I've been stuck a few times myself and I feel your frustration. Things happen no matter how careful you are; it's part of van life. I do carry satellite sos device though, and it comes with SOV (save our vehicle) feature. I recommend that since you can get struck where there is no cell service.
With AAA they only tow you if you are a very short distance from an official road. They don't do rescues like this. But they will help you find someone. I know this from experience.
It just broke my heart to listen to your desperation and feel your hopelessness in this predicament. To your credit you kept your wits about you (for the most part) and explored your options rationally, with some humor trying to manage your extreme anxiety. You also reviewed the causes and resolved what you might do differently. I did a similar thing in high school-skipped school to go fishing. Drove about 30 miles from home and got stuck. No cell phone-hitched a ride back to town, walked the last 5 miles. Got home late and had to get pulled out the next day. I know that desperation. My heart goes out to you. I would send you funds if I could. Maybe you could set up a go fund me or channel memberships or something. A AAA fund. Think about it. Many people would be glad to help you. I’m so glad you made it out safely and learned from it.
Oh no! You really got the short end of the stick there! Glad everything turned out okay for ya. As for funds, I have a Patreon and PayPal, CashApp, and Venmo, and I put the links in the description for my videos, beside Lives and Shorts. I dont like talking about it on camera because I dont want people to get the impression I’m just doing this for money. Thanks for your concern and the kind comment! Hope you’re having a good day!
You were very stuck! It would have been almost impossible to self-rescue with the equipment you had. You would have needed to put boards down for your jack, jack it up, and put down about ten times that much roots. So be thankful 1 you had phone service and 2 you found someone willing to come out there fairly cheap (it could have been a lot more.) I'm glad it all worked out, too bad it cost so much to learn. But you kept your cool (mostly) and didn't panic. I liked what you said about how life could be easier if you had a house. But really, would it? Would you be stressing about rent, would you have a stressful job, who knows? Im glad you are out there taking chances and getting over problems. Adventures are not always fun nor easy.
One thing that helps me get through crap like this just happens out of the blue , is immediately realize where you are , how much worse it could be , and to just accept what has happened and begin from what you could only assume was the worst even tho it might not have been
Yep, definitely! There wasn’t a time when I talked about it on camera, but I was really thankful that I had service where I was and I wasn’t terribly far away from the highway
I feel your pain. I just got stuck in the mud yesterday making a Walmart Spark delivery. What a day. Glad you got out safely and thank God for tow trucks, even if it was expensive. It's worth investing into AAA or something similar. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have a membership. Much success in your journey.👍😊
Sometimes flooring it in reverse a few times then flooring it in drive a few times and back and forth between reverse and drive. Push the pedal down hard. Yes it'll fling mud everywhere but it'll eventually start inching in either direction. Always did for me.
You tried all of the tricks I would have tried. So, at a certain point you had no option but to call, or wait until the mud dried. Which would have taken forever. It's not fun being stuck, and you seemed to handle it pretty well. This was a cool story to watch unfold, thanks for sharing!
That’s good to hear, that I exhausted all the possibilities. Makes me feel like I’m not missing something! I’m also glad you enjoyed the video! This kind is pretty helpful for me to make, too, because it gives me something else to think about
Glad you got a tow truck to come & help. Had to laugh at the cereal part. That’s my number one food when I’m under stress. Take care and stay away from mud puddles.
Man I felt for you. So glad we have cell phones now to call for help. Thirty years ago we couldn't do that. You are a brave woman. I live in Minnesota and we get stuck in the snow all the time and have to call tow trucks. I have a really steep driveway and have to leave car parked at the bottom. Shit happens.
Thank you for the kind words. I'm very grateful too. There was a time my phone didn't work at all, and that was probably the scariest two days of the whole road trip
This is the reason I carry those big freaking rescue boards taking up much needed space in my little SUV when I'm living on the road. I travel alone also and I have all the things to rescue myself if it's possible. I also have emergency food and water supplies for 2 weeks in case I'm ever completely stranded. My friend has a house and she needs to replace her roof because a tree branch fell threw it. Another friend is in an apartment and the neighbor above her just flooded her apartment. Her stuff is RUINED. Another friend has a man in her apartment complex stalking her. Another friend just had his landlord raise his rent 30% so he needs to move and the cost of living here is CRAZY so he can't afford another place. Living in a house is easier in some ways and so much harder in other ways. Oh I was taught to always get to my overnight spot during the day so you can see the road and surroundings. If I'm not going to make it where I want to be before dark, I'll just park somewhere else and get there the next day.
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces If you intend on doing more mild off roading I would get one hooked up and get a hi-lift. I bring one with me. If you are unfamiliar with a Hi-lift you can use a receiver hitch as a lift point and that would of been able to lift the rear of your van up to 4 feet and easily slip boards under it. Also a good excuse to put cargo carrier on the hitch to bring more stuff =)
@@larryhunter8245 Is there a front mount hitch available for the Sienna? You can also use the hi-lift as a winch and pull it backwards from the rear hitch
I got stuck in the sand for two days. I'm having trouble recovering from digging and collecting every rock in Arizona. I couldn't do anything but panic and so sore I can't move. What are we doing..lol
Wow you really got stuck good. Reminds me of the time I was at Mammoth Cave in Utah, met a dude living out of a sedan who had gotten stuck the night before. Gave him a ride in to town, he showed back up with a tow truck later on as I was leaving.
