Tag Archives: overland offroad adventure

land rover wilderness first aid tumbnails

The CPR Run To Blue Lake

nw overlander range rovers 4x4 trailI drove the legend that started it all…  more on that in a minute, but first…

Picture yourself on an off-road adventure in the middle of nowhere, cell coverage is non-existent, the stars are beginning to poke through the night sky and your group is settling in for an evening around the camp fire when across the way you hear one of your mates crashing down the hill… then nothing.

women demonstrates CPROff-road adventures are a great and allow us to get away from it all by exploring the road much less traveled.  But with that isolation comes the very real danger that someone may get seriously injured in a place where dialing 911 is not an option (don’t think it could happen to you than read “Trouble Off-road In Moab“) .  So how do you prepare for minor scrapes, cuts, and broken bones as well as life threatening injuries?

Andy, a paramedic and member of the Northwest Overland Society put together a three day trip, centered around teaching CPR and wilderness first aid so we could be better prepared to help out in an emergency on the trail.  cpr dummy attaches man

If you have taken CPR or first aid, you know this material is dry  at best and down right mind numbing in the hands of a monotone instructor…  but Andy managed to make it entertaining, keeping the group engaged and ensuring we all walked away with the skills necessary just in case he is the one who takes a fall on the trail. The training started out in Tacoma, on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University.  And although this portion involves CPR manikins, they are just not as much fun as you might imagine.  But despite the Ken Doll Dummies, we did manage to learn 30 and 2, Check, Call, Care and enough key points to all pass our CPR test.

blue lake from camp siteAlong the way Andy slipped in some of the major issues we may have to deal with in the wilderness.  He also discussed how to get comfortable in the role as leaders out on the trail.  Leadership in a crisis is hard to prepare for and any time you can practice, the time is well spent.

After we said goodbye to the CPR dummies, some in the group having more trouble letting go than others, it was onto Blue Lake for the wilderness first aid portion of the training.

toyota land cruiser 4x4 trail hill climbThe drive to Eastern Washington took us over the Snoqualmie Pass and into the Yakima Valley.  Even from the highway the view is amazing and foreshadowed what was to come on the trail.  We made our last stop in Yakima to gas up and collect stranglers before heading to the trail.

This is the first run I’ve had the opportunity to take with the NW Overland Society.  The crew included: Craig (leader of the NW Overland Society), Andy (our trip leader), Todd & Scott up from PDX, Dan, the other Scott, Dave, Joe & Daria as well as Isaac visiting from New York. Blue Lake is near the Rim Rock area, a high mountain desert around 6,700 ft. above sea-level where the days are hot, dry and windy followed by nights in which the mercury plummets, even in August.

dashboard hula doll ukuleleBecause of… lets just call it a lot of friendship renewal time, our start on the trail was a bit late.  But that meant we had the opportunity to do a little nighttime driving which is one of my favorite activities.  Even before the sunset, visibility was at a minimum from all the rigs kicking up a thick layer of fine Eastern Washington dust into the air.  The trail in was easy enough even in the dark and before you knew it we were at the lake pitching camp. land rovers roof top tents camping

By the time I tossed out my sleeping bag and bivy sack, many in the crew were putting the finishing touches on their roof top Shangri-Las.  Plush, easy to pitch and high on cool factor, roof top tents represent the ultimate roughing it easy of over-landing.  I got to look into getting me one.

practicing wilderness first aid head injuryCold nights mean one thing to friends on the trail… fire side BS.  Although I’d never run with this crew before, they have to be some of the best guys around… welcoming me into the group as if I’d been running with them for years.  We were all up until way past late laughing, telling stories and having a great time by the fire trying to stay warm.

