Always, always, always carry your emergency gear!

[asteffes]

So this last weekend, I was heading home with a friend from a trip to a ranch in the Oakland-Berkeley hills. We came across a downed Eucalyptus tree in the middle of the road. This isn't a country road, but a busy hilly road surrounded by yuppies.

My friend and I used three 200lb. ratchet straps to clear the tree from the road using my Taco. I wish I had the toolbox with my real rope and other gear in the back of the truck, but we made do. So even in the city world, it's good to be prepared!

 

[pangaea]

Nice...

Reminds me of a situation I had about 10 years ago. I was doing some early season wheeling with a group of friends. We were the first to open the trail after the winter, and as a result there were a number of downed trees. I get out my axe and start hacking away at the tree (too big to move), when a friend reaches into the back of his Defender and pulls out a chainsaw... It was kind of emasculating to me, but he certainly made quick work of it.

 

[Ursidae69]

Good point to this thread. I was on a road-trip in Colorado a few years back, no 4-wheeling, but I still carried my safety/recovery gear. At the top of Independence Pass I came across a Pathfinder that had wrecked. It was 9am, the driver was totally drunk, she was bleeding all over, she was in a lot of pain, and her vehicle was being precariously held by a boulder. I attached my tow strap to her frame and tried to stabilize her truck so it wouldn't roll down the hill, miles down the hill I might add. This was very high up above treeline on a very steep slope and the truck was teetering and making lots of noises and the front bumper was barely holding the truck from a roll. Other folks stopped to help and we all agreed to move her to the pavement. I carried her up the slope and used blankets I had in the truck to keep her from freezing to death. It was about an hour before the first responder showed up from Leadville. They took her away and me and my gear rolled on, glad I took all my safety gear even though I was on a driving tour.

 

[Nullifier]

I get out my axe and start hacking away at the tree (too big to move), when a friend reaches into the back of his Defender and pulls out a chainsaw

Well in our neck of the woods chainsaws should be standard fair. Especially after the last 2 hurricane seasons. It is amazing though how many people travel with nothing including a $1 for a phone call. On road offroad people always short change repair/recovery gear.

My first trip wheeing we had a jeep roll over 6 times before stopping. there were a ton of veterans there and I was the only one carrying more then a hi lift. I had read an internet article in the importance of tools and parts so I bought everything I didn't have on the list before I went on my first trip out. We used about 60% of the "specialty tools" for repair and fab parts to get it running and out of the woods.

It funny how many vehicles the "little stock yota" (as my friends on 37's call it) has saved, simply because it was carrying oddball parts, tools, and fastners. you can never be to prepared.

 

[asteffes]

The best part of that tree moving task was watching not one, not two but *three* SuperDuties drive on by, not offering to help or anything. My guess is those guys don't want to find out they spent way more than they had to for a solid truck.

Another lesson I took from the weekend:

I used up seven road flares in that 30 minute exercise. If you're carrying just one or two, you're fooling yourself. Buy a whole box next trip to Kragen!

 

[calamaridog]

I have a "spare" 20' strap and 2 "D" shackles tucked away in the LC. This way I don't have to carry my regular recovery kit around everywhere.

I always have the air compressor, tire kit, jumper cables, and basic tool set.

I wonder how many amps an electric chain saw would draw? Maybe I could run it off the power inverter?

Forget the flares, those are for lighting :campfire:

Get some of those large reflective triangles.