2021 RAM 3500 Tradesman | AEV Prospector | FWC Grandby
- Thread starter ramblinChet
- Start date
ramblinChet
Well-known member
"Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans," is something many of us have heard before. I wanted to step back and examine the safety of my entire adventure process. I then identified the events with the highest risk and probability of occurring that could be solved for the least amount of money. When you consider that I climb up into, and out of, my Four Wheel Camper a few dozen times each day, during the daytime and nighttime, in mostly remote and unfamiliar locations, alone - upgrading to a high quality step stand caught my attention.
This aluminum unit is 20" high, 27" wide, 22" deep. My previous high risk event has now been minimized and stepping on this solid non-slip surface confirms that.
Here are the aluminum step stand ordered yesterday from Uline - even though I selected standard ground shipping, it was shipped hours after I ordered, and it arrived today. That's great service. As you can see, the 22" deep stand easily clears the 24" door opening. And the aluminum is so very light - I am glad I selected this one over the steel.
Here is the smaller plastic Worx step stool that has served well for the past nearly two years. After thinking more about the unit, if all I was doing was stepping up onto it I believe it may have lasted longer. But when I step down off the rear bumper I always aim to place my foot into the center to reduce the chances of missing and falling. I am not certain it was designed with that type of use in mind.
This picture appears to show a significant difference but let me assure you, in person the difference between the aforementioned Worx, and this Uline are night and day. I am really happy with this and my feet feel so solidly planted I am disappointed I did not initially select this type of step stand. If you sense excitement in my voice regarding this new piece of gear, you are correct. It just feels so darn firm with zero chance of slipping when I use it.
One final consideration is the comparison of the rise of both Units. Normal steps are approximately 7" high so using the table below we see that using the Worx is like ascending stairs using two steps each time. It's not that big of a deal since we are only going up three stairs to climb 43" - kinda tough, but short. The Uline spreads this out by providing four stairs to climb with the first three steps being much closer together and being near that ideal 7" rise. It's that final step from the bumper up into the camper that hurts both.
And stepping out is so much easier since I have this large, brightly colored target, with serrated steps. I wish I would have also taken a picture of the Worx although a National Park worker passed by a few minutes ago and I asked if they would be able to kindly dispose of the previous unit. The Worx was much smaller, it was colored black, and the top was plastic with flat ridges in it that are absolutely no comparison to the many rows of serrations used on the Uline.
In closing, here is a close-up of the leg-eating serrations for all to see. No, I will not be stepping on these with bare feet.
This aluminum unit is 20" high, 27" wide, 22" deep. My previous high risk event has now been minimized and stepping on this solid non-slip surface confirms that.
Here are the aluminum step stand ordered yesterday from Uline - even though I selected standard ground shipping, it was shipped hours after I ordered, and it arrived today. That's great service. As you can see, the 22" deep stand easily clears the 24" door opening. And the aluminum is so very light - I am glad I selected this one over the steel.
Here is the smaller plastic Worx step stool that has served well for the past nearly two years. After thinking more about the unit, if all I was doing was stepping up onto it I believe it may have lasted longer. But when I step down off the rear bumper I always aim to place my foot into the center to reduce the chances of missing and falling. I am not certain it was designed with that type of use in mind.
This picture appears to show a significant difference but let me assure you, in person the difference between the aforementioned Worx, and this Uline are night and day. I am really happy with this and my feet feel so solidly planted I am disappointed I did not initially select this type of step stand. If you sense excitement in my voice regarding this new piece of gear, you are correct. It just feels so darn firm with zero chance of slipping when I use it.
One final consideration is the comparison of the rise of both Units. Normal steps are approximately 7" high so using the table below we see that using the Worx is like ascending stairs using two steps each time. It's not that big of a deal since we are only going up three stairs to climb 43" - kinda tough, but short. The Uline spreads this out by providing four stairs to climb with the first three steps being much closer together and being near that ideal 7" rise. It's that final step from the bumper up into the camper that hurts both.
