Accidental mudding adventure

[nabeshin]

Went out on a drive, been nice here the last few days and all the snow has melted from the roads. Normally the gravel roads can handle it, but last year there was epic flooding around here and then a gravel shortage over the summer. Anyway, the roads have little to no gravel and have all turned into muck. I probably didn't think it through enough.

Didn't get any action shots, but lets just say I had to put it into 4-low lock to get out. I had to turn around and then go uphill to get away from the area. The legends of this particular truck never getting stuck have proven true.

Took about 45 minutes to hose off all the mud.

Moreover, do they sell larger fender liners for these things? I want extra coverage. On the plus side, my custom mudflaps have worked well.

Right rear:

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Front left:

You must be registered for see images attach

Front left:

You must be registered for see images attach

Left rear: (there was already a rust hold through the bed behind all this mud)

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Goldie Driver]

My only play was deliberate, but nothing that intense. No one around, so fear of getting stuck - and stranded - kept it mild.

4wd seemed to work though !

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[mtnmankev]

I saw the pix you posted, and after what I drive through after a storm here, that amount of mud on a truck is nothing.
Sure, we get SUPER SLICK mud, which is what you probably encountered, and it's certainly no fun.
But at least you started out with a gravel road, I have nothing but dirt and deep mud and zero maintenance.
I have had to pressure wash a six inch thick layer of mud from the underside of my truck many times, and when one has to haul their water in, it sucks big time to clean up a truck.
Moral to the story: the positives of living remote and off the grid are not always more appealing than enjoying decent roads.
MUD SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is our main road, after a week of nice sunny weather drying it out, and it's still bad to drive on.
I was forced to buy tire chains for my 4x4 pickup this winter just to guarantee I could get out and in.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Goldie Driver]

I saw the pix you posted, and after what I drive through after a storm here, that amount of mud on a truck is nothing.
Sure, we get SUPER SLICK mud, which is what you probably encountered, and it's certainly no fun.
But at least you started out with a gravel road, I have nothing but dirt and deep mud and zero maintenance.
I have had to pressure wash a six inch thick layer of mud from the underside of my truck many times, and when one has to haul their water in, it sucks big time to clean up a truck.
Moral to the story: the positives of living remote and off the grid are not always more appealing than enjoying decent roads.
MUD SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is our main road, after a week of nice sunny weather drying it out, and it's still bad to drive on.
I was forced to buy tire chains for my 4x4 pickup this winter just to guarantee I could get out and in.

You must be registered for see images attach

Looks like fun to me !

But, not if you have to do it daily to get to and from the house.

That would get old.

Slick mud on a flat road with no ditches on the side is fun, too.



I like mud - rocks suck, and trees that you can slide up against while mudding ain't so hot, either.

 

[mtnmankev]

I have to deal with five miles of this crap to get to a paved road to do my 120 mile round trip to the city to shop.
Fortunately, I don't have to go to work, but a friend who stays on my property did, and he left DEEP ruts in the road where I used to have it fairly smooth.
When I was younger, mud was fun, to a point.
Now, it's not.
You are welcome to my share of the mud if you want it, I will take a gravel road instead.

 

[nabeshin]

I saw the pix you posted, and after what I drive through after a storm here, that amount of mud on a truck is nothing.
Sure, we get SUPER SLICK mud, which is what you probably encountered, and it's certainly no fun.
But at least you started out with a gravel road, I have nothing but dirt and deep mud and zero maintenance.
I have had to pressure wash a six inch thick layer of mud from the underside of my truck many times, and when one has to haul their water in, it sucks big time to clean up a truck.
Moral to the story: the positives of living remote and off the grid are not always more appealing than enjoying decent roads.
MUD SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is our main road, after a week of nice sunny weather drying it out, and it's still bad to drive on.
I was forced to buy tire chains for my 4x4 pickup this winter just to guarantee I could get out and in.

It was super slick mud, with ruts as well, it had started to get hairy before I almost got stuck.

A few times I was sent following the crown of the road towards the ditch. This was up in the sand hills so there were some areas with just a slope off down the large hill, would have rolled me. But I was able to slow and nudge it back on top. other places had deep ruts that sent me on a wild ride side to side. I'm just glad the axles stayed attached. I need new bushings...

After deciding to turning around, and trying to get up the hill, I had to stop to put it into 4 low lock. Then the wheels basically had to keep spinning to make any ground. Despite all my work to the engine's cooling system, it was creeping up in temp and I could smell how hot it was. Once I was cruising back at 40, it went down right away.


