The Redliners do some winter wheeling.



January 1998 saw the Redliners 4x4 Club getting togther for some winter fun. We got togther with the 4x4 Outlaws to wheel in a gravel pit they have access to. It was an invitation only event. Some of the Toyx4's took us up on our offer and drove the hour west of Minneapolis to see what winter wheeling is all about.


We had anticipated more snow but the weather man didn't cooperate and the snow we had was just enough to make traction scarce. You would soon dig down through the snow and the hard surface below would quickly devolop a layer of ice on it. This led to a driving style that favored the right foot. This was hard on the trucks as only those that left early or were extremely lucky went home without damage. Fuzzy got the driving elegant award when he managed to impale his fullsize Cherokee on a tree.



Brian Knorr in whats left of his 76 Bronco coming into the gravel pit.


Mike Hogan of the Toyx4's giving fellow member Matt Kittlinski a tug.


Jeff Nygaard of the Redliners heading around to give me a little tug.


Heres me getting getting a little tug. After attempting the hill behind me I slide into this tree. I stopped just inches away from suffering some body damage. As it was the soft top gave a little when the tree got to close. But soon after this I realized my rear lock rite had gone south. Thus ending the fun for me.


Here Brian attempts the hill that had ended my day. He wasn't having any better luck and was only able to get about six inches higher than I did. His Boggers kept trying to pull him sideways. Finally he backed down and thought he would try another line.




Mike Hogan accepts a tug from an unseen Ramcharger. Mike was only able to stay long enough to get stuck and get it caught on film. Thanks for coming Mike. We always like to get some shots of a T****a stuck.


Jeff Nygaard does his best to roll his CJ5 on the icy hill. The guy in the back with the blue jacket is me. Yes, I do have white knuckles at this point.




Brian is still at it. He had gotten himself wrapped up in that same tree that got me. But Brian is no quitter even after I told him he was done, he replied "I ain't done till I say I am done" Seconds later his truck said he was done by making that loud snapping noise that only a front U-joint can make. With a broke front end he had to be winched out to the other side of the hill. That was quite an ordeal in itself. After that Brian then decided to drive out in two wheel drive. While really giving it the juice to get up this short uphill to get out he flexed his radiator into his fan. Needless to say Brian didn't have a good day. Sadly that was the "Death Knoll" for his truck as he finally put it out of its misery and is going to take the good parts and put them on a 74 with a fiberglass tub he picked up.




Here it is at its finest folks. To much right foot. Fuzzy lost it in the snow and the next thing ya know he's impaled on a tree. It took several trucks to get him out. Two broke trying and finally a third was able to pull him off the tree.




After all the fun, which in reality was about four hours, we headed over to Jeff Nygaards heated shed. There we all grilled up some food and sat around and talked about the days festivities. We all agreed that the day had been a blast and that we should do it again next year.

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