View Poll Results: How many years wheeling?
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How many years experience wheeling?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 8,238
Likes: 3
From: Oregon
How many years experience wheeling?
Thought it might be interesting to see how many years experience we had in here. When I say years wheeling, I mean you personally and real wheeling. Not sitting on your dads lap steering or just throwing donuts in the back 40 
For myself, I "started" as a kid going wheeling with my grandpa. But my own experience didn't start untill I got my license and hit the trails off the Clackamas River in '86. After counting fingers and toes, that makes it nineteen years for me. Still go down to those same trails now and then. They seem real basic now, but they sure are nostalgic
For myself, I "started" as a kid going wheeling with my grandpa. But my own experience didn't start untill I got my license and hit the trails off the Clackamas River in '86. After counting fingers and toes, that makes it nineteen years for me. Still go down to those same trails now and then. They seem real basic now, but they sure are nostalgic
Last edited by proeliator; Jul 12, 2005 at 02:21 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Been at it about 30 years now, pro. Started out with a '71 Jeep CJ4JA with a V6. The Sulphur River (Northeast Texas) was open back then with trails along and through the creeks. Not many radial tires back then and the best mud tires were CO-OP mudders - had the lugs that stuck out past the sidewall about an inch. Good grippers but you could tear them off if you happened to dig into rock.
I still sneak into the bottoms now and then with my F150 and buzz the old trails even though it's illegal... Once it's in the blood - well, you know.
I still sneak into the bottoms now and then with my F150 and buzz the old trails even though it's illegal... Once it's in the blood - well, you know.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,976
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From: Rep. of Texas
I voted before I saw what you read pro... Ive only been wheeling in a fullsize for 2 yrs.
BUT 7 or 8 years ago when we got hte farm, we got the Gator. Little, invincible, green, 4-wheel drive (locked), 6-wheeled thingy that Ive yet to permanently kill. We bogged, rock crawled, and jumped in this thing forever. Just went out on the 3rd and did it all again, but shes getting a little tired from the abuse. By abuse I mean some pretty serious stuff for an 18mph vehicle. Worst ever was 6ft front/ 3ft rear off the ground jump... no rear suspension... Im rambling.
About the nostalgia... I may be young, but I know what you are talking about to some degree. I miss the simple days with the little AG tires... no swampers, no flywheels, no performance parts... just mud, rocks, and ramps. And most importantly, friends (not that I dont have any now, but their trucks keep on giving out, and theyre giving up...)
BUT 7 or 8 years ago when we got hte farm, we got the Gator. Little, invincible, green, 4-wheel drive (locked), 6-wheeled thingy that Ive yet to permanently kill. We bogged, rock crawled, and jumped in this thing forever. Just went out on the 3rd and did it all again, but shes getting a little tired from the abuse. By abuse I mean some pretty serious stuff for an 18mph vehicle. Worst ever was 6ft front/ 3ft rear off the ground jump... no rear suspension... Im rambling.
About the nostalgia... I may be young, but I know what you are talking about to some degree. I miss the simple days with the little AG tires... no swampers, no flywheels, no performance parts... just mud, rocks, and ramps. And most importantly, friends (not that I dont have any now, but their trucks keep on giving out, and theyre giving up...)
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
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Pro, this is uncanny - our timelines are almost identical! As a youngster I had an old Jeep that I drove all over our hunting property, which was several thousand acres of mud, creeks and scrub. Then I "built" my first truck (which really means I just got it running and driving, no performance junk) when I was 16. Since I wasn't much interested in anything else, starting in 86 I spent all my spare time in the woods, which was mostly just driving around and playing in all the wet spots, learning and breaking stuff. And there were lots of lessons in how to get unstuck 
. There was a 5 or 6 year hiatus in the late 90s when all my time was spent working and starting a family, but happily I'm back at it, building a new Sub and having tons of fun with a group of friends that just can't seem to grow up. So to answer the question, at age 35 I don't know exactly how long I've been at it, but trucks and wheeling are as much a part of my life as my last name.
