Motorsports - What to Bring When Wheeling Alone

What To Bring When Wheeling

Alone by Kendall Petersen —Resident Submission

In the days before cell phones, I was hunting with a friend of mine up Strawberry Peak. It was raining, and the roads became a sloppy, muddy mess. While trying to travel along, the road sloughed off from underneath us, leaving the entire passenger side of the vehicle with it’s tires hanging in the air. Two tires on mud weren't going to do much good, and we had no equipment with us to improve our chances of getting back on the road. We decided one of us would stay with the vehicle, and the other of us would walk down the muddy road in hopes of encountering another driver to help us out.

I took off tromping down the mountain. After a while, I flagged down another driver, but he wasn’t headed our direction and didn’t want to either. He said he’d take me into town (where he was headed) to get some help. That was the plan. But I ended up helping him out - there were several places I got him unstuck. It was slow progress. After a long while, our rearview mirror showed another vehicle coming down behind us. It was my vehicle! My friend was driving. While I’d been helping my helper, another guy had come along and gotten our precariously perched vehicle back onto the road, using some straps and ropes.

So, we followed after the guy I’d been helping to make sure we all got off the muddy mountain. Getting home before dark, covered in wet mud, was such a relief. I was a youngin’ then, and had had a good lesson in making sure to keep some appropriate equipment in my excursion vehicle at all times. I was lucky to have a friend with me that day. I usually go solo. So, needless to say, I now have a list of things to always have as a solo excursionist. • Rope, Chains, and/or Straps • Winch • Shovel • Tools – wrench set, screwdrivers, pliers, ratchets, hammer, sockets, duct tape, etc. • Extra Parts – This can be as simple as a box of fuses, or extra nuts and bolts for your shocks, link bars, and so on, or more complex as axle shaft assemblies. • Spare tire(s) and Tire Repair Kit • Compressed Air • Extra Fluids – engine oil and transmission fluid as well as gear lube and engine coolant.