Of course the morning came crashing in hard as the sun hit my bivy sack…  I guess those roof top tents come with blackout curtains since they didn’t pile out for another couple of hours. That day Andy showed us the proper techniques for dealing with cuts, bruises, dehydration, broken bones and bleeders.  But more importantly Andy worked with us to understand the choices we would be making as leaders in these situations. wilderness first aid wrist splint

No one wants to stop a trip halfway because of an injury, have a person ride out the rest of the trip in pain or sit by their friend and hold his hand as they pass but accidents happen.  As the group leader we may have to make the hard decisions.  And while you can never be fully prepared, Andy provided us with the tools we may need to hopefully make the right choice when the time comes.

land rover driving dusty 4x4 trailDiscussing blood and guts all day can be a stop sign to a good time, but with the sun going down and another fireside session the crew was back to laughing until all the wood in camp was gone.  This is definitely the way to remind yourself why you take the risks of going out to the middle of nowhere. The last day found the crew packing up after breakfast which came sometime around noon…  did I mention those roof top tents fold up as fast as they pitch. looking out over valley and mountain

Ok, all first aid and no wheeling makes Jack a cranky boy.  This crew was made up of folks of all different wheeling levels so we talked a little about the trails choices that would allow everyone to challenge themselves a bit without over doing it for anyone. We took a couple of 4×4 trails out to some amazing vistas.

Jeep wrangler climbing 4x4 trailThe trail provided good practice helping some learn about their rig’s capability and the proper line choice as well as giving others the chance to choose the more difficult lines.  At the top we were rewarded with panoramic views of the cascades and rim rock in all their glory.  Up there… if you couldn’t hear God talking to you…  you weren’t listening. Dan’s rig is the Land Rover Defender 90 series, outfitted for going just about anywhere.

defender 90 backing down 4x4 trailHanding me the keys and letting drive was a chance of a life time.  This is the rig that the English explored the world from, or as close as you’re going to get these days and driving it was everything you’d expect.  It is British…  Utilitarian and full of personality…  Sure there are quirks about Land Rovers you need to accept, but if you want to experience the ultimate exploring rig, just climbing behind the wheel and driving the dusty fire roads will put you in the right state of mind… Many of us explore the remote trails looking to find places visited by only a few and to share a camaraderie with those who make the journey with us.  land rover discovery 4x4 hill climb

Although this adventure was primarily for training, I hope the bonds of friendship that were formed can remain in place until I have the chance to meet up with this crew again on the next run. One of the books Andy recommended that everyone carry is the “Mountaineering First Aid: A Guide to Accident Response and First Aid Care “. You may want to pick up a copy before your next adventure.

Bonus Pictures from the run on flicker… there are a lot… just click through to see them all in a slide show on our off-road adventure flickr account.

voodoo blue fj cruiser mountain view

An Off-Road Adventure Down Memory Lane

voodoo blue toyota fj cruiser mount hood logging roadsGrowing up in Portland OR, my formative high school days as well as my heavy drinking college years were spent chasing one thing…  Ok maybe two things but the one I’ll write about was the chance to go out, explore off-road, getting lost on the logging roads above Estacada OR.

I would drive my old Baja bug, held together with spit and bailing wire, looking for out of the way places to fish and camp.  In those days, and we won’t do the math to figure out tree blocking two track 4x4 trailjust how long ago that was, the creeks were filled with little 6″ native Cut Throat trout and the gravel roads shook under the traffic of the big logging truck.

Recently I had the chance to chase those elusive logging roads to their end once again.  This time however the FJ Cruiser gave me much more off-road confidence to go beyond the gravel and venture onto the two tracks…  sometimes down the no tracks… just the hint of a trail that lead to views seen by only a few others and maybe not seen for years.

I was off the map…  I was exploring what was around the bend, over the hill and what just might be next…  Driving those old roads (now mostly abandoned by the logging companies) provided a sense of peace and solitude for Hula Betty and I, that seems to be more and more difficult to achieve in a life connected by email, cell phones and text messages 24×7.wild mountain daisy

The years change things…  not for good or bad, just change.  The rustic state camp grounds I knew now take reservations and the scarred mountain sides were once again green with the promise of a new crop of lumber.  The logging trucks don’t thunder down the mountain and the mills have closed leaving ghost towns in their wake.  But the mountains still stand tall in all their majesty as the sun sets on them.fj cruiser meadow mount willson

The saying is “you can never go home”…  and you really don’t want too…  but every once in a while it is good to take a look and see the changes.  Who knows, you might find a little bit of your past and a lot of your future out there on an off-road adventure down memory lane.