You did pretty good at maintaining you cool Maddie thru all that. Way to go! I know you don’t have a lot of money but even some basic recovery gear might of helped. Starting with the least expensive id say get a shovel. You can buy a folding one in camping stores or a little bigger one at hardware stores. Next id say to get some recovery boards. They would function better than brush you found. If you don’t have the space for the bigger ones, they have smaller folding ones as well. Next I’d say tire chains although I don’t think they would of been very easy to put on in that situation. Finally next time you need tires get rid of those run flats and get some suv off road tires. You will need to get 5 so you have a spare then find a space to keep it. I also carry some tow straps hoping that someone would come by and could pull me out. I have had Emergency Road Service for over 35 years and it has got me outta some binds. Not sure about the road you were on though. No expert here but I have managed to get myself stuck more than a few times in the last 45 years!
Thank you, but I really have no more room for anything. My passenger seat, under the floor storage, under my bed, and even my roof have all they can hold! But I do have AAA now, and now I know what my van can and can’t handle
I felt that defeat! Pure frustration at yourself. I've had that feeling a few times in the past couple months on my road trip in my Murano. I like to just take em as experiences like you said and just laugh it off after it's resolved
Good luck living in your car, I hope everything goes all smoothly as possible. If you ever get into a situation like this, just remember, it's not the end of the story yet
Getting stuck in the mud is no fun. Reminds me of getting stuck in the mud in a kayak on Cache River in southern Illinois to see 1000 year old cypress trees.
Dude I live in Idaho Falls and wish I could've helped you. Oh well glad you got out. Been stuck many of times. It's frustrating and stressful but you made it through. Always a learning experience
Aww man! That’s okay though. I thought of seeing if anyone from RUclips was in the area but then what if someone with bad intentions saw that and went out looking for me. Those people really ruin it for the rest of us, huh?
My language would have been much worse than yours if that happened to me. I know you don’t want to read any “shoulda, coulda, woulda” comments, but if you’re going to go off road a lot, you might want to change your tires to all terrain the next time you need new tires. They may not have gotten you out of that situation, but they certainly could have helped. Otherwise, I admire your strength and perseverance. And in the end, you always have a smile for us.
Yeah that was bogged. Problem is if you try more then once to drive out your only digging the tyres down and next minute the body is on the ground and you won’t be going anywhere. Another life lesion to put in the memory bank and hopefully it dosent happen again lol
Looking back at this, I think the bottom of my car was sitting on the ridge between the tire tracks, so there wasn’t anyway to get unstuck without a winch out. Things just suck sometimes, no matter how careful you are!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces a cost effective solution is maxx tracks. Even with 2 you might have gotten out. The back wheels are useless as they have no drive so it was pointless putting sticks under them
@@budget-adventure Didn't you see the rear wheels spinning!? It's an awd car. The problem is the traction control system will not allow the car to rock back and forth out of a bogged situation (common knowledge in off road circles)... The brakes keep applying and the car is fighting itself. Two mistakes.. if your driving into mud like this and are concerned about loss of drive the traction control should be turned off prior so momentum can be maintained... Then if you need to rock the car out of a bog you must also have it off.. she didn't have much hope. I think it was bottomed out a little also as she says but it wasn't completely as the car did go back and forth. This is the exact situation why the override for traction control exists!
It's possible that van is all wheel drive but not very likely. What I'm trying to say is that your vehicle is most likely front wheel drive. So the next time you're stuck, put all the boards and logs by the front wheels because they're the only ones receiving power from the engine. That might have been enough to get you out of that mud hole. 🤔
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces I'm glad you've got all wheel drive. it can be an expensive option but it really improves a vehicles performance in all types of weather. it sucks that you had to spend that cash on a tow truck but in the grand scheme of things you're safe and your van isn't damaged and that's what matters.
@Don different companies produce different AWD systems. for instance, Land Rover and Subaru make systems that reduce power to the wheel that is spinning. not all vehicles are created equal.
@Don it's absolutely relevant as it literally explains the content and structure of my initial comment. that last reply makes me believe that critical thinking is not your forte.
@Don not having proper AWD has not nothing to do with lockable hubs as you've stated. as I've stared there are manufacturers that produce real, functional AWD and do not have lockable hubs. do you even understand how these systems work?
I’ve read AAA will only service on paved roads, not gravel/dirt so do your research before deciding. Now, to go watch your video of being stuck on the beach….I’m betting it’s Rutherfords beach. I live in Louisiana and am thinking I was there when in college many, many moons ago.
