Survive Off Road

10/17/2021

09/10/2021

The owner of this Jeep thinks he has a poorly designed winch. 😕 Can you I identify why this synthetic winch rope failed?

08/27/2021

Regardless of your skill level, if you didn’t know this washout exists, it could be the beginning of a bad day or a fun obstacle to negotiate. After cresting this hill, the road was not visible. As many of you have heard me say, “when in doubt, check it out”. Need I say more?

09/05/2020

While doing recon yesterday I found this gate open. Again. The sign clearly states the gate should be closed. As a rule, gates should be left as found unless signage states differently.

09/03/2020

Doing recon today in central Arizona. This was a very tight squeeze! So did I go through the tunnel? would you?

08/17/2020

Chuck keeps taking me off camber...at least 25 to 30 degrees and he just Armor All'd the seats!

07/23/2020

Jeeps Of The San Juan’s is a group dedicated to educating others on trail etiquette and conservation of our trails. Every season we see trail damage from folks not staying on designated trails. Let’s work together to change that!

Please “Share” this post to show your support and raise awareness!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/JeepsOfTheSanJuans/?ref=share

06/13/2020

Several years ago, I spent time with Cody Lundin, owner of Aboriginal Living Skills School. The Desert Drifter course is the "toughest" offered by Cody's Aboriginal Living Skills School. It is not an ordinary outdoor experience and is intentionaly designed to strip you of everything you thought you needed in the wilderness. Our trek began with a map, water bottles and the clothes on our back. Like ancient tribes before us, we traveled as a hunter - gatherer band relying on each other, what nature provides and little else. Survive Off Road and Aboriginal Living Skills School hope you enjoy the video.

05/12/2020

Some things defy explanation.

06/27/2016

Are you really ready for your next adventure into the back country? Some intrepid travelers will make lists so everything they need and want is on board and ready to go while others will rely on their memory, luck, and good fortune. Regardless of the routine you follow to get ready, a thorough vehicle inspection should be included in your preparations; and if you tow a trailer, thoroughly inspect it too. Unfortunately a vehicle inspection won’t catch every potential problem. The next best defense against being stranded in the backcountry is to identify evolving problems as soon as possible and mitigate the potential of component failure.
The ability to identify problems early requires little more than the five senses; sight, sound, touch, smell and taste, but I don’t recommend tasting anything. Almost all electronic or mechanical problems will present with one or more of the following signs and symptoms. Oil and water leaks are never normal with one exception, an air conditioner draining condensation. You should know where the air conditioner drain is on your vehicle so any water draining from it doesn’t cause undue concern. Unusual smells coming from your vehicle or noise that wasn’t there yesterday can indicate something’s amiss. If vehicle behavior changes, such as; hard starting, an electronic devise that works intermittently, difficulty shifting the transmission or steering is different from what’s normal, these symptoms may indicate that something needs adjustment, requires lubrication, or a component needs to be replaced.
The picture below illustrates the necessity for performing a vehicle inspection before you leave home. These trailer axle bearings were destroyed as a result of a missing dust cap. If the vehicle inspection had been performed at home where tools, parts or a mechanic were readily available this field fix might have been avoided. Regardless of the cause, the smell of hot wheel bearing grease caught the driver’s attention when we stopped for lunch. Fortunately, we were able to accomplish a field fix and continue our journey.

Don’t assume your well maintained vehicle is ready for the trail. New vehicles are not immune to mechanical and electrical problems either. Wear and tear may not have taken their toll but impact damage and manufacturing defects can strand you in the backcountry too. Being aware of vehicle sounds, smells, fluid leaks and behavior, you can identify, lessen the effects, and avoid many more serious and expensive problems. If signs of a problem show up on the trail, stop and identify what’s wrong. Repair it if you can, or get help when necessary. Always, inform someone about your trip plans, be ready to spend longer on the trail than you anticipated, and perform a vehicle and trailer inspection before you leave home and at the end of the trail. Life favors the prepared, are you?

01/16/2016

Happy New Year wheelers! I hope you find great backcountry trails with family and friends and make great memories. One way to keep the memories great is to be prepared and of course not lose your keys. It happens! If you lose your keys in town, help is usually minutes away. If you lose your keys in the backcountry, your plans have changed dramatically! If you’re in a group, you changed the group’s plans too and some may be very unhappy with your carelessness. Think about the following scenario for a moment. You’ve stopped to look at some ruins and eat lunch. Now you’re ready to head down the trail and you discover your keys are missing. You do a methodical search but the keys are not found. Your miles from a paved road and the nearest town is thirty plus miles away. Unlike vehicles built decades ago you can’t hotwire the vehicle either. You’re going nowhere. I really want you to consider the physical discomfort you would face, the cost in time, and possible expense. There is an easy way to prevent this scenario from ever happening.

Place your vehicle key on a lanyard. Place the lanyard on the cruise control, windshield wiper arm, or anywhere it won’t impede the use of vehicle controls or your ability to use them. The lanyard should remain attached and not removed for the duration of the trail run. You’re regular key set should be placed in the vehicle where no one will move them. Use a zip tie if necessary to secure them. This may seem like over kill but it’s easy, cheap, and will never ruin your day or anyone else’s!

09/01/2015

Do you perform a post trail inspection?
There are many pre-trail prep articles on the web. Some include pre-trip vehicle inspection check lists but few talk about post trail safety inspection. The fact is many people don’t do a post trail safety check on their rig, but they should. The picture below illustrates why. This tire was checked by a reputable shop and placed back in service. Always check for tire damage, bent or damaged components, and leaks. It may prevent further damage to your vehicle or save your life! Really, you have nothing better to do while airing up.

10/06/2013

Recon on Rug Road

09/29/2013

Practice makes perfect...

09/29/2013

Fundamentals north of Bush Hwy

09/29/2013

Thank you to Chad Munro and Dr Don Davidson for choosing Survive Off Road to wheel with!

09/28/2013

Gorgeous Arizona morning to wheel!