And if you have the chance, drive up the Clackamas River, past Ripple Brooke Ranger Station and turn left off into the woods.

young man getting into black fj cruiser

Off-Road Trail Bonus

Remember the Lady’s Off-Road Adventure?  I know you do… it was the previous post… While the women grabbed the spotlight, one of the moms got a surprise when she looked back and it was her son in the drivers seat of another 4WD rig coming up the trail.  And Mother like son, he did a great job…  but probably aged a little when the FJ Cruiser looked more like the space shuttle pointed to the moon than a truck driving on a off-road adventure.

And you can see how a good trail boss can walk you out of anything…  Nice job Jacob sticking with it and working through a though off-road obstacle.

FJ cruisers tahuya picture collage

Silly Boys Off-Road Adventures Are For Girls

fj cruiser women 4x4 trail driversWho ever said off-road adventures were for guys never met the women of the Northwest…

If you hang out on any one of a dozen FJC forums you probably ran across MrsCheweys post that started the whole thing :

Hey, are there any of you who love to ride in the rig while the boys drive off-road, but always wanted to kick them out and take the wheel?? I know I have (every time I get in the car with Chewey). So here is our chance, Wayne has agreed to lead a fun run in Tahuya for the ladies. Now boys, I know many of you would rather get a door ding then let your rig go on a run without you, so your are welcome to come along and ride in the passenger seat, THE LADIES GET TO DRIVE ON THIS RUN!!!!

The idea was simple enough, the women who normally occupied the co-pilots seat with their significant other would trade places and take the FJ reins for their own off-road adventure.  The guys would be supportive and ride along.  The women definitely lived up to their end of the deal…blonde woman driving FJ Cruiser

Wayne was set as the trail boss for this run. An experienced leader as well as search and rescue training, Wayne performed his roll on the trail with all the patients of a Buddhist monk in the attainment of Zen.  At the trail head, the guys got the rigs ready, airing down and a few last minute checks, while Wayne held a drivers meeting explaining to all the women some of the basic functions of their rig, describing the trails we’d be running and covering how he would spot them through obstetrical.  Heading into the forest, with Wayne in front, Hula Betty and I next on camera duty and Cassidy as tail gunner, the ladies pulled in line as we hit the trail.women smiling and sticking tongue out

The off-road trails at Tahuya are perfect for learning,  lots of stuff to learn on.  The hills, ruts, bumps and tight squeezes are perfect for getting the feel of the rig, its capabilities and finding where the rig’s corners are.    At each obstacle, Wayne would drive through, run back to explain the line and than spot each driver through. And as expected within no time the rookie drivers  got the hang of it.

men huggingThe real growth can from the passenger seat… at the first break there were a lot of comments like

  • “I had my hands over my eyes most of the time”
  • “Can someone let my husband ride with them, he just won’t shut up”
  • “How did I agree to this”
  • “Someone needs a hug”

But by the time lunch was over the guys were cheering as they watched their significant other take their FJC’s through snakey off camber turns or pick their own lines up the steep rutted hills.  But don’t think it was all that boring for the guys…  One high-center episode in the water allowed the guys to get out the rubber boots and winch in order to unwedge the rig and get it back on track.spotter black fj cruiser tahuya trail

Although Hula Betty never took the wheel, after all she is stuck to the dash, this was by far one of the best runs in a long time. Getting an opportunity to help others learn to enjoy wheeling and meet new friends, put a little more spring in Hula Betty’s wiggle as we cruised through the trails of Tahuya Forest.

The really great thing about this run, was watching as these women helped breakdown the stereotype that off-road adventure driving is a guy thing.  Hopefully before long, a posting for a “Lady’s Run” wont be necessary and guys will be asking if my daughter will let them drive her rig for a change.

