Tread Lightly & Off-Road Safety
Ctyptobiotic Crust
If you are planning to visit Moab this year you need to be aware of Ctyptobiotic Crust. I pulled this definition right out of some BLM information. "Cryptobiotic crust is a living crust of bacteria, algae, lichen, mosses and fungi that covers much of the soil surface in this area. It is almost invisible in its early stages. As it matures, it develops a bumpy, blackish surface. The crust is essential to desert life. It holds sand together, retains water, and makes nutrients needed for larger plants to grow.
It takes 50-100 years for the crust to fully function: yet tire tracks and footsteps can crush it instantaneously. Bike and vehicle tire tracks are especially damaging because they form ruts. When it rains water flows in these ruts causing severe erosion. Walk, drive, or bike only on open roads or trails. When walking cross-country walk on slickrock or in dry washes. Avoid trampling cryptobiotic crust."
Off-Road Safety
I don't plan to start an “Ask Tom” for technical questions. However, I am interested in safe operation off-road and these two questions peaked my interest. I am passing on my thoughts. You might have additional information on these subject to pass on as well.
Question
Most tree straps are around 10 ft. long. I saw one that was called a boulder strap that was 25 ft long. For our area would it be better to have the longer boulder strap vs. the 10 ft. length. I do spend more time in the desert.
My Response
I would recommend getting both. Get the tree strap and also a tow / recovery strap that is 20 or 30 feet long. The tow strap can be used as a tree strap or around rocks. Make sure that you buy only straps that have loops on the end. Do not buy a strap that has hooks sewn in. If the strap breaks they become missiles. You have to be careful when putting a strap around a rock as it might cut it. This is one place a chain is handy. But never use a chain in a dynamic recovery operation as it will transmit the shock spike directly into the all the connections and could result in lethal breakage.
Question
I just did an overnight Road trip with a Club and had a blast. I had something happen a couple of times and I know I didn't react the right way and was looking for advice on the right way to handle it.
Here's the scenario, you're driving along these sandy washes at about 35-40 mph. Sand is smooth, not too deep. Without sufficient warning you see a series of ruts(?) crossing your path. I don't know if ruts is the right term, they look like mini/micro sand dunes crossing your path, but below the level of the wash, like some cross current washed them out. They are 1.5-2.5 feet high, 3-4 of them in a row, just 3-5 feet apart. You try to slow down before hitting them, but you are still going fast enough that you know it will be a big hit. Knowing you're now committed to hitting them, what do you do? Do you accelerate, do you lay off the pedals, or other?
We had two such separate incidents and they were scary. The truck feels like it bottoms out, nosing into one only to bounce up and then down into the next one, your head hitting the ceiling several times before finally coming to a halt. Anyway, scared the hell out of me, but all seems fine, didn't see any damage and it drives fine, but I'm just still in disbelief that these vehicles can survive those sorts of things. I asked a couple of the guys about it, and they all told me it was fairly normal and that the truck can survive those sorts of things just fine.
My Response
I believe in going slow and enjoying the Desert. Since I know it is fun to go fast and you have obviously “fallen in with a bad group”, my recommendation is that as soon as you see the whoop-de-dos, get on the brakes hard and kill as much speed as possible before you hit the first one. Your vehicle can take a lot of abuse but eventually it will start to show. You need to inspect the frame for cracks very closely about once a year. Hit it too hard and something will break.
If you are going to drive that fast, you need to pay attention to the terrain and try to read it. If you see a wash coming in from the side (even a small gentle depression), you can pretty much expect that it will be rough where it crosses the trail and slow down for it. Leave more room between you and any vehicle in front so you can see the road for yourself. If it is an area is used heavily by motorcycles then expect a lot of them. The bikes tend to make the ruts deeper and higher.
Guys who run high speed in the desert have extra long springs and long control arms to absorb the whoop-de-do. You might look into these modifications for your vehicle.
It sounds like you did not have control of the vehicle once you were in them so that suggest you were going too fast. I don't recommend driving fast on unknown terrain in the desert. Some time you might find that it is more like a ditch or cliff and will crash rather then bounce.
Here is another tip - use four low. Depending on your vehicle set up 4 low will not go much over 30-35 MPH - which is good. But the trick is that as soon as you let off the gas the low gearing slows you down fast. This works well in the turns also when you need to kill speed with out hitting the brakes. With a little practice you can modulate the speed with the accelerator to go smoothly thru multiple whoop-de-dos at the fastest speed possible without the Ice Chest jumping off the back deck (about 5 – 7 MPH)!
Clinics
I have 5 clinics coming up soon.
If you know someone in the San Diego area that needs basic training and can get Monday & Tuesday (29th & 30th) off, let them know about the Basic Getting Started Clinic in Anza Borrego.
If you have a winch and can get Wednesday January 31st off, sign up and meet me in Borrego Springs, CA (east of San Diego). If a Monday is better, check out February 12th at Hungry Valley SVRA. It's Lincoln's birthday!
February 3rd is a one day clinic on the West end of San Bernardino Mountains. This is the first Rocks, Ruts, and Ridges clinic for 2007. This is a nice step up from the beginning Clinics.
For Women-Only, there is a Basic Off-Road Driving Clinic on Super Bowl Sunday. It will be held in Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area near Gorman, CA.
A new clinic - Field Repair - will be held on 3 weekday evenings in Orange County near the 91 Freeway. This is your chance to take apart your drive train.
