not a good area to be in that time of year. too many dudes with shotguns.

I will try to remember my camera for tomorrow. Cannot find the GPS.

I'll have my GPS. I didn't run it at all last night, but I'll try and generate a good map on Friday.

Hopefully there is plenty to explore.

well...what a production this little trip became.

Keith and I headed out to the trails on Friday morning, had fun tearing through the mud and puddles and then started checking out the trails. This area has a lot of trails that go from a large clearing area, downhill.

Heading down these trails was fine, but getting back up them was a different story. These trails were muuuuddddy.

Anyhow, we made it through a couple different trails, but then hit a trail that was just a mess. i was leading and got stuck trying to back out of a spot after decided the trail was just going to get too muddy. I ended up getting pinned next to a tree, and after freeing from that, go stuck sliding off the trail. At this point, we ran out of options, since we didn't want to risk getting Keith stuck too. I made the unwise choice of attempting to drive my truck down to a lower trail. I almost made it, before I began sliding and got myself wedged next to another tree.

There was nothing left to do at this point. Keith talked me down from a near meltdown and conceived me it would be okay to leave my truck in the woods until we could get help.

Enter Scott. I give Scott a call and ask for help. Scott is in the middle of putting his truck together, but graciously finished up quickly and heads to my house to pick me up and head to the truck. Mistake number 2 on my part...i forgot to ask him to bring a chainsaw. We find my truck, realize there is not much we can do without a chainsaw..and then Scott gets stuck. It rained hard between the time i left my truck there and the time Scott got there, and the trails were even worse. Scott had to winch himself three times to get off this trails and back to the main road.

We decided to get some dinner and try again today..with the proper tools.

So...Scott and I headed back out today, found an easier way to get close to the truck, removed a small tree and I was able to drive the truck out.

I can not thank Scott enough for helping me out with this. Your a great friend.

Also..thanks to Keith for coming up..so the day ended so quickly and on such a down note.

The upside...this area of trails is fun..and once the trails dry out a bit, I hope more of us can head back sometime soon.

Micah, more than happy to help. Glad we got it out easily today.

Oh, and thanks for dinner.

The trails are really nice. The mud on the hills is full of clay that turns to snot in the rain. Where I got stuck was not even steep, just slightly off-camber and I kept crabbing sideways. Nasty mud.

Wow. Yes it was really sloppy.

Micah happy that you where able to get the X out and the babies held off. I think I am asking for a winch and a hi-lift for X-mas. Used my sissor jacket to get off a stump.

Thanks Scott for helping micah. I knew there was no way I was going to get him out with out getting stuck myself.

Was it a matter of just cutting down that tree on the passenger's side?

Scott you had to use the winch on yourself? That is a first.

I found some body damage this morning a significant dent on the rear passenger side door. and a small dent on the front fend. Should be able to be easily worked out by a body shop. Will post some picts later.

ON a positive side it was a fun place with some spooky people camping out.

spooky people camping out in the mud? tell us more

We turned the corner and there was a old van with an old trailer. In the trailer window where 3 or 4 faces and then some girl trying to ride a 10-speed across the field.

Also, after Micah's X was stuck and we were leaving a guy in an old ford pickup was up there. We hi-tailed it out of there.

I always miss out on the fun! From the sounds of it, maybe someone should fab a chainsaw mount for their Shrock bumper ala Mad Max.

"We don't find trails, we MAKE em!"

I think I have a new photoshop project when I get back to Ft Drum Sunday....

Can't wait to see this one.

It was fun, but I need to stop by my friends body shop on monday and find out how much the dents will cost to have removed.

Picts

Add some picts of the day. Didn't take too many because of the rain and the issues with Micah's X.

Micah did miss my X blazing it's own trail with the video camera. In fairness he was preparing the tow strap to pull my ass out when I just went for it.

First one should be easy. The second one...well, I don't know the 05 very well, but that may take some work.

the damage isn't that bad.