MaverickDaKid
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- November 30, 2002
- Messages
- 123
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Poway, San Diego, CA (Born in Miami!)
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 93 XL and 96 XLT
**Long story, don't read if you have ADD or bore easily**
Well I took a road trip from San Diego, CA to Surrey, B.C and back.
The trip there was uneventful, there was no snow anywhere, the worst weather I saw was in Portland which was a little drizzle. I just had my Silver Star head lights and fog lights installed so the road looked pretty damn sweet at night.
Anyways on the way back is when my Explorer wow'd me. Some of you may have heard of the blizzard in Oregon, I don't remember the name of the city I was in but its just before siskiyou pass on I 5, it may have been Ashland.
Anyways its about 6pm when I reach Ashland headed south bound on I5 and I see a huge line up and a billboard saying chains required on all vehicles. At that point I cursed thinking they wouldn't let me pass. Took me 3 hours to get to the front of the line up and the person asked if I had 4x4 and then waved me by.
I got up to siskiyou pass and the snow suddenly just poured on. I had lived in Canada for about 7 years and I had never seen anything like this before. I had to stop the truck and switch it into 4 Low it was that bad (first time I had ever needed 4low) and the tires gripped like they had glue on them. I was seeing other 4x4s and chained cars slipping on their way up. Once at the summit of siskiyou the line just stopped no one was moving. I thought some poor guy must have made an accident or something. Well 2 hours passed until people starting shutting off their engines. I turned off mine and just sat there. It became obvious to me that I would be spending quite a bit of time there.
I had 2 other passangers with me in the truck, my Gf and brother. Luckily we had food/water and lots of blankets and clothing. I even had a mini fridge given to me for X mas in my truck (which I love). We ended up spending the night there, and comfortably. I just folded down the 2nd row and moved the front row as far front as possible and had enough room for 3 people to sleep in back. We finaly started to move at around 2-3 PM. I had to get out and clean my windshield, lights and the air induction thingy to the radiator. The snow was litterly to my waist on the shoulder of the road and to my knees where my truck was parked (I'm 5'11). During the night I was very happy with my truck thanks to the comfortable sleep I had and the battery not even showing wear (spelling?) even with my mini fridge hooked up to it.
I cranked up the truck and it started up like the beast that it is. I heard other cars and trucks struggling on the start up, not all of them of course. As some cars started moving I was eager to leave. The poor Chevy Blazer in front of me wasn't moving at all. I had to steer around it and leave, I had it on 4 low and in 2nd gear the whole way down. I was scared of my tires slipping since they aren't really made for snow. Truck didn't slip once and I was passing most vehicles. As I drove on I saw other cars and trucks stuck in the snow. At that moment I knew 1 year ago I made the perfect choice in choosing this 1996 Ford Explorer XLT (stock with touring tires).
It kept me warm during the night in freezing temps, provided me with cold water and soda, drove where some vehicles didn't dare and did all this without even complaining.
Maybe one of you were one of the hundreds stuck on that pass with me and know what Im talking about, and know just how bad it was.
I love my Ford Explorer and when it finally dies, I will be getting the newest model of the Explorer family.
Well I took a road trip from San Diego, CA to Surrey, B.C and back.
The trip there was uneventful, there was no snow anywhere, the worst weather I saw was in Portland which was a little drizzle. I just had my Silver Star head lights and fog lights installed so the road looked pretty damn sweet at night.
Anyways on the way back is when my Explorer wow'd me. Some of you may have heard of the blizzard in Oregon, I don't remember the name of the city I was in but its just before siskiyou pass on I 5, it may have been Ashland.
Anyways its about 6pm when I reach Ashland headed south bound on I5 and I see a huge line up and a billboard saying chains required on all vehicles. At that point I cursed thinking they wouldn't let me pass. Took me 3 hours to get to the front of the line up and the person asked if I had 4x4 and then waved me by.
I got up to siskiyou pass and the snow suddenly just poured on. I had lived in Canada for about 7 years and I had never seen anything like this before. I had to stop the truck and switch it into 4 Low it was that bad (first time I had ever needed 4low) and the tires gripped like they had glue on them. I was seeing other 4x4s and chained cars slipping on their way up. Once at the summit of siskiyou the line just stopped no one was moving. I thought some poor guy must have made an accident or something. Well 2 hours passed until people starting shutting off their engines. I turned off mine and just sat there. It became obvious to me that I would be spending quite a bit of time there.
I had 2 other passangers with me in the truck, my Gf and brother. Luckily we had food/water and lots of blankets and clothing. I even had a mini fridge given to me for X mas in my truck (which I love). We ended up spending the night there, and comfortably. I just folded down the 2nd row and moved the front row as far front as possible and had enough room for 3 people to sleep in back. We finaly started to move at around 2-3 PM. I had to get out and clean my windshield, lights and the air induction thingy to the radiator. The snow was litterly to my waist on the shoulder of the road and to my knees where my truck was parked (I'm 5'11). During the night I was very happy with my truck thanks to the comfortable sleep I had and the battery not even showing wear (spelling?) even with my mini fridge hooked up to it.
I cranked up the truck and it started up like the beast that it is. I heard other cars and trucks struggling on the start up, not all of them of course. As some cars started moving I was eager to leave. The poor Chevy Blazer in front of me wasn't moving at all. I had to steer around it and leave, I had it on 4 low and in 2nd gear the whole way down. I was scared of my tires slipping since they aren't really made for snow. Truck didn't slip once and I was passing most vehicles. As I drove on I saw other cars and trucks stuck in the snow. At that moment I knew 1 year ago I made the perfect choice in choosing this 1996 Ford Explorer XLT (stock with touring tires).
It kept me warm during the night in freezing temps, provided me with cold water and soda, drove where some vehicles didn't dare and did all this without even complaining.
Maybe one of you were one of the hundreds stuck on that pass with me and know what Im talking about, and know just how bad it was.
I love my Ford Explorer and when it finally dies, I will be getting the newest model of the Explorer family.