About living off grid, there is quite a bit of romanticism to that way of life. Always wanted to move to Alaska to do that. I plan on making my property here in country more self-sufficient with solar and a large vegetable garden.

 

[mtnmankev]

You got lucky dealing with the mud ...... it can be treacherous, ask me how I know.
Often, my truck loses control on the roads here and goes sideways no matter what gear I am in, how fast or slow I am going, and no matter how much I pay attention.
I say it's like trying to walk across a paved parking lot covered with ball bearings.

Living off the grid isn't for everybody, it does have many positives, but the negatives make for a hard way to live.
I hope you are young and in good shape, you will need those assets to survive.
Learn as much as you possibly can before making that leap, it will lessen the steep learning curve you WILL experience.
And if anybody tries to tell you that off grid living is cheap or easy, tell them they are full of crap because it isn't either one.
Good luck to you !!

 

[DoubleDingo]

@mtnmankev We have stayed in Williams a few times at the Grand Canyon KOA during our travels. The first two times the ground was nice and solid. We stayed there a couple weeks ago and got to experience a tiny portion of what you mention. Because of the recent snow melt and probably some rain too, I never knew the mud there was so slimy and sticky. And that was just the KOA, not any backroad. We really like the Williams area, and yesterday I did some research on the area, and discovered the water issues. Not quality, but quantity. Having to drill down 3,000 feet for the town's water is insane. That must be why water has to be hauled in by yourself or have it hauled in by someone else, because no homeowner can afford to drill a personal well down that deep.

 

[mtnmankev]

@DoubleDingo The water in my neighborhood is 900+ feet down, and then only a trickle.
Not enough to water a tomato plant, if you could even grow one in this soil.
One landowner (many years ago) convinced the government to pay to drill their well because they had livestock.
After going down almost a thousand feet and only getting moist soil, they capped the hole and went back to having their water hauled.

We have two wells in town, one is at 4900 feet and the second is a bit over 5200.
And because the Arsenic level is a tad higher than they say is "safe" the water company raised their prices to pay for a new treatment facility.

If the mud doesn't get ya, the water will.

 

[Catbox]

Reading this has made me ok with having to deal with suburbia and its own pitfalls.
Like living in suburbia and working in the city having to pay $3000 a year to park in a garage by the office.
I don't want too, but I am ok with it.

 

[idahovette]

IMO Portland has some of the worst traffic anywhere, and I've driven 75 square through downtown New York City with an overhead camper on it!!!

Reading this has made me ok with having to deal with suburbia and its own pitfalls.
Like living in suburbia and working in the city having to pay $3000 a year to park in a garage by the office.
I don't want too, but I am ok with it.

 

[80BrownK10]

Reading this has made me ok with having to deal with suburbia and its own pitfalls.
Like living in suburbia and working in the city having to pay $3000 a year to park in a garage by the office.
I don't want too, but I am ok with it.

That sounds terrible!! That's a lot of money just to park a vehicle! Makes me like my 25 mile commute through the country, only possibly getting stopped at one light. Parking 100ft from my office normally Inna lot that has two spaces for every employee basically, so there is never a shortage of parking. And we're out in the middle of nowhere and i overlook a lake. Oh parking is free!

I live in a town, but a country town of 100 people. Only have just under an acre, but I can see the woods from my house, forest service property is Winton a few miles of my house in any direction basically. And we have city water so that's good. Also have DSL!

 

[Catbox]

That sounds terrible!! That's a lot of money just to park a vehicle! Makes me like my 25 mile commute through the country, only possibly getting stopped at one light. Parking 100ft from my office normally Inna lot that has two spaces for every employee basically, so there is never a shortage of parking. And we're out in the middle of nowhere and i overlook a lake. Oh parking is free!

I live in a town, but a country town of 100 people. Only have just under an acre, but I can see the woods from my house, forest service property is Winton a few miles of my house in any direction basically. And we have city water so that's good. Also have DSL!

Yeah, its not rad.
Most of my parking is compensated in my salary.
It simply means that if I leave this company, I get a bonus 3k salary raise.
I end up paying a few hundred dollars out of my pocket.

Plus, my salary would be much smaller if I were to move to a small town or city.
So if I want the pay, I hafta play.

 

[HotRodPC]

And here I thought mudflaps were only for fat girls for when they fart.