100 feet winch line from pavement. Unless if you grease the driver with a wad of cash, then they magically don't follow company rules and will extract you 😉
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces$225 for an offroad tow is a bargain. I hope you tipped the driver. 😀 I got an offroad tow for $175 ten years ago. Based on inflation it should be more than 225 now. And fuel prices are through the roof. Tow trucks burn a lot of fuel. And pay a lot for insurance. Nobody wakes up and says, "I want to be rich so I will run a tow truck".😂
Oh yeah we had a $332 LOL to get out of the sand for our situation and we learned how to utilize our four-wheel-drive after that so it was a pricey lesson LOL. Lol😂
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces In that situation, what would have been your options, considering that could end up happening with you at some point along your trip.
@@donaldturner2145 I would bring all my personal safety devices with me and walk to where there's cell service, once it was daylight. And then if a tow truck couldn't get me out, I guess just keep spending money on other services til I get out. It would probably be expensive, but so would letting go of a converted van with solar power and fancy tires!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces Imagine if you had been far along that you would easily be lost if you tried to get cell service. In that situation, the only thing you might have been left with is to continue to spin the tires in the mud in hope of getting out.
I wouldn't consider this a dumb situation. After all, it's not like water was rushing over the road and you decided to chance it anyway and nearly got yourself killed. You just got unlucky and drove into an abnormally deep and slick mud hole on a road you otherwise had no issue with. That's when these things are most likely to bite you. You know, when it's been going fine and then suddenly it isn't. Without being there it's impossible to say what would have worked, if anything, short of the tow truck. But if your plans are to keep your van and continue down the same types of trails there are both rigid and foldable traction boards that work wonders. People will tell you Maxx Traxx because that's all they know and they are good but for rare occurrences not worth the money. Also, a tire with better all terrain traction can help but in deep mud sometimes they don't. Anyway, again, everyone will say BF Goodrich KO2's but they are too heavy and aggressive for your travels most of the time, even off road. Yokohama Geolander GO15's and Cooper AT3 4S come to mind as excellent on and off road all terrains for vans like yours. All tires mentioned though are more durable than the Bridgestone run flats, and, as you experienced, having run flats doesn't mean you can always make the next exit. Of course, spending a grand on tires and traction boards versus a few hundred in tows over the course of a year or two may be foolish. But it also might get you out when you need out before a tow can get there. I'm not much of a worst case scenario scardey cat, I just like being self sufficient. You should have seen what I carried on my last long road trip for tire repair and getting unstuck. Didn't need any of it. But I might have. Lol. But since you are withholding future travel info for a surprise, you may not even have your van for much longer. So perhaps this is all a mute point. Anyway, glad you escaped the pit of doom. Hey, give it a cool name, right?
Thanks Dave! And I agree, it was some thing that could happen to anyone. It’s hard not to blame myself because there was that road to the side that went around the pit of doom, but it was night time, and nobody’s perfect!
What a horrible situation to be in. 😬 Get a shovel and dig yourself out first. Understand that your car is a front wheel drive. Get recovery boards. Lower your tire pressure…
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces Oh! I didn't know! That makes things a bit easier.. I was stuck like that so many times.. By now I kind of know what to do... 😅
Hi from Ouray CO!! Bleh...I just canceled my 3rd camping trip this month as we have our first major snowfall coming in this weekend. I was going to head out to my land by Paradox CO (which is east of the La Sal Mountains, which are east of Moab UT). The land looks like the same in your thumbnail-- sage brush, dirt, moon dust, and clay just below ground level. What could possibly go wrong? Have a great weekend and safe travels!!
Thank you, Dixie! 💛 It was pretty infuriating when I was going through it, but now I realize I wasn’t stuck for over 24 hours or anything plus I had cell service!
Maddie, your main mistake is driving on a dirt road in the dark. Those are very rural areas and is dangerous because of wild animals, road conditions, fallen debris etc.
This is the first time I’ve been stuck in a year and a half on the road, and I really have no more room in my van, so I don’t think buying recovery gear is realistic for me. But I do have a Patreon! The link is in the description of this video, towards the bottom of the list of links
I think what happened was the bottom of my car was sitting on the ridge between the two tire tracks, and maybe that’s why my tires were just spinning and not able to grip onto the branches I put underneath them. Tire chains might be good though, in situations like snow!
I followed along your adventures for a little bit, and I just wanted to leave an impression upon you. I feel like you are tempting fate, and pushing boundaries with your solo travel, and your non-off-road vehicle. There’s a saying I’m sure maybe you heard your father say this don’t go, cruising for a Bruisin be careful maybe dial it back somewhat take the road more safely traveled
Hey Nomad Life. While I tend to let people do as they please and learn their own lessons I will say I agree that there are a lot of folks out there tempting fate with their travels. So often I see videos of nomads of various types posting about how they don't give out their location online, don't stay in one place very long and try not to have anything identifiable on their vehicle so no one can follow them and be sure it's them. And while all of these things are good ideas the number one thing that kills or injures people out in the wilderness isn't the much feared creepy loner dude or rouge bear, it's the environment itself. But folks venture out without basic tools or understanding of how to even troubleshoot, much less field repair, the systems on their rig which might keep them alive. People go out without the most basic self recovery gear and they go out without easily accessible and affordable rescue communications gear. And people take vehicles of questionable capability, maintenance rolling on highway tires into areas where at the very least you should have some good all terrain tires. In the overwhelming majority of cases nothing of note happens good, bad or otherwise. So I'm not going to scold anyone as if their life was in danger every time because it rarely is. But for every singular case of threat from a human or animal there are thousands of people who break down, get stuck, or get injured with no way to contact help and occasionally it ends tragically. That's rare but it does happen when it most often didn't need to. From what I've seen Maddie isn't getting terribly off the beaten path like some do but like many she has more concern about the least likely scenarios and less concern about those most likely to occur.
