What are some things people tend to overlook when off-roading at night?

[suparee]

You know off-roading at night is a totally different experience compared to daytime. Visibility is lower, judging the terrain gets harder, and it’s way easier to miss small details.

I want to talk about what you guys think are some things people tend to overlook when wheeling at night.

I’ll start with one: Getting sleepy. Especially on long night drives. One of my friends always brings gum with him. Not sure if it works for everyone, but he swears chewing gum helps him stay alert. Another thing is that night runs are definitely better with friends.

And here’s something kind of funny. Sometimes we play those goofy meme songs just to stay awake. It’s a pretty weird scene if you think about it. Middle of the night, driving our rigs like absolute monsters through the mountains, and the soundtrack is just the most ridiculous meme music lol.

What about you guys? What’s something people often overlook when wheeling at night?

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[HighVelocity]

This is why Funions and Mountain Dew should never be consumed simultaneously.

 

[suparee]

This is why Funions and Mountain Dew should never be consumed simultaneously.

Now I feel like we’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.

 

[Mjasi3]

Squirrels.

 

[Wolfgang VTS]

What about you guys? What’s something people often overlook when wheeling at night?

Looking at this lighting setup makes me jealous.

 

[KABQ]

Crazy tweaker raves in the middle of the forest. Don't pass them up. One of the best steaks I've ever had was cooked over the course of like an hour on a stick over a campfire by some dude who was extremely spun out. And the dj was actually legit (not ICP or what I expected).

I took a chance on the man in the woods instead of the bear, and shockingly had a really good time against my better judgement!

*Don't do this if you're alone. It was awesome, though.

 

[KABQ]

Crazy tweaker raves in the middle of the forest. Don't pass them up. One of the best steaks I've ever had was cooked over the course of like an hour on a stick over a campfire by some dude who was extremely spun out. And the dj was actually legit (not ICP or what I expected).

I took a chance on the man in the woods instead of the bear, and shockingly had a really good time against my better judgement!

*Don't do this if you're alone. It was awesome, though.

Sh!t, I was supposed to say lights because you sell lights, wasn't I?

 

[mdainsd]

Not enough amber lights?

 

[RustysBronco]

You know off-roading at night is a totally different experience compared to daytime. Visibility is lower, judging the terrain gets harder, and it’s way easier to miss small details.

I want to talk about what you guys think are some things people tend to overlook when wheeling at night.

I’ll start with one: Getting sleepy. Especially on long night drives. One of my friends always brings gum with him. Not sure if it works for everyone, but he swears chewing gum helps him stay alert. Another thing is that night runs are definitely better with friends.

And here’s something kind of funny. Sometimes we play those goofy meme songs just to stay awake. It’s a pretty weird scene if you think about it. Middle of the night, driving our rigs like absolute monsters through the mountains, and the soundtrack is just the most ridiculous meme music lol.

What about you guys? What’s something people often overlook when wheeling at night?

Night wheeling? The biggest thing people overlook is the diplomatic relationship between the headlights and the forest.

If your lights come on too aggressively the trees assume you are challenging them and they start slowly moving the trail. It is subtle, but after about ten minutes the trail you were on is now three feet to the left and slightly uphill. That is why experienced drivers blink their fog lights twice before entering the woods, it is a form of respect.

Another thing is the rocks. During the day rocks behave normally, but at night they begin networking with each other. You will crawl over one perfectly fine rock and suddenly the next three have formed what I can only describe as a small committee. They are not necessarily hostile, but they are definitely evaluating your tire placement.

People also forget about the atmospheric owls. Not regular owls, the upper level owls that hover slightly above the tree line and whisper incorrect spotting instructions into the wind. More than one person has heard “driver… driver… perfect…” and ended up gently parking their Bronco inside a bush that did not exist ten seconds earlier.

Personally I run my tire pressure at whatever number the constellation Orion suggests that evening. Last run it looked like about 14 PSI, but Orion can be passive aggressive so it might have been 19.

Anyway the real trick to night wheeling is maintaining good communication with the trail itself. If you stop for a moment and listen closely, the dirt will usually tell you which line to take. Unless the dirt is lying again, which it has been known to do since about 2007.

