Meet & Greet Trail Report,
Big thanks to the new members that showed up it was great meeting everyone and a huge thanks to the current members for being there showing support and helping out with the ride. It really was great seeing and meeting everyone.
Well, normally I would have a sweet report to give you guys but unfortunately this time I have a post of shame. 🤦♂️
The weather couldn’t have been any better, it was a shorts and hoodie kinda morning with a heavy overcast, the sky cleared as the day went by. We started off on Cave Fork Rd and that’s pretty much where my story ends. I attempted to climb an obstacle I’ve done once before, got denied a 2nd time when it was wet and this 3rd time I broke an axle shaft. Maybe I was trying to show off or maybe I was just trying to have fun honestly I’m still trying to figure that part out. But I do believe my axle shaft was already compromised from previous off-roading trips. (I wheel my Bronco a lot) I’ve heard a few creaks coming from it on other trips I’ve done recently when putting heavy loads on the rear end on certain obstacles. This incident didn’t really feel that violent to me I feel like I’ve felt a lot worse in the bronco but having full air pressure in my tires did not help this scenario. I did let off the gas when I slid to the left, felt her coming back down but it was too late it caught traction right in a dip on the driver side rear and snapped the axle shaft.
After this event we quickly evaluated the situation and decided Jim was going to finish leading the ride for the day. Clint and I limped my Bronco back to the trail head then Clint would return with his truck and trailer to help me get my Bronco back home. Huge thank you to Clint for helping me in this situation. Can’t thank him enough.
To the new people on the ride I want to apologize for my mistake. I hope all of you still had a good time. If we don’t learn from our own mistakes we learn from others. This time I was that guy and I’ll own it. I should have aired down and shouldn’t have tried that obstacle while leading a group. No excuse.
We are going to try and do these meet and greet rides every couple months in the future so if anyone missed this one don’t worry there will be others.