"annnddd we're stuck.."

"TyFc3s-A car hating millennial" (tyfc3s-a-car-hating-millennial) 02/26/2014 at 08:54 • Filed to: None

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These were the words uttered by me in between laughter, and so started our long night of turmoil..

But allow me to make a case for myself, The fun was worth all the hassle we went through.

but lets back up

On Thursday my friend and I took his mazda 3 to drop off a Christmas tree at a compost at a farm he volunteers at. We strapped the tree to the top of the car and made the nerve racking trek 2 miles down the road to drop it off. When we showed up, the dirt roads turned to mud, and after we dropped the tree off, he let me drive the car through the mud and we got !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

So, fast forward to Sunday. We're 2 17 year old guys sitting around, bored and broke.. And i say, "hey.. lets go rally in the the pine barrens!" he, being equally stupid and thrill seeking, helped me find the nearest park to us and we we're off!

In no time, we got in the area and randomly saw a sign saying "Brendan T Byrant state park" we immediately turned into the dirt nirvana and were flying through the roads, he drove down the main road a bit and said "maybe we should turn around" as he was a little nervous about the legality of being on the roads in a car. I told him, its cool plenty of people do this, get out. I climbed into the drivers seat and went.

Allow me to take a second to describe the car. Its a 05 mazda 3 2.0 autotradgic. Its slow, not too fun and good on gas. It is also now, the car i have had the most fun in. EVER. (beating an E36 M3, Rx8, and TVR)

40mph felt like 100, the car was responsive, slightly tail happy, and so alive! splashing through puddles, flying down this road, sliding through corners. We were laughing harder than ever before the whole time.

We turned down this side road and were flying down that one too, until we saw a ravine. We stopped, and looked at each other and smiled. I threw the car into reverse and plunged in, dreaming of open course drifts and rally cross style races. This is where the problem came in.

You see, this ravine was made up of deceptively loose.. sand..

I felt the car get a little stuck and decided to get the hell out of there, so i started to move towards the exit... "annnnndddd we're stuck.." were the words i uttered as the mazda 3 dug its way into the sand.

We got out and just laughed for a few minutes.. and i took the picture. then we started to dig, assuming that we could get the car out and then continue on our way.

The laughter stopped after the first hour of being in that hole.

We attempted to dig the car out, and it dug its way back in. we put wood under the wheels, didnt even make a little difference, we put a canvass under the wheels, no luck.

Finally we decided to call for help, as the sun was rapidly setting. My friend, Ben, called his mother, who freaked out. His phone then died, but mine still read 30%, so we called 911. they patched us in to a park ranger, who gave us some phone numbers for tow trucks.

Not a single company was willing to come out.

The Time was about 7:45, my phone died after we told the park ranger we are broke.

About 45 minutes later he came down to see us for the first time. "Why the hell did you bring a car down here" was all he said, starring in disbelief and the captured, sunken mazda.

He then notified us of the inevitable, If a truck comes to get us, they're gonna charge us $200-$300 easily to get us out, and demand payment immediately. This freaked us out, and my new catch phrase became "I have 8 bucks.." my friend had none.

The park ranger went to go find a rope to see if he could help us (they dont have rope with them!?)

another 20 minutes passed..

Then we see lights behind us, and a guy approached us. My friend asked "are you the tow?"

"no, i am not the tow.." we were concerned..

"No offense, but who's the dumbass who drove the car down here?" he asked

"it was a collective decision" my awesome friend says

Turns out this random passer by, with a king ranch, has a rope!

He yanked the Poor mazda out, and gave us his phone to use. Ben called his mother, who had been quite busy making the trek down to the area and working to help find us. He showed us the way to her and left us with the parting message "stay the hell out of the forest"

We were at his house by 10, and i was home by 10:15. This was remarkable, as we were both gearing up to sleep in the car for the night.

SO! lesson time.. i dont think we fully learned ours.. We plan on going back, but not any time soon. When we go back, it will be with my car, on ghetto rally suspension to raise it and used rally tires. We will also be bringing my mothers Toyota 4runner, just in case.

but.. my car is... *gulp* an Fc Rx7.. lol. but i will raise it on convertible Rx7 springs, and maybe custom strut perches, but im slightly nervous now.. apparently, if we continued up the path we were on, we would have hit more sand just like it..

We will see lol, but we are definitely not done there!

Coty > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 08:57

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You know you're stuck when the suspension unloads under the drive wheels.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 08:58

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your problem is you dont have this

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 02/26/2014 at 08:58

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Casper > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 09:06

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Wow. Sounds like you guys are lucky that 911/the park rangers didn't stick you with a huge bill.

The Dummy Gummy > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 09:16

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I love traveling on 539 on my way to the Chegg. That is until you get stuck behind a row of slow moving vehicles led by the old lady brigade.