And lighthouses? They rule. If you don't like the lighthouse you suck. Ask me about Patterson Pat and the kid in the background going craaaazaaayyyy.

Just my two cents.

 

[KABQ]

Night wheeling? The biggest thing people overlook is the diplomatic relationship between the headlights and the forest.

If your lights come on too aggressively the trees assume you are challenging them and they start slowly moving the trail. It is subtle, but after about ten minutes the trail you were on is now three feet to the left and slightly uphill. That is why experienced drivers blink their fog lights twice before entering the woods, it is a form of respect.

Another thing is the rocks. During the day rocks behave normally, but at night they begin networking with each other. You will crawl over one perfectly fine rock and suddenly the next three have formed what I can only describe as a small committee. They are not necessarily hostile, but they are definitely evaluating your tire placement.

People also forget about the atmospheric owls. Not regular owls, the upper level owls that hover slightly above the tree line and whisper incorrect spotting instructions into the wind. More than one person has heard “driver… driver… perfect…” and ended up gently parking their Bronco inside a bush that did not exist ten seconds earlier.

Personally I run my tire pressure at whatever number the constellation Orion suggests that evening. Last run it looked like about 14 PSI, but Orion can be passive aggressive so it might have been 19.

Anyway the real trick to night wheeling is maintaining good communication with the trail itself. If you stop for a moment and listen closely, the dirt will usually tell you which line to take. Unless the dirt is lying again, which it has been known to do since about 2007.

And lighthouses? They rule. If you don't like the lighthouse you suck. Ask me about Patterson Pat and the kid in the background going craaaazaaayyyy.

Just my two cents.

COTD

 

[suparee]

Squirrels.

That might actually be a fair competition with the Marmot to see who’s worse.

 

[suparee]

Sh!t, I was supposed to say lights because you sell lights, wasn't I?

Lights are always a good answer, but I’ll take crazy forest rave stories too.

 

[suparee]

Night wheeling? The biggest thing people overlook is the diplomatic relationship between the headlights and the forest.

If your lights come on too aggressively the trees assume you are challenging them and they start slowly moving the trail. It is subtle, but after about ten minutes the trail you were on is now three feet to the left and slightly uphill. That is why experienced drivers blink their fog lights twice before entering the woods, it is a form of respect.

Another thing is the rocks. During the day rocks behave normally, but at night they begin networking with each other. You will crawl over one perfectly fine rock and suddenly the next three have formed what I can only describe as a small committee. They are not necessarily hostile, but they are definitely evaluating your tire placement.

People also forget about the atmospheric owls. Not regular owls, the upper level owls that hover slightly above the tree line and whisper incorrect spotting instructions into the wind. More than one person has heard “driver… driver… perfect…” and ended up gently parking their Bronco inside a bush that did not exist ten seconds earlier.

Personally I run my tire pressure at whatever number the constellation Orion suggests that evening. Last run it looked like about 14 PSI, but Orion can be passive aggressive so it might have been 19.

Anyway the real trick to night wheeling is maintaining good communication with the trail itself. If you stop for a moment and listen closely, the dirt will usually tell you which line to take. Unless the dirt is lying again, which it has been known to do since about 2007.

And lighthouses? They rule. If you don't like the lighthouse you suck. Ask me about Patterson Pat and the kid in the background going craaaazaaayyyy.

Just my two cents.

What you pointed out is really interesting and quite novel, it’s a perspective I haven’t heard before. But I definitely agree about the relationship with the forest. Nature is amazing, and we should always approach it with a sense of respect and awe.

And I’m all ears. Tell me about Patterson Pat and that crazy kid!

 

[RustysBronco]

What you pointed out is really interesting and quite novel, it’s a perspective I haven’t heard before. But I definitely agree about the relationship with the forest. Nature is amazing, and we should always approach it with a sense of respect and awe.

And I’m all ears. Tell me about Patterson Pat and that crazy kid!

Patterson Pat? He's Johnny Hannahsticks. And runs away like he's Tommy Noble. Thinks he's got it going bossanova. He thinks he's captain tying knots. Whenever someone needs a knot tied they go to him. No way! Get real. What is this garbage? 5,6,4,3 yeah right!

Not my chair not my problem, that's what I say!

 

[Valhalla]

Don't use lights, they ruin your night vision.

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