Check my gallery for a couple of photos; they're not the most interesting shots, but it seems like anytime anything interesting was happening, my friend and I forgot all about taking pictures.

What do you get when you mix two guys with no off-roading experience, a truck that's never actually been off-road, and a bunch of Hungry Valley jeep trails where none of the aforementioned have any business being? FUN! There were lots of thrills, a few chills, and only one almost-crapped-my-pants. I'm very impressed with the Ranger's off-road abilities; even my not-very-tricked out rig handled (almost) everything we tried with aplomb. The only time she didn't make it was attempting a slightly angled climb up a steep rock face that ultimately left the front right wheel hanging in the air. With no locker up front, and not enough weight in the back, I wasn't able to clear the crest and had to back up. Had I gone straight rather than at an angle, I think I would've made it, so I chalk that one up to operator error.

Some of the descents were wild. Maybe hardcore off-roaders wouldn't have thought much of it, but seeing _nothing_ but the ground below through the front windshield was, for me, an experience like no other.

We only nearly lost The Bonnie Brae--along with your intrepid driver--once. My friend and I thought it would be fun to follow (what looked like) a jeep trail up a ridge. It _was_ fun at first, then started getting narrower and narrower, with only a few inches of clearance on either side, and my friend wanted to turn around at the one wide spot where an about face was possible. "We can make it," I insisted. He decided to get out and merely watch me make it, so fine... and I did! Unfortunately, at the top of the next rise the path turned into a ravine. Oops. So I had to BACK UP (and down) this hardly-wider-than-my-truck trail, with nothing but a 100-foot drop on either side. My friend, spotting from the back of the truck, couldn't see too well what I was doing with my front wheels and I turned just a little too much and the right one started sliding, sliding, sliding off of the trail. "GO FORWARD, GO FORWARD!" he started yelling at me, and believe me, I did! The second try saw me get it right and I managed to back all the way to the turn-around spot, but he had to take over driving after that for a while. Scary stuff, but what a blast.

The only low moment of the trip was the very beginning when we managed to get onto an ATV-only trail that was narrow and hemmed in by large shrubs. I think the scratches will buff out. Mostly. I hope. Whether it does or not, though, I have the feeling it's only going to be the first of many.

 

It looks like you had some fun. The main reason I go for white trucks, is that the brush scratches don't show In a few months time, after you have gotten a dent or two, you will read what you wrote and laugh. going where the road don't go is one of the joys of owning a good truck. My '96 has done over 70,000 miles where the blacktop don't go, and I have loved every mile of it.

Theo