Went up the woods at the SE offroad site today to have a gander around to check on the mud situation, and mark some bits up....
the plan was to only be up there 1/2 hr or so...
as had loads to do up the workshop..
Well that plan went out the window...
WE HAVE MUD!!!!
Had a drive around and all was going well, bit more slippy as it was peeing down with rain...
Until I drove up one of the hills at the far end of the site...
For those who have been up the woods before, this was the 2nd to last hill from the very end, one of the ones made at the last picnic...
Originally this hill had a sharp Rh turn at the top then a nasty sideslope to join up with the climb that went the other side of the trees...
Pedro and moi had opened it out up the top the other day, so the side slope bit is now optional...
I got to the point of the side slopey bit, aiming for our new cut-through, that was where it all went wrong...
I couldnt get enough traction to get up the last bit...the dirt devils are great in rutted bits, but the ground was smooth on this bit albiet muddy, so the side lugs didnt get near the dirt!!
The car slid sideways to the right and got tangled up in a load of tree roots...
It wouldnt go forwards up the hill, it couldnt go backwards as it had slid across so I would have ended up in the trees if I tried...
I was on my own...and noone else for a mile(ish)...
Plan was to use the little portable lecky winch that I had slung in the back as a just in case (wasnt planning on having to use it though!!)
It is not very powerful, I bought it as a lazy tool for dragging my trailers to the tow ball...but seeing as I almost had enough grip, and just needed a bit more I figured it might help...(well it kind of had to, as it was a good mile walk to get help!)
Da stuck fronty...see the roots around the osr tyre...
Hooked up the weeny winch and took up the strain...tried using a tirfor to drag the back out to the left, away from the roots...but it wasnt having it, and I was a bit worried that if the car started to slide backwards, or the winch cable broke, then having the rear or the car tied to a tree to the left, would slew it round sideways and cause it to rollover sideways down the hill...so I aborted that plan of attack and disconnected the tirfor...and went back to winching/driving...
With the winch pulling in bursts and the fronty spinning away with loads of lock to lock trying to find some grip somewhere, it moved forwards a bit and then slid more to the right...well into the roots and a felled tree...
Reposition winch and try again...
Bingo it cleared the roots...but still wont climb...tyres clogged and steep incline with wet leaves over wet hard muddy ground...
Reposition winch again to try and drag between the next 2 trees...
As it came forwards the nsr tyre fouled the roots at the bottom of the tree to the left...cracked the mirror surround! and dragging the side of the car into the tree...(didnt quite touch though!)...however as it was sliding around the osf wing hit the tree to the right...small wound!
Poorly wing...
Poorly mirror...
Another pull from the right with the winch and finally we were out!!
It doesnt look much...but this is so slippy and steep...but this is what got me stuck...
Morale to this story....
Always go offroading with someone else, not on your own...ideally with a second vehicle, preferably with one having a proper winch!
Use what you have got available if you get stuck, its amazing what you can accomplish with really basic kit...
This little winch only cost £50...and hooks onto a tow bar normally (or a pair of shackles and a towing point!)...and earnt its money today!
They are designed really for pulling trailers to your towbar...
Always put something over the winch cable in case it breaks (I didnt...but then no one was near the cable while winching as I was on my own and in the car driving/winching at the same time..)
Went back to the workshop for a well earned coffee, soaking wet from the rain and covered in mud where I had slipped over about 10 times!!
Then retrieved my "special" wheels and tyres from the useful-junk pile...ready for next time...
7.50-16 dumper tyres on hilux rims!!These things bite like a pitpull thats borrowed a set of teeth off a sabre toothed tiger!! Just poo on sideslopes...unless modified...
Laters
Gregster...
It was fun at the end, as the lane was closed and the snow plough had just dumped all the ploughed snow at the end of the lane, thayt was fun 