1st step | 2nd step | bumper | camper | |
Worx | 13" | 16" | 14" | |
Uline | 10" | 10" | 9" | 14" |
And stepping out is so much easier since I have this large, brightly colored target, with serrated steps. I wish I would have also taken a picture of the Worx although a National Park worker passed by a few minutes ago and I asked if they would be able to kindly dispose of the previous unit. The Worx was much smaller, it was colored black, and the top was plastic with flat ridges in it that are absolutely no comparison to the many rows of serrations used on the Uline.
In closing, here is a close-up of the leg-eating serrations for all to see. No, I will not be stepping on these with bare feet.
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ramblinChet
Well-known member
In consideration of the fact that I sleep in random places each night, I purchased a simple lock and cable to help secure my new aluminum step stand to my trucks hitch assembly during the night.
Receipt for reference.
Receipt for reference.
givemethewillys
Jonathan Chouinard
That step looks ready-made for your camper! Nice find!
ramblinChet
Well-known member
I'll be in York River State Park near Croaker for a few hours Sunday afternoon before I depart and head down to Daytona - PM me if you are able to meet for a few minutes so we can check out each others rigs and share some laughs.
givemethewillys
Jonathan Chouinard
Sorry I missed this, safe travels to Daytona! I'll be camping near York river in a few weeks with my 5-year-old and his cousin.
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ramblinChet
Well-known member
It feels great to be back on the road, exploring overland trails, and slowly making my way down south and then eventually out west.
My most recent adventure was the Georgia Adventure Trail which is a 580+ mile long overland trail running from the northern border with North Carolina, to the southern border with Florida. If I were to summarize the trail I would break it into three distinct 200 mile sections: north which is mountainous with mostly dirt and gravel, central which is occasionally hilly with dirt and clay, and south which is flat and sandy. One recommendation - run the trail beginning in the south and head north so the sun is always on your back.
Many thanks to Tony (Vman1313 Adventures) for all of the time and effort in creating this and many other adventure trails in Georgia and Alabama. You can find his website here with over a dozen separate overland trails.
My adventure began on the North Carolina/Georgia border which is right in the middle of the Nantahala and Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. My recommendation is to always top-off fuel tanks as close to the beginning of the trail as possible. Once I am below one-half tank I begin to check my maps for stations not far off the trail. Once I hit one-quarter of a tank, my primary mission becomes refueling. In the first miles I crossed paths with a group of dual-sport riders and also enjoyed a few water crossings. Total water crossing for this trail were around a dozen with few being 6-12" deep whereas most were just a few inches.
This was a beautiful time of the year for this area. Here is a picture of the huge boulders and trees along the Tallulah River. I spend much time in the mountains and it is unusual to come across many boulders the size of a large truck or small house - they were amazing.
Despite being in the mountains, there were small farms and fields scattered throughout the area. The soil was rich and the vegetation lush. Sections of the trail were slightly overgrown but these were soft plants so no worries regarding scratches.
Here is a fine example of one of the many trails I explored along the northern section of the route. The trail was fairly smooth in most sections and at time you could cruise along at 25-35 mph if necessary. I battled between making time to complete the trail in three days and taking time to slow down and enjoy.
Near the end of day one I noticed I was not covering as many miles as I needed to so after enjoying a wonderful steak and asparagus dinner cooked in the forest - I decided to exercise my recent lighting upgrades and perform some night driving. The picture below does not accurately represent the obscene amount of light being displayed by my Diode Dynamics 30" light bar and SS3 ditch lights. It is nice to be able to see in the dark again on the trail. Another older adventure vehicle of mine, a 2002 Jeep TJ with a James Baroud rooftop tent, has always had IPF headlight upgrades with rally lights.
This is another beautiful section of the trial inside Scull Shoals Experimental Forest near Athens, Georgia.