Bonus pics on Flickr off-road adventure… just because.

the slab 4x4 trails

4×4 Adventure On “The Slab”

the slab hills 4x4 trailsLet me start by squelching the rumors that I’ve got an IFS dark cloud circling over head…  But more on that later…

A while back Jerry over on the Pacific NW Backroad Adventures Forum announced an off-road adventure out to “The Slab” in central Washington.  The Slab, named for the little cement pad that serves as the gathering place, is an open sagebrush filled area just northwest of Zillah, Washington.  It is a wide open area full of two tracks, hill climbs and sunshine which sounded like heaven in the middle of a wet, western Washington spring.

If you’re going explore the dirt you’re going to have to cover a lot of concrete getting there. To get to The Slab the drive took us over the Snoqualmie Pass as the sun was coming up just past O’dark thirty. Crossing over the pass the 20 degree, tree lined, snow capped mountains were soon replaced by sunny dry rolling hills, scrub, fence lines and wide open highway, not a bad start.  Rolling through the Yakima Valley and on into Zillah I soon met up with the crew that I would be running with.  Strewn around Micky D’s were 4x4s sporting Ford, Toyota and Subaru badges telling the tale of those inside.  This group is focused on wheeling, not the wheels your driving and everyone is welcome to come along even a voodoo FJ Cruiser.snoqualmie pass snow highway

Our leader, and generally great guy, Jerry gave us a quick run down of what to expect on the slab; rolling hills, steep hills, and one call Rollover Hill along with a place aptly named flex canyon guaranteed to pit driving skills against rock, bent metal and broken glass.  Driving through the apple orchards, we soon arrived at the concrete pad to gather up and air down.

eastern washington fence lineIn no time the rigs were set as we mounted up for Jerry to lead us into the hills with a brief stop to peak at flex canyon.  This is a great place to work on driving skills.  Winding through “telephone line” you get plenty of off camber experience and a chance to measure the width of your rig by squeezing it past sage brush branches which appear to reach out for your rig in an attempt to apply pinstripes as you go by.

Approaching the down side of steep hills can be a bit unnerving as you loose sight of the ground below with only the hills on the other side of the valley appearing over the hood.  However these vistas are quickly replaced as gravity grabs the nose of your rig and pulls it down the incline giving you a clear view of where the incline rejoins level ground some 50 feet beyond.  Of course coming up offers a similar experience as you approach the  crest viewing nothing but blue sky and glaring sun until the rig levels out on top.  These are tiny moments where you just have to have faith.toyota fj cruiser ARB bull bar the slabs

Soon a voice came over the CB announcing several guys from the All Wheelers Club had arrived and would soon join up with us.  These guy rolled in sporting rigs clearly built for the hard core stuff and we followed them back to Flex Canyon, where they put their skills to the test.  Big tires, high lifts and lots of flex, these guys made easy work of it.

Now back to that dark cloud thing…  As you recall from our 4×4 adventure in the dunes, day 1 turned into axle field repair, and on this run, one of the Subaru among us gave up not one but two IFS axle shafts.  This time however, he was equipped with all the spare parts, tools and a through knowledge of axle repair in order to have the Subaru back together just as everyone finished lunch.broken subaru half shafts

Not quite ready to leave yet, the whole crew poked around the hills a little more and before long we were looking up at Rollover Hill.  The 100 plus foot climb is steep and requires speed to conquer but just as you approach the upper area there is a bump forcing you to slow, followed by a stretch of traction-less gravel.  The hill gets its name from the rigs that fail to make through the final gravel section and have to back down, only to get kitty wompus with gravity taking hold and testing its roll cage.

