Where my Jeep TAKES me!

Jeff Alu · 03-07-2002, 12:41 AM

Well, I'm a photographer and I do lots of shooting in the deserts of Southern CA. I have a 96 Grand Cherokee which I abuse quite a bit. It's missing the front bumper, I've had it trapped in the mud in a "Dry" lake. Took an 80 year old local, his tractor, and lots of chain (and about 6 hours) to pull me out. On another trip to the desert, I got TWO flat tires, within 10 mins., And I only had one spare!. Well, I'm sure this is nothing compared to some of the situations you' all have been in. But I love my Jeep to pieces!

Just wanted to show you some of the places my Jeep has taken me via my photos. You can check them out at:

Digital Gallery

Hope you enjoy them,

Jeff

Oh Yeah, here's my Jeep after we got it out of the "dry" lake. Had to rip off the bumper to hook up the chain:

Jeep1
Jeep2

01Sport · 03-07-2002, 08:00 AM

Wow, you are quite the photographer. Those pics are awesome. Wish I could do that.

Your Grand looks good with all that mud on it. Sounds like it was quite the job.

Keep on Jeepin!

Jeff Alu · 03-07-2002, 12:51 PM

Yeah, I love the mud on the outside, just not the inside! Although this was dry desert mud, it had been baked by the sun for years, and was very purified. It actually came out very easily, no smell, etc. Lucky me...

evilpsych · 03-07-2002, 03:56 PM

hahahhaah damn dude.. that's a lot of mud on the inside.. how'd you manage that? just tracked in on your feet?

Jeff Alu · 03-07-2002, 04:07 PM

Well, it wasn't really tracked in, but pushed in. The mud was up to door level, and there was water coming in and thinning out the mud even more, which didn't help. A number of times the suction pulled my shoes right off when walking around my Jeep. I'm still hitting myself for not getting more photos of the event.

evilpsych · 03-09-2002, 10:53 PM

bahahhahhaa... next time.. dont drive in the puddle that you think is only inches deep.. ;-)

Jeff Alu · 03-11-2002, 03:29 PM

Well, it didn't look at all like a puddle. The surface was dry looking, but there was mud underneath. I was doing about 40mph, when all of a suddon...

Ronnie Bravo · 03-18-2002, 12:22 PM

Awesome pics Jeff! Thanks for the "process" section, I'll have to do some playing around in photoshop now.

osburn · 03-18-2002, 08:59 PM

Wow! That was an interesting journey. Thanks.

OldJeepguy · 03-18-2002, 10:51 PM

Was this "dry lake" near Borrego Springs? We almost lost a Jeep in the Borrego Sink...

Jeff Alu · 03-19-2002, 02:36 AM

The lake was Harper Dry Lake, just west of Barstow. Be careful if you ever venture out onto this one. Here's a pic:
http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.asp?S=14&T=1&X=148&Y=1211&Z=11&W=2

You can see the damp (darker) areas as they looked in 1994. The really dark areas just above the circles along the edge of the lake are VERY muddy, and that's just below where I got stuck. Had to pull my Jeep out through one of those areas and it was quite a challenge...

03-07-2002, 12:51 PM	#3
Jeff Alu Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 5 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Yeah, I love the mud on the outside, just not the inside! Although this was dry desert mud, it had been baked by the sun for years, and was very purified. It actually came out very easily, no smell, etc. Lucky me... __________________ --- Jeff Alu http://www.animalu.com/pics/photos.htm

