Today we decided to go to our property in the country and shoot a little. My daughter was ready to move up to a higher caliber rifle, so I was pretty happy. In my haste to get ready, I forgot to pack my tow strap in Missy’s Jeep.
Well, it hasn’t rained in a week, so the property was starting to dry up. Last time I went out there we had standing water, so it was easy to drive on. The water kept the tires clean. This time we had a soupy mix that was almost like glue and concrete. We decided to drive to the back of the property and check it out. Here is the result of that attempt. The tires became saturated with this Louisiana glue mud and we were done. Couldn’t even rock it at all.
So, I started looking for something to drag her out with. By now, I am pissed off at myself for forgetting my tow strap and trying to figure out how to ask my father-in-law to bring me one without sounding like a dumbass for not remembering it. Then I got a bright idea. PARA-CORD!!!!
We carry para-cord in each get home bag. Each para-cord bracelet we have has around 15 feet of 550 pound para-cord. Damn, I only had one!
Let’s at least try
(before ya’ll say anything, yes, I tried to use the front end loader. It would have bent her bumper and I would have ended up on the couch tonight. I also dug as much mud as possible from under the tires. It ain’t my first rodeo) I backed up as close as possible and wrapped it as many times as I could. She put it in Neutral and I was actually able to move it about a foot and break the glue suction that was holding us in before it snapped. I am confident that if I had packed two or three of the bracelets in her get home bag that I could have actually pulled her all the way out. But after breaking the suction, I was able to rock it until it was free.
Note to self: NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A TOW STRAP AND PACK MORE PARA-CORD! Also, Get better mud tires when these wear out.
It took me and Missy about three hours to clean the Jeep.
All in all a good day!
so did you sleep on the couch that night? 🙂
LOL
always the optimist Paul.
Good find on the strength of para-cord Bulldog. Got a 1000ft roll back in the fall. Good stuff. I hope I never need it for that.
I have tons of paracord it is awesome. I learned a lesson today though. Bring everything all the time. My harbor frieght strap would have left the jeep less muddy.
Everything is a training event. 🙂
That was today Paul!! I am the one that got stuck, and even in 4 low, the jeepwas not moving. Usually in 4 wheel drive I can drive to the back of the property, but this mud was seriously like cement. Any way it was fun, I love mud, that is why I bought the jeep!! Steve is going to have to fix the ruts now with the tractor. 🙂
Missy. Call me dumb please. I earned it. haha.
Glad you got out. 🙂 Use to deal with that kind of mud at my ex-inlaw’s place.
We love ya Paul!!! You are not dumb!! No he’s not on the couch tonight, we have a king size bed, I have no clue if he’s in the bed anyway!!! I am a edge sleeper!!
“I am a edge sleeper!!”:-) wife is a flip flopper and I snore. You can guess what we did about that. 🙂
That is funny!! Let me guess seperate rooms? My dad and his wife are in seperate rooms, she said it sounds like he is sawing wood when he snores!! 🙂
hahaha we are oposite in our sleeping requirements anyway. I like it pitch black and very quiet, and she goes to sleep (when she can) with the t.v. going on hgtv.
LOL
Hey Angel you do hgtv for sleep too?
I like pitch black as well. Cant stand light when trying to sleep.
@ Paul-No TV allowed in the bedroom, only the living room. 😉 Have been known to fall asleep on the couch watching old movies though. LOL
That’s some serious mud! Glad you got out.
Missy, you should have made Bulldog clean your jeep as punishment for forgetting the tow strap. 😆 😉 j/k It would have taken him 6 hours, but at least he wouldn’t have had to sleep on the sofa tonight!
I’m totally kidding. You guys are a great team.
Hey!!! 🙂
Just kidding.
I actually had to clean the big mud by myself. It was worse than the pictures. We are a good team, but she wins. As it should be.
