Am I just a wussy baby man, or was I smart (or at least cautious?)

[biodiesel]

As long as you have cellular service, then you will be fine. I live in northern New Mexico in which we have a lot of areas in the backcountry without any cell phone service. There's a big difference between being stranded without connection to the outside world vs having the ability to make phone calls and notify people of your whereabouts and nature of difficulties.

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[JAsh1967]

So stopped in at the Jeep shop I mentioned and asked the guy about the trail and my jeep...

He basically said "yeah, you'll be fine, it's nothing crazy"

So might go take a drive later today

As for cell service, so far I've not run into very many places up here that don't have service, so I think that'll be ok, too.

 

[BUZZHEAD]

So stopped in at the Jeep shop I mentioned and asked the guy about the trail and my jeep...

He basically said "yeah, you'll be fine, it's nothing crazy"

So might go take a drive later today

As for cell service, so far I've not run into very many places up here that don't have service, so I think that'll be ok, too.

If you were close by I would go with you.
I kinda miss DETROIT ,what a blast in the 90s
If you get over this way ,I am in NORTHWEST INDIANA 30 miles or so from the MI. state line.Hit me up
In the late 70s I would walk the trails prior to 4 wheelin.
I didnt like to get stuck.

 

[Janster]

Never go offroad alone..... always have another vehicle with you.

And honesty? This has nothing to do with the jeep, its capabilities, or your driving skills

It's more about the 'remote-ness' .... if something happens........(for example) - A tree falls on you, you get bit or attacked by an animal, you trip and fall - break a leg, arm... are knocked unconscious.... Whatever... anything can happen.

Then, of course..... if something happens to your Jeep and you can't drive out.

Play smart....

 

[bd100]

So skid plates, bigger / A/T tires, that sort of thing, well, that eats into my payload... :-(

Doesn't have to be all that much. The shock and control arm skids are small. An aluminum engine skid isn't too bad and protects some important stuff. The vehicles already comes with a few other basic skids as well. You only really need the hitch skid if you will be coming off ledges. AT tires can be the same size as your existing tires, although if they are AT tread then the tread will be a few inches wider even at the same official size, compared to the highway tires. They add a little weight but a lot of strength. Good stuff.

 

[pbrevo64]

When you took the 101 at Holly Oaks, was it at 4Fest? If it was, was your lead or tail a white JT Rubicon? If so that was me. I am glad to see you wanting to get back out there!

Regarding your original question, as many others have said it is best practice to not wheel alone. Can your Jeep make it down that trail? Most likely, yes. You have the recovery gear, but the second half is making sure you know how to use it and self recover. If you do decide to go, give someone your plans and a rough time you expect to be back by. Being a holiday weekend, you will probably see others on the trail, which is a nice safety net, but it is still best to go with another vehicle.

My best advice is to join a local Jeep club, and meet some like minded people. In the metro Detroit area there are several clubs, go to an event or two of each and learn which group meets your needs, find some wheeling buddies and hit the trails.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

You're a wussy baby man

JK, caution is always good, but honestly, there's nothing in the LP any stock Jeep (Wrangler/JT) can't easily handle. Even rutted out sections usually have a bypass.

If you have a doubt, just turn around.

Use OnX, it's pretty invaluable.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Never go offroad alone..... always have another vehicle with you.

And honesty? This has nothing to do with the jeep, its capabilities, or your driving skills

It's more about the 'remote-ness' .... if something happens........(for example) - A tree falls on you, you get bit or attacked by an animal, you trip and fall - break a leg, arm... are knocked unconscious.... Whatever... anything can happen.

Then, of course..... if something happens to your Jeep and you can't drive out.

Play smart....

All of those potentials exist on my 40 acres, guess I should never be home alone? The majority of fatal accidents occur at home, and yet everyone's afraid to go outside? Be prepared for a vehicle failure, be prepared to shelter in the vehicle for a few days if need be, be prepared to walk out, but why be afraid to go outside?

 

[JAsh1967]

It's more about the 'remote-ness' .... if something happens........(for example) - A tree falls on you, you get bit or attacked by an animal, you trip and fall - break a leg, arm... are knocked unconscious.... Whatever... anything can happen.

Then, of course..... if something happens to your Jeep and you can't drive out.

While a wild animal attack is the least of my worries (this is lower Michigan, so maybe a bobcat,) your comment about myself getting injured was a very, very solid point (having broken a wrist on what was a normal bicycle ride a couple years ago, anything can happen.) I may, later this week, still give the trail a try, but certainly not the whole thing, just in case.

Now I'm thinking of giving it a go when the wife and I come up here again for Labor Day weekend.

When you took the 101 at Holly Oaks, was it at 4Fest? If it was, was your lead or tail a white JT Rubicon? If so that was me. I am glad to see you wanting to get back out there!

Depends on which 4Fest at Holly Oaks. Last year the wife was driving and I was passengering, I *think* the group leader was a blue JK, not sure about anyone else.

 

[Gvsukids]

So skid plates, bigger / A/T tires,

Jeep comes very well protected and I drove a year on the stock sport a/t tires.

 

[Banned]

it is likely you are a wuss, because you sided with Cobra.
YOOOOOO JOE!

Is that Joe Biden?

 

[GladLad]

When you took the 101 at Holly Oaks, was it at 4Fest? If it was, was your lead or tail a white JT Rubicon? If so that was me. I am glad to see you wanting to get back out there!

My best advice is to join a local Jeep club, and meet some like minded people. In the metro Detroit area there are several clubs, go to an event or two of each and learn which group meets your needs, find some wheeling buddies and hit the trails.

Depends on which 4Fest at Holly Oaks. Last year the wife was driving and I was passengering, I *think* the group leader was a blue JK, not sure about anyone else.

Hey fellow Metro-Detroiters, let's ride some time so we don't have to die from snake bites while going solo! Plus, I don't have a winch (yet), so it's good to have a savior.

@pbrevo64 , do you belong to any of the clubs? I should probably do that and find more opps to wheel.

 

[bd100]

let's ride some time so we don't have to die from snake bites while going solo!

There is a cool kind of snake bit kit which is a vacuum plunger. You press it in to load the spring, hold it against your skin, trip the release, and it springs outward with suction, sticking to your skin and holding the suction for minutes. Your skin makes a small dome under the nozzle from the suction.

Search for "Sawyer Extractor" for an example.

Edit: Looks like there is some debate about whether these things actually help.

 

[antwon412]

You’re being a wuss (since you asked)

2 out of 10? Thats basically a paved road.

 

[Janster]

All of those potentials exist on my 40 acres, guess I should never be home alone? The majority of fatal accidents occur at home, and yet everyone's afraid to go outside? Be prepared for a vehicle failure, be prepared to shelter in the vehicle for a few days if need be, be prepared to walk out, but why be afraid to go outside?

That wasn’t the point ….I was specifically talking about venturing out in the wilderness by yourself. Venturing on non public trails, etc. Offroad parks won’t even let you go out by yourself.

It’s always been ‘a rule of thumb’ - kinda like ‘Tread Lightly’
Or did all that go by the wayside over the years?

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