Casual trip with workmates, bogged bigtime like an idiot!

Submitted: Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 11:00

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Nudlaug

Just a little anecdote of a casual trip with workmates that turned ugly!

Boys weekend away, almost everyone playing golf except me and another guy who decide to go for a little drive with a new Pajero NP. All of a sudden we find this nice grassy area downhill and back up on the other side. Lookes like fun to me so I take a left turn and head down that right turning slope which was slightly leaning to the left and a bit muddy and wet as I discovered when the Pajero started sliding downwards. A bit of correcting action with the steering wheel, feeling like Colin McRae, no worries, back on track and we are all the way down. Soon afterwards I discover that the track is a no through track and we have to turn back. Still pretty confident we come back to the same section we were sliding down just a few minutes ago, Pajero in 4WD high and up we go. At least 2 meters anyway, thats when all the traction is lost and we are stuck. No problem, put it in reverse, back down again, put the thing in low range, and try again. By that time I realize that due to a bend and hole at the bottom of the track that I will not be able to use any speed to attack the hill since the Pajero bottoms out at anything more than 5 km/h. So I try to use as much speed as possible, climb up the hill and...... nearly make it, but not quite, about 3 meters short. So I start sliding down again and since the track was pretty much torn up by now, getting very slippery and leaning to the right now travelling back up I feel the Pajero drifting towards the right. I was able to correct a bit but still ended up at the bottom of the track, 90 degrees turned, the front facing a nice drop with bushes and nowhere to go. Traction zero, any movement brought me closer to the edge. It looked pretty grim actually since the track was that slippery that no other 4WD would have been of any help since it would have gotten stuck too. I either needed a tank, caterpillar, a second 4WD with 60m snatch strap or...... a winch!!! Quick look in the back of the Pajero, straps...yep, shackles....yep, tree trunk protector.....yep, big log 3m from the Pajero to connect a winch....yep, winch.......bugger, no winch. Stupid me, driving like Colin McRae at tracks that I should not, and no decent recovery gear! At the same time a farmer rocks up looking really impressed since apparently I was stuck on his private property. That's just great. Thank god he was actually a nice guy, trying to help me free the Pajero. He said that he can't bring his tractor to pull me out because he reckons the tractor won't make it up the hill either, excellent. He then went home to get this tiny little emergency hand winch and guess what, it did the job beautifully. That little winch pulled the Pajero back on the track, then he showed me a different way out of that little valley.

Made a real fool out of myself with a Pajero on private property and got rescued by a handwinch that's more suited for pushbikes than for 2.5 tonne Pajero's! What more do I have to say! I will buy a decent winch in a few days and I learned a good lesson regarding private properties and wet, muddy, slippery tracks!

(Chains on the tyres might have also worked, not sure about that, maybe I should buy some and go there again to see if I get up that hill? Just kidding!)

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Reply By: petprass - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 13:12

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 13:12

I hate stories like this - brings back horrible memories that I thought I got over. Oh well back to the couch with that man asking - "but why do you want to do it?"

AnswerID: 39511

Reply By: Members - Andrew & Jen - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 13:14

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 13:14

Melbourne Cup weekend I thought that I would go for a drive along the shores of Lake Eildon from near Mansfield. Track was pretty dry apart from a few puddles and washaways that I could easily drive through. Drove though on largish water filled hole and the car bottomed out. Had to suck up to some guys to snatch me out with their gear. Did I feel a real Wally.

Have been frequently reminded of what a Wally I am. Didn't matter that it was my Birthday. Even yesterday my three year old asked, "Why did you get bogged Dad?"

One benefit has been that my beautiful (really very gorgeous actually) second half agrees that I need a winch. A winch and about 800 metre winch extension strap would have got me out no worries.

Andrew2001 Landcruiser 100S Turbo Diesel
"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing"

AnswerID: 39512

Follow Up By: John - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:09

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:09

Boy this thread makes me feel good.
If you all look at my post No 8408 of the 9th November 2003 you will see why I feel good. (I at least had a good bit of recovery gear to get in the water for me)

Moral of the story is it is real easy to get yourself in the bleep and if you don't have the right gear you are in real trouble.

