Thread: My first time out.

Today was my first time out in my new 02 Defender that i got last week. It was also my first time 4wd'ing.

I pretty much made every mistake a newbie would make. I went alone, with no recovery gear and with zero experience.

I didnt plan to go off road to a large extent, just go tour the gravel tracks around the glass house mountains. It is beautiful up there.

Now, taking a back road to woodford, i took a side street to see where it would lead me, and it was very, very pleasant. Then i took another side street, as it looked like there was no 4wd'ing to be had.

What i didn't take into account was the narrowness of the road. It didnt even occour to me that i would need to turn around because it was all easy.... You know where im going :P

The road got narrower, harder and wetter.

I did a few water crossing (not really a creek, but huge pot holes) and they started getting harder etc. Reversing a couple of km's did cross my mind, but i knew that reversing through the pot holes i came out of was unlikely, so i had to go forward only.

It got to the point that it looked more like a motor bike track/walking track. I was getting pretty nervous when i saw two destroyed Goodyear Wranglers on the side of the.... path.

One pot hole thing i came across had logs in it that im pretty sure were used to remove a bogged vehicle. I ate an apple, while i pondered wether to try and tip toe it over the logs, or remove them, and go through at speed. I removed them, as i though if i slipped off them, id have no momentum as back up.

I reversed up a hill a bit, and powered through with diff lock and in low range, and the exit wasn't as smooth as the stick i used to test it suggested it was.. and i got some air on the exit (poor defender, i hope i havnt hurt it.)

As soon as i got through it i stopped to put it back into high range, and out of diff lock, and i couldn't get it back into high range, and the diff lock light was still on, even though it clearly wasnt in difflock. I rolled back a bit, and i heard a grind ( i felt ill) but it went into high range, and the light went out.

At this point i turned my GPS on (i didn't bother to do it before, because i didnt think it would work through the trees) and i wasnt on a road that was on a map, it looked like i was either near, or on an old river bed, as i was sitting on a thin blue line, though threw the thickness of the scrub i saw a creek beside me. (was also getting concerned about getting stuck there overnight, and to get a lot of rain)

I zoomed out on the GPS to see where the first road was, and i followed bush tracks trying to get to that road. It appears what they say is right "point to a spot on a map, and a defender will take you there".

I exited out from behind the Woodford tip. Does anyone know where i was ? been on that track ?

I came out onto tarmac thinking "I love this car" and "Thank God i didn't get the discovery"

That will be the last time i go 4wd'ing before i do a proper course and buy some/lots of recovery gear. Im definitely getting a winch/hand winch. Today i was completely irresponsible, and showed very little maturity for my age.

The standard grabber tyres did ok, but in clay... wouldn't be cool.

Now.. Im pretty new here, and there is a common saying here "It didnt happen without pics"

Ill upload some soon. PhotoBucket is down for maintainance ATM

It is "solmanic" car. Im a bit worried how he will react to the pictures :P

I also have a photo the day i bought it, where i found grime that he hasn't cleaned