Hunter
08-25-2006, 09:27 PM
Well, with all the cranky fingers around here, (it happens every summer) I thought I would dig up a classic from the Past. I admit, it wasnt my best day but it was told back then to show how important it is to be ready... for anything. And to show how fast, things can go to hell in a hand basket. Reading this story again made my finger hurt. Probably one of the funniest inside jokes of the AZVJC for along time. Enjoy, take note, and laugh.... think we all could use it.
To this day, I will not stop for a mouse.
If you remember this story, the first time around.... it will really date you. It was back in Dec 12. of 2001
Ok, I am telling this so people will see the importance of being prepared.
Hopefully, by reading it, it will make your next trip a bit safer. And maybe
get a get a laugh out of it. I think in a week or two I might begin to laugh
myself. Maybe.
Last night, my girlfreind and I went up to Fourpeaks to go see some snow.
Innocent trip. What could happen? It is a graded road all the way up, be
there and back in 5 hours... No problem. What could go wrong? Thats what I
was thinking... so with that in mind, so I loaded up all my rescue stuff, my
shovels, Max-Ax, straps, and Hi-Lift, out of my rock buggy, "Big Ugly", into
my Land Cruiser and took off for the mountains. (Mind you, this is the first
time I have had my Land Cruiser offroad in over 2 years, but that is a longer
story)
So, I am on my way to the top, making good time, having a great time with
girlfreind. Ok, then comes the mouse. This furball darted out in front of
me and did that "headlight stop" right in front of me, I hit the brakes and
stopped. I think he is long gone in the bush and keep going, about 100 yards down the road,
my girlfreind is worried, "What if you hit him and his just hurt, I dont want
him to suffer". So, like a good guy I go back to look. (I have a heart for
small fuzzy things too). We get to the spot where the mouse was and we look.
he is long gone, and cant find him.I Hop back in, throw it in reverse to
turn the Crusier around on the trail and procede to back off a small concrete bridge.
My passenger rear tire is up on a small bank, my driver rear tire is sitting
below the lip of the concrete by about 1 foot. I am sitting on my leaf
spring.
Just a trip to the snow, what go wrong. Because of a mouse, I happend to
back off the only 8 foot span of concrete on a 18 friggin mile long trail.
Ya, I was not happy........
But I had my "stuff", thank God. Out came the Max- Ax, on goes the shovel
attachment, and out comes the Hi-lift. I start digging and lifting. I have
been stuck worse. Well, this is were things go from bad, to really, really
bad. In the process of digging out, another TJ came along, he didnt have
anything, not even a strap. But he was willing to help. Mostly they talked
to my girl freind as I dug and swore underneath my Cruiser. I was getting
close to getting out. I all had to do was place one more rock under the tire
and I was going to have the guy strap me out. (It was my strap, he didnt
have one) I have always hated working underneath a 4x4 when it is jacked up
by a Hi-lift. I have this fear of slipping and dropping on me. I was being
as careful as possible. Everybody was clear, in case the jack shot out, I
was doing good. I was slowly postiong the rock under the tire, trying to my
hands clear........
Then it happend...
The Jack slipped and the Land Cruiser came down on the rock. I thought I
was ok (that thought lasted about .2 nanoseconds) unitl I realised, that my
right index finger was pinned between a big rock and 33" General mud tire
attached to 5300 pound 4x4.. I kept my cool and told the guy to start
helping me dig. (I would have had him use the Jack, but he didnt know how to
use one. This was not the time to give someone a lesson.) The ground was
soft and digging was the quickest and simplest way to go. Soon, the rock
started dropping and the rear of the Cruiser sat on the bridge and I was able
to get my finger out. All in all, everyone figures I was under there for
about 20-30 seconds. My finger, was crushed. Nothing was broken but it
was literally squeeshed flat. I had on have leather gloves which is the only
thing that saved the sand and mud from removeing the skin from the bone.
Imagine 20 grit sand paper with a 5000 Lbs of presure. My girl freind
whipped out the first aid kit and I popped a bunch of Ibuprofren ( I have
no idea how to spell that ). It took about 5 to 10 minutes for my finger to
start to fill back out. Literally, it looked like something out of a
cartoon. With in 30 minutes I could move my finger without much
restriction, and tonight I can sit here and type this with no problems. I
was way lucky. I used up a lot of prayer time on that one. We packed up and
we headed up to play in the snow.
This was supposed to be an easy easy trail, but, somehow I managed to end
up with the back of Cruiser of a concrete bridge and my finger pinned under
the tire. Ya, Murphy was there, I could smell him. The point of this is to
show, you never, NEVER know when it is going to hit the fan. I was lucky. I
had my gear. I was able to take care of my self. But I almost left with out
it. And God only knows how bad it could have been. Always take your stuff.
And if you done have any, GET IT.
I know in the past, people have past around the list of what to carry when
they go out. But I know alot of you dont for one reason or another. Take
this story to heart.
These things saved my ***, and finger,
*Hi-lift, tow strap, First Aid Kit, Max-Ax Muiltipurpose tool (or shovel and
stuff), Gloves, proper clothing. ( I was outside for almost an hour over
this, and we where getting snowed on)
I hope this helps, Take the story for what you want, a good humor story, or
a good lesson or both. By the way, the mouse, he was fine. He got away.