Anyone that seeks an untraditional life is taking some kind of risk. I know bad things like this are the price I pay for my freedom and adventure. I know it could have been much, much worse. But as they say, I’m here for a good time, not a long time. I appreciate your concern, and I do take steps to minimize risk, like carrying self defense stuff, staying in cell coverage when possible, staying constantly vigilant and cautious around everyone, checking in with my parents every couple days, having an All Wheel Drive vehicle (even though it didn’t help here!) and more.
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces Hey Maddie, please understand I never want to come across as preachy or a know it all. After all, the things I know now were often things I learned the hard way once upon a time! My response to Nomad Life was basically a generalization and without knowing you or your plans or, what you actually know or don't then trying to say anything, even with the best intentions, can come across as condescending. Not intentional though.
I've been stuck a few times myself and I feel your frustration. Things happen no matter how careful you are; it's part of van life. I do carry satellite sos device though, and it comes with SOV (save our vehicle) feature. I recommend that since you can get struck where there is no cell service.
Invest in traction plates.Glad you made it out safely.
Me too! Lucky I had good cell service!
With AAA they only tow you if you are a very short distance from an official road. They don't do rescues like this. But they will help you find someone. I know this from experience.
Oh okay! That makes me feel slightly better, that it wasn’t AS big of a mistake not to have it as I thought it was
Muss man nicht mal mehr als ein Lin
It just broke my heart to listen to your desperation and feel your hopelessness in this predicament. To your credit you kept your wits about you (for the most part) and explored your options rationally, with some humor trying to manage your extreme anxiety. You also reviewed the causes and resolved what you might do differently. I did a similar thing in high school-skipped school to go fishing. Drove about 30 miles from home and got stuck. No cell phone-hitched a ride back to town, walked the last 5 miles. Got home late and had to get pulled out the next day. I know that desperation. My heart goes out to you. I would send you funds if I could. Maybe you could set up a go fund me or channel memberships or something. A AAA fund. Think about it. Many people would be glad to help you. I’m so glad you made it out safely and learned from it.
Oh no! You really got the short end of the stick there! Glad everything turned out okay for ya. As for funds, I have a Patreon and PayPal, CashApp, and Venmo, and I put the links in the description for my videos, beside Lives and Shorts. I dont like talking about it on camera because I dont want people to get the impression I’m just doing this for money. Thanks for your concern and the kind comment! Hope you’re having a good day!
Thank you for sharing this Maddie. I'm glad to see you got out safe.
Thank you! 🥰
You were very stuck! It would have been almost impossible to self-rescue with the equipment you had. You would have needed to put boards down for your jack, jack it up, and put down about ten times that much roots.
So be thankful
1 you had phone service and
2 you found someone willing to come out there fairly cheap (it could have been a lot more.)
I'm glad it all worked out, too bad it cost so much to learn. But you kept your cool (mostly) and didn't panic.
I liked what you said about how life could be easier if you had a house. But really, would it? Would you be stressing about rent, would you have a stressful job, who knows? Im glad you are out there taking chances and getting over problems.
Adventures are not always fun nor easy.
I agree, it would have been impossible to self rescue and it definitely could have been a lot worse!!
One thing that helps me get through crap like this just happens out of the blue , is immediately realize where you are , how much worse it could be , and to just accept what has happened and begin from what you could only assume was the worst even tho it might not have been
Yep, definitely! There wasn’t a time when I talked about it on camera, but I was really thankful that I had service where I was and I wasn’t terribly far away from the highway
I feel your pain. I just got stuck in the mud yesterday making a Walmart Spark delivery. What a day. Glad you got out safely and thank God for tow trucks, even if it was expensive. It's worth investing into AAA or something similar. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have a membership. Much success in your journey.👍😊
Sometimes flooring it in reverse a few times then flooring it in drive a few times and back and forth between reverse and drive. Push the pedal down hard. Yes it'll fling mud everywhere but it'll eventually start inching in either direction. Always did for me.
You tried all of the tricks I would have tried. So, at a certain point you had no option but to call, or wait until the mud dried. Which would have taken forever. It's not fun being stuck, and you seemed to handle it pretty well. This was a cool story to watch unfold, thanks for sharing!
That’s good to hear, that I exhausted all the possibilities. Makes me feel like I’m not missing something! I’m also glad you enjoyed the video! This kind is pretty helpful for me to make, too, because it gives me something else to think about
Glad you got a tow truck to come & help. Had to laugh at the cereal part. That’s my number one food when I’m under stress. Take care and stay away from mud puddles.
Thank you! Always glad to hear from a fellow cereal lover!