4x4 susuki jeeps subaruTrue as the day is long,  the fact is that “it is not the rig, its the driver”.  Phil first looked up the incline, walked to its top, surveyed  the change in terrain, calculated his changes and put together his plan.  Phill’s rig is a capable Ford Explore, but no giant lift, mud slinging tires or locking differentials, just a man who knows how to drive what he brung.  And we all watch as he headed up one of the more difficult routes making his way over the bump and clawing through the gravel leaving a cloud of dust as crested the top and made the sharp turn. After seeing who easy Phil made it look a number of us thought about taking a turn but never after 3:00 p.m. and you shouldn’t really climb hills for 30 minutes after eating…

Bonus pictures at our Flickr off-road adventure account

The Slab is not a big area but with all the trails winding back around on themselves and cutting back and forth we spent a full day wheeling and enjoying the company making new friends as well as connect once more with some old one.  If you ever get the chance join a trip put on by Pacific NW Backroad Adventures…  I promise you wont be disappointed.

florence sand dunes

Day 2 Tonight We Bowl

fj cruiser ocean beachThe last off-road drive on the dunes was scheduled to go into the wee hours running a jeep trail known as 430 route from Horsfall up to Spinreel.  One of the coolest sights is a long line of FJCs driving down the road like pretty maids all in a row.  The trail for Horsfall is south of where we were all staying just off highway 101.  Driving to the trail took us through 35 miles of twisty highway dotted with sleepy little one beach towns.  Each town brought the speed down to 35 mph and as the parade of FJCs passed, town folks would stare and point at us as if the prom queen were ridding by in the back of a caddy.

The day was sunny and bright, the night…  rainy, windy and dark.  Sitting in the staging area we contemplated the dilemma before us.  The locals told us the trail run should take 3 hours. The Forest Service web site shows the dune area open until midnight.  The signs in the staging area says, “Gates Close At 10:00 p.m.”.  The clock in the rig reads 8:15 p.m.

The map showed three exits along the trail and we decided we would pull off at the closest exit when Micky’s big hand pointed to the nine and his little hand pointed to the six (that’s 9:30 if you are doing the metric conversion).  We now had a plan and hit the trail.  Last night I lead the group with all the lights on turning the night into day.  Tonight I ran tail gunners with only the factory headlights as a courtesy to everyone ahead.  The trail is wide, carving its way north through the trees which line the dunes and contain the endless miles of sand.  With windshield wipers on we proceeded and marched in.

When you hear a trail is filled with one foot woopty doos you often picture motocross or desert race courses where rigs glide over as there suspension beats up and down maintaining the speed of a cheetah tearing through the African Savannas.  In reality what you get is a slow train of rigs pointing their nose into the air than back down into the dirt than back into the air and so on and so on like the rhythm of a defective pace maker.  After 10 minutes of watching the lights of the rigs ahead bounce off the tree tops followed by lighting up the dirt we knew why the locals said the run takes 3 hours.  It is good to run lots of different types of trails, that way you know what you like and what you don’t.  The chatter over the CB gave a resounding thumbs down to the ever present woopty doos that stretched across the trail as we all climbed and descended the gentle tree lined hills.

toyota fj cruiser sand dunesBut as the saying goes, you dance with the one who brung ya, and we were determined to make the second exit before the gates locked us in.  It didn’t help that the factory Illumination failed to provide us much depth of field in all the rain, leaving us to wonder if the woopty doos ahead were getting smaller or bigger.  You just knew there were more ahead.

As 9:30 p.m. approached, the sign for the second of the three exits appeared.  The parade of rigs veered to the right and aimed back to the tarmac in order to air up and cruise back north on 101 to Florence.  With rain now on full drenching, we drove the 35 miles north from whence we came and after 45 minutes including a short stop to see one of the few working light houses around, we were saying our good byes over the CB as the group peeled off to their camp sites.  We hoped their tents were on high ground as we contemplated a hot shower, soft bed and HBO.

