"Running in the Snow"

Greg Mumm 

Mar 2003

Hey everyone! Seems like ages since I have seen any of you. It’s that time of year. Busy at work and hide out at home when you get off work. Cold and snowy does that to me. (Note to self: Need a bigger garage with lots of heat!)

It is nice having the snow we have had and I hate to say it, but I hope we get a lot more ‘cause we need it. The moisture is so good for everything and especially this time of year. The moisture we get now is the kind that sticks around and sets the pace for next summer. It is also fun for snow runs in the hills.

Speaking of that, the primary point I want to make in this months column has to do with the snow and the runs we make. This time of year, it is especially important to remember to be careful about the ground under your vehicle. I know that when you are out there wheeling in the cold and wet snow, it is a real temptation to ignore the normal things we do like airing down and trying not to spin. But, we shouldn’t. In fact, we should do quite the opposite; we should air down even more than we normally do, especially in deeper wet snow. Not only will you find that you are able to progress along the trail more effectively, but you will be much easier on the terrain you are traveling on.

The upper surface of the ground under that snow is very sensitive right now. In general, it is not as frozen as earlier in the winter. Also, during the freeze and thaws we see regularly; that upper crust gets wetter and wetter as we move on toward spring. That makes the ground susceptible to rutting and being ripped up irreparably. The damage we can cause will only be magnified come spring with all the rain we are going to see (fingers crossed and hoping). Literally, the ruts left by ignorance will never go away on their own.

Here is another thing to remember that I think is critical. Wash your rigs as soon as possible and as often as possible. Our big wheels tend to throw a lot of stuff all over the sides of our vehicles whether we have been going off-highway or not. The appearance we keep in public is put in peril when we drive around with rigs that look like they have been out mudding. Besides, all that crap they put down to keep the ice at bay needs to be washed off or it eats your paint and metal. For most of us, the struggle to keep the rust a tbay is hard enough without the compounding of the challenge of salt or some byproduct thereof.

I am not saying don’t go wheeling, I am saying when you do, think about what you are doing. Use a little more momentum and a little less horsepower. Drive farther ahead of yourself on the trail and most important, HAVE FUN!!!