Man I felt for you. So glad we have cell phones now to call for help. Thirty years ago we couldn't do that. You are a brave woman. I live in Minnesota and we get stuck in the snow all the time and have to call tow trucks. I have a really steep driveway and have to leave car parked at the bottom. Shit happens.
Thank you for the kind words. I'm very grateful too. There was a time my phone didn't work at all, and that was probably the scariest two days of the whole road trip
This is the reason I carry those big freaking rescue boards taking up much needed space in my little SUV when I'm living on the road. I travel alone also and I have all the things to rescue myself if it's possible. I also have emergency food and water supplies for 2 weeks in case I'm ever completely stranded.
My friend has a house and she needs to replace her roof because a tree branch fell threw it. Another friend is in an apartment and the neighbor above her just flooded her apartment. Her stuff is RUINED. Another friend has a man in her apartment complex stalking her. Another friend just had his landlord raise his rent 30% so he needs to move and the cost of living here is CRAZY so he can't afford another place. Living in a house is easier in some ways and so much harder in other ways.
Oh I was taught to always get to my overnight spot during the day so you can see the road and surroundings. If I'm not going to make it where I want to be before dark, I'll just park somewhere else and get there the next day.
Glad you found a system that works for you :)
How scary! I’m glad it all worked out even though it was an expensive lesson. Be safe
Yep, very glad it all worked out!
This would be a great commercial for those traction plates 😆 Glad you made it out safe though.
You and me both! Thanks for watchin!
Does your van have a rear tow hitch? If it does A hi-lift jack is a great investment
It doesn’t! I wish!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces If you intend on doing more mild off roading I would get one hooked up and get a hi-lift. I bring one with me. If you are unfamiliar with a Hi-lift you can use a receiver hitch as a lift point and that would of been able to lift the rear of your van up to 4 feet and easily slip boards under it.
Also a good excuse to put cargo carrier on the hitch to bring more stuff =)
MySienna is FWD but I do have a trailer hitch and a hi lift. How would you use them in this situation?
@@larryhunter8245 Is there a front mount hitch available for the Sienna? You can also use the hi-lift as a winch and pull it backwards from the rear hitch
I don’t know if I would make myself even more vulnerable by posting an “I’m stuck” sign. That was a rather sticky situation.
Wouldn’t it already be obvious because I was parked in the middle of a road? I get what you’re saying though
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces Nope! You could just be camping.
Keep safe to travel Maddie. Such a rough situation!
Thank you!💜
I got stuck in the sand for two days. I'm having trouble recovering from digging and collecting every rock in Arizona.
I couldn't do anything but panic and so sore I can't move. What are we doing..lol
Oh man super frustrating for sure Maddie but you stuck (sorry I had to say it😜) with it‼️ Stay tough out there. Your perseverance is admirable😀👏🏼♥️
Haha stuck with it is right!! Thanks, Sunny!
Wow you really got stuck good. Reminds me of the time I was at Mammoth Cave in Utah, met a dude living out of a sedan who had gotten stuck the night before. Gave him a ride in to town, he showed back up with a tow truck later on as I was leaving.
Sounds like he was in quite a bind, glad you were there to help out!
You did pretty good at maintaining you cool Maddie thru all that. Way to go! I know you don’t have a lot of money but even some basic recovery gear might of helped. Starting with the least expensive id say get a shovel. You can buy a folding one in camping stores or a little bigger one at hardware stores. Next id say to get some recovery boards. They would function better than brush you found. If you don’t have the space for the bigger ones, they have smaller folding ones as well. Next I’d say tire chains although I don’t think they would of been very easy to put on in that situation. Finally next time you need tires get rid of those run flats and get some suv off road tires. You will need to get 5 so you have a spare then find a space to keep it. I also carry some tow straps hoping that someone would come by and could pull me out. I have had Emergency Road Service for over 35 years and it has got me outta some binds. Not sure about the road you were on though. No expert here but I have managed to get myself stuck more than a few times in the last 45 years!
Thank you, but I really have no more room for anything. My passenger seat, under the floor storage, under my bed, and even my roof have all they can hold! But I do have AAA now, and now I know what my van can and can’t handle
That’s fair. The folding camping shovels only take a small space. I’ve heard that ERS might not help if you are on a Forest Service Road.
I felt that defeat! Pure frustration at yourself. I've had that feeling a few times in the past couple months on my road trip in my Murano. I like to just take em as experiences like you said and just laugh it off after it's resolved
Always nice to hear from someone that’s gone through something similar! Glad to hear all ended okay for you
Sure was glad to see your video. Hoping to live in my car soon
Good luck living in your car, I hope everything goes all smoothly as possible. If you ever get into a situation like this, just remember, it's not the end of the story yet
I am glad you got out Maddie' I hope have a good Week and good Luck to you.
Thank, Jimmy! Hope you have a good week too! Happy Halloween season!
Life is a mixture of good and bad, happy and sad…no matter where you live.
Definitely! I miss modern conveniences now and then, but because of how I set my life up, I get to do things I wouldn’t otherwise!
