I almost bit the big one today. I took my CanAm 2-up rig out to cut down on the amount of walking on a 2200 acre ranch survey. Started up a hill that didn't look all that steep from the bottom but as I went up it seemed to get steeper and steeper and more rocky. Eventually the ride shifted a little bit sideways from hitting a rock and I almost lost it. It was a pretty scary couple of minutes until I got it turned around and headed back down. I'll be looking for easier ways up from now on.
I've learned to be especially careful when out doing things alone. This applies to all of us, not just solo operators. There are too many things that we can not anticipate that would be minor if someone else was present. An example: Walked up on a sleeping buck deer in very tall grass. I'm just lucky his fight or flight decision agreed with mine as he was a big fellow with a large, sharp rack.
I've been solo since mid 90's and the quad is my friend. They can also get you in deeper doo doo than you'd be in if you would have just walked that 1/4 mile or so up or down that grade.
In MI the woods were so thick I had to walk anyway, not to mention swamps. Here in AZ the mountains are so rocky, steep, & downright precarious that I'd rather walk. Plus I hate any side slopes. Uphill is ok, downhill... not so ok, side slope .... ain't going there. So I just hoof it.
Good luck on the next one Vern and stay healthy and be upright.
"The warning signs on an ATV are there for a reason" is probably the first thing I tell anyone about them.
Useful as they are, each and everyone of them can turn into a death machine in an instant.
Solo work is getting harder for me also in some areas. I carry more safety equipment now that I would never thought of even having in the truck and on the ATV 20yrs ago. A backpack full of rope and rope winch, backup batteries, air pump, water bottle, basic medicine and first aid kit don't take up much room and I've needed all of it at some time in the last year.
A 500lb machine is difficult to right when upsided or when it won't climb out of a spot or creek bank.
I'm glad they are powerful enough to pull my truck out of a slippery spot. That same power can toss your lunch if not careful. If you're pulling on something, make sure the rope, cable or chain is secured and rated enough for the job because if it snaps there isn't anything to block the snapback from striking the driver.
I've found out that it is much easier on me and my machine and takes less time to do the task to simply ride the long route around a tough spot than it is to make some useless attempt at crossing and failing.
:gammon:
> I almost bit the big one today. I took my CanAm 2-up rig out to cut down on the amount of walking on a 2200 acre ranch survey. Started up a hill that didn't look all that steep from the bottom but as I went up it seemed to get steeper and steeper and more rocky. Eventually the ride shifted a little bit sideways from hitting a rock and I almost lost it. It was a pretty scary couple of minutes until I got it turned around and headed back down. I'll be looking for easier ways up from now on.
I've been thinking about getting one of those to lug all my stuff up and down fairly steep wooded acreage this summer. You guys just talked me out of it. I'm going to walk.
Thanks!:-)
They're pricey, but Polaris Rangers have rollover protection, seat belts, and windshields. That doesn't mean you can drive on steep slopes, especially side slopes, with impunity, but if you do roll one or have snapback from a winch cable you're reasonably well protected.
Mr. Harris: words of wisdom.
It is much easier to drive around something than try and go through or over it. I use my ATV to carry stuff. Any time I get to an area that I am apprehensive about, I just get off and walk. At least I got that far without carrying all that heavy gear.
I have been using an ATV on my solo surveying work for over 25 years. I have been stuck very few times, and most of the times a hand or electric winch got me out. Most of those times, better judgement should have prevailed. I have rolled over on my side only once on a hillside when I ran over a small sapling. It had just enough leverage to tip me over. I used my winch to right myself.
As with a four wheel drive truck, you suddenly do not become invincible. You only get stuck worse. But you are able to get a little further off the road and save yourself a lot of walking time and have access to gear that you would not normally carry. Just use good judgement and don't go places that may get you stuck. An ATV allows me to work longer, carry food, water, a first aid kit, extra nails, flagging, extra batteries, iron pins, lath, and "stuff." And when the first set-up is a half mile or more from the truck, it sure beats walking. And, you have a "go to" point at mid-day for lunch, re-supply and a place to sit down to do some calcs and rest a bit.
I depend on my ATV very much. It is an indispensable tool and a part of my standard equipment. I have a deep back rack and canvas packs to carry everything. When it comes time for a new one, I may look at a side-by-side UTV.
I always thought that I'd be so tired of walking that I would give me one of these for my 50th birthday. Now, at 55, I still consider walking around outside to be a perk. Maybe when I'm 60. Maybe as another useful tool before then. The guys that have these can do dirt work and some topos in about 1/10the time I can. I still enjoy the walking part. I do cover less ground these days. they'll probably find my body in the woods some day. they'll have to rip the range pole out of my stiff dead hands and put me on the stretcher with my walking boots still on tight.
ww CO PLS
I agree with Harold 100%. Being almost completely solo, I use my ATV and or UTV (side by side) on a regular basis. It is my packmule. It saves a lot of wear and tear on the truck, and keeps it from the "off road use" that a lot of survey trucks see.
I am a wuss when it comes to dangerous riding. I will ride around obstacles, mud, etc.
I swap up between the ATV and UTV depending on the particular job. I am not in the best shape, and packing in the necessary gear on many of the jobs I do, the ATV/UTV is a must.
> They're pricey, but Polaris Rangers have rollover protection, seat belts, and windshields. That doesn't mean you can drive on steep slopes, especially side slopes, with impunity, but if you do roll one or have snapback from a winch cable you're reasonably well protected.
Can you put snow blowers/plows on those things? I've seen maintenance crews at the local golf course use them.
Harold, you very nicely hit the nail on the head.
We should print this out, and paste it over the warning label.
With an ATV, you get to capitalize "Hairy".
I remember coming down a talus slope with rather large (~1') rocks, and finding the bike teetering on the verge of going end-over-end. I did have time to think, and so slid off the side like a sneaky Harvey Korman so if the bike went, I wasn't going with it. Taking my top weight off of it helped, so that I was able to walk the bike down the slope.
Another time, I was driving it on a very neglected stretch of RR tracks and came to a spot where the creek had washed out a 20' section behind the bridge abutment, and the ties were suspended by the tracks and spikes (and you know how they look after about 30 years). Well, I got alongside the bike and walked the rails taking it across that stretch successfully. Coming back, however, I was trying to get to my base station and pull it before an approaching thunderstorm took it out with lightning, so I decided to chance riding it across. Well, the extra weight was too much of a load, and I found myself looking up at the tracks. I was laughing way too hard to do anything else.
It was an easy proposition to fasten the winch to the track farther on and hit the switch to get out, but in retrospect (where everything looks clearer), I'd have saved time walking it back across.
........let me be a lesson for you smarter guys. 😀
I like to say this about my ATV: "It carries the stuff I like, and runs over the stuff I don't like."
I have not surveyed much over a couple of acres yet, but if it wasn't for walking on the job I could easily be pushing 300 pounds!
Still quad sounds great, or one of those electric "walmart" models for doing surveys downtown 😀
You can even put your feet on the handlebars, lay back, and take a nap.
I recommend wearing a bright orange jacket or T-shirt. It makes it easier to find your body.
LOL I live in south Louisiana, that question has never come up.
If your ATV is big and strong enough there are many attachments that can be used, GOOGLE it.
I am wanting a self powered, adjustable height, brush hog to pull behind mine to cut whatever a heavy duty lawn mower would cut.