Just laugh and go spend some more money on recovery gear.

Regards
John

FollowupID: 257197

Follow Up By: Members - Andrew & Jen - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:35

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:35

LOL. I dunno that I could afford the sort of recovery gear that you have managed to procure. It reminds me of the old joke, about sex, which I will modify somewhat (at risk of being sexist here). "What sort of food stops 'recovery gear' from operating. Wedding cake.

Of course, this is not personal experience - I read it somewhere!!

Andrew2001 Landcruiser 100S Turbo Diesel
"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing"

FollowupID: 257199

Follow Up By: John - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:51

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:51

Hi Andrew
Did you actually drive over those logs in your members picture, where was that photo taken ?

I think I would have prefered to drive through the creek less risk of falling of those logs.

John

FollowupID: 257200

Follow Up By: Members - Andrew & Jen - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:57

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:57

It was at Nolan's Brook in Cape York, just south of the Jardine River on the OTL. Don't tell anyone, but I drove through the river and then around to the bridge, propped my front wheels on the logs, then ran across and took the photo. Then backed off and continued my journey.
Thats just a secret between you and me right??
Andrew2001 Landcruiser 100S Turbo Diesel
"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing"

FollowupID: 257203

Follow Up By: Member Colin - NSW Bungendore - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 23:15

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 23:15

I have seen that log bridge in your Rig page in a Video a friend had. The video was all about 'the boys' towing a full sized van up to the Cape and back. They actually went across, really crazy as the risk of losing the vehicle and van were very high!Subaru Forester
"size isn't everything"

FollowupID: 257237

Follow Up By: Members - Andrew & Jen - Saturday, Dec 06, 2003 at 09:21

Saturday, Dec 06, 2003 at 09:21

When we were up the Cape, I emailed that photo back to friends and quite a few thought that we must have crossed the bridge. I reckon they must think I am an idiot - I guess I am but not enough to drive across their and wreck my car and injure ourselves!2001 Landcruiser 100S Turbo Diesel
"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing"

FollowupID: 257242

Reply By: cokeaddict - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:45

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:45

Ahhh yes John,
I remember yours very well indeed mate, Had a great laugh over it too. I guess so far i been lucky but im sure my time will come one day. Speaking of which.... I'd better get down to da shop and get mea hand winch i think cause i aint got no wood to touch here. happy hooning all...I love it when you talk DIRTY !

AnswerID: 39517

Follow Up By: John - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:56

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 14:56

Hi Cokeaddict
I have bought me a Magnum hand winch since that episode, I am now trying to train my extra peice of recovery gear to use it.
If she wants to get in the water I may as well get her to crank the handle also. Share the load so to speak.
You know how much effort flicking the switch on the warn takes, it would be unrealistic for me to have to use the hand winch as well.

john

FollowupID: 257202

Follow Up By: cokeaddict - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 15:08

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 15:08

Goes without saying John,
Its totally unreasonable for others to think that we (the owner of 4b's) are expected to do all the bloody work. Fair crack of the whip mate.

Oh and by the way, do you have another a spare "trained one" that i can borrow for handy jobs around the house ? Could come in very handy indeed mate. How do you find the hand winch? Used it yet? Let me know when you can ....cheers AngeloI love it when you talk DIRTY !

FollowupID: 257206

Reply By: Big Red - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 15:55

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 15:55

It brings you back to reality eh.

