Sometimes the skills one picks up wheeling can come in handy in "real life".  Last Thursday, my wife and I left Chicago for our annual trek to visit family in Ohio for Christmas.  Passenger and cargo considerations dictated that we take the front wheel drive minivan rather than the "good truck", and the trip turned out to be quite an adventure.

We had heard that a storm was coming up from the south, and lake effect snow was coming down from the north.  The weather channel showed a view of our intended route through Dayton packed solid with cars and trucks and not moving at all.  We ended up approaching the trip as one would a day of wheeling.  

First, know where you are going.  With our primary and alternate routes undesirable, we decided to attempt to cross Indiana on old US 24.

Second, we made sure the vehicle was prepared.  Fluids topped off, tire pressures checked, cable winch, strap, and tools aboard.

Our older son was following in a Sunbird.  We got through Chicago without a problem, and headed down I-65.  Just south of Merrillvile, they were righting two overturned semis on the northbound side.  When we left the interstate at Remington, we topped off the fuel tanks and headed out on US24.  The two lane had two tracks in each direction with snow between, and was completely covered by drifting snow in places.  We had hit "the slot" between the two weather systems and we rolled across Indiana without incident and headed into Ohio on US33.  

The worst driving conditions we found were the last 15 miles before Columbus, where we encountered more traffic and hard packed snow and ice with potholes in it.  Fortunately, it was nothing that a person who has done some light off road couldn't handle.  Take it easy, pick your line, watch the road and listen to your spotter (wife who also wheels)  Unfortunately for some, the numerous vehicles in the ditches were an indication that some people didn't have those basic skills (including 3 J**ps).  The minivan plowed right through, but the Sunbird got bounced around quite a bit.  

We arrived a Reynoldsburg, power was out in much of the town because of an inch of ice that followed the snow.  It was really spooky to see Main Street almost deserted and blacked out.  My brother's house didn't get power back until Monday(but that's another story).

When we got to my dad's house, he asked how we got there.  Most of northeast Ohio was under a level 3 emergency (emergency traffic only).  I told him it never really seemed that bad.  We never really came close to approacing the limits of our capabilities.  It made me really appreciate being a "Wheeler", but my wife and I agreed, "It would have been a lot more FUN in the ZUK!!!"

"It would have been a lot more FUN in the ZUK!!!"  

Aint that the truth?
The ZUK just make you feel more assured (and seeing j**ps in the ditch)
Knowing that even the little guys with can do it

 Ã‚ Most of northeast Ohio was under a level 3 emergency (emergency traffic only).   "

I keep hearing of these "levels", do they actually enforce keeping people off the roads during these? LOL!  I have plowed through snowdrifts up to the hood of my F-350 on 35's and never has the state called a "level" for a storm or required people to not go out. That's when it's most fun.

I keep hearing of these "levels", do they actually enforce keeping people off the roads during these? LOL!  I have plowed through snowdrifts up to the hood of my F-350 on 35's and never has the state called a "level" for a storm or required people to not go out. That's when it's most fun.

Word had it, that one of the reasons one airport in Cinnicy (I think) had to cancel so many flights.

Some stupid fawk cop decided to stop the truck carrying the deicing fluid that was enroute to the airport!!And furthermore, that dumbass would not relese the truck!!  

I keep hearing of these "levels", do they actually enforce keeping people off the roads during these?

I don't know, we rolled right on through a hundred miles of road, and nobody ever said anything to us, but we never saw a cop in that hundred miles either...

United cancelled all their flights out of Port Columbus on thursday night because they ran ot of deicer, but I never heard the story about the waylaid shipment.

One time I was crossing santiam pass to go skiing ... pretty much whiteout conditions, I had no chains, and about 1 am. Was driving my VW dasher (FWD) with AT tires ... and AK plates

I had one bud sleeping in the tail section, another keeping me awake. We come up to a section where a cop had his lights flashing and essentially making everyone turn around. I didn't even stop (was uphill for christ sake). The bud who was awake was worried I'd get pulled over ... I said "yea right, he's going to *catch* us"

I'd learned on snow growing up in AK, so it really wasn't that bad (dry snow, 4" or so since the last clearing). I'd also driven that dasher through MUCH worse. Was young and stupid (chains would been a good idea), but we we're also the FIRST tracks at bachelor that day, and for about 2 hours had trails of powder all to ourselves.

The bud who was awake was worried I'd get pulled over ... I said "yea right, he's going to *catch* us"

I'm sure he tried but couldn't get moving

Where I live we just got about a foot of snow over a night plus there is gusting winds which brought down alot of snow from the tree's (as we have tons here)

so our streets right up to the plowing yesterday was anywhere from 10 inches to 2 feet
well I went around with a couple off road buddies pulling people/pushing people who were stuck all over the place
the tracker did amazingly well
running just 235's and using reatively lugged tread pattern I was able to just keep on digging through everything
even if I got hung up a bit, I was able to easily rock out of it
One thing I noticed driving my tracker compared with my friend's FX4 Ford f-150... is that the tracker gets bounced much easiser by Rutt's than his truck
probably a weight difference issue
However his truck you had to be a bit careful of, as he had gotten lodged pretty good and I guess as his truck was quite heavy took alot of work to get out (running Goodyear AT/S at a 285/60/15)

no locker no lsd, just stock drive train with good 29" tires and my little 03' tracker really surprised me where it could go, and how easily it went through compared with trucks much larger and with LSD's and bigger tires
(however doens't seem like much more axel clearance

It's all in the weight  ,knowledge, and belief of the owners 0f SideKicks that make them unstopable.