Just east of Macon, Georgia, there are sections of the trail that are clearly marked as challenging. If you remember earlier I mentioned the central section of the adventure trail is somewhat hilly with that famous red Georgia clay. When the clay is wet you might as well be on wet ice - it is really slick. What makes it even worse is once you slide off the side of the road and are stuck, your tires begin digging into this slick heavy clay and you will make a something bad even worse. Although I was alone, it was dry so I decided to give it a try.
For those visiting from other parts of the country, there are a few types of venomous snakes in Georgia such as the Cottonmouth, Copperhead, and Diamondback and Timber rattlesnakes. There is no need to be afraid of these snakes but you must be respectful of them. Most snakes will provide many clues related to how afraid they are of you and if you continue to scare them, they may strike at you. If you are bit by a venomous snake and are able to seek medical assistance within a few hours, you should live.
While in the military, I attended a variety of survival schools where snakes and such were discussed. In one tropical survival school the civilian snake expert that was part of the curriculum, informed us that 99% of the snake bites he knows of originated from one particular demographic group: young men partying out in the forest. He reasoned that when young men are drunk and in large groups, stupid things happen like, "hey, watch me catch this snake!" This Timber was fine just fine with me as I came across him on the road - I respected him and he was in no fear. If he coiled up, began rattling his tail, and hissed, he is just telling me that he is scared and it's time for me to back away.
My most recent adventure was the Georgia Adventure Trail which is a 580+ mile long overland trail running from the northern border with North Carolina, to the southern border with Florida. If I were to summarize the trail I would break it into three distinct 200 mile sections: north which is mountainous with mostly dirt and gravel, central which is occasionally hilly with dirt and clay, and south which is flat and sandy. One recommendation - run the trail beginning in the south and head north so the sun is always on your back.
Many thanks to Tony (Vman1313 Adventures) for all of the time and effort in creating this and many other adventure trails in Georgia and Alabama. You can find his website here with over a dozen separate overland trails.
My adventure began on the North Carolina/Georgia border which is right in the middle of the Nantahala and Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. My recommendation is to always top-off fuel tanks as close to the beginning of the trail as possible. Once I am below one-half tank I begin to check my maps for stations not far off the trail. Once I hit one-quarter of a tank, my primary mission becomes refueling. In the first miles I crossed paths with a group of dual-sport riders and also enjoyed a few water crossings. Total water crossing for this trail were around a dozen with few being 6-12" deep whereas most were just a few inches.
This was a beautiful time of the year for this area. Here is a picture of the huge boulders and trees along the Tallulah River. I spend much time in the mountains and it is unusual to come across many boulders the size of a large truck or small house - they were amazing.
Despite being in the mountains, there were small farms and fields scattered throughout the area. The soil was rich and the vegetation lush. Sections of the trail were slightly overgrown but these were soft plants so no worries regarding scratches.
Here is a fine example of one of the many trails I explored along the northern section of the route. The trail was fairly smooth in most sections and at time you could cruise along at 25-35 mph if necessary. I battled between making time to complete the trail in three days and taking time to slow down and enjoy.
Near the end of day one I noticed I was not covering as many miles as I needed to so after enjoying a wonderful steak and asparagus dinner cooked in the forest - I decided to exercise my recent lighting upgrades and perform some night driving. The picture below does not accurately represent the obscene amount of light being displayed by my Diode Dynamics 30" light bar and SS3 ditch lights. It is nice to be able to see in the dark again on the trail. Another older adventure vehicle of mine, a 2002 Jeep TJ with a James Baroud rooftop tent, has always had IPF headlight upgrades with rally lights.
This is another beautiful section of the trial inside Scull Shoals Experimental Forest near Athens, Georgia.
Just east of Macon, Georgia, there are sections of the trail that are clearly marked as challenging. If you remember earlier I mentioned the central section of the adventure trail is somewhat hilly with that famous red Georgia clay. When the clay is wet you might as well be on wet ice - it is really slick. What makes it even worse is once you slide off the side of the road and are stuck, your tires begin digging into this slick heavy clay and you will make a something bad even worse. Although I was alone, it was dry so I decided to give it a try.
