young and dumb

I’m going to have to admit I’m still young and dumb…
Yesterday I got out of my last class for the day at the University of Minnesota Duluth. So of course I decided to go ice fish a lake about an hour away. After about an hour drive I arrive at the back road to take to the boat launch. It wasnt until i turned onto the road that I realized there was 8-10 inches of unplowed snow on said road. I figured i would be fine as long as i didnt have to slow down too much because the tracks from someone a few days before was still drive able. Now there was a small hill i had to climb in my 2 wheel drive ford ranger that I did not think of on my way down this road. Of course I figured i would be fine. I get almost over it and stop. then had to back up and run at it again to get further. One more time back and i would have it or so I thought. While on my way backing up I came off of my tracks and of course the rear wheels dig down though every inch of the snow. I ended up trying to get her free for an hour and gave up. I tried calling a couple tow companies but no one wanted to get there truck stuck out there. Night was falling and help seemed like it wouldnt come tell the morning. I got lucky with one of the towing companies telling me to call a bar near me. So I did and of course about 45 mins later a nice older fellow in a jeep grand cherokee slipped a strap on my truck and off we were back to plowed roads and salt. I could not thank this man enough and offered to buy him a few rounds which he happily declined. This really does go to show even when you do something you know isnt such a great idea like driving the worst set up for deep snow down an old road, there is always someone somewhere willing to help.

Be glad there was someone somewhere willing to help. Were you prepared to spend the night there or would you have walked out?

There is young and dumb…………
And there is young and dead.

Glad you are OK.

I know it’s cliche, but we’ve all done less-than-intelligent things in our lives. I think it shows maturity and intelligence on your part that you already know you made a mistake and appear to already be on the road of learning from it. Believe it or not there are plenty of folks, both young and old, that do dumb things all the time and still don’t get it (think “Affluenza” for example).

Glad you’re alright man. If the guy that helped you out didn’t say it yesterday, be sure and pay it forward. Some day you can be the guy coming to the rescue to help someone else.

Dutchboy wrote:

Be glad there was someone somewhere willing to help. Were you prepared to spend the night there or would you have walked out?

There is young and dumb…………
And there is young and dead.

Glad you are OK.

I actually would have been ok to spend the night had enough water and very warm clothes Im just really glad it didnt come down to that

Learning steps that build character through actual experiences. Glad you were bailed out now go get some chains for the Ranger so you can build more character. Its ok to do dumb things just dont cross the line and go the stupid route.

Glad you’re OK, Carter. Anyone who’s lived or grown up up there in the frozen tundra has been there before. Pushed the luck just a little too far.

I’m assuming you already have sand tubes in the back for weight. Chains would be a good addition, but my dad always said only use chains to get OUT of where you shouldn’t have been in the first place. Using chains to get IN is a recipe for disaster.

Always have tow ropes and recovery straps and enough hooks and shackles so you can attach them. I carry 1 tow rope, 1 recovery strap, 2 hooks, and 2 shackles so I should be able to attach to just about anything.

Beyond that, don’t go anywhere in the winter without enough clothes and your trusty aluminum grain scoop shovel.

Stay warm.

Grouse

Youbetcha wrote:

I actually would have been ok to spend the night had enough water and very warm clothes Im just really glad it didnt come down to that

What, you didn’t just rely on a cell phone to get you out of trouble? Isn’t that crazy talk in this day and age?

You’re not so young and dumb if you’re smart enough to have that gear with you

You’re just young right now. If you repeat the scenario, well, then you’re young and dumb. lol

Smart though having what it takes to cover your butt, literally.

It was more of a luck thing having the clothes because I was planning on fishing so i was real bundled up.

Lesson learned. 2wd in Duluth? I used to love driving up 21st east after a snow storm…

yeah 21st is a bear with snow on it and rear wheel drive. I’ll do everything i can to avoid it on those days

I found some of my best fishing holes by getting my 2wd Ranger stuck out on the ice. Might as well fish while waiting for your buddy to come bail you out.

Appreciate the young and dumb days…. they are replaced by too smart to take chances life style. Once there for a while, you’ll actually appreciate the young and dumb days even more.

With my long time buddies, all our best stories and laughs relate to the dumb days. Enjoy a little dumb, avoid outright stupid.

Had my fun trip with snow and stuck last night. Same deal unplowed road with other vehicle tracks going through…until they all stopped at one point and I’m assuming backed all the way out. I started backing out and going good till I slid a bit to the ditch so I figured this is a good a place as any to turn around. Bad IDEA!!! Stay going straight even if it is backwards. I proceeded to absolutely bury my 4wd ranger I had two if not three tires free spinning. Luckily I had just bought a truck shovel for this exact type of moment last weekend. It was a long 20min of digging and rocking to finally get going in reverse again….the sad part of all this is it happened less than a mile from town and my apartment.

Carter, if the roads you drive back to the lake have trees you should buy a come-along. Even one of the bigger sizes is like $40.
DT

Buy Tire chains, thank me later.

deertracker wrote:

Carter, if the roads you drive back to the lake have trees you should buy a come-along. Even one of the bigger sizes is like $40.
DT

Yes, if you have the anchor point, this (and enough tow straps) can get you out of a jam. There never seems to be a good tree where I need it so the ability to use a come along depends on having enough to straps to reach a good tree.

But I’d say get a good old fashioned set of tire chains first. Those and a good metal grain scoop shovel can get you out of a lot.

Grouse

not sure you can still buy these, but in my Y&D days we used what i would describe as ‘rope on’ chains. bought them at sears. three to four sets on the spinning tire andyou were good to go again. NOT as good as full chains, but easier to set up in a tight situation. mine got used so much they wore out. How’s that for a Y&D testimonial…

deertracker wrote:

Carter, if the roads you drive back to the lake have trees you should buy a come-along. Even one of the bigger sizes is like $40.
DT

X2…If you don’t have the come-along it doesn’t matter if you have an anchor point or not …RR

you can also carry an old block and tackle. I buy tham at farm sales for next to nothing and we put one in each field truck. Staff are not always in good enuf shape to handle the mechanic of a come along!!!

Well on this road a come along would have worked pretty well. Trees everywhere on both sides. Big ones, tall ones, skinny ones..etc you name it.

PERFECT place to suspend all reason.
Just don’t clip any of them head on…