Ahh...I sure did miss having a 4-wheel drive vehicle for the past few years. We took the truck to the Mounds area today and put it through its paces. With all the rain we've had lately, I was very worried about getting stuck, but I think that's because I've become used to driving 4x2 pieces of shit. It performed flawlessly in the mud, but now it badly needs a run through the car wash.

We collected about 400 pounds (or so) of rocks for our yard, and found two places that are just littered with fossils. Tomorrow we're going to fill the truck bed up with firewood from near Airport Road. We've finally run out of the firewood from the trees I cut down in the back yard more than five years ago. Traci and I have decided that we're going to get our money's worth out of this truck, and so far, we're off to a good start.

Obviously Utah's off-road rules are much less harsh than the ones around here. Hell, if you want to take a vehicle off-road, you either risk it and get a hefty fine (and I'm a big supporter of "tread lightly" anyway), or you have to drive to an off-road park and pay to do it - which probably sounds hilarious to someone who lives where there's miles and miles of free range to explore! :-)

Most of my off-roading doesn't actually take place off-road--it's just not on much of a road. :) I don't go trailblazing cross-country much, and when I do it's someplace that nobody would ever care. But there are a lot of places around here where cross-country travel is allowed, and I'm sure glad I live out west. As you can see, we enjoy our public lands out here. :)