OPPOsaurus WRX > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 09:18

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In my highschool time I got stuck in a field behind an elementary school. I was in a 95 explorer and the kid in front of me had an even older 2dr 2wd blazer. The field backed up to a marsh and as soon as the blazer hit the mud it sank causing me to also have to stop. I was able to rock the truck out after a while. The blazer ended up needing to get dug/pulled. We cleared a path using my headlight covers as shovels and then pulled it out with another friend's F-150. As we were leaving the parking lot a cop pulled in. I don't know what he was thinking as the 3 mud covered trucks left or how he didn't stop us. It was fairly obvious what we had been up to.

yamahog > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 09:35

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As a Jeep owner, I want to lecture, but as a former teenage idiot who once got a Mercury Mystique stuck in a muddy cornfield... I can't say anything :P you're alright, car's alright, no problem!

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 09:36

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Went to college in New Jersey and went off roading in the pine barrens several times. I recall the first time I went the ranger at the ranger station gave me and my buddies some very explicit warnings about costly tows. Much like you we didn't head them and plunged head first into puddles/lakes my truck had no business going near. Luckily I have a winch and it saved our sorry asses many many times. I would probably invest in a high lift jack that can be used as a winch for next time. pictures bellow

Slow4o > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 10:20

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Where do you live that you got to drive a TVR?

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Slow4o 02/26/2014 at 10:28

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Lol jersey, before the 90s tvrs were imported over here. My grandfather owns a 1987 280i that hes owned for over 20 years and i finally got to drive it last summer

Slow4o > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 02/26/2014 at 13:45

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I completely forgot about those. When I think of TVR I just think of the bat shit insane new ones that we were never able to get.

Mustang 'DontHitTheCrowd' GT > OPPOsaurus WRX 03/02/2014 at 21:12

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He probably thought, "...yeaaah, they've had enough for the day"

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 03/02/2014 at 21:13

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You're being awesome, but not helpful.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 21:14

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Do the tires looks this bald all the time, or only when packed with sand?

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 03/02/2014 at 21:15

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Did the carpets survive?

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 03/02/2014 at 22:17

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Sorry?

samssun > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 22:24

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Know what bothers me more than mudding in a low-clearance, FWD car? People who leave their iPhones at 9% charge and just borrow chargers to top up to 15% and barely make it home.

It's the phone equivalent of driving around on fumes and just putting $5 of gas in when the light comes on.

Thisnewformatisrubbish > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 22:30

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You're going to take an rx7 off road? On purpose? I guess you really didn't learn.

Thisnewformatisrubbish > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 03/02/2014 at 22:35

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Helpful is saying, "Hey dumb ass, get 4wd or stay on the marked roads". Rally tires arent going to keep a little car unstuck in sand. You can't fix stupid.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Thisnewformatisrubbish 03/02/2014 at 22:37

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'Hey dumbass' is usually the path to success.

I dunno. Rally tires and the speed captured in your picture just may have gotten him across. I remember mountain biking in a state park that ran along a river bank. I hit a patch of sand and probably stopped in 5 feet. Just stopped. Done. Stick a fork in it.

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 03/02/2014 at 23:10

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just when packed with sand.. whats with the sudden surge of comments on this post?

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > samssun 03/02/2014 at 23:12

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our phones were scrambling for a signal and thats what killed them, when we left my phone had like 65% charge, about 8 hours worth easy, but it didnt last..

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Thisnewformatisrubbish 03/02/2014 at 23:18

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haha, guess not, but the fact is that im going to try to prep it for it, and have a truck with us to yank it out. it will be raised on dirt tires

its not at all unheard of to rally Rx7s, they had great rally success through the 80s

Rally car that was for sale a while ago with supposed success

Rod Millens Fc

so, despite not being subarus, they held their own.

and once again, when i get stuck, i can pull myself out

samssun > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 23:24

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Fair enough. Maybe car charger for next time.

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > samssun 03/02/2014 at 23:29

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yea, luckily the guy who pulled us out gave us one. he said people kept leaving them in his truck and we need to have one, so next time we go out in the mighty mudskipper or the sand rat (My Rx7) we wont be screwed with dead phones

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Thisnewformatisrubbish 03/02/2014 at 23:44

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is 4WD really the only thing that will keep cars from getting stuck? explain the stratos, 037, etc.. and of course the saabs, nissan sentras etc.

Im not trying to be difficult, but ive read that 2wd is the only way to rally.. if thats the case, is the only way to rally to get stuck in a ditch for hours?

Plus we're broke, and i love rallying, Rx7s have been very successful rally cars in their day, as well as mazda 3s

so, to summarize, im not trying to be difficult or ignorant, but im simply trying to figure out a way to have that much fun again lol

drporschephile > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 23:44

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Been there, done that. This was when it first had worn out "all-season" tires and I was trying to show off to the significant other.