For those visiting from other parts of the country, there are a few types of venomous snakes in Georgia such as the Cottonmouth, Copperhead, and Diamondback and Timber rattlesnakes. There is no need to be afraid of these snakes but you must be respectful of them. Most snakes will provide many clues related to how afraid they are of you and if you continue to scare them, they may strike at you. If you are bit by a venomous snake and are able to seek medical assistance within a few hours, you should live.
While in the military, I attended a variety of survival schools where snakes and such were discussed. In one tropical survival school the civilian snake expert that was part of the curriculum, informed us that 99% of the snake bites he knows of originated from one particular demographic group: young men partying out in the forest. He reasoned that when young men are drunk and in large groups, stupid things happen like, "hey, watch me catch this snake!" This Timber was fine just fine with me as I came across him on the road - I respected him and he was in no fear. If he coiled up, began rattling his tail, and hissed, he is just telling me that he is scared and it's time for me to back away.
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ramblinChet
Well-known member
If you recall, recently I removed my OEM backup camera from the tailgate that has been in storage and installed it on the back door of my Four Wheel Camper. I forgot how nice it was to see what was in back of you while backing up in the forest with a camper on the rear of your vehicle!
This was an interesting section of the trail which cut trough a working forest where Southern Yellow Pine was being harvested and replanted. It was lunch time and there was a helicopter performing aerial spraying so I took time to eat and enjoy the aerial ballet. Not too far from here was a washed out bridge that had a really rough go around that I considered attempting. Since I was short on time and not interested in complicating things - I checked my map and found a proper go-around that only delayed me ten minutes. With the initial go around, the risk was moderate, the payoff was mild. I set my pride aside and made the correct choice, I opted for the proper go-around and continued on with only a ten minute delay and no damage.
Oh how I wish this picture was able to accurately capture this beautiful morning. When I awoke it appeared that each blade of grass was frozen into a crystal but when I realized it was above fifty degrees Fahrenheit, I smiled since it was just a heavy dew. It was a quiet field of wet grass shimmering in the morning sun. A new day had begun and I was nearing the end. I was in the southern section now which is mostly flat farmlands and sandy farm roads. The small farm towns reminded me of my travels throughout the flyover states in the mid-west.
One danger during high-noon on sandy backroads like this is being unable to identify washed out sections of the road. There were a few times that I would be moving along at 35 mph and unexpectedly come upon a washed out section hidden in the shadows. And again, traveling in a southerly direction made this even more difficult. One of the advantages of traveling at night with powerful lighting up front is being able to clearly identify the texture of the road ahead.
Down south cotton fields are common. And so are fire ants! Since I was driving into the sun most of the time I stopped occasionally to clean my windows. While finishing up my passenger window I noticed my feel were beginning to feel funny and sting. After a few more seconds I looked down and noticed I was standing atop a fire ant mound in sandals. It was not as funny at the time but looking back, what was I thinking!
Just in case you didn't know, cotton is a heliotropic plant which displays a solar tracking ability. God created an amazing world for us to enjoy - sometimes we just need to slow our lives down to enjoy the beauty He created.
The Georgia Adventure Trail was completed in three long days where I was able to cover 678 miles in over 22 hours of actual drive time with an average speed of 30 mph. That was too fast compared to my normal pace but I had a hard deadline to meet since I was supporting my son racing at Daytona International Speedway.
It was an even bigger day for him though since he was planning to propose to his girlfriend, Kelsie. My son, Chet III, is a strong young man who enjoys loading himself up with heavy lifts, struggling, and then enjoying the success. Like I have always told him, "the good would not feel so good unless that bad hurt so bad." He along decided to schedule his proposal on the same weekend as his championship race. He coordinated with Daytona and AMA/ASRA to make this all happen. Bravo Zulu son and thank God that Kelsie said yes!