Get those traction plates to help get out of ditches etc. They don't cost much. And get AAA. TRIPLE A. 🙏
Always turn traction control all the way off. It limits wheel spin when it’s active
Interesting! Who’s’ r thought!
Getting stuck in the mud is no fun. Reminds me of getting stuck in the mud in a kayak on Cache River in southern Illinois to see 1000 year old cypress trees.
Oh no! That sounds like a really cool trip, kayaking to see those trees, but gosh that must have been hard to get out of!
Dude I live in Idaho Falls and wish I could've helped you. Oh well glad you got out. Been stuck many of times. It's frustrating and stressful but you made it through. Always a learning experience
Aww man! That’s okay though. I thought of seeing if anyone from RUclips was in the area but then what if someone with bad intentions saw that and went out looking for me. Those people really ruin it for the rest of us, huh?
My language would have been much worse than yours if that happened to me. I know you don’t want to read any “shoulda, coulda, woulda” comments, but if you’re going to go off road a lot, you might want to change your tires to all terrain the next time you need new tires. They may not have gotten you out of that situation, but they certainly could have helped.
Otherwise, I admire your strength and perseverance. And in the end, you always have a smile for us.
Thank you! I’ll think about the new tires. The ones I have are pretty expensive so I’m reluctant to get rid of them
I just parked somewhere tonight where it has deep tire marks in the dirt and I thought I hope I don't get stuck. I have no idea how to get unstuck.
It’s rough! Digging on your tires or driving on cardboard, sticks, or anything usually works for me. Not always though, haha, as you can see
Yeah that was bogged. Problem is if you try more then once to drive out your only digging the tyres down and next minute the body is on the ground and you won’t be going anywhere. Another life lesion to put in the memory bank and hopefully it dosent happen again lol
Looking back at this, I think the bottom of my car was sitting on the ridge between the tire tracks, so there wasn’t anyway to get unstuck without a winch out. Things just suck sometimes, no matter how careful you are!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces a cost effective solution is maxx tracks. Even with 2 you might have gotten out. The back wheels are useless as they have no drive so it was pointless putting sticks under them
@@budget-adventure Didn't you see the rear wheels spinning!? It's an awd car. The problem is the traction control system will not allow the car to rock back and forth out of a bogged situation (common knowledge in off road circles)... The brakes keep applying and the car is fighting itself. Two mistakes.. if your driving into mud like this and are concerned about loss of drive the traction control should be turned off prior so momentum can be maintained... Then if you need to rock the car out of a bog you must also have it off.. she didn't have much hope. I think it was bottomed out a little also as she says but it wasn't completely as the car did go back and forth.
This is the exact situation why the override for traction control exists!
@@dave216dx oh no I didn’t see the rear wheels spinning. I assumed it was a front wheel drive. Whoops
Hell yeah! Good going girl!!! ROCK ON MADDIE! WOOOOOO!
Thank you!
Glad you made it out.
Me too! And it could’ve been a lot worse!
Stay tough Maddie. It's just a hiccup!
Thank you! It could have been a lot worse
You are awesome. Consider keeping some chicken wire in the car. The issue is traction.
Haven’t heard of using chicken wire before! That would be good because I could fold it up and squeeze it in somewhere to store it
Chicken wire with a bit of paper over it would give you a pretty good bit of traction.
It's possible that van is all wheel drive but not very likely. What I'm trying to say is that your vehicle is most likely front wheel drive. So the next time you're stuck, put all the boards and logs by the front wheels because they're the only ones receiving power from the engine. That might have been enough to get you out of that mud hole. 🤔
It is an AWD actually! That’s why I was so surprised it got me out of other situations but not this!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces I'm glad you've got all wheel drive. it can be an expensive option but it really improves a vehicles performance in all types of weather. it sucks that you had to spend that cash on a tow truck but in the grand scheme of things you're safe and your van isn't damaged and that's what matters.
@Don different companies produce different AWD systems. for instance, Land Rover and Subaru make systems that reduce power to the wheel that is spinning. not all vehicles are created equal.
@Don it's absolutely relevant as it literally explains the content and structure of my initial comment. that last reply makes me believe that critical thinking is not your forte.
@Don not having proper AWD has not nothing to do with lockable hubs as you've stated. as I've stared there are manufacturers that produce real, functional AWD and do not have lockable hubs. do you even understand how these systems work?
Brush it off & just keep going, live & learn. It wouldn’t be a real road-trip out west if sh-t like that didn’t happen!
Very true!
It's okay, this would have happened to me. But I would have given up 1 minute after lol
haha it was tough!
Classic, just classic!😂
Haha someone told me it was a rite of passage!
I’ve read AAA will only service on paved roads, not gravel/dirt so do your research before deciding. Now, to go watch your video of being stuck on the beach….I’m betting it’s Rutherfords beach. I live in Louisiana and am thinking I was there when in college many, many moons ago.
