wah wah wah, (you picked your job, i picked mine. you make huge money, i scrape by. it's a trade off) you have sick days, use them.
i am driving a beast that has been abused and neglected for 3 years, wheeling it and driving it back home... (unless i pick up a different tow vehicle this week, which i highly doubt will happen.)
it is all part of the adventure.
it is my understanding the wheeling doesn't start till saturday morning. there is a saturday and hopefully a sunday run. i would also like to do a short run friday evening if it is alright with the organizers. you know, wheel to the top of some cliff or rock to watch the sun set and putter back to camp.
i am not sure what others view as wheeling weekend, i look at it as a time to test our skill, build friendships, enjoy the outdoors and good old mother nature. i am not big into finding the first mud hole and going back and forth till i break something and then sit in camp drinking since i have no running ride.
i will also have a passenger seat open (as long as you don't mind the big old Cruiserdog) if anyone wants to ride.
FSM radios, this is what i use. i think we have at least one truck with both the radio and the CB (brad?). the FSM are cheap to buy, come in pairs so you can have one to either share or as a back up.
breakage, usually when i see breakage it is from lack of maintainence of abuse. maintainence shoudl be done before the run. check or change your fluids, check play in driveshafts and ujoints and pinion back lash, check you brakes (mine need two quick pumps for a quick stop), tires, decent tread?
you do not need huge tires, huge hp, to do trails. some parts of the trail you might but usually there is a bypass. you do need tow hooks front and rear. you do need a radio of some sort that works. you do need a engine that runs (at least sporaticly). you do not need a $50K bush truck, a $2500 beater will do just as well.
if you are not sure of a part of the trail, get out and watch how the others are doing it. ask questions and listen to the answer.
i would recommend (but it is not my run so that is up to the organizers) leaving the bottle or the joint back at camp. wheeling can get ... interesting ... REAL quick so a clear mind is needed. plus it is illegal to drink and drive even miles in the bush. if you do drink and drive that is your choice but it isn't just your life you might be endangering.
finally, common sense.
think of it this way, picture how rough the trail is going in, if you get hurt, broken arm, leg, back, neck or worse, it will be HOURS before you get to the hospital, hours of bouncing back down the trail, hours of gritting your teeth, hours of pain shooting up from the break and hours of blood seeping onto the floor.
if someone is winching, STAY BACK. if someone is trying a hill, STAY BACK out of the way. if someone is tugging, STAY BACK. common sense.
i am stoked to get out again... now do i bring the rag top or the hard top? the hardtop gives me the freedom to bounce off a tree, the ragtop is just cool... tough decision.
i will stick around to help clean up the camp spot. i booked Monday off as well so a late return is fine by me.