Where Have You Off-Roaded Today? 3rd Gen

I took my wife and son on a joy ride up a narrow dirt road in Clay County, NC.

We came in on Cold Branch Rd.(paved) and headed towards Tuni Gap.
The dirt road was single vehicle wide with very few turnouts if you encountered an oncoming vehicle.

The road was relatively mild with just a few deep ruts and shallow mud holes.
But, it had my boy smiling and bounced him around enough to be fun.

There are several places where the banks on both sides of the road are a good 10 feet higher than the cab and narrow. It would have made a good picture.

This road takes you up to Nantahala Lake. From there we headed towards Tellico Gap and then home.

Truck did great, but my tires suck.
(Firestone Destination LE 245/75/16)

 

Not today, but the other day.

 

Rattlesnake Canyon. From Johnson Valley up to Big Bear

 

Bigbear trip with my jeep friends.

 

Yesterday: got it stuck. Darkness was falling and I was on the way home, saw a forested parcel that had recently been cleared and thought, “Eh, I’ll check it out. What’s the worst that could happen?” Turned into a boggy situation with soft clay really quickly. Sunk right in, resting on the rear diff. Came back today and spent a few hours digging and positioning traction boards. Didn’t make much progress until the cavalry arrived with their 37” MTs. Pulled me right out!

 

A run up the mountain to the project i used to manage. Surprised that the road was plowed

 

Stock suspension and 255's?

 

My son and I took a ride up the mountain towards Standing Indian campground today.

The road is a single lane gravel road with turnouts. Recent rains created some washed out areas that bounced us around a little.

It's nothing rough, but we had a great time.

 

OME 886/Dakar 112 and 235/85/16 Duratracs. Front is up 2 1/4" and rear 1 1/2" from stock. There is roughly 700lbs in the bed or it would be 3" up from stock.

 

Four Peaks Road, off the Beeline (Highway 87) The exit to the trail is about 15 miles North of Fountain Hills, AZ.

The road is pretty easy.



The Four Peaks themselves. If you keep going you head over the ridge just next to them. It's usually about 20 degrees cooler and windy up there.



Rough terrain off the road for hiking if you want.



Interesting rock formations and lots of Saguaro cactus.



There was a fire in 2020 that burnt a lot of cactus including this Prickly Pear.

 

Anza Borrego: Arroyo Taipado to the wind caves to Diablo drop off and fish creek wash through sandstone canyon. Had a great time and took it faster cause we had a good group. Our lead was gunning it through fish creek and didn’t notice a quick drop and smacked his skid plate, no other damage. Awesome day and Diablo drop off is much more fun the second time and without spotters, highly recommend this route.

 

Lake Alan Henry...

(If you toss just a couple of beer cans out of the frame before taking the photo, does that count as staging the picture?)

 

So Cal along the Bradshaw trail- rock collecting mostly with a bit of detecting- skunked it.

Also got some side scrapes and lost my rear bumper corner when I sorta scraped it on a roadcut when I slid sideways in a hole next to it… oops!

Anyone have a spare passenger side rear bumper chrome cap and passenger side black fender flares?

Edit: got the caps, flares still needed.

 

Photogenic pose



Screen grab from a video of a creek ford with the water up over the hood. Glad I just did my cowl intake Friday!

 

Lots of people our cruising on New Year's day near Carmel Valley, CA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sGNN02QitU

 

Thomas Mountain, CA, via Rouse Truck Trail.

 

Today we learned not to lean out the window when dad is Smashin some mud puddles

 

Few weeks ago near Snoqualmie Pass, WA.