My son took one first and two second places this race weekend but he won big in many other ways. His long term commitment and self-discipline resulted in him winning four regional championships and taking second overall in two others. The list is long but I can summarize it by saying that he competed in Supersport and Superbike events in multiple classes across several regions.
His biggest win is Kelsie though - the girl is an absolute angel and I am not quite sure how she is able to put up with him, lol.
Far too may people never actually live life - we just follow a path others have designated, we play by their rules, and expect some glorious retirement where we will be rewarded for all of our pain and suffering along the way. The sad thing is, some of us never make it that far, and many that do, are unable to enjoy retirement as we had planned. I jumped our of helicopters without a parachute, I roadraced motorcycles, I quite the highest paying job I ever had and began driving around the country on dirt roads and disappearing into the mountains. I can truly say I have lived life and it appears my son has chosen the same path.
“There’s a lie that all drivers tell themselves. Death is something that happens to other people, and that’s how you find the courage to get in the car in the first place. The closer you are to death the more alive you feel. But more powerful than fear itself, is the will to win.” ~ James Hunt
A short video capturing this most beautiful moment - I wish you both a happy and wonderful life!
This was an interesting section of the trail which cut trough a working forest where Southern Yellow Pine was being harvested and replanted. It was lunch time and there was a helicopter performing aerial spraying so I took time to eat and enjoy the aerial ballet. Not too far from here was a washed out bridge that had a really rough go around that I considered attempting. Since I was short on time and not interested in complicating things - I checked my map and found a proper go-around that only delayed me ten minutes. With the initial go around, the risk was moderate, the payoff was mild. I set my pride aside and made the correct choice, I opted for the proper go-around and continued on with only a ten minute delay and no damage.
Oh how I wish this picture was able to accurately capture this beautiful morning. When I awoke it appeared that each blade of grass was frozen into a crystal but when I realized it was above fifty degrees Fahrenheit, I smiled since it was just a heavy dew. It was a quiet field of wet grass shimmering in the morning sun. A new day had begun and I was nearing the end. I was in the southern section now which is mostly flat farmlands and sandy farm roads. The small farm towns reminded me of my travels throughout the flyover states in the mid-west.
One danger during high-noon on sandy backroads like this is being unable to identify washed out sections of the road. There were a few times that I would be moving along at 35 mph and unexpectedly come upon a washed out section hidden in the shadows. And again, traveling in a southerly direction made this even more difficult. One of the advantages of traveling at night with powerful lighting up front is being able to clearly identify the texture of the road ahead.
Down south cotton fields are common. And so are fire ants! Since I was driving into the sun most of the time I stopped occasionally to clean my windows. While finishing up my passenger window I noticed my feel were beginning to feel funny and sting. After a few more seconds I looked down and noticed I was standing atop a fire ant mound in sandals. It was not as funny at the time but looking back, what was I thinking!
Just in case you didn't know, cotton is a heliotropic plant which displays a solar tracking ability. God created an amazing world for us to enjoy - sometimes we just need to slow our lives down to enjoy the beauty He created.
The Georgia Adventure Trail was completed in three long days where I was able to cover 678 miles in over 22 hours of actual drive time with an average speed of 30 mph. That was too fast compared to my normal pace but I had a hard deadline to meet since I was supporting my son racing at Daytona International Speedway.
It was an even bigger day for him though since he was planning to propose to his girlfriend, Kelsie. My son, Chet III, is a strong young man who enjoys loading himself up with heavy lifts, struggling, and then enjoying the success. Like I have always told him, "the good would not feel so good unless that bad hurt so bad." He along decided to schedule his proposal on the same weekend as his championship race. He coordinated with Daytona and AMA/ASRA to make this all happen. Bravo Zulu son and thank God that Kelsie said yes!