Best Regards
John K
"Hunter"
To this day, I will not stop for a mouse.
If you remember this story, the first time around.... it will really date you. It was back in Dec 12. of 2001
Ok, I am telling this so people will see the importance of being prepared.
Hopefully, by reading it, it will make your next trip a bit safer. And maybe
get a get a laugh out of it. I think in a week or two I might begin to laugh
myself. Maybe.
Last night, my girlfreind and I went up to Fourpeaks to go see some snow.
Innocent trip. What could happen? It is a graded road all the way up, be
there and back in 5 hours... No problem. What could go wrong? Thats what I
was thinking... so with that in mind, so I loaded up all my rescue stuff, my
shovels, Max-Ax, straps, and Hi-Lift, out of my rock buggy, "Big Ugly", into
my Land Cruiser and took off for the mountains. (Mind you, this is the first
time I have had my Land Cruiser offroad in over 2 years, but that is a longer
story)
So, I am on my way to the top, making good time, having a great time with
girlfreind. Ok, then comes the mouse. This furball darted out in front of
me and did that "headlight stop" right in front of me, I hit the brakes and
stopped. I think he is long gone in the bush and keep going, about 100 yards down the road,
my girlfreind is worried, "What if you hit him and his just hurt, I dont want
him to suffer". So, like a good guy I go back to look. (I have a heart for
small fuzzy things too). We get to the spot where the mouse was and we look.
he is long gone, and cant find him.I Hop back in, throw it in reverse to
turn the Crusier around on the trail and procede to back off a small concrete bridge.
My passenger rear tire is up on a small bank, my driver rear tire is sitting
below the lip of the concrete by about 1 foot. I am sitting on my leaf
spring.
Just a trip to the snow, what go wrong. Because of a mouse, I happend to
back off the only 8 foot span of concrete on a 18 friggin mile long trail.
Ya, I was not happy........
But I had my "stuff", thank God. Out came the Max- Ax, on goes the shovel
attachment, and out comes the Hi-lift. I start digging and lifting. I have
been stuck worse. Well, this is were things go from bad, to really, really
bad. In the process of digging out, another TJ came along, he didnt have
anything, not even a strap. But he was willing to help. Mostly they talked
to my girl freind as I dug and swore underneath my Cruiser. I was getting
close to getting out. I all had to do was place one more rock under the tire
and I was going to have the guy strap me out. (It was my strap, he didnt
have one) I have always hated working underneath a 4x4 when it is jacked up
by a Hi-lift. I have this fear of slipping and dropping on me. I was being
as careful as possible. Everybody was clear, in case the jack shot out, I
was doing good. I was slowly postiong the rock under the tire, trying to my
hands clear........
Then it happend...
The Jack slipped and the Land Cruiser came down on the rock. I thought I
was ok (that thought lasted about .2 nanoseconds) unitl I realised, that my
right index finger was pinned between a big rock and 33" General mud tire
attached to 5300 pound 4x4.. I kept my cool and told the guy to start
helping me dig. (I would have had him use the Jack, but he didnt know how to
use one. This was not the time to give someone a lesson.) The ground was
soft and digging was the quickest and simplest way to go. Soon, the rock
started dropping and the rear of the Cruiser sat on the bridge and I was able
to get my finger out. All in all, everyone figures I was under there for
about 20-30 seconds. My finger, was crushed. Nothing was broken but it
was literally squeeshed flat. I had on have leather gloves which is the only
thing that saved the sand and mud from removeing the skin from the bone.
Imagine 20 grit sand paper with a 5000 Lbs of presure. My girl freind
whipped out the first aid kit and I popped a bunch of Ibuprofren ( I have
no idea how to spell that ). It took about 5 to 10 minutes for my finger to
start to fill back out. Literally, it looked like something out of a
cartoon. With in 30 minutes I could move my finger without much
restriction, and tonight I can sit here and type this with no problems. I
was way lucky. I used up a lot of prayer time on that one. We packed up and
we headed up to play in the snow.
This was supposed to be an easy easy trail, but, somehow I managed to end
up with the back of Cruiser of a concrete bridge and my finger pinned under
the tire. Ya, Murphy was there, I could smell him. The point of this is to
show, you never, NEVER know when it is going to hit the fan. I was lucky. I
had my gear. I was able to take care of my self. But I almost left with out
it. And God only knows how bad it could have been. Always take your stuff.
And if you done have any, GET IT.
I know in the past, people have past around the list of what to carry when
they go out. But I know alot of you dont for one reason or another. Take
this story to heart.
These things saved my ***, and finger,
*Hi-lift, tow strap, First Aid Kit, Max-Ax Muiltipurpose tool (or shovel and
stuff), Gloves, proper clothing. ( I was outside for almost an hour over
this, and we where getting snowed on)
I hope this helps, Take the story for what you want, a good humor story, or
a good lesson or both. By the way, the mouse, he was fine. He got away.
Best Regards
John K
"Hunter"