RECOVERY NOW

[ChevyKev]

Ole just called me - he is stuck off of Repp with 3 other stuck vehicles and has snapped all 4 front axleshafts! :eek:

My truck is not healthy - but I will head out shortly.

Mark is on his way after making some phone calls.

Forrest is coming in and while he drives in I will work on my winch wiring and his steering linkage.

We hope to leave here in about 30 minutes.

If you can at all help call my house, or my cell, or head out to the Repp road area if you know where it is.

[akram]

too late to load up the girls. But if you guys need something don't hesitate to call, that is if you read this in time. 356-8455

[Bulldog]

I'd take my truck out, but the headlights aren't working right now.

I know where we went wheeling last time and could meet someone at the trailhead, but don't have a vehicle that would make it down there. Give me a call if you need me to show you where. 378-XXXX

[Flawed]

:banghead::banghead::banghead: Why is my rig taken apart. If anyone is heading that way from fairbanks pick me up. I want to go out and help.

[Bulldog]

It's 1:25 AM, I just got my lights fixed. A broken filiment on one and a broken ground wire on the other.

I am going to head out that way. If you guys get out before I get there, please call me on my cell, 378-XXXX. I will go in the same trail we were on Friday, but I will stop where it starts to get muddy. I will monitor FRS channel 4.

[Bulldog]

Made it to the first water hole. When I stopped to listen, I could hear someone making progress back this way. I waited here. Steve came out and told me you guys had it under control. No need for me to come down the trail to help, so I headed home.

Sounds like there will be some carnage stories to tell.
Goodnight.

[naturalbornmudder]

:mad::thewhack::hide::thefinger:


what am I, chopped suey? No call, no knock on the door...

[SHoppe715]

Had to winch about 5-6 times back to the road thanks to some deeper ruts than when I went in. Man, my size issues keep popping up.

[Bulldog]

I going to have to get a phone list. I didn't want to head too far down the trail until I was certain it was the correct one. Didn't want to end up stuck on the wrong trail all by myself with no one to call.

[sevenslats]

Wow.
At 0500 when I left, Kev, Ole, and Forrest were still winching out truck #2. #3 was still burried halfway up his 37s.
Thick, gooey mud, broken axles, driveshafts and winches, tight trails, multiple ruts, tired heads, empty bellies...
What a mess.

[AKMark]

Well, just got home and cleaned up for work.

There's still one truck out there, but he's not gonna make it back the way we came out without lots of winching. He's gonna try to get in contact with the land owner near there to get access to a path that runs right to his truck.

We got #2 out, but it required the Kev's winch pulling both him and the other truck. My legs hurt, as does my head, and around 0430 this morning I couldn't feel my fingers.

Good times, and the first winchfest I've ever seen with my own eyes. YIKES!!! I'd do it again if I can get some sleep first.

[sevenslats]

Scariest part of the name winchfest is the number of winches involved in this one.

Truthfully, I used mine once, Steve used his about 3 times, Ole used his about 3 times, and Forrest used his once. Kev, did you ever come up with a count? Over 40?

[AKMark]

I think it was 16, but one way or another it was between 14 and 16. We actually spooled out too far and broke the synthetic rope where it connected to the spool. But a quick mind came up with an idea to get it to spool up and work.

We were almost sunk as Ole had gone back to the trailhead and probably would've had one heck of a time getting back to where we were (without getting buried himself), and we were stuck as was the Dodge we were pulling.

[AKMark]

:mad::thewhack::hide::thefinger:


what am I, chopped suey? No call, no knock on the door...

Your house looked dead, so I left it alone.

[akram]

Good work guys. Too bad I couldn't come and help.

[akdsmer]

I'm with Nate. Nobody tried to give me a call. And what was Ole doing out there after two days of mudbogs and mudslinging the day before the mudbogs. That guy needs therapy!

[sevenslats]

He bragged that he placed 2nd, and would have no problem getting them out!

It was 3 full-size pickups on 33, 36, and 37" MTs. no lockers. buried up to and over their hubs in slop.
My tiny winch was no match. And thanks to Forrest's winch luck, it was up to Kev to save the day.

[AKMark]

It was horrible to see a winch in it's first action ever, break.

Especially after he had gotten far enough forward to actually start pulling the 2nd truck.

At least he was able to lead foot it out of there in reverse.

[AKMark]

Kev also picked a really bad day to swap his Boggers for his TSL's.

[93hummer]

Guys, I got the call about 11:30 PM last night but I was on staff duty and could not leave the Battalion area until at least 9:00 AM this morning. I offered to Ole to let someone come get the Hummer and use it but he never called back. Sorry I couldn't make it out, but it sound slike we all got about the same amount of sleep last night..

[93hummer]

And what was Ole doing out there after two days of mudbogs and mudslinging the day before the mudbogs. That guy needs therapy!

I haven't figured out if he:

A. Loves Mud
B. Loves the sound of axleshafts snapping
C. Both of the above.

I think the answer is C

[Jackrabbit]

On my way back out I had to use my winch also, in the first hole coming back luckly Ole's truck was there and Adam hooked me up to it, and I winched myself out, first time for the new MM.

Oh the carnage, and Mud Lots of Mud,

I will post some pic's later.

[sevenslats]

**** Tony, no one told me that! I'd have loved to flog Bigger Red out there. Maybe we could have finished up a little sooner.

George, were you the only one with a camera out there?

[Fix_It]

sounds like you all did what AO does best ..helps other wheelers out !

Good job .. i miss those recoveries sometimes .. i remember one we did on on my b-day and turned into a short mud run ...

wich later turned into some our best new members later on after that good deed ...

[ChevyKev]

Got home at 8:25 to eggs and freshly baked biscuits!

Grabbed a quik shower, at the Chiropractor's by 8:55, then the insurance agent, then to the machine shop and several other stops around fairbanks.

Got home again to a phone call from Wayne.

Now I have 1.45 hours to sleep efore my friends arrive (they're late - I think I'm glad!)

When Ole first called me to see if I could go as a backup, I regretfully declined. My trans won't hold 3rd gear. My t-case won't hold 4-hi. My front pass side hub won't stay engauged. And my winch was shorting out. The truck was in no shape to go play in the mud. But I told him, if you get in trouble out there, call me. About 5 till 11 the phone rang and I looked at Kris and said - "that's Ole!"

Phone calls were made, posts were typed, wiring was fixed, Forrest's steering linkage was fixed. Adam's Broco got a jump start, and eventually we were rolling.

As much as I mentioned was wrong with the Blazer - it was the workhorse for the evening. Winching, pulling, tugging, and throwing goo! I would say she was at about 70% and she impressed me all night. At one point I saw a red light pop on on my dash. Tach. Rev warning light set at 6500 RPM. But the Needle was at 7100! She was screaming - and sounded good. (though I won't do that too often!)

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EVENING / MORNING!

[sevenslats]

I had to cover my ears when Kev was rolling forth and back inthe ruts. 4hi in reverse would have helped ever som much this morning.