Yep. Hub deep in the sand. I went over before light this morning to help my friend load cattle for shipment. About halfway there I hit a sand wash going too slow and...sank. You have to really blow through the sand washes and if you don't, you lose. I know better but wasn't paying attention I guess. Trying to get myself out just dug me in deeper.
I was beyond the PONR so hoofed it on in to his place. A lovely five mile hike across the early-morning plains. Saw several groups of antelope. They don't see many people afoot in this country (without rifles at least) and I could almost see the little question marks hanging over their heads.
After the cattle were loaded another neighbor drove me back and dragged me out, barely missing get stuck himself. Such a hike really gives perspective on why horse thieves were hung.
(Sorry about pic quality of the truck photo. It was barely light and the exposure time was handheld at 1 full second wide open.)
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4 comments:
Been there-done that! Good excuse for a hike though. Looks like beautiful country.
When that happens (and it does in soft talc sand or deep fresh snow or mud) the first thing I do after making sure I'm in 4WD is get out and drop the tire presure way down in all four tires. 10-15 psi has gotten me out nearly every time. Just don't drive on 'em very far if your below 15 psi or you can take the tire right off the rim.
Glad you got your project accomplished and got home safely.
I once saw a program about off roading in the Sahara desert. When they got stuck, they let the air out of their tires enough to make them have better traction, then they drove out and re-inflated the tires from air bottles. They also carried these things they called sand runners, kind of like little loading ramps, that they could take off the top of the vehicle where they were stored in a rack, and drive out. Maybe that wouldn't work with the terrain you are in, but it's a thought. I have a horror of being stuck out in the middle of hell's half acre. I got stuck in a snow storm on a mountain in the national forest one night about two in the morning. Had to walk home, close to 8 miles through a blinding snow storm and lost all the skin off my face where it wasn't covered by a beard. I have been a damn sight more thoughtful about getting out on the road in snow since then.
As an off road racer,I've never been a big fan of lower air pressure,due to the fact that the terrain change's make it impractical to adjust tire pressure during a race.If I know the track is mostly sand,I'll drop to about 20 psi.Looking at the pic you posted,I can give you another hint.I race a mini truck,not much ground clearance to it,and the unlimited truck's dug huge rut's in the track,almost deep enough to hi center my truck.I learned to drive with 2 tire's on the shoulder,and 2 on the center peak.I see grass and weed's on the shoulder,so you'd have better luck driving on them,where you can.
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