03-07-2002, 03:56 PM	#4
evilpsych Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Mt. Sterling, KY Posts: 1,087 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	hahahhaah damn dude.. that's a lot of mud on the inside.. how'd you manage that? just tracked in on your feet? __________________ Awwwwwwwwwwww... So he wants to go OFF-ROAD does he???? '93 YJ, 4.0, K&N filter, Borla Header, Borla Cat-Back, Hi-Flo Cat, 3 Core Radiator, D-Rings, TruckNuts, MSD 6A, LockRite Locker in D30, Magnecors, Kickass Stereo, 1" daystar, 31" BFG AT's, Homemade Rocker Guards and Front/Rear air-tank bumpers with tire carrier, 15x8 AR-767 4"BS, BDS 3.5 HD lift, AMA A/C Kit, York OBA, GoFerIt 1" MML, 8,000lb HF/MM Winch, Magellan MAP 330 GPS, PRO-2067 500ch. Scanner, oh, and a CB capable of talking to SATURN! "The Only Thing Necessary for Evil to Succeed is for Good Men to Do Nothing." - Edmund Burke

03-07-2002, 04:07 PM	#5
Jeff Alu Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 5 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Well, it wasn't really tracked in, but pushed in. The mud was up to door level, and there was water coming in and thinning out the mud even more, which didn't help. A number of times the suction pulled my shoes right off when walking around my Jeep. I'm still hitting myself for not getting more photos of the event. __________________ --- Jeff Alu http://www.animalu.com/pics/photos.htm

03-09-2002, 10:53 PM	#6
evilpsych Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Mt. Sterling, KY Posts: 1,087 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	bahahhahhaa... next time.. dont drive in the puddle that you think is only inches deep.. ;-) __________________ Awwwwwwwwwwww... So he wants to go OFF-ROAD does he???? '93 YJ, 4.0, K&N filter, Borla Header, Borla Cat-Back, Hi-Flo Cat, 3 Core Radiator, D-Rings, TruckNuts, MSD 6A, LockRite Locker in D30, Magnecors, Kickass Stereo, 1" daystar, 31" BFG AT's, Homemade Rocker Guards and Front/Rear air-tank bumpers with tire carrier, 15x8 AR-767 4"BS, BDS 3.5 HD lift, AMA A/C Kit, York OBA, GoFerIt 1" MML, 8,000lb HF/MM Winch, Magellan MAP 330 GPS, PRO-2067 500ch. Scanner, oh, and a CB capable of talking to SATURN! "The Only Thing Necessary for Evil to Succeed is for Good Men to Do Nothing." - Edmund Burke

03-11-2002, 03:29 PM	#7
Jeff Alu Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 5 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Well, it didn't look at all like a puddle. The surface was dry looking, but there was mud underneath. I was doing about 40mph, when all of a suddon... __________________ --- Jeff Alu http://www.animalu.com/pics/photos.htm

03-07-2002, 08:00 AM	#2
01Sport Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 716 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Wow, you are quite the photographer. Those pics are awesome. Wish I could do that. Your Grand looks good with all that mud on it. Sounds like it was quite the job. Keep on Jeepin!

03-18-2002, 12:22 PM	#8
Ronnie Bravo Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 6 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Awesome pics Jeff! Thanks for the "process" section, I'll have to do some playing around in photoshop now.

03-18-2002, 10:51 PM	#10
OldJeepguy Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Santee, CA. Posts: 753 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	Was this "dry lake" near Borrego Springs? We almost lost a Jeep in the Borrego Sink... __________________ Steve jeep79cj@yahoo.com My 1979 CJ ---> http://www.jeepaholics.com/rides/view.asp?id=3 CJ7 Resto Project ---> http://www.jeepaholics.com/tech/cj7makeover/

03-19-2002, 02:36 AM	#11
Jeff Alu Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 5 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps iTrader Rating	The lake was Harper Dry Lake, just west of Barstow. Be careful if you ever venture out onto this one. Here's a pic: http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.asp?S=14&T=1&X=148&Y=1211&Z=11&W=2 You can see the damp (darker) areas as they looked in 1994. The really dark areas just above the circles along the edge of the lake are VERY muddy, and that's just below where I got stuck. Had to pull my Jeep out through one of those areas and it was quite a challenge... __________________ --- Jeff Alu http://www.animalu.com/pics/photos.htm