I think he was stuck ... no matter what. He tried applying the breaks and gas at the same time (in reverse) to get all the wheels moving. I watched both right side wheels spin and the only movement his truck was making was strait down into the muck.

Yea, he was down to the frame. Even if he had front and rear lockers he wouldn't be going anywhere. Maybe if he had aired down he would have got a little further but that mud was thick.

The only way I would have made it through that hole at a safe speed would be with the winch and pullpal.

Ya, let me count the ways it was a dumb idea to attempt the bog:

# Overconfident with my new revos and lift. A week or two prior I had a very pleasant experience blasting through some mud that would have stopped me cold on the stock dunlops.
# Didn't air down.
# Didn't spend enough time studying the terrain. If I had walked it a little more, eventually my foot would have sunk in 2 feet (as happened to all of us later) and I might have come to my senses.
# Didn't keep my speed up, even after remarking to rando before my attempt that it would be necessary to do so.

I was indeed in 4LO with the center diff locked, and I went in with the subliminal confidence that if there were any trouble, we would not have been stranded what with all our tow straps and Mark's killer shackle. Much less worrisome than a precarious rock crawl that might risk actual damage.

So I've got no regrets at all. Every trip I go on has a defining crisis we call our "moment" that makes it all the more fun and memorable, and this was a doozie! Thanks to chiefiji for my new desktop wallpaper (and T4R avatar!).

But you can't walk everything. I had no idea that 2 ft. deep mud was there. I saw that it was a little slick over to the left but that deep pocket of mud on the right was a total surprise - on the surface it looked like hard, dry dirt.

Even a wench on your front bumper wouldn't have been able to pull you through because there was nothing to anchor to.

Always a good experience to get stuck, you learn a lot from it. I have gotten stuck so many times, a number of times I required a tow to get out.

The worst was at Pismo on the top of a dune (didn't lock the center diff ). It took a winch (BruceTS wait till you see his 4R) and Lance(Good Times) with a towstrap to get me out.

Incidently I found 4H in 2nd with the center diff locked to work pretty nice in mud. Gives you good speed, keeps the revs down so ATRAC still works. The V8 has enough power down low to keep you moving. I learned the hard way.

All that said, forget about getting through that mud as it was there. Your 4R looked like it was diving in not staying on top (you should tell it that a mudbath is only good for human skin not paint ). The mud was way too thick anyhow. Makes for great video and pics though. And at least it is better than hanging on your frame over a log like a dumbass (me)

The pictures reflect perfectly how deceptive looking that muck was. I mean it looks like your truck is burried in dry dirt there. But to step on it -- SURPRISE -- you're instantly up to your knees in gooey mud! Even after watching your truck sink in it, it still managed to lure several of us to walk (and sink) in it.

It was your famous last remark before you took the plunge -- literally. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't safe to go any faster anyhow.

Blah, this was no crisis. It was fun, though that's a bit easier for me to say since it was your $30k down in that hole and not mine.

Yah, double thanks!

If you have a winch, you have to invest in one of these.

Pullpal winch anchor


Playing around at Pismo, pulling myself up the backside of a dune


Without a doubt, It saved me from rolling over at Pismo when I found myself sideways on a dune.
I used it a few weeks ago to help unstick some local fieldworkers from deep mud where the winch was pulling me tward them.

This thing works for sticks every time guaranteed. It gives me the comfidence to test the ability of the 'Runner. I never wheel without it.

You guys want to start a new thread to discuss our next run?

If I can just manage to keep this connection for long enough I may be able to load up 2 dozen photos now....damn...

ok...here we go..

Starting off with a night of luxury at the Sands Motel right next to the park entrance, 1 mile from the 'mall' for the ladies who need to have something to buy

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Nice having a spa before the dusty next day journey

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9 am roll call (for most of us )

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We were only offroad for like 500m when our first case of recovery commenced.

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Not far into the run I had to get a photo in case we didnt come out the way we went in

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Arriving at 17 (?) Palms Oasis we were encourage to form a pretty line for a photo op.

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Pretty in Pink