Life Philosophy

Panhandle Rancher on the trail…..

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Panhandle Rancher sent in the following pictures of a Jeep trail near his home. He said he has that “serious look on my face during the water crossing as it was very rough with an occasional pot hole that would splash water everywhere – and the vehicle has manual steering requiring a tight grip on the wheel.”

Looks like fun! Thanks PR for sharing.

JR

Jeep, trail, survival, preparedness, prepper,

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15 Comments

  4. Panhandle Rancher says:

    The wife and I made the same water crossing several weeks earlier when the river was up to the Jeep floorboard. I was drenched by the water fall that was a real water fall during that earlier crossing but only a weak trickle in the above photo.

    I see a lot of survival related articles about crossing water in vehicles but strangely, those nice 4×4 FJs and similar are always on the bank with someone leaning out looking at the water. Seriously, any water crossing is fraught with danger, especially an unknown crossing. There is no doubt the bottom is rock here but in other places the bottom may be sand and crossing is much more difficult as the vehicle wheels dig into the sand and it settles lower and lower. Someone should always walk ahead of the vehicle at an unknown crossing, else that shiny new 4×4 just might disappear. Water depth greater that 24″ should not be risked without the proper vehicle and experience. We see turkey, hundreds of deer, and the occasional black bear in this area.

    This location is minutes from one of my properties. One has to cross the river at one end of the 30+ mile drive and mud bogs at the other end. Most of the trail is navigated in the low transfer case setting and in first gear as the road is rocky and hilly. I commonly carry an axe and/or chain saw to cut trees downed on the trail which we drive for pleasure several times each summer. These hazards limit the more casual off roaders (again not wanting to risk those shiny 4×4 trucks) access. The river offers wonderful swimming and great fishing and we often encounter locals on horseback and on those little four wheel Hondas. The best time to visit this trail is late April through May as the river dries up quite a bit later in the summer months.

    Thank you for your comments. Anyone serious about driving the trail and/or camping/fishing/swimming in this area can contact me via Rourke. This road is located about 100 miles west of Little Rock, Arkansas.

    PR

    Reply
  5. Panhandle Rancher says:

    The Jeep is a late model CJ-5 with 4″ lift and 35″ tires. This Jeep and many its brethren were painted a puke color of Caterpillar yellow that didn’t improve with age. Several cans of camo Rustoleum spray paint dramatically improved its looks and makes touch up so easy. It was re-engined with a small block Chevy crate engine, is normally aspirated (Holley 2 barrel) and breaker point/coil ignited. I used an alternator to keep a charge on the battery what with the lights and radio gear but have a generator and brackets along with the old solenoid type regulator, should the rectification diodes quit working in alternators everywhere. The rear bumper supports a High Lift jack and a 12vdc off road air compressor is mounted under the hood. The compressor permits me to lower air pressure in the tires for increased traction off road and then re-inflate for all weather road driving. It has 2″ receivers front and rear which give great utility for a removable electric winch. The short wheelbase and lift kit makes towing anything but a small trailer most hazardous. If any are interested and Rourke willing, I would be happy to send a photo of a M14 rifle mount that I spent way too much time fabricating. The roll bar is drilled and tapped for a M82 pintle mount (but then I watched Rat Patrol in my youth). I am currently building a cable cutter for the vehicle out of two road grader blades.

    PR

    Reply
    1. Badger359 says:

      Hi PR, great article and pics. I too grew up watching Rat Patrol also Combat with Vic Morrow and 12 O’clock high and Sea Hunt. Guess am showing my age.

      Reply
      2. MarkOwen says:

        All of us geezers used to watch the same shows. And still enjoy the things that only Americans can enjoy huh. One of the very few countries left, if not the only one where you can take your favorite gun and dog and go hunting, or four wheeling. The German officer on Rat Patrol is still on TV. Hans Gudeghast. Victor Neuman on soaps, don’t know which one, ask your wife.

        Reply
  6. Panhandle Rancher says:

    Everyone tempted to take a vehicle across a ‘low water’ crossing should see:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro48lL1YZIw

    Again, I recommend someone on foot either precede the vehicle or cross beforehand. Without such information, there is no way of knowing how deep the water actually might be.

    One thing the youtube video demonstrates is the value of persistence and not surrendering the vehicle to the water. As long as the engine is running there is hope. A recovery line affixed to a back shackle is not bad idea – as long as there is someone to take up the slack if you have to reverse. Nothing is a game ender quite as quick as barbed wire or wire cable wrapped around a driveshaft.

    PR

    Reply
  8. Bruce Mclaurin says:

    Nice CJ, PR. You are right, water crossing is not for the inexperienced! Ive seen several swamp theirs by trying to be tough and pick the wrong line! I would like to see the rifle mount pics and the cable cutter when it is finished!

    Reply
  9. Panhandle Rancher says:

    Bruce,

    Rourke willing I shall so post.

    A couple of cautions about vehicles and fords. If an engine stalls and quits, don’t restart! It likely ingested water and may be hydraulically locked. Liquid water doesn’t compress well so cranking that starter will only serve to break pistons, damage valves, and/or bend connecting rods. Most of the more serious 4wd vehicles have pressure equalization lines connected to the differentials/transfer cases/transmissions. If the running gear is hot and then cooled rapidly by water, air will flow into the case via the equalization lines. If water is higher than the top of these lines, then it will literally be sucked into the cases (think Charles’ and Boyle’s Laws P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2). I’ve lengthened and raised those tubes in the old Jeep but one can still have water egress via a loose seal. Wise people always drain a sample of oil/grease from the engine and other running gear afterward and check that sample for water separation. If water is identified in one of these components, then the contaminated fluid should be drained and replaced – the sooner the better.
    PR

    Reply
  10. goingray58 says:

    Looks much like my days and weekends/summers scouring the land for whatever moved, flew or swam in western then southern AR. Mine was much less hilly though…
    When we crossed .. someone indeed walked ahead and usually with a cut staff to test the bottom.. You could not SEE through our water .. Once I walked ahead .. it not being my vehicle.. in the cold .. in waders.. I walked through what I later discovered was what was left of a 4 ft wide cypress .. which in this case was a huge round hole several feet deep… No movie moments I just disappeared.. and the waders and my mouth filled with dark cold water.. Gun dropped I scrambled and fortunately grabbed a double hand full of briers and hoisted myself out coughing.. I had reminders for months about the reason to be careful in water.. and water crossings.. Of course my “buds” had great fun with me. I’ll just say I did get my gun back, and finish the day and it was “character molding” experience. Of course if yo survive it th eprice paid for being stupid usually is.

    PS in my opinion the GUMBO (anaerobically produced swap clay) of north western AR is the most treacherous wet traveling surface, of anything I have been on except maybe oil and black ice.,

    Awesome pics PR.. Thanks for bringing up the memories.. err .. most of em anyway.
    GG58

    Reply
  11. Arlene says:

    PR and Rourke- Thanks for sharing !! Beautiful area. Years ago I crossed many creeks on horseback or on a tractor but not in a vehicle !!We just had snow and high winds and very cold temps We had a cozy fire in the woodstove all day..I hope the almost open apple blossoms make it.
    Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms out there.
    Arlene

    Reply

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