100 feet winch line from pavement. Unless if you grease the driver with a wad of cash, then they magically don't follow company rules and will extract you 😉
That sounds familiar, it might have been Rutherford beach! It was close to Texas
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces$225 for an offroad tow is a bargain. I hope you tipped the driver. 😀 I got an offroad tow for $175 ten years ago. Based on inflation it should be more than 225 now. And fuel prices are through the roof. Tow trucks burn a lot of fuel. And pay a lot for insurance. Nobody wakes up and says, "I want to be rich so I will run a tow truck".😂
Yeah, when she said "o.k. I will get a $100 tow" I said " oh Maddie you child of spring, you have no idea."
I paid $275 over 20 years ago!
Very nice .🚚🍻😉 good experience.
It happens! Gotta show the highs and lows!
Sorry to hear Maddie! May I ask, how old are you and how long have you lived vanLife?
I’m 30 and I’ve been on the road for over a year and a half
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces So cool! Ever think about upgrading to one of those bigger sprinter type vans?
No, I don’t need that much space for just me and they cost way more to buy, to insure, and to fill with gas!
Oh yeah we had a $332 LOL to get out of the sand for our situation and we learned how to utilize our four-wheel-drive after that so it was a pricey lesson LOL. Lol😂
Oh no! That’s expensive!
Imagine if you had been in a location with no cell service and/or there was too much mud that a tow truck could not get to you.
I know! It definitely could have been way worse!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces In that situation, what would have been your options, considering that could end up happening with you at some point along your trip.
@@donaldturner2145 I would bring all my personal safety devices with me and walk to where there's cell service, once it was daylight. And then if a tow truck couldn't get me out, I guess just keep spending money on other services til I get out. It would probably be expensive, but so would letting go of a converted van with solar power and fancy tires!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces Imagine if you had been far along that you would easily be lost if you tried to get cell service. In that situation, the only thing you might have been left with is to continue to spin the tires in the mud in hope of getting out.
Clear fingernail polish will stop windshield crack from running. RUclips it. I tried it and it works.
I don’t have a crack in my windshield right now but I’ll keep that info in mind if it ever comes up!
Is your suv all wheel drive next time try to let air out of your tires that would help lowering tire pressure works remember next time
That’s an interesting idea!
I wouldn't consider this a dumb situation. After all, it's not like water was rushing over the road and you decided to chance it anyway and nearly got yourself killed. You just got unlucky and drove into an abnormally deep and slick mud hole on a road you otherwise had no issue with. That's when these things are most likely to bite you. You know, when it's been going fine and then suddenly it isn't. Without being there it's impossible to say what would have worked, if anything, short of the tow truck. But if your plans are to keep your van and continue down the same types of trails there are both rigid and foldable traction boards that work wonders. People will tell you Maxx Traxx because that's all they know and they are good but for rare occurrences not worth the money. Also, a tire with better all terrain traction can help but in deep mud sometimes they don't. Anyway, again, everyone will say BF Goodrich KO2's but they are too heavy and aggressive for your travels most of the time, even off road. Yokohama Geolander GO15's and Cooper AT3 4S come to mind as excellent on and off road all terrains for vans like yours. All tires mentioned though are more durable than the Bridgestone run flats, and, as you experienced, having run flats doesn't mean you can always make the next exit. Of course, spending a grand on tires and traction boards versus a few hundred in tows over the course of a year or two may be foolish. But it also might get you out when you need out before a tow can get there. I'm not much of a worst case scenario scardey cat, I just like being self sufficient. You should have seen what I carried on my last long road trip for tire repair and getting unstuck. Didn't need any of it. But I might have. Lol. But since you are withholding future travel info for a surprise, you may not even have your van for much longer. So perhaps this is all a mute point. Anyway, glad you escaped the pit of doom. Hey, give it a cool name, right?
I think the foldable traction boards would be good too!
Thanks Dave! And I agree, it was some thing that could happen to anyone. It’s hard not to blame myself because there was that road to the side that went around the pit of doom, but it was night time, and nobody’s perfect!
Did you do a lot of full axels?
I don’t understand. The axels of the car were sitting on the ground, if that’s what you mean
What a horrible situation to be in. 😬
Get a shovel and dig yourself out first. Understand that your car is a front wheel drive. Get recovery boards. Lower your tire pressure…
Thank you for your concern, glad it’s over now! This van is an AWD, actually!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces Oh! I didn't know! That makes things a bit easier..
I was stuck like that so many times.. By now I kind of know what to do... 😅
Your sienna is not AWD that is why, also you should had low the tires air at the very beginning...
This one is AWD, it says so on the van itself next to XLE on the back. I don’t remember how my tires were this day, but maybe!
Hi from Ouray CO!! Bleh...I just canceled my 3rd camping trip this month as we have our first major snowfall coming in this weekend. I was going to head out to my land by Paradox CO (which is east of the La Sal Mountains, which are east of Moab UT). The land looks like the same in your thumbnail-- sage brush, dirt, moon dust, and clay just below ground level. What could possibly go wrong?
Have a great weekend and safe travels!!
Oh no, sorry you had to cancel your trip! Stay warm!
Breakdowns are the worst. I thought I was the only one hits the steering wheel in the midst of it.
Oh yeah, I definitely do! Sometimes I hurt my hand on it ha ha
So discouraging; so very sorry Maddie.
