100+ stuck in the mud.

[Chris142]

There was a model rocket launch on a dry lake bed near us. We had a over an inch of rain last night that was not predicted. There are over 100 cars,trucks and motorhomes stuck in the mud now.

The off road guys went out to help but got told they can't go on the lake bed. Last time this happened people had to leave the vehicles until the lake bed dried...about 3 months.

 

[eljefino]

Takes 3 months to evaporate an inch of rain? Well that sucks.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by eljefino
Takes 3 months to evaporate an inch of rain? Well that sucks.

The dry lake turns into slimey clay. Takes a very long time to dry out enough to drive on.

 

[skyactiv]

I grew up on Lake Erie. This reminds me of the time some ice fishers went out, the ice broke off and drifted away and they had to be rescued.

 

[hatt]

They shoulda had brodozers.

 

[spasm3]

Why would they not let the off road guys help get them out, that's ridiculous. I guess that's Calif for you.

 

[andyd]

How did the carless rocketeers get out? Helicopter?

 

[Whipcitywrencher]

Originally Posted by spasm3
Why would they not let the off road guys help get them out, that's ridiculous. I guess that's Calif for you.



+1

Bet a couple of good tractors would have them all out.

 

[JamesBond]

Originally Posted by andyd
How did the carless rocketeers get out? Helicopter?


Dude...rockets, duh.

 

[spackard]

If they can get some sails up before Monday, they can use the Santa Ana winds to get them out

 

[TheLawnRanger]

I would try to get boards and build a road like the ones at an oil rig.

 

[Nick1994]

That clay is the consistency of dog poop. Nasty stuff.

 

[DONWATERS]

That is horrible, a nightmare. I would disconnect the battery, leave and come back after its all dried out. No way to get out of that.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Obvious fix being a vehicle pulling from dry ground, and a LONG tow strap.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by Jarlaxle
Obvious fix being a vehicle pulling from dry ground, and a LONG tow strap.

Nope. The hwy cuts through the dry lake. You can't get to dry land unless you had a 5 mile long tow rope.

 

[Chris142]

Aerial view.

 

[Ducked]

Simplicate and add lightness? (5 mins or so in)

Probably not enough lightness available though.

Maybe sand (mud) ladders, and one of those airbag lift things, but it'd take forever.

 

[dave1251]

Good luck. I bet 1 inch of rain there is like 10 inches in other parts. It's been a wet year here and I am greatful.

 

[joegreen]

That sucks looks like they require some tracked vehicle.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted by joegreen
That sucks looks like they require some tracked vehicle.


When I was in an EOD squadron clearing the Maplin Sands for London's Third, never completed Airport, we got a 4 tonner stuck in "quicksand"

(I doubt now it was true quicksand, probably just a dug-over area, but true quicksand was said to exist in the area.)

Anyway, we got a JCB (like a tractor with a bucket and back-hoe on it, British thing) to get it out and the JCB got stuck.

OK, we need a tracked vehicle. There were some old Centurion-based ARV's on site so we got one of them, and it...got stuck.

(HINT:MBT armour plate has its uses, but this maybe wasn't one of them.)

There were some newer Challenger-based ARV's nearby, and we were going to try one of them, but, perhaps fortunately from a loss-cutting POV, the tide came in.

Poor old taxpayer.

There were some track-laying trucks (big bobbin of metallic flexible trackway, like a metal corduroy roadway that the truck lays in front of it) but I can't remember if they were considered. I'd think something like that would maybe work in the lake situation, but with that many vehicles it'd take an impractical length of time.

Sequel was civilian contractors, who had huge balloon-tyred tractors, hover-platform mounted drill/crane rigs, and marine salvage gear, got the bogged vehicles out, though I dunno if they were worth anything afterwards.

Army wasn't very happy.