Dan – Triton. Brody / Tennelle – Rodeo. Mckay – Patrol. Aim –
Navara.
Our four-wheel driving Sunday started at 1 am in the morning when
alcohol talked the boys into finding some mud out by the Loddon River.
Found some mud. Bored through it and continued around the corner for some more.
Underneath the headlights, they found what they thought to be the jackpot. Only
to discover halfway through they bit off more than they could chew.
Halfway through a flooded section the Triton came to a halt.
Unable to roll backwards, they continued forwards until they could no more.
“Aim, can you do us a favour?” Why do I get these phone calls at
night? A few minutes later after nabbing Brody’s brand new recovery kit and a
second jumper I head out as the Triton rescue vehicle.
Just around the corner, they tell me. Many corners later, I see
the Triton’s rear lights and the four of them standing on the back, waving like
mad for me to stop before I became trapped in the same bog hole.
Under headlights, it looked as if they had driven into the Loddon River
its self.
Slipped over in the mud. Got my feet wet, Mckay pretty much went
swimming, and the rest of them with wet legs helped to join two snatch straps
and a winch extender between both vehicles.
After a bit of tugging and lots of sliding and spinning, the
Navara finally pulled the Triton out. Was that the end of the night? Nope.
Returned home, lit a fire in the middle of the driveway, and stayed up until
3am.
9 am, we were back at it. After recovering the snatch straps from
the Navara, we headed out to the Myall forest down by the Murray in search of some more mud! We were
not disappointed.
Mckay let the way through the mazes of roads within the forest.
Pick a track, any track. Found a few easy mud holes and a few that weren’t so
easy. All three utes became bogged at some time. Mckay said he was going to be
disappointed if he didn't get his new Patrol stuck. A few times, he succeeded
very well.
First one to become trapped, was Dan in the Triton, Trooton as he
calls it when it fails. Pulled out by the Rodey. Mckay flew in next only to
become stuck in the same spot. Also pulled out by the Rodey. The poor Rodey
didn't even get a turn as we moved on to the next.
Not to be disappointed, the Rodey bogged down in a large hole. Second time
Brody ploughed threw it with no problems at a higher speed. Mud was going
everywhere! The three white utes were now a light and dark brown. Even Mckay,
who decided to check the holes depth, was caked with the same brown mud over
his legs.
Dan, unwilling to become
bogged, held the Triton flat. Warp speed Spock! Smoke poured from the exhaust
as water escaped from under the mud tyres as far as it could and straight over
the roof.
Making our way through the forest, sometimes blind due to the mud
splashing over windscreens, we came across a caravan and two clean utes! Either
they dodged all the mud or found another way in. We couldn’t believe how clean
the blue Nav was! There wasn't even a trace of dust.
A man walked up as we waited to get around the stationary caravan.
When we expressed our desire to pass them through a ditch, he replied with.
"This is going to be interesting."
Very interesting that he thought it would be interesting. Went
down and along the side with no trouble at all, and popped out in front of the
caravan and continued on our way.
Following the track along, the cumbungi and other long grasses crept
closer until the track narrowed to much. Unable to continue any further without
scratching the utes, we turned around. Luckily the caravan moved. Our path was
clear.
Driving further in, we found the Myall sand pit. Two large water
holes before you climb a steep hill. First hole wall we managed to do was
create tidal waves and grade the top off the exit. The Rodey nosed into the un-grated
exit and stopped. Almost loosing a number plate. The Triton climbed the furthest
because of a better bullbar clearance, then began to spin. The Patrol semi
climbed out but also caught on the bullbar.
The next hole, each one climbed out and up the steep bank.
Success, now on to the next challenge.
Dan spotted a wet spot, much like a dried dam, and much like a
semi dried dam, the mud hole had no bottom. He dove in first, bogged down
before he made it through to the other side.
Mckay, being a smart, deciding his vehicle would make it through
with more speed. Nope. Bogged down in line with the Triton. Both or them
rocking back and forwards trying to get out of the suction. Rodey to the rescue
again.
After escaping the hole, Mckay took at the mud even faster and skipped across
the top. He even went length ways.
Dan's turn. He made it sideways, but slipped up lengthways and
bogged down so deep that the Patrol struggled to tear him free. A move of
position and the Triton tugged out with a brand new accessory. The Trooton now
has a moon cap.
After a few more plays in mud holes, we found the Guttrum sand pit. Black water
and a bit of hill climbing. The day warmed up too. The mud baked onto the utes
and after a while, our brand new brown paintwork begun to flake to reveal the
white vehicle beneath.
Dan, in the Triton with the snatch strap permanently hooked up to
his hayman reese bow shackle, tackled a mud hole and a steep climb. He bogged
down first go. The Rodey came to the rescue and attached the strap to the
rear. As he pulled, the snatch strap flung from beneath the Triton and disappeared
underneath the Rodey. Running to hook the vehicles back together, we
discovered the bow shackle had come undone. We had the shackle, but no bolt.
Useless without the other. Not wanting to loose the bolt, Dan got ready to jump
in the mud to recover it. On the puddle’s edge, I spotted something yellow. The
bolt flug out of the mud.
A second go at bog hole was a success. Straight through it at warp speed and up the other side.
Mckay attempted another bog hole in the Patrol. Going in without 4WD engaged,
he bogged down, the water above the bottom door sill. He begun screaming at us
to stop moving like old people and pull him out as water ran in.
Dan hooked the Triton up, gave it a yank. The snatch strap broke
with a huge crack. Meanwhile Mckay still screamed. We replaced the strap with
Brody’s one and rescued him from the black water.
After checking out what damage the broken strap did to the rear of
Dan's Triton, he discovered his two new green TRED’s gone. In an panicked
attempt to find them, we searched Guttrum. No sign of the ramps. Brody, Tennelle
and Mckay hunted in Barahm for some tucker while Dan and Aim continued to
search. We went back along the rough track, certain they would have rattled out
there. Then we made our way along the bog holes. There covered in mud, floated
the two TRED’s, still together. What a relief.
Starting to get late and both groups at either side of the forest,
we decided to call it a day and went home.
Brody and Mckay accepted the mornings challenge and disappeared
back out the Loddon to own the elusive puddle/lake. Whipped its butt on the
second go.
All bullbars required adjusting and the utes demanded decent
pressure wash and that was the end of the day.
