Mudmachine- The quad is over a year old. I would say that its broken in pretty good already.

Jeremy- The fairlead was gummed up with small leaf particles I guess because looking at it today showed that it didn't do a whole lot of rolling. It was scratched all to hell like it had just sat there motionless.

Tree Farmer- No, I don't have a ****** block or any of that crap. I don't go winching around for fun. Its just there for instances like that. I have a good story to tell for years on end too. I don't carry all of that other crap because doing 50 mph. through a dried out lakebed isn't easy when you are carrying a bunch of junk on back. There were lots of places to get stuck in that lake, but I avoided the obvious. Like I said, I made it through this place the first time with no big problems. I wasn't really expecting to sink *** deep in leaves. Getting stuck like this for me isn't something that happens very often. This is the first time I have been stuck bad in a good while. I ride fairly conservatively when I'm alone. I don't particularly have the need to get all that winching and recovery equipment. DONT THINK I'M SAYING THAT ITS A BAD IDEA PEOPLE! I had to say that, because at least one buffoon would have come back telling me that not everyone thinks like me and then a big lecture on ****** blocks or something. Preventive measure eh! As for the cable, I ain't paying $60 for a new cable when I only lost 2 ft. off of mine. I'll just re-clamp it and use it again.

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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*

 

Andy, since you used some space telling of an event where you became desperately stuck, assuming you might want to avoid a repeat experience, I thought you might find some ideas on enhancing self-extraction interesting, even useful to you.

However, I now understand you've thoroughly optimized your quad and equipment for your own riding style and environment, and need no additional equipment recommendations nor information on winching techniques.

Thanks for sharing an interesting account everyone can learn from. I look forward to reading others.

Tree Farmer

 

Andy; I don't know about where you are from but here that Leaf Mold as you refer to it is what accumilates in the eddy parts of our creeks (where the water is still)We ride through it occasionally and I know from first hand experience that it will stick you but good!!! But we have another interesting side effect of having to get off in that mess. When you get out of the bog you have to pick the bloodsucking Leaches off of you. YYYYUuuuuykkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Kevin Gowdy aka Kagey 1999 Polaris Magnum 500

 

Thank god there were no leaches! I didn't want to have one of those "Stand By Me" episodes! Its where that creek has deposited leaves into the lake over a period of years (195?-present), and its probably pretty deep if you got a dozer and dug out the packed down layers. The problem is that it is easy to move when its wet and I dug it out good going through it the first time. That guy that went through it on the 250 had actually gone through it earlier and made it. He didn't the second time, and then I went through. I guess three trips was enough for that hole, and it got testy with me the final trip. Like I said, this part of the lake is dry except for the creek running through (It had just rained two days earlier, but nowhere near enough to really raise the level of the lake). The actual level of the lake is about 80-100 yards from this point, which is usually about 10-15 ft. under water. Good fishing here though when the lake is full. Those Bluegill Bream really like to bed in that stuff!

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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*

 

Max 6 x 6. 'Nuff (too much) said.

 

Sounds like you need to invest in some of that winching junk!!!!

 

Post text deleted.

I knew this would get trashed so I printed it after I posted it. Maybe it was off-key but It sure made me laugh! Thank you Tree Farmer for your divine intervention.

atvbbs

[This message has been edited by atvbbs (edited 11-30-1999).]

[This message has been edited by Andy Bassham (edited 11-30-1999).]

 

Andy, your post to Harold is way out of line.

Many posters tell of problems; "My quad won't start; my quad backfires, my A-Arm is bent." These posters solicit solutions.

You posted a problem you experienced; you got stuck. Now you're offended and defensive at any suggestion how you might recover from a similar experience.

What reaction did you expect, or want, from your account of getting stuck? How does your script say posters should respond to your story? You tell of a problem you encountered, but you obviously don't want any suggestions on how you might solve it.

Whether you carry adequate recovery equipment or not when you cross bottomless leaf mold of a lake bed remains your decision; flaming someone for suggesting it is uncalled for.

You owe Harold an apology in my opinion.

Tree Farmer

[This message has been edited by Tree Farmer (edited 11-30-1999).]

 

Hi Tree Farmer, thanks for sticking up for me, I didn,t get to read Andy's response to my post nor did I really want to, it got edited before I got a chance to read it, my post wasn,t meant to ridicule or make fun of Andy, it was just a suggestion of few words with a little dry humor throwed in, shoot, we all get stuck, I bet we used the winchs on our atvs 15 times this past Sat., we seem to have this thing for MUD!!!

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Harold Wells Raleigh NC 98 Wolverine& 97 Timberwolf Blueribbon Coalition Member

 

I'm telling you 'Bash, you need to get off into that deep stuff and get stuck more often! It goes from being a humiliating experience to an adventure . You'll never go home from a ride without losing your mind and just veering off the hardpack and into a neck-deep bog. Then, the fun begins. Oh...you didn't know???? Don't take my word, ask Boner (Official AC test pilot). By they way...Do you like pancakes?