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What have you done WITH your FMTV ( trips, Rescues etc) NOT: fixes, updates etc

T

thomaspc

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Fun Weekend! First...the back story...40ac in northern NV, including a piece of the West Walker river... [note: Nevada rivers are considered non-navigable, so if you own a piece of both sides, you essentially own that piece of river...] anyway...couple years ago, to facilitate river access, I built a land bridge across a wet area...which took an ungodly amount of bucketful's of dirt. Pic 1 is what it looked like after completion. The litmus test was being able to cross with the backhoe, with a full front bucket. LandBridge1.jpg

Then came the winter of 22-23, and in June, it looked like this...
LandBridge2.jpg

So, here we are, halfway through August, the water has receded, and I need to get the backhoe over there to repair our river access.

Backhoe1.jpg
Which I did, but promptly stuck the backhoe. At first, it would go forward, [toward the river] but after about 15 minutes of trying to push it out with either bucket I thought "Hey! I've got an LMTV, it's time to put The Squatch to the test...
Squatch1.jpg
Well, F.... so close. Can you see the water just to the right? Time for Plan B. Not only have I stuck the LMTV, I blocked the road... there is no other path.
Using the stabilizers, I was finally able to free the backhoe, and pulled both vehicles to the river side...not exactly where I need them to be.
SquatchNarnia.jpg
So, using, dirt, 2x12's, and prayers, I got the backhoe across, and spent all day re-building the road to Narnia. I figured, get 3-4 feet above the waterline, it will be fine. Can't tell you how many buckets of dirt it took. A lot. It kept sloughing off, and absorbing the water. Finally, after a couple of trips across with the backhoe, [approx 16k] WITH a full front bucket, I thought it was time to bring the Squatch back over.
SquatchAYFKM.jpg
AYFKM... I drove a straight line, and the ass end just slid out... and down...maybe 10ft from solid ground. My neighbor pulled me out with the backhoe, but at the end of the day it's just another physics lesson...
 
chucky

chucky

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thomaspc said:
Fun Weekend! First...the back story...40ac in northern NV, including a piece of the West Walker river... [note: Nevada rivers are considered non-navigable, so if you own a piece of both sides, you essentially own that piece of river...] anyway...couple years ago, to facilitate river access, I built a land bridge across a wet area...which took an ungodly amount of bucketful's of dirt. Pic 1 is what it looked like after completion. The litmus test was being able to cross with the backhoe, with a full front bucket. View attachment 903578

Then came the winter of 22-23, and in June, it looked like this...
View attachment 903580

So, here we are, halfway through August, the water has receded, and I need to get the backhoe over there to repair our river access.

View attachment 903581
Which I did, but promptly stuck the backhoe. At first, it would go forward, [toward the river] but after about 15 minutes of trying to push it out with either bucket I thought "Hey! I've got an LMTV, it's time to put The Squatch to the test...
View attachment 903582
Well, F.... so close. Can you see the water just to the right? Time for Plan B. Not only have I stuck the LMTV, I blocked the road... there is no other path.
Using the stabilizers, I was finally able to free the backhoe, and pulled both vehicles to the river side...not exactly where I need them to be.
View attachment 903583
So, using, dirt, 2x12's, and prayers, I got the backhoe across, and spent all day re-building the road to Narnia. I figured, get 3-4 feet above the waterline, it will be fine. Can't tell you how many buckets of dirt it took. A lot. It kept sloughing off, and absorbing the water. Finally, after a couple of trips across with the backhoe, [approx 16k] WITH a full front bucket, I thought it was time to bring the Squatch back over.
View attachment 903585
AYFKM... I drove a straight line, and the ass end just slid out... and down...maybe 10ft from solid ground. My neighbor pulled me out with the backhoe, but at the end of the day it's just another physics lesson...
Click to expand...
Might pay you to put a couple of clevis on the truck on both ends to save your straps and other things ! If it aint the bedbugs its the piss ants lol !
 
wandering neurons

wandering neurons

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Well shoot, you should have sent a message. I could have brought Goliath and helped recover. Goliath has the Self Recovery Winch and I’ve got lots of extra toys that I’ve added to the inventory for recoveries.

Good on you for self extricating!

thomaspc said:
Fun Weekend! First...the back story...40ac in northern NV, including a piece of the West Walker river... [note: Nevada rivers are considered non-navigable, so if you own a piece of both sides, you essentially own that piece of river...] anyway...couple years ago, to facilitate river access, I built a land bridge across a wet area...which took an ungodly amount of bucketful's of dirt. Pic 1 is what it looked like after completion. The litmus test was being able to cross with the backhoe, with a full front bucket. View attachment 903578

Then came the winter of 22-23, and in June, it looked like this...
View attachment 903580

So, here we are, halfway through August, the water has receded, and I need to get the backhoe over there to repair our river access.

