I generally do something that takes me off pavement every weekend. I don't post up about all of them because 1. I'm lazy and 2. There are 2-3 regular places that I go...and pics from them would get repetitive.
Yesterday proved more interesting though.
Ran up near Larch Mtn to go play in the snow and do my Good Samaritan work for the week - Packing out some trash and helping out the unprepared person who gets themselves stuck up there (happens at least every other week). Normally I'll bring a buddy but my normal wheelin partner was sick and another guy I called still had his gas tank on the ground. So I decided to go alone with my roommate and son. (cue dramatic music).
Snow was gone from the main access roads so we took off up a trail that gained elevation pretty fast. The snow got deep pretty quickly but we made it up to the top landing. We're in a cloud in this pic.
I figured since we were up here I'd get up a little farther and take a badass poser pic for ORTB. Well, 35s+high CV angle+hard left turn+me heavy on the gas = this (taken once we got to safety):
Did somebody order some CV hamburger?
Yay! 3 wheel drive! After getting turned around we discovered that it did indeed take all 4 wheels turning to get through the trail we came up. My buddy managed to scramble up a small ridge where there were several well rooted stumps. 3 long winch pulls later we were back on solid enough ground that locked 2WD could get us out. I tried helping out with the right front during the first pull and subsequently lost power to that wheel as well. I think I may have broken something in my splined disconnect.
Part of the trail that we weren't actually stuck on.
Once on reasonably firm ground, we got a couple scenery shots for our troubles.
We made it back down the mountain to a gravel pit that's used for shooting and as a staging area. Got out and turned on the new OBA setup (I need to post about this). Then pulled the front diff fill plug. No marks on the ring gear and no metal in the gear oil... whew. Pulled the rifles out of the truck and fired a couple mags worth through each while filling the tires. Spooled up the winch line that was in my roof basket and drove home without any additional drama.
Nearly 100K miles from my original CV shafts, and this one only broke after seeing 35s and me being a jackass on the gas pedal. I'd say I got my moneys worth. The TB got us home as it always does, even broken.