My son took one first and two second places this race weekend but he won big in many other ways. His long term commitment and self-discipline resulted in him winning four regional championships and taking second overall in two others. The list is long but I can summarize it by saying that he competed in Supersport and Superbike events in multiple classes across several regions.
His biggest win is Kelsie though - the girl is an absolute angel and I am not quite sure how she is able to put up with him, lol.
Far too may people never actually live life - we just follow a path others have designated, we play by their rules, and expect some glorious retirement where we will be rewarded for all of our pain and suffering along the way. The sad thing is, some of us never make it that far, and many that do, are unable to enjoy retirement as we had planned. I jumped our of helicopters without a parachute, I roadraced motorcycles, I quite the highest paying job I ever had and began driving around the country on dirt roads and disappearing into the mountains. I can truly say I have lived life and it appears my son has chosen the same path.
“There’s a lie that all drivers tell themselves. Death is something that happens to other people, and that’s how you find the courage to get in the car in the first place. The closer you are to death the more alive you feel. But more powerful than fear itself, is the will to win.” ~ James Hunt
A short video capturing this most beautiful moment - I wish you both a happy and wonderful life!
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hdas
Active member
Seems like a larger and/or an extra tank is a welcome addition!
ramblinChet
Well-known member
This morning when I began to set up my Renogy 200-watt Solar Suitcase, the charge controller was showing fault code "bo1" which stands for "battery disconnected." Within a few minutes I located this failed ground and nearly failed positive connection on the controller. This particular connection sees the most stress when I move the panels to chase the sun even though I grab the cable and keep a strain off of it. Honestly, I am not sure that this kit was designed to be used full time so I take the failure with a grain of salt.
Lucky me - I had tools and supplies with me to fix the problem immediately. The tools I used were my Klein heavy duty wire cutters, Ancor single crimp ratchet, and Bosch heavy duty heat gun. The supplies used were Ancor 16-14 gauge #10 heat shrink ring terminals. All of my wiring upgrades and repairs use premium marine grade wire and components. I am spending today at Wilderness Landing Park in Blackwater River State Forest in western Florida. This campground is free, has flush toilets, hot showers, and a 110 Vac power receptacle in the restroom. For a full time adventurer, this is like hitting the lottery!
You may wonder why I have all of these specialized tools with me - it's because I plan to perform other upgrades and installations while on the road exploring. I love my home in Virginia but after a few weeks it was time to hit the road. Here are the repaired connections on the right side.
Here is another friendly snake that I encountered in the forest - this is a Cottonmouth, a.k.a., Water Moccasin. This is another venomous viper that is mostly found near water swimming, hanging in tree limbs, or basking in the sun on rocks. It takes quite a bit to provoke a Cottonmouth so there is no need to worry. If it coils up and opens its mouth you will see the white interior and also know it is time to back away. The more you educate yourself on any particular subject, like snakes, the less afraid you will be.
Here are my BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires after 50,000 miles. The wear has been even and they have been rotated every 5-10k miles. It looks like they still have approximately 5/32nds remaining so I suspect they will be fine for another 10k or so miles - original tread depth was 15/32nds when new. I am really holding out for the new KO3s and expect them to be released at SEMA. If you have been looking for premium 40" AT tires...a little bird told me...
Tire one
Tire two
Tire three
Tire four
Here is a picture from the inside of Florida Caverns State Park. This is in western Florida in the central time zone. The tour is around one hour long and all I can say is watch your head. I have spend much time in caves and caverns but this tour is different since it has you stooping and walking under overhangs frequently. In one section, the ceiling is four feet and you are required to walk forward around fifteen feet. It's not that difficult bit for some it may not be easy.
Here is just one of the interesting areas cleared by hand by the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps back between 1933 and 1942. So many places I travel in the forest are a direct result of the work of these strong American men. Well done men.
