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Disaster in the Desert


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Today my wife, myself, my Father and my brother went for a trail ride in our side x sides to celebrate my fathers new Ranger 600 he got for Christmas. We were out about 2 hours putting around in the hills around here and saw 2 big horn sheep. Was the highlight of the day. Thinking things were going to get better out here with such a nice day and getting great pictures of the animals we figured we would head out to see if more of the heard could be found. Until this stop I was driving and filmed the 2 big horns I was driving my fathers rig. After the photo shoot my father decided it was time for him to drive and learn what this type of man made animal was all about.

My father lead for about 6 miles or so and came to a dead end. He had never been in this area and I had only been there twice before. My brother decided to take lead and try to get us to another area he knows where most of this heard of Big Horn sheep run then Disaster struck. My brother of huge stature and has been driving side x sides for the last 8 years or so decided he was going to take a trail up a small hill. I looked up and immediately thought no way.

My brother has a Kawasaki 800 TREX I think. My father has a 600 Ranger that is 10 years old. Needless to say the Ranger was no match for this hill as small as it was my fathers inexperience with these UTV's didn't help. I tried to cope my father away from trying to drive up the hill but he wasn't having anything I had to say. The suspension setups between the two are like night and day. I have no pictures of the hill we were climbing but it was pretty steep and there were a few dug out holes in the ground. We made it to the first dug out hole from another vehicle and the Ranger pulled left. The right hand tire lifted off the ground and my father panicked and hit the brakes.

Good to go right? Nope, in this position you are left with one thing to do hang on, steer your fool off, and go backwards down the hill and pray you make it out. Instead my father did what every human of nature would do being inexperienced hit the Brakes when we started rolling backwards.

Needless to say I should have insisted he stay put and not go up the hill but I let him go anyway. My father is in the hospital with a broken Pelvis at 65 has had a full hip replacement due to STAFF infection and was due in the next year to get the other hip replaced. I was the passenger in the vehicle and wish I could trade positions with my father because I hate to see him in pain. I have 2 broken ribs and a bruised ego but everything else is just plain 1:1 surgery.

These pictures are the outcome of what happened.

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Sorry to hear about you and your dad. I sincerely hope the both of you have a speedy and full recovery.

Just glad that neither of you were killed.

The best outcome has happened, you are both alive, give your dad my best wishes for a speedy and full recovery, I'll send up a request for that.

What they said!

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Thanks for sharing your story. Hope your dad recovers well.

You seem to have a great family who's active outdoors, very envious. Particularly I've always wanted to get out west for Elk and sheep hunting. On my bucket list!

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Dad is doing good he is getting released tomorrow to A local Rehab center in order to facilitate in his recovery. He's still in a great deal of pain but is doing well and is looking forward to getting back on his feet. I appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers. I myself am sore but nothing I can't heal from over time. As for the Ranger it has already been put in the shop to get rebuilt.

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I made the mistake of hitting the brakes when going backwards on a hill. Thankfully my "hill" was only a dirt pile 3'-4' tall. Needless to say I wound up with the ATV pointing straight up and me laying on the ground right behind it with my legs straddling the back wheels. But hey! I didn't spill my beer! Then I read the "drivers Instructions" placard on the fender. #6 was "No consumption of alcohol or under the influence of alcohol while operating this vehicle"

Lesson learned that day!!

Hope your Dad's well soon!

Edited by Scott Smith
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