I learned my lesson though and put on some proper all-terrain tires soon after.

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 03/02/2014 at 23:45

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is 4WD really the only thing that will keep cars from getting stuck? explain the stratos, 037, etc.. and of course the saabs, nissan sentras etc.

Im not trying to be difficult, but ive read that 2wd is the only way to rally.. if thats the case, is the only way to rally to get stuck in a ditch for hours?

Plus we're broke, and i love rallying, Rx7s have been very successful rally cars in their day, as well as mazda 3s

so, to summarize, im not trying to be difficult or ignorant, but im simply trying to figure out a way to have that much fun again lol

Thisnewformatisrubbish > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 23:46

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"Rally" is not the same as driving on mud / sand paths. Gravel roads and snow are way different.

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Thisnewformatisrubbish 03/02/2014 at 23:47

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well, thats true, i shouldnt have entered the ravine.. but mind you the "roads" were just fine, a little rough, but not an issue for the car. it was just when we turned into the ravine that we got stuck.

Misterfu02 > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 23:52

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Any competent driver worthy of any sort of "rallying" would have noticed the road conditions ahead of time. Noob

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Misterfu02 03/02/2014 at 23:56

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lol, well thats true, and i noticed as soon as i turned into it, but then i overestimated the capabilities of the car.

but once again i stress, i got stuck when i was trying to leave the ravine, which i did immediately after feeling the conditions... but i should have just backed up immediately instead

Thisnewformatisrubbish > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/02/2014 at 23:59

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Even a sti will get stuck if you bury it to the rockers in a bog. It isnt the drive, its the clearance.
If youre gonna drive the rx7 stay on hard pack dirt or gravel. Deep sand and mud needs more than used tires and coil overs.
Pulling that car out 20 times will get old. Burning up the yota transmission doing it will really piss mom off.

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Thisnewformatisrubbish 03/03/2014 at 00:04

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well yes, i need to be more aware of the terrain and the car's capabilities. i was on hard packed dirt the whole time until we thought it'd be a great idea to slide around the ravine. but now i know what that sand looks like and to stay the fuck out of it lol

just out of curiosity though, how would an rx7 get out of this situation, how would it have to be modified?

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Thisnewformatisrubbish 03/03/2014 at 00:08

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and yea, pulling anything out of there in a high mileage 4runner certainly isnt ideal.. and i dont plan on really using it much if i can get smart about this.. which i need to do, and why im asking you, and anyone else

someone else here showed me hi-lift jacks that can be used as a winch, which i will certainly be buying before i let any car touch those roads again

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/03/2014 at 01:14

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Reminds me of the time I got my first car stuck... Unfortunately, it was trying to drive through my mom's yard to get out through her other driveway. That was an embarrassing tow car.

Nitzer Ebblestone > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/03/2014 at 03:29

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Enjoyable, fun writeup. All's well that ends well! Better luck next time (and preparedness too; sounds like you have it in hand)

Mark Lipsinic > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/03/2014 at 03:41

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So, both of your brains put together still didn't have enough sense to realize that it was a bad idea?

I weep for the future.

Mark Lipsinic > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 03/03/2014 at 03:44

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Or, this...

DasWauto > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/03/2014 at 07:42

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Sorry: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/535i-the-ultim…

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/03/2014 at 08:56

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No, I wasn't saying 4wd at all. While that does...help, you know what I mean.

Anyway, no appropriate tires and much velocity and fix many headaches when off-road. If you cansee my comment about mountain biking, I hit a flat patch of sand that slowed me faster than my brakes could. That stuff is evil.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > TyFc3s-A car hating millennial 03/03/2014 at 08:59

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LOL! Cuz we've all done it! That makes us collectively authorities on the issue. Hey, my worst stuck was a blue 1992 Chevy caprice. WAGON! Light blue with velour and wire wheel covers. Talk about a clean up on aisle 3.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > drporschephile 03/03/2014 at 09:02

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That is a thing of beauty.

I once saw a Range Rover pulling a trailer with about 2 cords of firewood, and the worst scratches and rocker dings you've ever seen on a 'work truck.' Mud covering just about everything except where the wipers swept clean. Great day.

Vracktal > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 03/03/2014 at 09:02

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Hope you had diff & gearbox breathers fitted...

xc90v8/I4 :( > drporschephile 03/03/2014 at 09:40

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*wants more pictures of dirty discovery*

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > DasWauto 03/03/2014 at 12:16

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no, dont be sorry, im honored that my stupidity made it on best of oppo! lol

TyFc3s-A car hating millennial > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 03/03/2014 at 12:17

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yea, i really need to learn how to look out for that stuff..