard rubber so small arms don't disable them.
You need a Ducati!
Nice rig. Handy winch.
There have even been times when your white beast needed to extricate itself from that bog on the way to the range.
Your shorter than I thought, or is it the camera angle?
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