Trail Mechanic II
- 1,500
- First Name
- John
- Last Name
- Ellis
- Member #
-
6385
My nephew asked me to drive his support vehicle on his one-day, 100-mile mountain bike ride of the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands, Utah.
I checked all my bolts, fluids, tires, etc., and we headed down a couple of weeks ago.
18 miles into the drive I came across a Jeep JL Unlimited stopped in the middle of the road. As I drove closer I could see that the driver's front wheel was canted out slightly. Upon closer inspection, they'd lost all 5 lug nuts on that wheel and 2 on the passenger front side.
Two college kids from San Diego had come out to Moab for Spring Break and rented a really beautiful JL through Turo. The owner had just had new tires put on and, because he was renting it out, had removed the spare tire, jack, and tools. Now, 18 rugged miles from anywhere, the kids were stranded.
I pulled out my jack and tool kit, looked around to find 2 lug nuts on the trail behind them, stole a lug nut off each rear wheel, and put the front wheel back on as well as I could. The alloy rim had been worn out from rolling on the studs with loose lug nuts, so as they drove on it creaked and groaned and popped. I told them to take it easy and get to pavement via the shortest route - the Shaffer Switchbacks. Then I continued on to catch up with my nephew.
Here are the lessons I learned:
- Always carry food, water, and camping gear for unexpected stays on the trail.
- Always check your vehicle before a trip, and especially check the vehicle you'll be driving if it's not yours.
- Always carry tools you may need on the trail.
- Carry a few common lug nuts for vehicles other than your own.
- Be ready to help people within the limits of your own abilities; and work over time to develop your abilities so you can be even more helpful.
It was a great trip for us, and I hope it ended up being a good trip for them.
I checked all my bolts, fluids, tires, etc., and we headed down a couple of weeks ago.
18 miles into the drive I came across a Jeep JL Unlimited stopped in the middle of the road. As I drove closer I could see that the driver's front wheel was canted out slightly. Upon closer inspection, they'd lost all 5 lug nuts on that wheel and 2 on the passenger front side.
Two college kids from San Diego had come out to Moab for Spring Break and rented a really beautiful JL through Turo. The owner had just had new tires put on and, because he was renting it out, had removed the spare tire, jack, and tools. Now, 18 rugged miles from anywhere, the kids were stranded.
I pulled out my jack and tool kit, looked around to find 2 lug nuts on the trail behind them, stole a lug nut off each rear wheel, and put the front wheel back on as well as I could. The alloy rim had been worn out from rolling on the studs with loose lug nuts, so as they drove on it creaked and groaned and popped. I told them to take it easy and get to pavement via the shortest route - the Shaffer Switchbacks. Then I continued on to catch up with my nephew.
Here are the lessons I learned:
- Always carry food, water, and camping gear for unexpected stays on the trail.
- Always check your vehicle before a trip, and especially check the vehicle you'll be driving if it's not yours.
- Always carry tools you may need on the trail.
- Carry a few common lug nuts for vehicles other than your own.
- Be ready to help people within the limits of your own abilities; and work over time to develop your abilities so you can be even more helpful.
It was a great trip for us, and I hope it ended up being a good trip for them.
