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cant find sh!t

digglesworth

digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
I've been digging through Google and searching high and low... I want to find some place to get dirty. I don't want to go to a straight up ORV park just yet. I don't have any recovery gear or spare parts so I don't want to go do anything crazy. I wanna find forest service roads through national forests or fire roads. I can't find any ohv maps that make any sense. And anything I have found is so blanketed with regulations and restrictions. I feel like going to an ORV park is a little out of what I'm trying to do right now. I'm not trying to break stuff and get "rescued'... I will get to that point but I wanna get some recovery gear and maybe some tools first. I'm just looking for somewhere the gf and I can go to get off the pavement, maybe cross a few streams... I'm lookin in Missouri and illnois. I live right by st louis so I'm not trying to drive 5 hrs to get somewhere.
 
4speedfunk

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,212
Location
Tardville
Interlake is exactly what you're after. Its located in southern Indiana, right off of I-64...just north of Evansville. It has a nice mixture of gravel trails, and some deeply wooded low-land bogs. Its a very beautiful place and has some great wide-open vistas. Its full of deer, eagles, and wildlife...and its a prime example of how awesome reclaimed mining property can be. Not sure where you are in Illinois but I did a Google mileage route from Mt. Vernon, IL to Lynville, IN and it was 90 minutes. Let me know when/if you're going...I might be able to meet you there. Its a State Rec Area and it is open for all sorts of activities...but the state website doesn't really have much off-road info. I've been several times and here are some pics...

Interlake June 2011-010.JPGInterlake June 2011-014.JPGInterlake June 2011-046.JPGInterlake June 2011-050.JPGInterlake June 2011-084.JPGwinch1.jpg

Admission is free. No camping (rumored to be coming in a few years). Pack in...pack out. A few port-o-let toilets on site. Somewhere around 3500 acres.

Also...go to youtube and search "interlake offroading", and you can see pages of action.
 
digglesworth

digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
That might be a very good option... I'm roughly an hour west of mt Vernon. So 2.5 hours away but Google is usually on the conservative side... What would be some absolutely necessary supplies to bring on something like that? I don't have much gear yet...
 
J

jakesz28

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,041
Location
Cabool MO
That would be about a 7 hour drive for me. It would be nice to check that out. If you guys do head out that way let us know. If I can make it I might stop out. I'm out this weekend though.
 
J

jakesz28

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,041
Location
Cabool MO
If you drive with a little common since you won't need any tools or parts. Not trying to be smart but drive easy and go with someone else. If you can't make it thru something don't floor it and don't make multiple attempts. This means one of you need to have a good strap and 2 clevises. Its OK to stop and let the other guy pull you out as opposed to repeated wide open attempts until it breaks.

Have fun and drive carefully.
 
digglesworth

digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
I've pretty much had to come to terms that I'm not ready... I need too much stuff... It's really pissing me off. I've thrown so much money at my truck and it hasn't gotten me squat... So I'll keep throwin money at it and maybe one day I'll be able to "wheel responsibly". But for now, going out with no recovery gear, no parts and no tools doesn't seem like something I should do. It's really frustrating because I wanna get out there. Unfortunately I'm not rich and droppin a few thousand dollars on my truck just isn't something I can do in one shot.
 
mkmcgreg

mkmcgreg

Well-Known Member
Messages
196
Location
Carmel
For what it is worth I wheeled many times with no parts and no tools aside from common hand tools and had no problems. My recovery gear consisted of a 30' strap from smitty bilt and a shackle ( and 4speed/08H3 ).

Parks can be very intimidating at first but they are what you make them and almost always have an easier route if your not sure you want to tackle an object. Trust me I did this many if times. I would suggest going with someone who has wheeled before and knows their truck. They will know the limits and wheel the vehicle responsibly. Yes Jeep owners will try and egg you on but they have a completely different Wheeling style

The first time I went out was with 12+ trucks and I was the most stock. I was never pressured to do anything I didn't want to. I did exactly what your talking about I stuck to the wide open areas to get a feel for my truck and watched other people to learn

Just for reference my only off-road "mods" to my base was 33" tall A/T tires and rock sliders but I can't remember if I ever wheeled with the rock sliders or not... Maybe only once. You don't need to be rich but do expect ball joints, bushing etc to wear quicker if you wheel it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
digglesworth

digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
I appreciate that. I'm still figuring out who is all around here. The off road community around me is very small... Hummer owners are even scarcer... I've got 33s and ucp. I've got some other stuff but I would really like a rack mount and sliders before I try anything to serious. I'm just trying to find some mellow places to get my feet wet. I don't want mud holes or sloppy trails cause I realize I've only got ATs. I've got 80000miles on my truck and I'm kinda surprised all the ball joints and bushings are still good. I'm not sure if any of them have been replaced but I know I'll have to replace them soon if they haven't. I've been doing all kinds of maintenance but it'd be nice to put some of that money into upgrades.
 
Last edited:
rsc

rsc

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,087
Location
Tulsa
Seriously, just go to an ORV. Even if its w/your buddy in his 2wd truck and y'all just drive all the connecting trails between the action trails. Most places have easy roads to get around on and the level2 trails won't scare the bejeezus out of you. Besides, most obstacles should have by-passes that are beginner friendly (but check the park first). Just getting out in the dirt and mud won't break your truck unless yours is already falling apart.
 
digglesworth

digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
Thanks rsc... Next time there's a run somewhere halfway close to me, I'm in. I don't really have anybody that would be willing to go. 06-3 is about 30min from me but his schedule is pretty hectic...
 
digglesworth

digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
I ordered a hi lift thatll be here tomorrow. I'm gonna get the off road kit to use it as a winch in case exploring gets the best of me. Gonna put together a basic tool kit. I saw a storage box at Walmart that should work to put everything in and stick in the back with a ratchet strap holdin it down. Thinkin about headin to central missouri maybe tomorrow... A place called "current river conservation area"... It's got lots of trails running through it. The trails are mostly gravel type service roads.
 
digglesworth

digglesworth

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,789
Location
illinois
Sounds like we need to put the word out and plan something. I was looking at the map last night and there's lots of level 2 and 3 trails. I watched a video on YouTube of a liberty hittin some 2 and 3 trails. Looks like a good time....
 
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