Bonus Pictures

The wet night run left little room for photo opps, so we thought we would put up a truck load of off-road adventure pictures at flickr off-road adventure that we captured from the previous two day runs. Some you’ve seen, some are new.

fj cruisers ocean beach lineup

Day 2 Morning In The Dunes

safty dave fj cruiserOk, let me start by putting this out there…  While most of the club is camping out by the dunes enjoying the great outdoors, I’m ruffing it in the local Holiday Inn.  And sure I gave up the pit toilet, leaky air mattresses and wet tent for running water, hot showers and sleeping on a soft bed.  Instead of cooking over a Coleman stove I’m  dining our in restaurants.  But somehow I did manage to get get by.

silver fj cruiser fording waterIt’s suppose to rain on the Oregon coast in spring…  Just nobody told the high pressure system that is keeping the sun shining this morning.  This morning we gathered at the Goose Pasture staging area to spend the day running the South Jetty to Siltcoos dunes area.  On the way down I had stopped at Metal Tech to say hi and before leaving, Mark boxed up some cool swag which made for some great door prizes and set a positive tone for run.

fj cruisers in a row on sand dune trailIf you have never been off-road here, the trip is a must.  There is sand stretched out as far as you can see, dotted with little quads that look like ants crawling in the sand.  We learned form last nights hill fiasco and had aired down to 15 psi before we ever hit the dunes.  Now we were riding high on the soft stuff cruising up and down the hills.

I enjoy running as the tail gunner watching everyone play ahead.  This run was no different. With Jeff in the lead we weaved our way all over the sand stopping on top of the dunes to take in the sites and ensure everyone’s’ rig was performing as expected.  And although many of the rigs are sporting a truck load of mods, the stock FJC in the group was easily keeping up…  go figure, Toyota built it pretty well from the start.

fj cruisers on florence sand dunesMy co-pilot for this off-road adventure is an old college buddy, Kevin and while not nearly as excited by wheeling as I am has made this a trip to remember.  Much of what makes wheeling fun isn’t tackling ungodly obstacles or forging raging torrents, although that certainly helps, its the chance to spend time with old friends and meet new ones.  Rolling over the dunes Kevin and I caught up on everything from kids to world politics and still had time to listen to a Jimmy Buffet tune or two.

silver fj cruiser water crossingWe had anticipated lunch would have everyone stuck in their rig keeping out of the rain.  What we experienced in a sunshiny little fresh water oasis was the comradeship of the club, chatting, sharing stories of other runs, planning new runs and telling each other how we got into this sport.  We also confirmed there were more girl friends ridding shot gun than wives…  But than again after 20 some years of marriage you learn what is a dating ritual and what is the post wedding reality…  Wouldn’t trade it for the world, Hun…  Really!

The drive over the dunes had taken us from the northern end all the way south and now we dropped down onto the beach to parallel the Pacific as we shot north to meet Brian.  Brian had taken his rig up to Metal Tech where Mark completed axle repairs on the field dressing we performed the day before.  Loosing only half a day’s run, Brain was back as some of the club swung around to head back into the dunes for a few more hours of fun in the dunes.

No one broke anything, no one got hurt and everyone had fun…  Day 2, a very good day.  Tonight we bowl!

fj cruiser sitting in sand dunes

Day 1 On The Dunes

dark clouds florence sand dunesThe first run on the Florence Oregon Dunes early in the morning brought out the sun…  or at least less clouds and no rain.  After meeting up with the NWFJCC club and airing down, we headed out into the Umpqua Dune area.  This area is marked by wide open sand, along with the biggest dunes of the three OHV areas.

We zigged, we zagged, we played around, going up and down the hills, stopping to watch the other rigs.  Going over the sand we all learned the little tricks.  For instance, staying out of the tracks and driving over the virgin sand allowed you to float and keep your speed rather than chugging in the tracks of others.

Soft sand we could drive over…  how much trouble could this be.  Well let me tell you.  The sand looks flat.  Its not!  Woopty doos appear out of no where, sand that has shifted leaving a drop off where a gentle roll once was, and hills that seem to grow taller and steeper as you run up them.jacking up fj cruiser in sand dunes

It was than we heard over the CB, “We just caught air, and crashed”.  As the group regathered to make sure everyone was ok, we found driver and passenger to be fine but after a two point face plant, the rig had its A/C cooler and radiator pushed back a little, with the fender now rubbing against the door.

