LR Trek 202 - 27 March 2011 - Stuck in the Mud
Going through some old trek reports I came across this. Yes you can get stuck in mud in northern Nevada.
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Land Rover Trek 202 – Stuck in the Mud – 27 March 2011
Yesterday was so cold and windy that I stayed home and worked on my Forensic Art Class Term Project. Today it looked to be sunny and a bit warmer without wind. The goal today is to take a few pictures of some old farm equipment at the Buckland’s Station State Park at Weeks. However, once that is accomplished I plan to drive through the little pass to the railroad tracks at the site of Churchill (not the fort); then down to the river to check out the railroad bridge; south down Adrian Valley; somehow get back across the mountains to highway 95A; then out along the Pony Express Trail along Simpson Road; south over the top of the Desert Mountains; and finally somehow get to Wabuska. Well that the plan was mostly accomplished.
I got to Weeks at about 0900 and spent perhaps twenty minutes walking around taking pictures of the old farm equipment which has been lent by the Churchill County Museum. From there I drove south about three miles and turned west onto a dirt road that should take me to the site of Churchill about three more miles. There isn’t much there except for a railroad grade crossing at a wide spot in the Adrian Valley.
From Churchill I drove north paralleling the railroad tracks to where Adrian Creek empties into the Carson River. I parked the truck and hiked about 700 yards to the bridge spanning the river. I met four hikers. I don’t know where they came from or where they were going. A very populated area; generally I trek all day and don’t see anyone.
Now I turn around and drive south down the Adrian Valley in the direction of Wabuska. During the Pleistocene the Adrian Valley connected the Walker Lake drainage with the Carson Sink drainage; all part of Pleistocene Lake Lahontan. About five miles down the valley I find a crossing to the east over the railroad tracks. These tracks, which are seldom used, connect the spur at Hazen via Fallon, Wabuska and along the east shore of Walker Lake to the Ammunition Storage site at Hawthorne.
This easterly trail passes up the wash of a very sandy valley and over the top of a low pass and returns me to highway 95A. Now I run north along the highway back to the Carson River and then turn off onto a dirt road heading east. This is the Simpson Road. It follows the route of the old Pony Express. This was a fast mail delivery service that ran from April 1860 to October 1861; from St. Joseph Missouri to Sacramento California before being replaced by the telegraph.
I run due east about four miles on soft sand and dirt sometimes encountering water and muddy patches. I pass a man and young boy sitting on the tailgate of a Dodge pickup shooting a rifle at targets to the north. I continue on and make a brief stop at Lahontan Well, one of the old Pony Express stations. Now the road is getting much softer and I’m encountering larger muddy sections to cross. After another four miles I come to a really long water filled pool on the road. I decide to stop and investigate before continuing on.
It’s really soft even where I’ve stopped on what appeared to be dry. It seems I’m slowly sinking thru a thin crust with mud under it. I get back into the truck and start backing up. After about 30 or 40 feet of backing my left wheels break through pulling me into the water covered mud. Awe $#!+ Gloop! I’m stuck.
Before hiking that four miles back to the guy with the Dodge I decide to see if I can recover this on my own. I dig out the shovel from the back. I start trenching in front of and behind the front wheels tossing the mud into a little dam in front of the truck so that water from the “pond” in front of me doesn’t fill up my excavations. With that done I start trenching the front and back of the rear wheels. After about fifteen minutes I’m ready to give it a go.
Making sure it’s in Low Range and the center diff is locked I try rocking forward and reverse. It digs in a bit more and I can only go about two feet total forwards and back. I get out and clean up the trenches behind all four wheels. Back in I rock some more easily until it seems as if it’s grabbing and I gun it in reverse. It’s going! I just keep her going; throwing mud everywhere. After about 100 feet I seem to be on firmer ground and let her stop. Well that saves a four mile walk.
I go and retrieve my shovel and take a few pictures. Back at the truck I back up another 100 feet until I can find a dry spot wide enough to turn around. Too bad in my excitement to recover the truck I didn’t take pictures of it stuck or of me digging.
So this is the end of the planned trek. I drive the eight miles back to pavement and then north on the highway to Silver Springs. I pull into the Nugget Casino and park my muddy rig between a shiny clean Cadillac and an equally clean Buick. I should have taken that picture too. I treated myself to lunch in the café and then headed north again towards Fernley.
About halfway between Silver Springs and Fernley I spot a faint trail west into the Virginia Range. It’s reasonably dry (no mud) and mostly rock. I only go about two miles ending after a steep climb on top of a ridge. It then turns south. I’ve been there and it is posted ground so I head back to pavement and continue on home arriving a bit after 1600.
FUN DAY!
STUCK
Moved a bit of mud
My shovel waits for me
For those who haven't noticed - Over the years I've been documenting all of my treks. The first 240 or so were titled LR Treks - I've continued the numbering and now call them 4R Treks
