almost "darwined" my truck in river

[redrider90]

So the river I live on flooded from Florence. I have a truck path down the Eno river where I live. It wasn't a major flood like down south and it lasted only for a day. So that was last week and for just one day and I thought I could challenge mother nature.I wanted to go down with the dog and pick up stuff and clear off my path.   So I put er in granny in the old 4X4 Nissan with moderate mud tires and down to the river I went.  I was going slow and I started talking to myself  saying  to myself you know stupid you ought to back up oughta here while this truck it horizontal and on a nice flat surface cause it's looking muddy.  Well I went 1 or 2 feet more hit a stump and she started sliding sideways towards the river mud tires be damed as they were now slicks. So she stopped about 2 feet from the bank (this river is now is below flood stage) and then it stopped. I got out and said oh oh. I called a friend who iives just a half mile down the road who was coming deer hunting this evening.  He brought his nice scratch free Tundra down and we managed get his truck in perfect alignment on a  horizontal surface. I was about 30 degrees off center from the way the river bank runs and my rear bumper/fender was just a foot from a tree and it had slide past it and below the tree towards the river. So I had to come out at an angle.
Thankfully  a couple of weeks ago I had bought 250 feet of 5/8' nylon rope. We doubled up the rope tied up up on the frame just behind the rear tire to get an angle on it.  First I had to drive towards the river so I could get my back end around from hitting the tree. His Tundra with double rope kept me from sliding and then when I had the truck more perpendicular to the river and with both of us in granny gear he pulled  my truck from near oblivion (Darwin oblivion).  Sh** that was stupid guys really really stupid. And I didn't need my      to tell me so. 
I was so upset I forgot to take 

[Triple Jim]

I'm glad it came out OK, Harvey.

I did the mountain equivalent once, taking my Dodge van up a steep logging road in Pennsylvania.  It was gravel, and eventually got steep enough that my 2-wheel drive van wasn't quite able to get to the top.  Backing down proved almost disastrous.  Since the road went diagonally up the mountain, there was a good side slope to it too, and whenever I tried to slow down much, the front wheels would lock and I'd start sliding toward the edge of the road.  If I had slid off, I probably would have rolled the van over and over to the bottom.  I had to just stay focused and let the speed get worse and worse, flying down the hill in the reverse direction until the slope lessened and I could get under control. 

[PJPR01]

Sounds like a fun time and a bit of pucker factor too!

Perhaps a few ARB straps and extensions, 3-4 good quality D-shackles are in order to keep stored in the truck.  They can be useful for these types of extractions!   

If you're going to try again, a pair of Maxx Trax would also be convenient...you can then often times self extricate from mud or sand or snow if no one else is around to lend a hand

[Huzo]

The technicalities of what you describe are beyond me, but I applaud your brave level of self criticism.
The best lessons one learns are the ones you teach to yourself..

[redrider90]

I'm glad it came out OK, Harvey.

I did the mountain equivalent once, taking my Dodge van up a steep logging road in Pennsylvania.  It was gravel, and eventually got steep enough that my 2-wheel drive van wasn't quite able to get to the top.  Backing down proved almost disastrous.  Since the road went diagonally up the mountain, there was a good side slope to it too, and whenever I tried to slow down much, the front wheels would lock and I'd start sliding toward the edge of the road.  If I had slid off, I probably would have rolled the van over and over to the bottom.  I had to just stay focused and let the speed get worse and worse, flying down the hill in the reverse direction until the slope lessened and I could get under control.

Wow that sounds quite challenging Jim and far more difficult than my situation. At least I came to a stop albeit the front end was facing mildly down the river bank towards the river. 

[roadscum]

Forest Gump said it all, "stupid is as stupid does".

Good to here it was not yet your time to suffer the fate of Darwinism.

Paul