Prologue

Before I can tell you anything about Moab, I have to tell you about the nightmare that was my pre-trip wrenching preparations.

The primary goals were to fix the rear main oil leak, and install my newly ordered Skyjacker 4" all-spring lift so that I'd be ready to pound trails without embarassing myself. Of course, having a cloud of smoke billowing up around your truck because the rear main drips oil on the exhaust can be rather advantageous. Built in anti-mosquito device.

I also had ordered a spare tire carrier from Whitney that I hoped would enable me to get that clumsy 31" spare out of the cargo area in an accessible location, as opposed to under the bed. I'd had to drag the spare out from under there twice already, and both times you'd've thought the only thing I was missing was the navy uniform...

In addition to this, I had an AC vent to reinstall, a CB to mount on top of my ham radio, an AIR pump to replace, and maybe another dozen things. No problem. I had a few weeks.

Well... one out of two dozen things isn't bad, I guess? And I'll have you know I got that lift kit on only by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin. I worked on it over two or three weekends and a few weekdays. I had every problem you could imagine. From this maddening experience, I learned several simple rules that apply to life.

1. Your crowbar is your friend.
2. You can never bend brake lines like the factory
3. Sometimes the only thing you need in order to get something fixed is a good night's sleep.
4. People think you're insane when you're working on your truck in pitch blackness at 11pm.
5. You are insane if you're working on your truck in pitch blackness at 11pm.
6. In spite of the fact that you're insane, you should work odd hours anyway if that's the only way you can get the truck done before you are supposed to leave. But see #3.
7. Air conditioning vents aren't a vital part of the vehicle.
8. Zip-ties do a good job of mounting CB radios when there's a time crunch.
9. If you learn nothing else, learn that your crowbar is your friend.
10. Anti-mosquito devices aren't so bad...

Long story short, I struggled with rear springs, gas tanks, u-bolts, brake lines, brake fittings, brake bleeding, and many, many more things before I was done. Each time I thought I'd made progress, another problem would crop up and threaten to rob me of my trip. But sooner or later, I'd get my noggin' in gear and find a solution and raise my hopes once again.

When I finally got the brake lines tight and drove the truck for the first time that Tuesday evening, all the hard work began to pay off. It wasn't until I got to Moab, Utah and took "Troubled Child" off-road onto the most difficult trails I've ever driven that all those late nights and all that frustration finally paid off--and then some!

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