First Lessons Learned
- Thread starter 4x4_gump.619
- Start date
Not my biggest one, but first pretty large lesson I remember is during my first time running the Mojave road. It was in the first few miles and I was driving down the power line access road at a reasonable speed (40-45) when I came over the crest of a small mound and saw the washout right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and ended up hitting the wash out at probably 30 mph. It ended up bottoming out my front suspension, sending the front about a foot into the air, then bottoming out the rear before the front slammed back down. Convinced I had broken something I got out to check, and to my surprise, no damage was done.
Lessons learned:
While driving at speed is not necessarily a bad thing, if you don't know the road and can't see over a crest, slow down, washouts often forth between crests
Regardless how good your tires are, panic stopping distance on dirt is pathetic
Internal cargo should be strapped down
If well maintained, a rig can take more abuse then I previously thought (I am in now way endorsing beating on rigs, in fact the opposite. Exercise mechanical sympathy normally so your rig can take accidental abuse)
Getting air is kinda fun
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That's awesome nothing broke! You definitely bring up a good point... Thank you!
There's nothing more important than making good decisions. That'll keep you out of all kinds of bad situations.
Being new, I'm trying to gain perspective on what might have been a bad decision that those who are more experienced didn't know their first couple times out.
Can you share a good decision you learned to make and have continued? Thank you!
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Member III
1: Never go alone or without the gear you need to recover yourself by yourself. A buddy of mine and I wound up on the frame rails in a wet weather spring once and had to hike a couple miles back and flag down someone to come tug us out or give us a ride back to the house.
2: Double, triple, quadruple check your spare tires and verify that your jack will lift the vehicle off the ground and that you have a lug wrench you are able to get the lug nuts off with. Same buddy, different rig, blowout, limp off the trail and knock on a farm house door at dusk to borrow a four way and bottle jack.
3: Never wheel with "questionable" brakes. Different buddy, different rig. Had to blow out the windshield and wreck an a-pillar because we were on a hill climb and the brakes wouldn't hold the truck on the incline. It was that or abandon ship and let the truck land where it wanted.
These are lessons learned in my teens and just the first three that came to mind. I'm sure I can think of a few more this evening...
2: Double, triple, quadruple check your spare tires and verify that your jack will lift the vehicle off the ground and that you have a lug wrench you are able to get the lug nuts off with. Same buddy, different rig, blowout, limp off the trail and knock on a farm house door at dusk to borrow a four way and bottle jack.
3: Never wheel with "questionable" brakes. Different buddy, different rig. Had to blow out the windshield and wreck an a-pillar because we were on a hill climb and the brakes wouldn't hold the truck on the incline. It was that or abandon ship and let the truck land where it wanted.
These are lessons learned in my teens and just the first three that came to mind. I'm sure I can think of a few more this evening...
Keep paper maps in your vehicle. GPS is great, but only when the technology works or has power. I ended up on a trail without a paper map and I was relying solely on my GPS, but my charger hadn't been charging my phone and it eventually ran out of juice leaving me more or less blind to where I was. Luckily I was able to use the sun to get my bearings and work out how to get out to a main road, but from that point on I always made sure to have a paper map in my truck. Even if there are no maps available for a given area, I typically will print off some screen shots from Hema Maps cloud so that I have have some sort of backup.
Since you're from Utah, I recommend getting this atlas. It doesn't have everything in it, but it's a great resource:
BLM has PDF maps available for download too:
https://www.blm.gov/maps
I also carry a spare charger in my truck now, just in case.
Since you're from Utah, I recommend getting this atlas. It doesn't have everything in it, but it's a great resource:
BLM has PDF maps available for download too:
https://www.blm.gov/maps
I also carry a spare charger in my truck now, just in case.
Influencer II
Having a place to escape to when the bugs are bad or it's raining can turn a crappy day or 2 into some fun.
We bought a big screen tent after the first trip or 2 in the bush. It's nice to hang out in if needed.
We still go play in the rain or right after a rain but having the big screen tent to be able to dry things out or hang out and stay dry is pretty handy.
Even just hanging out and drinking your coffee in the screen tent and enjoying nature while it's pounding down rain is still more fun than NOT being there.
We bought a big screen tent after the first trip or 2 in the bush. It's nice to hang out in if needed.
We still go play in the rain or right after a rain but having the big screen tent to be able to dry things out or hang out and stay dry is pretty handy.
Even just hanging out and drinking your coffee in the screen tent and enjoying nature while it's pounding down rain is still more fun than NOT being there.
This could be applied to all of the above, but I use/maintain a trip checklist and/or inventory. I have inventories in all of my camping boxes, so I know at a glance what's in each at all times. I'm actually planning on doing the same for my rig this weekend, since I've added quite a few items.
This makes packing much easier, and it reduces the likelihood that you'll forget anything...
This is a lesson you learn quick when you set up camp and realize you forgot the gas attachment for the coleman stove...
This makes packing much easier, and it reduces the likelihood that you'll forget anything...
This is a lesson you learn quick when you set up camp and realize you forgot the gas attachment for the coleman stove...
Benefactor
Know when to back out.