Deb, the mud was so bad, it was like this huge vacuum. But amen we got out!! My dad would of laughed for years if we would of called him!! I love our property, but man it makes mad, every winter it just stays so wet. We have a guy coming out to turtle back it with a GPS, so once he does that it will be liveable and I am out of this damn city. I have been looking at property for sale already established, but I am like hell no, we have raw land, we will make it work. Period. This will be a working farm, one day, even if it kills us!! 🙂 there are blackberries growing everywhere out there, I can’t wait until harvest, blackberry jelly!!!!
I hear ya Missy. Never give dad the last laugh! haha
My husband is (or was and will be again soon) in excavation and building lots, roads etc He has dealt with drainage issues, water lines, sewer lines, you name it. I will ask him about this tomorrow when I talk to him. There may be a solution for building the land up a bit. I’m thinking of a drainage area, but I’m not an expert as he is.
I’ve got some wild raspberry plants on my property and it’s a gold mine here too for making jelly. I would do the same if I were in your situation. Make it work, come hell or high water.
Have a great night, I’m off to catch some z”s
Bulldog,
Me and hubby use to go 4 wheeling back in the day, and the best way we found to deal with the caked on mud was the pressure washer.
We keep the tow strap in the back of the truck during the winter months. My daughter drove into a snowbank a couple of winters ago, and it was a life saver. Nothing got her out, sand, shovels, etc. But that tow strap was fantastic. I’ll have to look into the para-cord. Where did you buy it?
I don’t know if this would have worked in your situation, but I heard kitty litter can gain you some traction. Perhaps keeping a bag in the back of the jeep?
I was stationed at Polk when I met Missy. I used to take her 4wheeling all the time. She actually lost a really good pair of her shoes in the mud at Polk when we got deep in the mud one weekend. I still hear about it. 25 years later.
I am usually over prepared for any event, but I screwed up today. But it does prove that if you think through a situation you can prevail without outside help.
As far as para cord, anywhere online. A spool is best, but we have a ton of the para cord bracelets.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Thanks Bulldog, I’m going to look up and buy some para-cord to keep in the truck.
You didn’t screw up, it’s just a test to see how you can deal on your own. Lesson learned right?
My husband and I have been together for 27 years, sounds like you two are very close to our age. The shoes stuck in the mud sounds like a funny story to tell the future grand kids. 🙂 We may gripe about the little things, but it’s those little things that bring us closer.
Have a great night Steve. As I just told Missy, I’m off to catch some z’s.
Be well.
Deb,can buy parachord online,paid about 30 bucks for a 1000′ spool,have about 600′ as gave some to friends and family.Visit hedgehog leatherworks site,host on site Paul has many great videos on bracelets but more important to me was ways to manage it in packs ect. and not have it get all snarled up and be ready to use whatever the situation dictates,many videos there also on different uses for temp shelter rigging/snares ect.check it out when ya’s get a chance.
@ Missy & Bulldog
Try these Tires, I run them in 33″x11 on a heavy 3/4 ton diesel and have yet to get stuck once with them.
(I live up a 23% Dirt Road in the Idaho Mountains)
http://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/fierce-attitude-mt
What’s mud?
Wait…I think we had some of that stuff for a day or two a few weeks back, if I recall.
Good one, Bulldog! 😆
Think mudslides #1. I once drilled wells in Montana and we had dirt out there they called “Montana Gumbo” that stuck to everything it touched. The grooves in your tires would fill and all you could do was spin.
that is what happened to us. The tires wouldn’t clean when turning due to the glue mud and we had basically slicks at that point. We had some really good mud tires, but they were tough when she drove on the interstate. Also, if you miss one rotation, they start wearing terrible. We got these all terrains and until this incident have been great. After these wear out, I am going to try to get her a small lift and a slightly bigger, wider tire and a winch.
Check this out Bulldog
Not sure how you would retro this to your jeep though. I suppose it could be done with a little ingenuity.
http://www.boreme.com/posting.php?id=28504#.Uy7tU_mQyc0
That looks like the same clay I have here. Once you’re stuck in that stuff just start walking.