View attachment 903581
Which I did, but promptly stuck the backhoe. At first, it would go forward, [toward the river] but after about 15 minutes of trying to push it out with either bucket I thought "Hey! I've got an LMTV, it's time to put The Squatch to the test...
View attachment 903582
Well, F.... so close. Can you see the water just to the right? Time for Plan B. Not only have I stuck the LMTV, I blocked the road... there is no other path.
Using the stabilizers, I was finally able to free the backhoe, and pulled both vehicles to the river side...not exactly where I need them to be.
View attachment 903583
So, using, dirt, 2x12's, and prayers, I got the backhoe across, and spent all day re-building the road to Narnia. I figured, get 3-4 feet above the waterline, it will be fine. Can't tell you how many buckets of dirt it took. A lot. It kept sloughing off, and absorbing the water. Finally, after a couple of trips across with the backhoe, [approx 16k] WITH a full front bucket, I thought it was time to bring the Squatch back over.
View attachment 903585
AYFKM... I drove a straight line, and the ass end just slid out... and down...maybe 10ft from solid ground. My neighbor pulled me out with the backhoe, but at the end of the day it's just another physics lesson...
Click to expand...
 
Mullaney

Mullaney

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hike

hike

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Took her down to the Port Mansfield Channel in Padre Island National Seashore. It was a great day on the beach, few people and none from about 40 klicks on down. She cruised on the beach in MODE and SAND, smoother in some respects than on the interstate to get here.

IMG_3159.jpeg
25 mile (the National Seashore uses miles: 40 klicks)

IMG_3162.jpeg
looking back north from the channel

IMG_3160.png
on the way home

IMG_3164.jpeg

IMG_3163.jpeg
Stopped for some flyers, too


Meeting up with some Jeep friends this coming Saturday to take her to Hidden Falls Adventure Park in the Hill Country. Another LMTV would be better.

That should be a good day, too—
 
Last edited:
Third From Texas

Third From Texas

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Nice

So you pushed all the way to Mansfield jetties. That's as far off the beaten trail as you can travel on the Island (no 7/11's down there, not even a fresh water source, you're on you own beyond the occasional Park Ranger patrol and shark fisherman's camp). For those that don't know that's as fas as you can drive heading south on N. Padre. It dead-ends there at the garnet jetties of Port Mansfield. The other side of that channel is the beach north of S. Padre and eventually Port Isabel.

If you look closely at his route you can see where is shifts from SSW to SSE. That's "Devil's Elbow" where the N/S currents often converge. To the N of that is "Little Shell" where much of the waterline sand gives way to tiny shell. And just a bit before the elbow is "Big Shell" where the tiny shells give way to pretty good sized shells). Awesome beachcombing. Great fishing, too (not just shark).

It's a great drive. If you catch low tide, it's almost like a paved road and you can make great time. At high tide, you air down and plow thru dodging driftwood.

Wish I had been home, I'd have trailed down and met ya for a beer and some grilled redfish.

Colt and a few others have expressed interest in a run one day. We'll have to make it happen and do a sand convoy. I'm thinking maybe next Sept. Cool enough to not need ac, not as much blowing sand, the blue water is usually in, and the water is still warm enough to enjoy.
 
Last edited:
hike

hike

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Third From Texas said:
Nice

So you pushed all the way to Mansfield jetties. That's as far off the beaten trail as you can travel on the Island (no 7/11's down there, not even a fresh water source, you're on you own beyond the occasional Park Ranger patrol and shark fisherman's camp). For those that don't know that's as fas as you can drive heading south on N. Padre. It dead-ends there at the garnet jetties of Port Mansfield. The other side of that channel is the beach north of S. Padre and eventually Port Isabel.

If you look closely at his route you can see where is shifts from SSW to SSE. That's "Devil's Elbow" where the N/S currents often converge. To the N of that is "Little Shell" where much of the waterline sand gives way to tiny shell. And just a bit before the elbow is "Big Shell" where the tiny shells give way to pretty good sized shells). Awesome beachcombing. Great fishing, too (not just shark).

It's a great drive. If you catch low tide, it's almost like a paved road and you can make great time. At high tide, you air down and plow thru dodging driftwood.

Wish I had been home, I'd have trailed down and met ya for a beer and some grilled redfish.

Colt and a few others have expressed interest in a run one day. We'll have to make it happen and do a sand convoy. I'm thinking maybe next Sept. Cool enough to not need ac, not as much blowing sand, the blue water is usually in, and the water is still warm enough to enjoy.
Click to expand...
We have been camping in Padre Island National Seashore for years, usually near where I paused yesterday. Yesterday was my first visit all the way down, there are likely more folks there in the Spring. Love coming to Port Aransas and Mustang Island, too.

1FD6227C-7E44-4CD7-A9B4-2CAB261E482D.jpeg

BE1063D1-9899-4651-B637-4A1F1C246067.jpeg

We would enjoy joining up with some folks for more beach time—
 
Third From Texas

Third From Texas

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hike said:
We have been camping in Padre Island National Seashore for years, usually near where I paused yesterday. Yesterday was my first visit all the way down, there are likely more folks there in the Spring. Love coming to Port Aransas and Mustang Island, too.

View attachment 914127

View attachment 914128

We would enjoy joining up with some folks for more beach time—
Click to expand...

Yeah, I do most of my short overnights to fish at the N. Fish Pass jetty (S of Port-A inside the Mustang Island State Park). PINS is for when I'm feeling more adventurous (but it's a full tank of fuel down and back, which has been a wee bit more expensive the past four years).
 
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