Electronic gadgets and equipment can add to a four-wheeling adventure. But careful attention must be paid when installing that equipment. Whether a GPS receiver, tablet, smartphone, or other device, plan well how and where you’ll install the gear. Safety of driver and passengers is paramount Safety isn’t normally top of… Continue reading
Our group was traveling up Mazourka Canyon Road with plans to camp at Papoose Flats. Weather reports told of a big storm brewing off the coast. Bearing heavy winds and cold temps, it was scheduled to hit the Papoose Flats area in the evening. Upon arrival at Papoose Flats late… Continue reading
The new year is a good time to revisit some fundamentals of four-wheeling. Key among those is how to drive on gravel and dirt roads. After all, four-wheeling necessarily involves driving on unpaved surfaces. First, we’ll look at the hazards. Then we’ll review steps you can take for safer driving… Continue reading
A recent trip on the Rubicon trail showed the value of radio communication. We experienced multiple incidents from a fire chasing us to an overturned Jeep with injuries and a request for spare parts. Forest fires continue to burn in dozens of locations in the western U.S. Yet four-wheelers still… Continue reading
Each day brings more troubling news about the devastating wildfires raging in the western U.S. The Dixie Fire, in northern California, has burned more than 500,000 acres, including most of the town of Greenville. As I write this, on Aug. 12, the fire is less than one-third contained. In Montana… Continue reading
Mt. Patterson was our destination that beautiful autumn day. Part of the Sweetwater Range and located on the western edge of the Great Basin, Mt. Patterson’s summit offers a commanding view of that area. The drive entails a slow climb on a one-lane shelf road. I was leading a group… Continue reading
Getting stuck is a common occurrence among four wheelers. After all, we intentionally drive in difficult areas. Every situation is different, but one common trait I see is the inappropriate use of power to get through. It seems logical enough: I’m stuck or losing momentum; why not just hit the… Continue reading
Summer is almost here, and that means the really hot weather is just around the corner. Even though the hot season is literally an annual event, many people drop their guard and put themselves at great risk. No one is immune to these forces. In late April a border patrol… Continue reading
It was a wet Sunday in March. From time to time snow squalls would blow through coating the vehicles but melting as soon as it toughed the ground. Occasionally the sun would peek out. Normally hard-baked clay trails with traction like slick rock had become slick and greasy. I had… Continue reading
One of our beliefs is relying on your normal instinct to cope with off-road situations is generally wrong. You have to learn a new set of behaviors. We see it time & again: people instinctively grab onto or jump onto a vehicle to prevent it tipping or rolling over. Don’t… Continue reading
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