Some real trail carnage, but no fluids leaking and everything on the rig was still working just fine…  That could have been so much worse…  everyone counted their blessings and we where back to wheeling.

Carnage never seems to travel alone and as we gathered up on the next hill, the group discovered Karma can be a cruel mistress.  From the font of one of the rigs climbing up a small hill in soft sand came a very loud BANG.

checking fj cruiser axle damageIf you ever look at an IFS and see goo leaking out of a twisted boot, you know that is not a good thing.  But just how bad it was we still needed to figure out.  Broken axles mean you’re in for a field repair.  Like Apollo 13 engineers, everyone gathered to figure out what we had to work with?

  • Spare Axel = zero, nada, none (mine won’t fit other rigs so it doesn’t count)
  • Tools = Fair amount
  • Hi-lift jack = several
  • Healthy attitudes and a willingness to pull together and help out…  everyonegreesy broken fj cruiser front half shaft

Ok…  We can work with this.  First thing, call MARK AT METAL TECH and get his advice…  Thank God for cell phones.

Step one was to get the wheel off the ground and pull (cut, hack, generally tear) the boot off to discover where the shaft was broken and determine how we could remove to two pieces.  With the hi-lift, we easily got the rig up in the air.  A couple of spare tires became our makeshift jack stands.  In no time the wheel was off and the carnage exposed.  Those with weak stomachs may not want to watch.broken cv birfield

Surprisingly the axle was still in one piece but the inner cage of the birfeild (CV to non-Toyota guys) was in pieces, changing our axle extraction ideas.  Another life line call to Mark to discuss a new plan for removing a whole axle with what was on-hand.

After pulling all the metal bits and ball bearings out of the outer CV joint we had a good view of what was still in tack and we could move the axle back and forth giving us some room to play.  The field service was going to involve removing the bolts on the lower control arm that attaches it to the wheel housing so we could swing it out of the way and slide the axle, tri-ball and birfield star out, leaving the housings on both end cups still attached to the rig.broken half shaft removed

Now just to bolt everything left back into place, throw the wheel back on and jack the rig back down off the spare wheels and the rig was good to go.  2 hours (or so) start to finish and the rig was 2WD now but driving under its own power, steering and stopping just as it should.  Everyone drove the 20 miles back to camp under their own power.

front axle field repairWhile no one wants to see this happen, wheeling anywhere off-road comes with risks and everyone in the group now knows the value of carrying spare parts along with the needed tools to make field repairs.

Just maybe Karma is not the bitch we thought she was.

And if all this excitement wasn’t enough…  All of us, minus one rig with a missing axle, ran another section of the dunes and beach six hours later in the dark.  This run let everyone show off their lights and I swear the light house guy shed a tear when we turned our roof top off road lights on.  yellow willow budsThe night run also gave us the sand all to ourselves for a mostly uneventful time…  Of course there was a little butt pucker moment when crossing a creek and I found out just how fast my font end can plunge three feet under water and come back up for air.  Then just to rub a little salt in the wound, on that last dune out, it took me way too many times to make it up hill off the beach.  If fact eventually, I had to air way down with the ocean tide lapping at the wheels in order to climb the hill and get back onto the trail.

Would we do it again… You bet…  and in fact…  Tomorrow we will.

map and compass

Finding Your Way

You may have noticed a new tab up top that links to our off-road adventure map page. Maps are invaluable on the trail and in planning your off-road trip. How do you get to the trail head.  Where are the closest roads if you have to hike out or if medical attention is required and you need to cut your adventure short? Where are good camping locations when your covering multiple days? Where are your water or fuel stops? Where does that trail spur reconnect with the main trail…  Where the hell am I?

Don’t under estimate the value of a good map. Good maps are important and can save your life.