Check the web site out for more details on all 4 clinics. www.4x4training.com
Regards,
Tom Severin, President
Badlands Off Road Adventures, Inc
310-374-8047
http://www.4x4training.com
Certified Instructor & 4x4 Coach
If you are planning to visit Moab this year you need to be aware of Ctyptobiotic Crust. I pulled this definition right out of some BLM information. "Cryptobiotic crust is a living crust of bacteria, algae, lichen, mosses and fungi that covers much of the soil surface in this area. It is almost invisible in its early stages. As it matures, it develops a bumpy, blackish surface. The crust is essential to desert life. It holds sand together, retains water, and makes nutrients needed for larger plants to grow.
It takes 50-100 years for the crust to fully function: yet tire tracks and footsteps can crush it instantaneously. Bike and vehicle tire tracks are especially damaging because they form ruts. When it rains water flows in these ruts causing severe erosion. Walk, drive, or bike only on open roads or trails. When walking cross-country walk on slickrock or in dry washes. Avoid trampling cryptobiotic crust."
Off-Road Safety
I don't plan to start an “Ask Tom” for technical questions. However, I am interested in safe operation off-road and these two questions peaked my interest. I am passing on my thoughts. You might have additional information on these subject to pass on as well.
Question
Most tree straps are around 10 ft. long. I saw one that was called a boulder strap that was 25 ft long. For our area would it be better to have the longer boulder strap vs. the 10 ft. length. I do spend more time in the desert.
My Response
I would recommend getting both. Get the tree strap and also a tow / recovery strap that is 20 or 30 feet long. The tow strap can be used as a tree strap or around rocks. Make sure that you buy only straps that have loops on the end. Do not buy a strap that has hooks sewn in. If the strap breaks they become missiles. You have to be careful when putting a strap around a rock as it might cut it. This is one place a chain is handy. But never use a chain in a dynamic recovery operation as it will transmit the shock spike directly into the all the connections and could result in lethal breakage.
Question
I just did an overnight Road trip with a Club and had a blast. I had something happen a couple of times and I know I didn't react the right way and was looking for advice on the right way to handle it.
Here's the scenario, you're driving along these sandy washes at about 35-40 mph. Sand is smooth, not too deep. Without sufficient warning you see a series of ruts(?) crossing your path. I don't know if ruts is the right term, they look like mini/micro sand dunes crossing your path, but below the level of the wash, like some cross current washed them out. They are 1.5-2.5 feet high, 3-4 of them in a row, just 3-5 feet apart. You try to slow down before hitting them, but you are still going fast enough that you know it will be a big hit. Knowing you're now committed to hitting them, what do you do? Do you accelerate, do you lay off the pedals, or other?
We had two such separate incidents and they were scary. The truck feels like it bottoms out, nosing into one only to bounce up and then down into the next one, your head hitting the ceiling several times before finally coming to a halt. Anyway, scared the hell out of me, but all seems fine, didn't see any damage and it drives fine, but I'm just still in disbelief that these vehicles can survive those sorts of things. I asked a couple of the guys about it, and they all told me it was fairly normal and that the truck can survive those sorts of things just fine.
My Response
I believe in going slow and enjoying the Desert. Since I know it is fun to go fast and you have obviously “fallen in with a bad group”, my recommendation is that as soon as you see the whoop-de-dos, get on the brakes hard and kill as much speed as possible before you hit the first one. Your vehicle can take a lot of abuse but eventually it will start to show. You need to inspect the frame for cracks very closely about once a year. Hit it too hard and something will break.
If you are going to drive that fast, you need to pay attention to the terrain and try to read it. If you see a wash coming in from the side (even a small gentle depression), you can pretty much expect that it will be rough where it crosses the trail and slow down for it. Leave more room between you and any vehicle in front so you can see the road for yourself. If it is an area is used heavily by motorcycles then expect a lot of them. The bikes tend to make the ruts deeper and higher.
Guys who run high speed in the desert have extra long springs and long control arms to absorb the whoop-de-do. You might look into these modifications for your vehicle.
It sounds like you did not have control of the vehicle once you were in them so that suggest you were going too fast. I don't recommend driving fast on unknown terrain in the desert. Some time you might find that it is more like a ditch or cliff and will crash rather then bounce.
Here is another tip - use four low. Depending on your vehicle set up 4 low will not go much over 30-35 MPH - which is good. But the trick is that as soon as you let off the gas the low gearing slows you down fast. This works well in the turns also when you need to kill speed with out hitting the brakes. With a little practice you can modulate the speed with the accelerator to go smoothly thru multiple whoop-de-dos at the fastest speed possible without the Ice Chest jumping off the back deck (about 5 – 7 MPH)!
Clinics
I have 5 clinics coming up soon.
If you know someone in the San Diego area that needs basic training and can get Monday & Tuesday (29th & 30th) off, let them know about the Basic Getting Started Clinic in Anza Borrego.
If you have a winch and can get Wednesday January 31st off, sign up and meet me in Borrego Springs, CA (east of San Diego). If a Monday is better, check out February 12th at Hungry Valley SVRA. It's Lincoln's birthday!
February 3rd is a one day clinic on the West end of San Bernardino Mountains. This is the first Rocks, Ruts, and Ridges clinic for 2007. This is a nice step up from the beginning Clinics.
For Women-Only, there is a Basic Off-Road Driving Clinic on Super Bowl Sunday. It will be held in Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area near Gorman, CA.
A new clinic - Field Repair - will be held on 3 weekday evenings in Orange County near the 91 Freeway. This is your chance to take apart your drive train.
Check the web site out for more details on all 4 clinics. www.4x4training.com
Regards,
Tom Severin, President
Badlands Off Road Adventures, Inc
310-374-8047
http://www.4x4training.com
Certified Instructor & 4x4 Coach
posted by Tom Severin at 5:34 PM
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