AnswerID: 39520

Reply By: Member Colin - NSW Bungendore - Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 23:29

Friday, Dec 05, 2003 at 23:29

My worst bog was in a work situation in '97. We (2 blokes) were based at Marble Bar and on our 2nd day in the 'bush' got bogged to the 'eyeballs'. We had been warned to keep a 'reasonable' distance from rock outcrops after rain as the runoff makes the soil soft. We kept a 'reasonable' distance but not far enough. The 'troopy' had a winch but they are useless without anything to attach to! The only thing solid was rocks. We eventually got out by jacking with a high lift jack sitting on the spare, shovelling and winching on the repositioned huge rocks so they were unmoveable. Took about 5 hours to get out.
Another point about winches - dont try and winch at an angle - we ripped the side rollers off the winch. I think the winch was a Warn - big bugger on a government troopy.Subaru Forester
"size isn't everything"

AnswerID: 39550

Reply By: stevesub - Saturday, Dec 06, 2003 at 13:34

Saturday, Dec 06, 2003 at 13:34

Couple of weeks ago coming back from a fishing trip on the Sunshine coast, nice day. etc travelling down the Bruce Highway with the boat on behind. Now there is this track in the Beerbureem forest that runs parallel with the highway. Done it a couple of times and is easy - EXCEPT for a certain mud hole. Looks fine, you can walk over the dried mud but lurking beneath the surface is evil, black sticky deep mud waiting to swallow a 4wd. We have always avoided the hole and gone via the side track but this day on the way home. low and behold, a Pajeo stuck to the tops of the tyres - bugger. Sucked in you may say

Looked like the occupants were looking for some sticks, rocks, etc as there was no sign at all of recovery gear. Could have been a long day for them.

We could not help as we were on the Freeway with a boat behind and could not get to them directly from the Freeway and as we would have to travel about 5km off road with the boat from the next off ramp to get to him. The boat and trailer are not up to off roading, been there done that and just about wrecked everything - another Bugger for the Pajero.

Wondering how they got on. The real bugger is EVERYONE on the freeway would have seen them stuck.

My son got the Troopy real stuck in another mud hole next to an on-ramp a few KM's from this guy a few months ago, took us 2 hours of digging and hand winching to get the Troopy out but at least we had all our recovery gear, small hand winch and a spade, like it always lives in the truck.

AnswerID: 39554

Reply By: troy - Saturday, Dec 06, 2003 at 18:34

Saturday, Dec 06, 2003 at 18:34

Be there done that
WHAT TO DO IT AGAIN
At the time your not impressed to say the least but a week later you can laugh heartedly about it

AnswerID: 39572

Reply By: Brian - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2003 at 07:51

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2003 at 07:51

Oh the memories...... and this story goes back some twenty years to when I was first courting my lovely bride. In those days I didn't own a vehicle of my own and relied on my company van for transport, in this case a HJ Holden panel van. On a Saturday night following about 3 days of torrential rain, we decided to go parking (as you do) on a vacant lot on a new estate somewhere in Baulkham Hills, Sydney. Getting onto the lot was easy but I felt the wheels sinking and immediately turned around and headed back to the road. This is where the "Stoopid" aspect comes in.... I thought it wasn't that bad... so turned back in the way we just came out.. y'know how it is when you're looking for a little privacy!!! This time the wheels sunk straight to the axles!! We were standing in the rain trying to figure what to do when a guy who lived down the hill drove over and offered to tow us out. We tied a tow rope to the van and to his tow bar, but his Ford sedan was no match for that mud!!!!! So he left us saying he would ring a tow truck. Waiting for the towie to arrive took forever, and during that "forever" we noticed that the van was slipping sideways in the soft mud, towards a small, for the want of a better word, cliff. I couldn't really see in the gloom how far down it was but was kinda convinced it went a long way. By now the van had slipped about 4-5 feet towards the drop-off and the things that were going through my mind were driving me crazy... my girlfriend was just 17.... how would I explain this to her father??? If we lost the van, how would I explain this to my boss??? The van was halfway to the edge when the towie arrived... a rather helpful chap who stayed in his cabin and barked instructions at me via his c.b pa system as to where to hook the chains etc, then dragged my van and about a half tonne of mud out onto the road... wrote me a bill for $60 and complained that I didn't pack his chains up properly. We were both covered in mud, were about 4 hours past my girls curfew... we snuck into a caravan park nearby and "broke" into the shower block to clean up as best we could and concocted a VERY tall story for her folks...... luckily they gave us the benefit of the doubt. We went back there a wek later and during daylight and that cliff was very real!!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Brian

AnswerID: 39717