There are truck loads of free resources out there but don’t forget you get what you pay for. In planning our off-road adventures we use lots of  resources including road Atlas and Gazetteers as well as BLM, Green trails and National Geographic TOPO maps.

If nothing else, maps let you dream about and plan your next off-road adventure on those late nights when you’re stuck at work.

Go to our Map Page for down loadable maps we’ve found handy in planning some our off-road adventures.

4 siberian husky sled dogs in harness

Boys Night Out

snow covered meadowThe sun began to dip below the tree line as we came over the last hill into Government Meadows at 4800-ft elevation, where the Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Naches trail. Way back when off-road was all there was, the Naches trail saw wagon trains searching for a pass through the Cascades.  After working our way up hill for the last 11 miles, the meadow was a welcome site and meant we had reached our goal for the night.

In mid February the Naches trail is closed to off-road vehicles so the boys (Tundra, Glacier, Chinook and Juneau) and I left the rig behind at the snow park.  We hooked up the sled, filled it with a few essentials and headed out to see how the landscape is transform in the winter months. The day was beautiful with the sun warming our faces as we worked our way through the woods. Occasionally the winter silence was broken by the snow machines as they went by us making the hill climbs seem so easy. Always as they passed by, they would slow, wave and make sure we were ok. Every once in a while one would stop and snap a photo… I guess they don’t see a lot of sled dog teams in these parts.

government meadow ulrich cabin snowFor the boys, Government Meadows meant their work was done. It also meant it was time for me to start working; getting them feed, watered and bedded down for the night. After taking care of them, I still needed to unload the sled and get the my gear inside the cabin.  And the light was fading fast.

In the 90’s, a couple of very courageous and ambitious souls built a cabin known as “Camp Mike Urich” that looks out over Government Meadows. Despite the lack of support from the forest service or other government agency these guys found funding, permits, and a couple of swinging hammers to erect a wood floor, tin roof log cabin with a loft and a few small windows. I wouldn’t call the cabin spartan, but the furnishings consist of two long bench on either side of the room and a big old wood stove in the back. But as the mercury began to fall, the cabin was dry and it felt as comfortable as any room at the Four Seasons as I stood there out of the wind and blowing snow.

Inside the cabin, I unpacked my tea kettle and searched for matches as my breath hung in the cold air. Mountain travelers know how fickle the weather can be and generously share what they can with others. A previous visitor had taken the time to cut and split a pile of wood for those who would come after. In no time I had a fire going and the cabin began to thaw. Although a fire feels good, lifts your weary spirits and lights the darkness, it won’t boil water anytime soon. For that, I brought the little camp stove capable of more blast furnace rolling boil than dainty sauce simmering. In no time the water in the little tea kettle was a boil. Drop in a little bouillon cube and before long I’m sipping chicken broth followed by a little green tea, all the while my glasses are fogged-over with steam.

two lead sled dogs in harness siberian huskyCold winter nights are quiet, some times scary quiet, at least until the wind starts howling through the trees. But up in the solitude of the cabin loft, tucked inside my sleeping bag I enjoyed a few hands of Texas Holdem on my iPhone, warm, dry and extremely grateful for this oasis. By 8:00 p.m. I had run the virtual poker table, the fire was out and it was lights out.

I always worry about the boys and think they are warn out. The morning check -in found them barking and straining on the picket line ready to go. And even though I told them we would be leaving soon, their vocal desire to get started had me hustling to pack up and hit the trail.

2 red siberian husky sled dogs in harnessElven miles up hill means eleven mile down hill. The ride down the mountain matched the thrill of any Six Flags roller coaster. What took nearly eight hours on the way in. The ride out was over in less than two with me holding onto the sled with both hand and slamming on the break with my feet. The boys can fly when gravity is working in their favor.

Winter in the North West is spectacular but short. Before long the Naches trail will be open to off-road vehicles. Maybe there is a summer trail run to the cabin in our future.  Got the maps (Naches Lower West, Naches West, Naches East) and we could always go up and stack a little wood for the next guy.