We SINK a Gladiator in the Pine Barrens - Midlife Adventurer

Today we put our rigs and our driving skills to the test in a completely different environment, the northern end of the NJ Pine Barrens. While it doesn’t have the steep rocky inclines that we usually are confronted with it does have its own challenges. Soft sand, mud, and seemingly bottomless puddles. And quite frankly, it kicked some of our butts.
As of now this trip looks like it will be the last we make with Justin's TJ. Water in a trans and frame damage discovered.

[@90volts]

I used to find that mud fun. Didnt take long to get old , especially after watching several jeeps hit stuff in those puddles and tear up stuff underneath! Just got back from out west and their dry roads through the desert and mountains are a dream! But i really enjoy the exploring more than the 'playing' these days.

[@myrongaines5542]

Momentum...not even once.

[@AmericanFrontierLife]

And pop goes my license plate holder! Was a great ride and I learned a lot especially about the limitations of my front approach angle and general ground clearance. Am glad that lesson was only the cost of a few screws and not a completely new front bumper.

[@sgmbusarmyret3248]

This is why the rest of us can’t go for drives through the pines. Guys like this dig deep ruts making some roads impassable.

[@MidlifeAdventurer]

This was rutted out long before we approached it. Hence the TJ getting stuck. I've been in that exact spot many times since and go around it.

[@DerricksTowing-Recovery]

That hole is now blocked off 😮

[@1Turnatatime]

I got my self stuck New years in that same hole all the jeeps easily road through. Crazy to watch from outside to see how pick up trucks are like boats just floating on an island while jeeps just have a more boxed center. Why they're the ideal off road vehicle.

[@MidlifeAdventurer]

This hole that stopped the TJ and JT is actually blocked by trees that people cut down now. It's been like that since the fall and it was still covered on January 3rd when I was there. But there are plenty of deep holes to get stuck in.

[@DavidPalmer-lr4ol]

Any 4x4 can get stuck no matter the lift tires winch never say never

[@chatnavz]

I know this spot, looks like in colliers mills in Jackson NJ lol

[@MidlifeAdventurer]

Yup.

[@timmypastor8588]

When u guys going back out

[@MidlifeAdventurer]

We prefer more rocky terrain so we don't do the pines too often. A few of them did have some fun on the high speed fire break roads when we did the TNJT 2 weeks ago.