OK - thwack number one:
It was day two, hop three on Wild West 2002. We were about 30 minutes behind schedule out of the starting blocks on our way to Medicine Lake. As we were driving along the rough pavement (the Forest Service Roads alternated from pavement, to gravel, to dirt, to a nine mile double-track with barely enough room to squeeze through) we passed Arnica Sink and the attractive Forest Service dirt road down to it. Arnica Sink is a dried lake bed, the remains of a very shallow caldera. The bed is crushed pumice for about one square mile and forms a desert like patch in the forest. Bottom line, the sink is a wonderful 4WD playground.
So we go through and fortunately there is a turn around that can handle our numbers. The plan is to go about 30 to 45 seconds apart, blast across the Sink and then drive slowly/normally up the one lane road back to the main route.
Big Red went first because he is a speed demon. I went second as the group leader. I put it in Auto Trac and opened it up across the sink and hit 75 MPH - what a rush!
So now back into the forest and driving up to the main road and slowing it way down. That's when it happened.
The truck was coming so fast I couldn't even tell make and model. It went airborne over the crest of the hill and was on a head on collision course. I immediately cranked the wheel hard right like a sea Captian who had spotted an iceberg with no time to spare. That's when things went into slow motion. I was terrified. My eight-year old was riding shot gun in the front seat and I was terrified of what the results of a head on collision might be.
That's when the truck started gliding by. It seemed to take forever as the white flash passed and as it did I thought I had escaped. Then I heard the horrible thunk and the rear end bounced.
"I've 10-40'ed! I've 10-40'ed! I've had an accident!" I screamed into the radio.
I got out and the truck had stopped about 150 feet down the road. And as I started walking down they took off. Yup folks, you got it right, had my truck been disabled they left me for dead 17.6 miles from the nearest patch of civilization. No cellphone, no OnStar. Thanks guys - your karma will catch up with you.
So the damage is a crease in the sheet metal above the driver's side rear fender, deep scratches to the cladding on the passenger side behind the rear fender, and scratches to the bumper. It appears the damage was caused by the edge of the bumper, the door handle, and the rear view mirror. Yes people wanted to go track down the Ford Ranger and kill 'em - I just wanted to get to the hotel.
So that's thwack number one.
Thwack Number Two
Not as interesting story. A Lexus ES 300 over the weekend decided to back out as I backed out from across the way and we hit each other backing up in the parking lot. Although at first it appeared the damaged was only to the rear bumper cover a closer look revealed the bumper appears to be bent on the driver side and probably needs a total replacement. UGH!
Fortunately because it was a head on collision in technical terms dead center on private property it will almost assuredly be declared no-fault and won't count against me on my insurance. The Lexus did not fare as well with bumper and tail light damage. Still what a hassle.
So how was everyone elses August?
It was day two, hop three on Wild West 2002. We were about 30 minutes behind schedule out of the starting blocks on our way to Medicine Lake. As we were driving along the rough pavement (the Forest Service Roads alternated from pavement, to gravel, to dirt, to a nine mile double-track with barely enough room to squeeze through) we passed Arnica Sink and the attractive Forest Service dirt road down to it. Arnica Sink is a dried lake bed, the remains of a very shallow caldera. The bed is crushed pumice for about one square mile and forms a desert like patch in the forest. Bottom line, the sink is a wonderful 4WD playground.
So we go through and fortunately there is a turn around that can handle our numbers. The plan is to go about 30 to 45 seconds apart, blast across the Sink and then drive slowly/normally up the one lane road back to the main route.
Big Red went first because he is a speed demon. I went second as the group leader. I put it in Auto Trac and opened it up across the sink and hit 75 MPH - what a rush!
So now back into the forest and driving up to the main road and slowing it way down. That's when it happened.
The truck was coming so fast I couldn't even tell make and model. It went airborne over the crest of the hill and was on a head on collision course. I immediately cranked the wheel hard right like a sea Captian who had spotted an iceberg with no time to spare. That's when things went into slow motion. I was terrified. My eight-year old was riding shot gun in the front seat and I was terrified of what the results of a head on collision might be.
That's when the truck started gliding by. It seemed to take forever as the white flash passed and as it did I thought I had escaped. Then I heard the horrible thunk and the rear end bounced.
"I've 10-40'ed! I've 10-40'ed! I've had an accident!" I screamed into the radio.
I got out and the truck had stopped about 150 feet down the road. And as I started walking down they took off. Yup folks, you got it right, had my truck been disabled they left me for dead 17.6 miles from the nearest patch of civilization. No cellphone, no OnStar. Thanks guys - your karma will catch up with you.
So the damage is a crease in the sheet metal above the driver's side rear fender, deep scratches to the cladding on the passenger side behind the rear fender, and scratches to the bumper. It appears the damage was caused by the edge of the bumper, the door handle, and the rear view mirror. Yes people wanted to go track down the Ford Ranger and kill 'em - I just wanted to get to the hotel.
So that's thwack number one.
Thwack Number Two
Not as interesting story. A Lexus ES 300 over the weekend decided to back out as I backed out from across the way and we hit each other backing up in the parking lot. Although at first it appeared the damaged was only to the rear bumper cover a closer look revealed the bumper appears to be bent on the driver side and probably needs a total replacement. UGH!
Fortunately because it was a head on collision in technical terms dead center on private property it will almost assuredly be declared no-fault and won't count against me on my insurance. The Lexus did not fare as well with bumper and tail light damage. Still what a hassle.
So how was everyone elses August?
. If it ever happens again I'll make sure to go to the hospital and complain of neck injuries and whatever else so if they catch them they may get felony charges. You're right they could have left you injured and they're too much of cowards to even care. 
C-B
i still feel really bad about that one. sorry chief. 
