Weekend off-roading pics.

Post by **Matty Moo** » 02 Jul 2011, 21:41

I like my Volvo, but I'm mostly into Jeeps. I grew up in the northern part of the state and have always spent shitloads of time in the woods. I took two weeks off and spent a solid week up north with the family wheeling.

We spent 2 days at Silver lake sand dunes and 5 days in the Grayling/Gaylord area. In that area there's hundreds of miles of ORV trails, logging roads and oilwell roads covering about 400 square miles. GPS and trail maps are a must, along with a cell that will get reception in that area. It's a combination of flat, wooded sandy terrain, steep hills, deep ruts and dense woods. It's generally foolish to go out there alone, but I know the area well enough. We still had some "Oh Shit" moments though.

I just bought a 2010 Wrangler Unlimited, it's still stock so we picked everything that was medium difficulty. It's getting lifted this winter and I'm throwing a winch on it. My Grand Cherokee never really sees any action...it's just a grocery getter.

All the sand in these pics is DEEP. For the most part I was aired down to around 12 psi and still getting stuck occasionally.

Our WJ and JK

That's Lake Michigan in the background.....

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 04 Jul 2011, 13:53

OK, I must be a tard but what is the function of the orange flags?

Most of my off roading - I have had an Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and an International Scout - led to a tow truck and it was work related. The Jeep rode better but the Scout got me out of more stuff than it got me into.

My problem is that I forget that the Platinum isn't a Jeep and I have buried it to the frame in mud a couple of times on job sites. The last time it took two tow trucks to get me out. The first tow truck got stuck as well and the second tow truck pulled us both out from the gravel road.

...Lee

Post by **jblackburn** » 04 Jul 2011, 21:11

My high school girlfriend had a 1986 Cherokee 5-speed that we usedta take out on the beach in Charleston - and it had to be THE MOST fun car I've ever driven, even if it had no paint left on the hood and was a rattle box on wheels.

I nearly bought one myself when I was car shopping (and ended up with the Volvo) - a 1999 Cherokee in a stick (VERY rare to find in the newer models). I'm pretty sure it would have killed me when gas got up to $4/gallon, though...but the old Jeeps are seriously awesome vehicles.

My dad has a 2005 Liberty, and I've got to say...the 3.7 V6 is a pathetic, throbby piece of junk compared to the old 4.0 I6's. I guess it gets a BIT better gas mileage...but it's still pretty awful - my sister's Ford Escape easily gets 5 mpg better over the Jeep, and it will accelerate like a bat out of hell. The Liberty's been through snow a few times, up an old logging road up a mountain, and on the beach once...that's about all the off-roading it's ever seen.

The Volvo gets taken through the mud and down terrible roads to Mountain Lake here - I've almost been stuck once trying to drive through a big puddle where I couldn't get any traction, but I managed to get out of it and cover the front of my car in mud from the spinning tires. There's a big gash in part of the subframe from scraping against a big rock too

I'm hoping to make it up to Ann Arbor this year...and I'm demanding a trip out to the Great Lakes when I get up there. But I doubt my friend's Civic or my S70 will be able to get out there the way you did

FCPEURO · Post by **FCPEURO** » 05 Jul 2011, 15:38

Ozark Lee wrote:OK, I must be a tard but what is the function of the orange flags?

Most of my off roading - I have had an Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and an International Scout - led to a tow truck and it was work related. The Jeep rode better but the Scout got me out of more stuff than it got me into.

My problem is that I forget that the Platinum isn't a Jeep and I have buried it to the frame in mud a couple of times on job sites. The last time it took two tow trucks to get me out. The first tow truck got stuck as well and the second tow truck pulled us both out from the gravel road.

...Lee

+1

No need to feel like a tard, I am wondering the same thing about the flags. Looks like you had a good time matty. I think it is time for me to take the family on a nice vacation.

Post by **Matty Moo** » 05 Jul 2011, 21:02

The flags are for visibility. They're mandatory at the sand dunes and some of the private off road parks.

With the hills, you can't somebody coming over the other side and you won't hear them either. Seeing the tip of a flag that's 10 feet above the bumper gives you a "heads-up" that somebody is coming over the other side.

I hate them because they're a hassle to transport....but aside from that they're surprisingly effective.

Jblackburn....let me know when you plan on coming to town...there's a few of us around here.

Post by **matthew1** » 07 Jul 2011, 05:32

Fantastic! I drove a sand rail in Baja before I drove a car in the US. Good times.

FCPEURO · Post by **FCPEURO** » 08 Jul 2011, 16:24

I have never been off roading and I so would like to go. Not many place to do this kind of thing in NJ.