Lucky me - I had tools and supplies with me to fix the problem immediately. The tools I used were my Klein heavy duty wire cutters, Ancor single crimp ratchet, and Bosch heavy duty heat gun. The supplies used were Ancor 16-14 gauge #10 heat shrink ring terminals. All of my wiring upgrades and repairs use premium marine grade wire and components. I am spending today at Wilderness Landing Park in Blackwater River State Forest in western Florida. This campground is free, has flush toilets, hot showers, and a 110 Vac power receptacle in the restroom. For a full time adventurer, this is like hitting the lottery!
You may wonder why I have all of these specialized tools with me - it's because I plan to perform other upgrades and installations while on the road exploring. I love my home in Virginia but after a few weeks it was time to hit the road. Here are the repaired connections on the right side.
Here is another friendly snake that I encountered in the forest - this is a Cottonmouth, a.k.a., Water Moccasin. This is another venomous viper that is mostly found near water swimming, hanging in tree limbs, or basking in the sun on rocks. It takes quite a bit to provoke a Cottonmouth so there is no need to worry. If it coils up and opens its mouth you will see the white interior and also know it is time to back away. The more you educate yourself on any particular subject, like snakes, the less afraid you will be.
Here are my BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires after 50,000 miles. The wear has been even and they have been rotated every 5-10k miles. It looks like they still have approximately 5/32nds remaining so I suspect they will be fine for another 10k or so miles - original tread depth was 15/32nds when new. I am really holding out for the new KO3s and expect them to be released at SEMA. If you have been looking for premium 40" AT tires...a little bird told me...
Tire one
Tire two
Tire three
Tire four
Here is a picture from the inside of Florida Caverns State Park. This is in western Florida in the central time zone. The tour is around one hour long and all I can say is watch your head. I have spend much time in caves and caverns but this tour is different since it has you stooping and walking under overhangs frequently. In one section, the ceiling is four feet and you are required to walk forward around fifteen feet. It's not that difficult bit for some it may not be easy.
Here is just one of the interesting areas cleared by hand by the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps back between 1933 and 1942. So many places I travel in the forest are a direct result of the work of these strong American men. Well done men.
plainjaneFJC
Deplorable
Is this proof of purchase?😆
ramblinChet
Well-known member
No, just tracking expenses for this project. I spend so much money in so many different areas it's easier to track this way. If you adventured full time you would understand.
ramblinChet
Well-known member
Part 1 of 2
It's time to begin heading west for the winter months. This adventure is known as the Panhandle Adventure Trail, or PHAT, which is another 500+ mile long overland trail running from east to west across northern Florida. Spoiler alert - it ended up being much longer! The trail begins on Amelia Island and ends near Mobile, Alabama, in the central time zone. If I were to summarize the trail I would break it into three separate 200 mile sections:
- east
- begins at Amelia Island
- flat and sandy with some paved roads
- passes through Bethea State Forest, Osceola and Cypress Creek Wildlife Management Areas (WMA)
- central
- begins east of Tallahassee and ends around Marianna
- if you can only complete one section this is the one to shoot for
- trail turns south and drives down to the gulf coast
- much time spent in Aucilla WMA, Bradwell Bay Wilderness, Tate's Hell WMA and State Forest, and Apalachicola National Forest
- approximately 1,000,000 acres of wilderness for away from cities
- sandy, swampy, wet, and overgrown trails
- west
- Mariana to near Mobile, Alabama
- central time zone
- flat and sandy with some occasional clay
- passes through Blackwater River State Forest
- many water activities and sandy trails just north of Milton and near Pensacola
Many thanks to Tony (Vman1313 Adventures) for all of the time and effort in creating this and many other adventure trails in Georgia and Alabama. You can find his website here with over a dozen separate overland trails.
Here I am the night before my next adventure begins - my ship is full of supplies and fuel, my pre-adventure checklist has been completed, and I am ready to begin chasing the sun. What you see in this picture and what is reality are sometimes two very different things. What you do not see is the pile of garbage behind me in a small grove of trees left by what I suspect, were homeless people. Clothes, food wrappers, filthy blankets, etc.
