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Maine Wheeling

P

PC-UT-XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Park City, UT
Hey,
I'm going to be going to college in Maine and wanted to know what to expect in terms of wheeling. I'm guessing there's a bit of mud, water, and not much rock. What's the most important thing to have for wheeling in Maine, what's the thing I want to leave home in Utah?
Thanks
 
PC-UT-XJ said:
Hey,
I'm going to be going to college in Maine and wanted to know what to expect in terms of wheeling. I'm guessing there's a bit of mud, water, and not much rock. What's the most important thing to have for wheeling in Maine, what's the thing I want to leave home in Utah?
Thanks
Click to expand...


1st thing you'll want to get is a Maine Atlas and Gazateer. Then jump in the Jeep and go explore the Baxter and Allagash areas.

Camping and fishing gear would be your second investment.

I'v seen alot of Northern Maine and honestly...a stock XJ can go just about anywhere.
 
There's a Jeep Jambore held every year in west-central Maine, and they find some rocks. Keep in mind that, for a New England state, maine is pretty large, and the terrain changes. The central part is flat, with Mount Katahdin sticking up in the middle of a genrally level area. Along thee western border (New Hampshire), though, are the White Mountains. Bethel, where the Jambo is held, is over that-a-way.

You can find probably whatever you want, but you may have to travel some time/distance to get there. It's about 200 miles and 4 to 5 hours (depending on route and traffic) from the New Hampshire border on I-95 to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, for example.

What school?
 
thanks guys. im going to bates in lewiston. im also wondering if an IFS truck wouldnt be a bad idea.
 
PC-UT-XJ said:
thanks guys. im going to bates in lewiston. im also wondering if an IFS truck wouldnt be a bad idea.
Click to expand...
:scared: :scared: :scared:

You're kidding ... right?
 
Welcome to NAC. I recomend that you check back here often and with other regional clubs because despite the efforts of people such as Roxanne Quimby there are still some nice places to wheel in Maine, as well as awesome places to visit. There is not really any Baja type areas, so I don't think an IFS truck would really be an advantage anywhere but you are in New England and the weather and terrian varies greatly, you are relatively close to NH which they call the granite state and it didnt get that name from being flat and grassy. Also just remember you are in Maine and they use ALOT of Salt and Calcium on the roads in the winter so washing your Jeep several times a week would probably be a really good idea unless you think that rust and rot holes are a good way to reduce the weight of your vehicle.
 
Moto Wrote: ... you are relatively close to NH which they call the granite state and it didnt get that name from being flat and grassy.
Click to expand...

You got that right! I learned that the first time I tried to plant some apple trees in my back yard :D

Welcome PC-UT-XJ. I transplanted up to NH from Atlanta aobut 3 years ago, and love it. It took me a bit to get used to the seasonal changes. The hardest time was my first winter, when the sun was only up from about 9am to 3:30 pm and was always low on the horizon looling like it was going to set. Although now I feel strange in Atlanta with it overhead all day.

There is a decient ammount of slick rock and mud when the spring thaw comes. Get yourself some deep channel rubber floor mats as well, as the floors of your Jeep will rarely be dry in the winter. I don't do much trail wheeling, so can't speak for those. Most of what I ride on when off road, are older logging roads and short trails that head back to hiking/ backpacking trails.

Copperhead
 
I think everyone's got the right beat. Gazeteer, floormats, SKIDS, and mud...

If you go to the alagash, a CB comes inhandy to avoid collisions with very determined pulp trucks...

IMHO GPS and and decent tow points are useful, too...

for helping out all the "couldn't handle driving in the snow, so can you pull me out -insert eyelashes here- " chicks... there always seem to be a few in the college areas...

the guys always seem to want to stare at it instead of asking for a pull... must be a pride thing...of which I myself have been found guilty.
 
This would be an appropriate place to insert the video of the dudes yanking the entire rear off the back of their friend's stuck Neon. Anybody know the one I mean and have a link to it? Can't remember where I saw it.
 
Thanks guys I appreciate the input. I think my jeep would do fine (6" 33s ARBs f/r etc) it's just the 2000 mile trek from utah to maine that worries me. im not sure what it is holding my jeep together, but it seems like nothing short of a prayer. its a high mileage 2000 that im planning to trade up sometime during college probably, but with that long road trip being done at least 2 times per year, more likely 4, it seems like in terms of value this would be the best time to trade up. id be looking to move into a silverado, tacoma perhaps, but maybe x terra or grand cherokee or 4 runner, i really have no idea. it's not so much about the wheeling for me as it is about needing to have a vehicle that go pretty much anywhere, and all of those vehicles when outfitted like my XJ would work fine.

but thanks for your input i cant wait!
 
PC-UT-XJ said:
its a high mileage 2000 that im planning to trade up sometime during college probably, but with that long road trip being done at least 2 times per year, more likely 4, it seems like in terms of value this would be the best time to trade up. id be looking to move into a silverado, tacoma perhaps, but maybe x terra or grand cherokee or 4 runner, i really have no idea.
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If you drive back and forth between school and Utah for mid-year breaks, you're nuts.

As to other vehicles, a full-size pickup (or SUV) will take you up onto the logging roads in northern Maine, but if you get onto any real 4x4 trails (such as the Jeep Jamoboree trails around Bethel), you're going to have a difficult time because some of those trails are tight.

FWIW, I bought a '99 Grand Cherokee new, with the idea of replacing my '88 XJ. It's a long story, but the summary version is that I still have the '88 XJ and the '99 WJ is long gone. 'Nuf said.
 
Definitely keep the XJ! IMHO they're probably the best suited vehicle for up here depending on what you want to do. I'm from NH but am going to school in ME and I can't think of a vehicle that would be better for me. :D
 
sidriptide said:
it only took me 33 hrs seat-time to get there last year.....
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It sounds fun, but I think your talkin' about a different kinda schoolin'!

An in-law has a camp just north of Rumsfield, ME (SP?) by the Lower Richardson Lake. It was easy to find roads in my old police car that weren't passable in June, 2000. If I knew before I went, we would've taken my first Cherokee. Some speed limits posted are intended for snowmobiles I think, not passenger cars.
 
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