How has the shift into retirement affected your ExplorOzing ?

Hi Crusier

Actually that was an interesting rescue and we had to think about it a bit, in the white car I knew instantly that it was going down and stopped very early but still the passenger side rear axle was on the sand with that rear wheel just over the edge.

No where to winch from really either , maybe we could have found a small bush over the hill to the right but it would have been a hard pull in the very soft sand, but we decided otherwise(Well also the kids were very anxious to rescue Dad even if he could have got out himself).

So over came the grey patrol with its huge 37's but it soon also began to sink and as you can see, slid towards the white car.

Eventually we positioned the grey car to pull the white car from the driver rear at a 45 degree angle to the track , mainly because it had little traction also, and could just give little tugs.
The white car was also very close to the edge at the front as well , so close that if pulled straight back its front may have gone over the edge.
So we actually turned the steering to full left lock. At first this would seem wrong as with left lock the rear of the car would have gone over the edge.

However by using left lock combined with the backwards/rightside tugs the car came back and its front moved to the right, so the combined forces pulled both ends away from the track edge at the same time.

It only had to move a meter and all would be ok.

I figured if we had kicked in the front locker then the resistance to the car rolling backwards caused by 2 locked wheels may not have brought the front of the car back to track centre.

Surprisingly the sand was so soft I couldn't even drive back up that hill from standing start after the rescue , but the car with 37's did just, on its second go, and only after backing up 1 extra car length.

At first the photo looks as though you're at the sand hill going up to Salt Creek form Tea Tree Crossing SA until I noticed the number plates.

That section of terrain in the photo is very similar with the trucks going off the sides. Have done a few recoveries in that same situation only resorting to snatching back down, the sides of trucks are not a pretty sight afterwards, a great lesson for novice drivers though.

Enjoy your retirement, stay fit and healthy for many 4x4 fun to come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Photo's up near the border track Cruiser !

Good stuff John , never been to Arnhem land , hope you write it up after the trip , or at least remember a few good stories for the coffee club - don't forget mild exaggeration will be ok !

Gday
Sounds like it Ken.....

Gee I hope it wasn't your coffee arm you broke else you may be in serious trouble espically if those grand kids pull on it a bit Muz.

"Rejoycement" I like that word Michael , but I'm not sure I like its application to a 2 month trip - To me that means a van of some type and while it will probably happen one day I'm holding out to aviod towing anything at all costs - but as you and Mal said "life wasn't mean to be spent towing".

"Where were your Max Trax? " , Gee I can't remember Des - must be time to fully retire.

I'm sure I had them somewhere , but I think thats the one and only aid I have never used in anger.

It sounds like you have got your thoughts in gear and planning ahead and I certainly find that planning is a great part of the adventure, and I at least, am still uncomfortable with just going anywhere without an objective.

Robin, When I left work, I made a very conscious decision to lave that part of my time behind me and only occasionally catch up with the guys on a social basis.
Too many people don't plan their life after work and all too many lose their health far too early.
Getting fitter and keeping fit is an important part of our lives now so we hope to keep on enjoying things for many years to come.
The objectives don't need to be too hard. Just getting out there and being a rubber neck is just as important.

Exactly my sentiments too Des, it doesn't take much to get a little fitter after retirement if you set a bit of time aside for it early in your new life. Too many just stop everything and the next thing their health is gone.

Cheers
Graham

No John, but when you come to the coffee club I'll swap your stories for a few tit bits about the Collins class project !

Good to see that it has increased Pop , somehow in seems to me that when released from work we don't all of a sudden have 40 hrs each week to get out, some of the time just seems to dissappear.

Well Howard you have the best byline "Resigned to Retirement" so keep up the good work , good to see "mother " will be freer as well soon. That seems to be an issue that I and some others have as well.
Still it doesn't stop us from playing at the farms , its raining down here , so I'm about to be off - wil chuck in a second set of chains though as I will be on my own.

Hope you can make it to a coffee club session.

Thanks Beatit , a bit like you I often do things like not optimum tyre pressures or wrong gears as experiments which helps you no your limits.
Just an hour ago I made the car slide on wet bitumen and noted how the 1/2 worn tyres didn't have the grip I expected and ABS didn't help - so getting forwarned as our first real wet period in months is taking hold in victoria.

Like Howard above and you the other half doesn't yet have as much free time which I suspect will be both good and bad , we also have a dog which is getting old and needs maintenance , so I suspect it will be another year before we are free to roam more for longer.

I don't know how it is to be lazy like axle is yet , every trip I do still seems to have a time table to it .

I gather though that after 4 years deadlines mean less for you , so hoping one day you will be able to stretch yours to make the coffee club.

Yes, the coffee club is on the bucket list (sounds a little sad as one would think the list should be limited to just grandiose items) as I look forward to catching up one day!

A bit of a slow response on my part so my apologies.

Kind regards