I was on a trail at Hollister Hills SVRA that had not been used or maintained in a while. The further in I got, the more overgrown the surrounding trees became. I get to a point where there was a switch back and I decided to make a turn around at that point because everywhere else was barely wide enough for the truck to pass through. I got 90* turned around and had to back up over the ledge of the switchback when I heard the distinct sound of carnage at the front end. A cv had blown and I wasn't about to get out and look as I was looking at a 15' drop in front of me to another trail. Both feet were on the brakes hard. If the truck went over, there was a good chance it would have flipped onto the roof when it landed. I made a call over the radio to my buddies who already backed out, but didn't say that's what they were doing.
Of the three other vehicles, only 1 was a D2 (the other 2 were newer LR3's and didn't want to risk pinstriping) and he backed down the trail towards me. He pulled my winchline out, connected it his rear bumper and I slowly winched in, pulling the front end around and kept the tires on the trail. Once fully turned around it was time to address the carnage. A quick removal of the front driveshaft and I was able to slowly drive out (with the CDL locked) the trail. I did see my shovel on the ground heading out, which was mounted on the side of the roof rack with a couple Quick Fists. The overgrowth was so dense it got ripped off, but I never heard that happen.
We get to a campsite and do a double check to make sure nothing else is wrong, and I drive a little faster after we hit the main trail. Then drove a little faster once we hit pavement. All the way to the highway I was waiting for something else to give up, but the truck made the hour long drive back home without incident.
Lessons learned that day:
Even if a trail isn't closed with a gate, be wary if you're in a highly active park but it looks like no one has been down a path for years.
Don't expect an easy spot to turn around further down the trail. If it's too hairy (for whatever reason) just back out the way you came in.
I was on a trail at Hollister Hills SVRA that had not been used or maintained in a while. The further in I got, the more overgrown the surrounding trees became. I get to a point where there was a switch back and I decided to make a turn around at that point because everywhere else was barely wide enough for the truck to pass through. I got 90* turned around and had to back up over the ledge of the switchback when I heard the distinct sound of carnage at the front end. A cv had blown and I wasn't about to get out and look as I was looking at a 15' drop in front of me to another trail. Both feet were on the brakes hard. If the truck went over, there was a good chance it would have flipped onto the roof when it landed. I made a call over the radio to my buddies who already backed out, but didn't say that's what they were doing.
Of the three other vehicles, only 1 was a D2 (the other 2 were newer LR3's and didn't want to risk pinstriping) and he backed down the trail towards me. He pulled my winchline out, connected it his rear bumper and I slowly winched in, pulling the front end around and kept the tires on the trail. Once fully turned around it was time to address the carnage. A quick removal of the front driveshaft and I was able to slowly drive out (with the CDL locked) the trail. I did see my shovel on the ground heading out, which was mounted on the side of the roof rack with a couple Quick Fists. The overgrowth was so dense it got ripped off, but I never heard that happen.
We get to a campsite and do a double check to make sure nothing else is wrong, and I drive a little faster after we hit the main trail. Then drove a little faster once we hit pavement. All the way to the highway I was waiting for something else to give up, but the truck made the hour long drive back home without incident.
Lessons learned that day:
Even if a trail isn't closed with a gate, be wary if you're in a highly active park but it looks like no one has been down a path for years.
Don't expect an easy spot to turn around further down the trail. If it's too hairy (for whatever reason) just back out the way you came in.
Influencer II
I think your lesson learned that day may have been to not trust those buddies.
Glad you made it out alright.
Tell people where you are going. Even if you aren't going solo.
Don't rush
If you make a mistake take a time out, figure out the situation and execute a plan. The plan might be as simple as turning around. It might be as complex as need a rescue.
Watch others. They may or may not being doing things right.
Know your limits. They can vary day by day.
Don't rush
If you make a mistake take a time out, figure out the situation and execute a plan. The plan might be as simple as turning around. It might be as complex as need a rescue.
Watch others. They may or may not being doing things right.
Know your limits. They can vary day by day.
Member II
Not my first lesson, BUT some I remember... First aid kit for the situation, personal bag(dry clothes, food, fire, shelter, if you don't have to use it that's even better), weather radio. The list goes on each trip, Ron
Lots of good advice. Long time backpacker, less than 2 years overlanding. Finding that a lot of backpacking lessons learned translate. For overlanding:
- first aid kit and know how to use it
- extraction gear and know how to use it
- know your vehicle and make the call on what tools, parts, fluids to bring
- bring a saw, shovel, axe
- bring extra fuel, water, food, clothing
- go someplace interesting, do cool things, eat good food.
- first aid kit and know how to use it
- extraction gear and know how to use it
- know your vehicle and make the call on what tools, parts, fluids to bring
- bring a saw, shovel, axe
- bring extra fuel, water, food, clothing
- go someplace interesting, do cool things, eat good food.
Off-Road Ranger I
My first lesson was, "Don't over estimate your abilities." It was sage advice from a mentor the first time I was the driver during an off road adventure.
Advocate III
Not something that I had learned overlanding, but still pertains to the subject: Bring enough food/water to last you one or two days longer than you plan to be out there. My hunting camp is only accessible by boat and its about a 30 minute ride from the landing. One weekend, the fuel line sprung a leak going into the carb and lit the motor on fire when I was trying to start it. A good amount of wires got burned up in the fire so it took the better part of the evening to get it wired up again. Luckily, someone had left a bag of rice in the camp so I had something to eat that night.
Long story short, pack food and water like you expect something to go wrong and you end up having to stay an extra night!
Long story short, pack food and water like you expect something to go wrong and you end up having to stay an extra night!
