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Special Interest > 4x4 and RV

Bogged on New Year's Eve

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Dick Pasfield:
Young fella wanted to try his luck and Jeep on a more challenging track than the ones close to town that get a fair bit of wear.  One in particular was on his mind that we’d not been to for a few years.  It was late in the season but with December being dry it seemed a reasonable idea, as long as he took another vehicle.  It seemed more appealing than household chores so I became the second vehicle.  We loaded up the dogs, missus, sons and girlfriend and headed off yesterday morning.





The standard recovery gear was thrown in the back and once we got off the tar I handed the wheel over to No 1 son whist No 2 had the Jeep.  I made the point and made sure that one vehicle always needed to  remain on solid ground whilst the other tackled the trickiness.

The track is only about 15ks but two hours in length with numerous water crossings (and the odd bit of pink tape.*Fitz must have been down there*).  Destination was one of the better waterholes around the place dropping down out of the Carr Boyd Ranges.
The track is reasonable for about half its length, but much of it is just rock compressed into a road by the weight of the odd 4WD. The bash plates, diffs etc all get a bit of a hammering depending on how well you can pick your line. There plenty of evidence of old tracks running parallel to the latest one that have picked up the flow of rain across the country and diverted it becoming a creek.  Sometimes you can note the impacts of that with veg on the downhill side missing out on the flow of water (apart from the erosion scars of the old track)   












 

The last kilometre starts to narrow in as you enter the gorge, rock turns to sand and the water table is at the surface.  This is where you earn your pay if you don’t want a long walk.  The drivers plotted their course with a bit of leg work up ahead to scout the alternatives and we got in unscathed.











The place tuned it on and we had an excellent couple of hours swimming, eating and lounging about in the heat of the day. A snatch strap was rigged up as a swing and dog took to tree climbing. The odd lure was cast as you get the occasional barra up there but there was no big effort made.




















We packed up about 3.00pm (sunset at 6.00pm here) and started to head back.  That’s when it turned to poo!

No 1 son in the lead vehicle decided to straddle a wheel rut but took the downhill side, problem was the creek was on that side and too close.  We ended up off the edge and hung up on big lumps of tussock.  At that exact same time No 2 son decides without notice to take a more adventurous route behind us and found himself hung up on his belly plate.  Both drivers simultaneously got out of their vehicles, looked to the other for assistance and realised that we’d gone from knee deep to neck deep in poo in a couple of seconds, a long way from home, no other vehicles and only limited light left. 
 
We decided the Prado having most of its wheels on secure ground would be the first to free.  We hooked up a couple of snatch straps to the hand winch and handy tree, tensioned it all up and dug out underneath the vehicle and tried to drive forward.  After about 90 minutes and a couple of goes we had that one free. Most of the digging was done standing waist deep in the creek, the rear tyre only a few inches from sliding in. 















The Jeep we had discovered had no real good tow point on the front so after turning the Prado around we negotiated a way back around to the rear (nearly got buried again in the process) and pulled it out from that direction.  Now both vehicles were on the wrong side of about 50 metres of chopped up track but with minds now switched on that was much easier than the first attempt.
We got back well after dark happy to be home not still out there. A few lessons learnt and no real damage done so it was all good.











Sweetwater:
An awesome day out & some lessons for the lads. I swear I haven't been there so the pink tape can't be mine  ;D

As always, stunning scenery pictures Dick. Does Dog have any limits?

Cheers,

fitz..

A Marshall:
Nothing like a good bogging to bring the family together, always lots of fun. Nice story & photos once again Dick. Happy New Year.

Cheers Andrew

Binder:
Well there you go, I didn't think anyone would try and use a jeep for anything but soccer trips and school runs!

My sons skateboard has more clearance!

Dick Pasfield:
G'day Fitz, dog didn't go for a swing....something about having no opposing thumb for grip ;D

Andrew, happy New Year to you as well :thumbsup

Binder, you learn something new every day. Glad to be of assistance :P ;D 

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