Ernie
. There was a 5 or 6 year hiatus in the late 90s when all my time was spent working and starting a family, but happily I'm back at it, building a new Sub and having tons of fun with a group of friends that just can't seem to grow up. So to answer the question, at age 35 I don't know exactly how long I've been at it, but trucks and wheeling are as much a part of my life as my last name.Ernie
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,544
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From: okc
i personally only have 3-5 years of actual true off road driving experience because i could never afford a capable 4x4....then i was given my sno fighter as a gift so i could actually get down and dirty finally......even though i dont have that much experience under my belt driving trucks, i have alot of offroad knowledge from growing up in the mountains of PA where a 2wd truck is unheard of...out here in oklahoma they are closing all our good off road areas, about the best there is locally in okc is down at the river, after a week of rain!! its a good challenge for my 35" BFG MT's, but im sure the beast or cap'n would take anything there in 2wd....
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Its Comin Right for us!
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From: GA
ive had the hammer down since i found a 65 chevy in the woods and got it running, when i was 14, so that makes 7 years. i had 50 bucks or o in that truck, so thats how i drove it, and learned how to drive a worn out 3 on the tree at the same time, we have a buncha trails on our 300 acres, including creek crossings and such...then theres some trails next door in the national forest
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 8,238
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From: Oregon
Originally Posted by Big Orn
Once it's in the blood - well, you know.
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,430
Likes: 2,915
From: Reed Point, MT
I betcha can't guess which category I fit into!!!
Seriously, I used to mud bog at lunchtime in the beginning of 10th grade (before I bought my first pickup) in my dad's '79 Bronco. It was a pile. Factory stance, 235/75 Cooper Discoverers (yeah, it got stuck a lot) and my friends and I would have to walk back to school (2.5 miles) and be late for 6th period. Good times.
I've never wheeled any of my own vehicles, mostly because I could never afford to fix 'em if I broke 'em. I never did break that Bronco!! I haven't "wheeled" since 10th grade. If there wasn't a gap in there, it would have been 12 years of experience for me, but since I had it and lost it in about a 4 month span, I guess I have to go with the big fat goose egg.
Cody
Seriously, I used to mud bog at lunchtime in the beginning of 10th grade (before I bought my first pickup) in my dad's '79 Bronco. It was a pile. Factory stance, 235/75 Cooper Discoverers (yeah, it got stuck a lot) and my friends and I would have to walk back to school (2.5 miles) and be late for 6th period. Good times.
I've never wheeled any of my own vehicles, mostly because I could never afford to fix 'em if I broke 'em. I never did break that Bronco!! I haven't "wheeled" since 10th grade. If there wasn't a gap in there, it would have been 12 years of experience for me, but since I had it and lost it in about a 4 month span, I guess I have to go with the big fat goose egg.
Cody
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by proeliator
Also interesting to think about what was considered an awesome 4x4 during the time we first got into it.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,587
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From: Virginia Beach
I envy you guys, I really do! There isn't anyplace around here to go even offroad (unless you know someone who knows someone who is best freinds with a farmer) unless you drive out past Richmond, which is a good 100 miles. I used to run RC trucks off track and when I started driving, I parked my truck in the yard for a couple years 
Does that count for anything?
Does that count for anything?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,945
Likes: 3
From: Spokane, WA
Started wheeling at 17 in my tin can of a Samurai. Never did anything much with full size trucks until I bought the Cap'n. Even at that it's better suited for picking up Jr. High girls at the mall. 
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 7
From: NE Tennessee
Scouts rule
Was about 16 or so years ago. Old '79 int scout II. I couldn't kill that thing. 4cyl straight drive. I'd of kept it but the body was rusted all to hell. I remember taking my wife to work one morning and having to wrap up in a blanket going down the highway and I still couldn't feel my feet when I got home. Had cables holding the sides together. We wheeled beside the 'ol bowling alley and at 5 caves. Did repelling there also. Some or the greatest times walking out to the highway after getting stuck at night. That was good times. Had a '87 ranger w/302 but never wheeled it and haven't wheeled my '90 150. Don't think I wanna scratch the paint 
Yeah I'm getting old. haha
Yeah I'm getting old. haha