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
Bruce was in a bind. While far into the Rubicon Trail, both axles on his Wrangler broke. Inquiring into how that happened, he had no idea. Maybe they were just worn out! Hopping in a buddy’s car, they drove out to get cell coverage. Bruce dialed up a junkyard in… Continue reading
“Begin with the end in mind” is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There’s a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things. Stephen R. Covey, “7 Habits Of Highly Effective People” That passage is from Habit 2 of Covey’s best-selling… Continue reading
Whew. Drove an exhilarating event recently. Boss wanted to hit Death Valley for the annual Death Valley Experience March 22-25. Hosted by the California Four Wheel Drive Association, this trip lived up to its name. What an experience it was! But ol’ Pickle came through with flying colors (well,… Continue reading
Tires. Axles. Control arms. Body and frame. You name it. Just about anything that could get damaged while off-road will at some point. More than once, for those who drive frequently. And some of those issues can be serious. But a lug nut? Who would think that a humble lug… Continue reading
Every four-wheeling excursion involves some preparation. Even individual components of the trip can require careful planning to ensure a smooth drive. This is especially true when negotiating hills. Whether climbing or descending, knowing how to handle certain situations can mean the difference between continuing on and getting stuck. Before tackling… Continue reading
Four-wheeling entails constant alertness and decision-making. Even easier courses require the driver to be focused at all times. Any sort of obstacle increases the decision-making process exponentially. Certain situations require knowing when to throttle up and when to back off to try again. Every instance is unique and requires sound… Continue reading
Every once in a while, a piece of equipment comes along that just makes sense. It’s inexpensive, versatile, and small. And once you have one, you wonder how you got by without it. Such is the case with the 4-way valve tool. Chances are you’ve seen one of these before…. Continue reading
Safe and effective spotting occurs when the driver and spotter work together. Each knows what to expect from the other and they work together as a team. Proper spotting is challenging, but it’s a skill that can be learned. This is not a discussion of spotting style and hand signals…. Continue reading
Our friend Clive took a detour on his way to Las Vegas. His last-minute plan was to explore a section of the Old Mojave Road that runs through the Mojave River flood plain. The river didn™t look too deep. Driving his old, mostly stock Jeep XJ, he headed into the… Continue reading
We were cruising the dunes in Ocotillo Wells, California. It was a nice sunny day with great visibility. Though the area is mostly dunes, it is possible to encounter long stretches of level sand. From a distance such an area appears featureless. But looks can be deceiving. The lead driver… Continue reading
On my way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, my vehicle just plain died as I bottomed out from the entrance ramp to I-15. I had just fueled up in Vegas. As I coasted to the shoulder, I contemplated my options – see if I could find the… Continue reading
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