Had quite the adventure yesterday...will have to post later more when I get home. Was able to drive it out, though!
Well, let me say I broke one of the cardinal rules from the start...never wheel alone! I was heading out to this off-road park (ChoccoLocco ORV), and figured there would be plenty of others around should I need them. What I didn't know what that there was some event going on at nearby Mountainside ORV, which drew most of the riders that may have been where I was. Regardless...never a good idea to wheel alone, mistake #1 (and there would be many this day).
As we pulled into the park, we actually met the owner and his wife on their way out...very nice couple. We paid our entry fee, grabbed a map and headed in...didn't think to look for a "park" CB channel (they didn't have one anyway, it turns out, but still, didn't look), and didn't write down the phone number listed on the sign at the front (mistake #2....no one to call if need help!)
My boys and I cruised around for a while...great park, btw, enough stuff for mildly build trucks (like mine), and some crazy-looking stuff for the more brave (didn't see any of these guys there when we passed by, tho). Although, I will say there was this one trail, rated a 1-2, which required us to winch up....not that crazy a trail, but loose shale prevented me from getting any footing near the top and just kept digging holes (no lockers to help, either).
We only saw two other trucks (jeeps) on the trail while we were riding...we stopped to check the map and they went by...part of me said to ride with them, or at least talk to them as they went by....I waved, but decided to stay on our own (mistake #3....if you see a group, stay with them, or at least get their contact info or CB channel!)
Then, I made the fateful decision to check out a trail named "The Swamp"...now, mind you, we're in the mountains...I see nothing but rock and dirt and can't imagine their being a "swamp" around here...so, we ride this trail for a bit and then see, off to the left, a mud "run" and mud all around it...ah! this must be it! So, I head down the one side of the run (not "in" the run, next to it), getting the tires muddy for the 1st time that day. So, get to the end, take a left and go around the other side (mind you, this is NOT a big place). I go up the other side and make another mistake...trying to turn around (mistake #4!)...I get halfway turned around (now I'm facing the run), and oops....stuck...
I inch back and forth for a bit, but no dice. Time to break out the winch. There as a tree to my left, so I thought I could pull the truck sideways (not a great winching angle, I admit). My tires are so deep in this mud at this point, this does next to nothing. OK, think Jason, think... this is where, apparently my brain decided to shut down entirely. Well, look, straight across the run...a tree just begging to be my winch point. My stick-in-the-water test apparently was a little off...I thought I could make it..
Engine revving, winching, winching...nose dives deeper than I thought...halfway....engine stops. Me freaking out...water coming in the front and back now (my boys are alerting me to all this)...keep winching..can't stop now....ok, we're out. Truck is totally out of the water. Water dripping from everywhere.
(to be cont...)