My main point is that even though I explore the most beautiful locations in these United States, not everything is perfect. We all struggle and life would not be complete without the highs and lows. I guess another way to put it is, the good would not feel so good unless the bad hurt so bad.
On the shore of the mighty Atlantic Ocean; more specifically, Fernandina Beach, on Amelia Island. Let another adventure begin!
Early on I wound through a maze of backroads with nice balance between pavement and sand. Some of the sandy roads showed signs of frequent travel while others say limited use. Our speed varied from 25-35 mph and it was fun to just enjoy a relaxing ride through the forest, pop out into a remote rural setting, and drop back into the trees.
Throughout my travels in the forests it is not unusual to happen upon sections of the working forest that are being harvested. If you begin to see signs posted along the trail saying "beware of logging trucks" you can be assured you are in an active area. I have never had any problems whatsoever and even if the road is temporarily blocked, the men have no problems suspending operations for a moment as I squeeze through. It is fun watching the different equipment cut and handle the trees.
Yikes, here was a tough decision to make - I was in the middle of the forest, alone, and was just below one-half tank of gasoline, and the road ahead was rough-graded. It was sandy and soft with 1:1 water filled ditches on either side, and I didn't know if things improved a mile down, or if they became much worse. Even though I had my Warn 16.5ti heavyweight winch and AEV Full-Size Trail Recovery Gear Kit, I still had no desire to become stuck in the middle of a 750,000 acre forest with no cellular service. With that in mind, I tested the situation and proceeded forward in two-wheel drive, all seemed fine as long as I continued forward at 5-10 mph. For close to ten miles I was concerned that at any moment I could become stuck since some of the areas felt very soft and mushy with water just below the surface.
In the middle of the forest I came upon a huge dragline excavator mining phosphate use to produce fertilizer for farmers. In order to properly reference the size you must consider that this machine was off to the right, and slightly behind the pickup truck in the lower left hand corner. Note there are no tracks on this machine since it is so large - it uses pads to "walk" since it only occasionally moves. From what I was able to gather, the phosphate vein in this area has been mined since the late 1960s and there is enough material for the next few thousand years. The operation involves clearing off the top ten feet of soil and then removing the vein which itself is around ten feet thick.
My gosh, another even more interesting road in the middle of the forest. This one felt like wet bread so without much argument, I took time to study my map and locate a safe go-around. If you have been following my travels you are beginning to recognize that finding washed out bridges, impassable roads, etc. happen occasionally. This is part of the adventure and adds some excitement to the mix. If everything were perfect as expected, life would be boring.
The sun has begin to set on another night in the forest. I never worry about finding a place to camp for the night since there is normally not another soul within a dozen or more miles of me. There are days where I will drive for most of the day and never come across another person. Sometimes I pass a hunter or another local taking a shortcut but much of my time is peaceful and alone. If you have not camped alone deep in the forest I would encourage you to do so. It's unusual these days but it feels so good so give it a shot and share your experience with others.
Trails in Florida would not be complete without the occasional 'Sippie Hole to cross. Most are around one foot deep but you always must remain cautious. In 2001, just months after my newest Jeep arrived, a brand new 2002 Solar Yellow Wrangler TJ with 4.0L inline six and 5-speed manual, I was playing in a local area of Florida where the big boys played with their full sized rigs running 44s behind built V8s. If you can, visualize me dropping into a deep hole with huge ruts and becoming high centered. My Jeep slowly leaned over to the right and I watched my hood sink below the water line. I was smart enough to shut off the engine since I realized I would be sucking in water in about one-half a heartbeat. Water entered the engine but there was no damage - I was pulled out and after some time we had her back running again. I changed the oil, transmission, transfer case, and differential fluids several times over the next week until all began to look like oil, and not chocolate milk. Be careful and make sure you check - grab a stick and poke around, or take off your shoes and trousers and walk in.
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