Snoball finally had a Big Adventure yesterday. We joined a group called Peach State Overland for the first day their 2018 #PSO2CureALS rally. They usually run events in North Georgia where they're based, but this started a few miles from our house in middle georgia and follows the Georgia Adventure Trail north to the NC border over 2 days. The GAT is a route under development that will run FL to NC mostly on dirt.
There were 18 rigs - 2 of which had trailers. As an ovelanding event, most were on mild lifts and ATs with rooftop tents and a full stock of camping equipment. The plan was to run the dirt roads and back trails headed north with lunch breaks at historic BBQ restaurants and primitive camping on Sat night. The only technical spots were some deep mud puddles and one clay hill road with some deep ruts.
On the first road we splashed through some good mud puddles and were about 5 miles in when we found the road blocked by a 2wd pickup that had been stuck in a mud puddle since 11pm the previous night. Recovery operations ensued while the rest of us waited.
Snoball was doing great on the dirt roads and walking through the mud easily, all while keeping us cool and comfy.
We finally got to the rutted hill and we crawled right up the ruts and washes in 4lo without a blink. The group stopped to collect everyone and I took pics.
You can see there is some rain inbound, so I was thinking we should get on up the hill. Walking up to the front of the group I realized the real reason we stopped. We hadn't done the bad section yet. It was in MUCH worse shape than when they scouted it last week. 2+" of rain will do that.
As I walked up I watched a diesel D90 defender on 35s and dual lockers launch into a rutted, uphill mud pit and sink up to the tops of the tires. He flailed back and forth for a while before they brought down a jeep tied to a tree on the top side and winched him out. The road was like peanut butter and he left hip deep ruts.
Oh crap.
Next I watched a lifted Dodge 1500 with a trailer flail into it and put the truck sideways across the road and the trailer in the ditch. There were still 4 or 5 more rigs to get through before I got a shot. The mud was so slick you could barely stand up as you approached the bog.
And then it started raining. Hard.
Through a 30 minute white out downpour they managed to winch and drag another couple trucks through. By the time it was my turn it had stopped raining but there were still creeks running through everything down the hill. With 2" of lift and ATs I had no shot. So I took the direct path. Carry more speed than anyone else had and bomb right up the middle.
It didn't work. But it was spectacular.
I actually came close. I finally stopped on the last berm after pounding over the first few and getting a rousing cheer from the onlookers. I think I got closer than anyone else that wasnt running locked and big MTs. At least I was close enough that pulling me out was quick and I was through quicker than most.
I didn't get pics but the onlookers did. And video. I'll link it when I get access.
The aftermath though...
During the assault we took some nasty hits and heard some serious crunching and banging. A quick inspection showed no obvious damage and we realized the noise was from the unsecured cooler bashing around in the back.
After we got everyone through (except the Subaru. He turned around and ended up in worse shape trying to get back through the first section after the rain) we hit pavement and beat feet to the lunch stop. Due to extracting the pickup and the massive mud transit we finally had lunch at 5:30pm.
After lunch/dinner, about 7pm, we bailed and headed home while the rest of the group split up. Half took a 40 minute paved route straight to camp while the gluttons headed back out on the planned dirt roads. As a big rain front started to move in. We had originally planned to trail to the campsite and drive home, but events of the day pushed us late. In the end we bailed about the time we'd planned in the first place.
I'm really happy with Snoball's performance, but I did have an issue with it getting hot sitting still. The electric fans are going to have to happen sooner rather than later. Still, that thing just tapdanced through stuff that I would not have attempted solo. In fact I watched a well prepped land cruiser work harder to get through some of it.
Today I get to clean off the mud and check for damage. I do have a clunk in the steering that was there before but is worse now. I think its probably the track bar, which is the only thing not new under there anyway.