Thank you, Dixie! 💛 It was pretty infuriating when I was going through it, but now I realize I wasn’t stuck for over 24 hours or anything plus I had cell service!
Is this an AWD van?
It is!
for the tow
Oh my goodness! Cookie! Thank you so much!!
Just start pushing
Haha!
How does one pull that off
this girl is tough !
I try!
Youcam buy something to put under your tires😊
Maddie, your main mistake is driving on a dirt road in the dark. Those are very rural areas and is dangerous because of wild animals, road conditions, fallen debris etc.
I see your point, but if I avoided dirt roads I couldn’t make it to 99% of the free campsites I’ve been to in the past year and a half!
Maybe all terrain tires or ur basic recovery gear for the future? Do u have a patreon? Stay safe!
This is the first time I’ve been stuck in a year and a half on the road, and I really have no more room in my van, so I don’t think buying recovery gear is realistic for me. But I do have a Patreon! The link is in the description of this video, towards the bottom of the list of links
Wait it started snowing already?
No, did it look like there was snow somewhere?
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces I guess the mud looked like snow. It's about to start snowing. Are you still going to keep going?
try and get some recovery gear like maxtrax and a real shovel.
AAA will not get you if you are off a main road. I've learned 😌
Oh no, that sounds like a lesson you don’t want to have to find out!
Mishap you need to invest in a set of tire chains and learn how to use them
I think what happened was the bottom of my car was sitting on the ridge between the two tire tracks, and maybe that’s why my tires were just spinning and not able to grip onto the branches I put underneath them. Tire chains might be good though, in situations like snow!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces they are also used in muddy situations
Happy to see that you got out of that mud stay on the pavement don't drive off the road like that no more
Glad I got out too!
Wow!
It was rough!
Oh goodness 😢
An adventure
Max trax keep in ur car , put loads of debris under wheels, lucky u have a tow mob come out there
Yep, even though the tow took hours, at least they came at all!
Hey Maddie, does your Sienna have all-wheel drive? All-wheel drive would have helped.
It does have AWD! That was why I was so surprised that I couldn’t get myself out of this one
Is your van awd? Ah yes spoke to soon
Liberty mutual again 😂
Well done Mattie you did it, you got their after all. Cool. On the road again.
Thanks! 😊
Oh no
It was a rough time!
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces I don’t want to say I can’t wait for it to be viewed but I’ve been in the same boat. It’s a stressful time
@@budget-adventure good thing we get to commiserate with each other!
turn off the traction control.
I followed along your adventures for a little bit, and I just wanted to leave an impression upon you. I feel like you are tempting fate, and pushing boundaries with your solo travel, and your non-off-road vehicle. There’s a saying I’m sure maybe you heard your father say this don’t go, cruising for a Bruisin be careful maybe dial it back somewhat take the road more safely traveled
Hey Nomad Life. While I tend to let people do as they please and learn their own lessons I will say I agree that there are a lot of folks out there tempting fate with their travels. So often I see videos of nomads of various types posting about how they don't give out their location online, don't stay in one place very long and try not to have anything identifiable on their vehicle so no one can follow them and be sure it's them. And while all of these things are good ideas the number one thing that kills or injures people out in the wilderness isn't the much feared creepy loner dude or rouge bear, it's the environment itself.
But folks venture out without basic tools or understanding of how to even troubleshoot, much less field repair, the systems on their rig which might keep them alive. People go out without the most basic self recovery gear and they go out without easily accessible and affordable rescue communications gear. And people take vehicles of questionable capability, maintenance rolling on highway tires into areas where at the very least you should have some good all terrain tires. In the overwhelming majority of cases nothing of note happens good, bad or otherwise. So I'm not going to scold anyone as if their life was in danger every time because it rarely is. But for every singular case of threat from a human or animal there are thousands of people who break down, get stuck, or get injured with no way to contact help and occasionally it ends tragically. That's rare but it does happen when it most often didn't need to. From what I've seen Maddie isn't getting terribly off the beaten path like some do but like many she has more concern about the least likely scenarios and less concern about those most likely to occur.
Anyone that seeks an untraditional life is taking some kind of risk. I know bad things like this are the price I pay for my freedom and adventure. I know it could have been much, much worse. But as they say, I’m here for a good time, not a long time.
I appreciate your concern, and I do take steps to minimize risk, like carrying self defense stuff, staying in cell coverage when possible, staying constantly vigilant and cautious around everyone, checking in with my parents every couple days, having an All Wheel Drive vehicle (even though it didn’t help here!) and more.
@@BeerinBeautifulPlaces Hey Maddie, please understand I never want to come across as preachy or a know it all. After all, the things I know now were often things I learned the hard way once upon a time! My response to Nomad Life was basically a generalization and without knowing you or your plans or, what you actually know or don't then trying to say anything, even with the best intentions, can come across as condescending. Not intentional though.
Call for help
That’s what I did! I didn’t know anyone personally in the area that could help me, sadly
what were you thingking its not 4x4 LOL
You can’t really tell how deep a mud puddle just by looking at it!