After The Roll

  By now, most of you know I rolled my CJ7 on TV Cable Hill in Poteau, OK over Labor Day weekend.  Actually, I didn’t just roll it, I demolished it!  Obviously, I didn’t do it on purpose, but, based on “eye-witness” accounts, I was blaming it all on driver’s error (in other words, me!)

  However, since seeing the videotape, I now know that I didn’t run the right front tire up a tree (something I’ve done before!) causing me to go over backwards down the hill.  I can also see why witnesses thought that and why the Jeep wouldn’t turn left; both front tires were in the air! With the front tires in the air, the right rear tire lost traction as I was coming over the last ledge.  All the power from the 401 went to the left rear tire, which had plenty of traction.  The jeep abruptly turned right before I could jam in the clutch and hit the brakes.  It then rolled backward enough for the rear tire to fall off the ledge, pointed the Jeep to the sky and then back down, unfortunately wrong side up!  It happened so fast, that had I been in their shoes, I would have thought I hit the tree too.  

Either way, I still don’t get to blame it on someone else.  I built the Jeep from top to bottom, front to back.  I was the one behind the wheel, no one else.  I was the one who thought he could make it up those ledges.  I was also the one who didn’t follow his gut instinct to take the winch.  I’m also the one who didn’t follow my own rule of “3 strikes…you’re out!” Hey, two vehicles had made it up unassisted prior to me, I could certainly make it! 

Oh well.  Now what?  I liken my current situation to falling off a horse.  I need to get back on.  While I don’t plan to do much (if any) hardcore stuff in the future, I can’t just walk away from a sport I enjoy so much.  I plan to rebuild my Jeep (even though the entire body and frame now rests in the scrap yard) as soon as feasible.  Fortunately, most of my investment is still intact, including drivetrain, suspension, tires & wheels, and of course, my “shiny silver box”. 

I’m going to take some time and do some things around the house that I’ve been putting off, but I don’t think it’ll be too long before you see me back on the trail. 

I would also like to thank Scott Havis, Shawn Pagan, Karl Pretzer, Bob Fleming and Christi Baker & Tom Pennington (I hope that’s right) for all their help and support, both physically and emotionally.  People like these are a big part of the reason I enjoy our sport!

KEEP THE SHINY SIDE UP!

Jack Brinks