Once again, I've been slack about posting updates. I've been out a couple of times in the last few months so it's time to catch this thread up some.
Since the last post, the Samurai has gotten shorter. By a lot. Gone are the 33s and the SPOA. It's lost about 5" in lift and several inches in ground clearance. It will now cruise at 65 mph and still do all the off roading I need it to.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1526_zpsxj2wapwy.jpg)
On with the show.
Several weeks ago I took the Samurai out to see how the smaller tires worked. No great destination, just a cruise in the woods. My 15yo son went with me and we explored a few roads I hadn't been down yet. At the end of one of the roads was the Santee River.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1391_zpshkpy78uo.jpg)
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1388_zpsljyis8q8.jpg)
And a pile of bones. My guess is wild hog. These woods are full of them. This one must have been a big one. The vertebrae were huge as were the leg bones.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1393_zpslu7adwls.jpg)
We saw a lot of dirt road as well.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1395_zpsiuijp9ep.jpg)
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1398_zpsl6vloevu.jpg)
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1400_zpskuwezryp.jpg)
The little beast sure does stay a lot cleaner with the tires under the fenders.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1402_zpszxtopxr4.jpg)
Some more of the Santee. This time high on a bluff rather than down in the swamp.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1418_zpsdpuodw9z.jpg)
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1416_zpslpqq4ozt.jpg)
Often we will be running down a road and come across small ponds. There must be 1000s of them in this forest.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1420_zpsmcsj5nce.jpg)
We came across a narrow, little used trail to explore.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1429_zpsnlrxfirt.jpg)
There we came across several trees that had been marked and someone had taken the trouble to weed eat around them. 20' up in the trees were these.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1426_zpsrr2538oq.jpg)
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1424_zpsxsq4a62f.jpg)
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1423_zpsacgkvs3l.jpg)
I have no clue what they are. The trees are covered in sap, but still alive. Someone took the trouble the cut them like this and trimmed the brush from around the base of them. My only guess is some kind of bird house. Now that I'm familiar with the markings and know what they mean, I've seen 100s of these trees throughout the forest.
On Google Earth, I had located a pond I wanted to visit. We attempted to get there, but the road had just been plowed as a fire break. The Samurai could travel it, but only at 3-5mph. It would have taken close to an hour. Too long.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1432_zpsqt90dtlk.jpg)
The last stop for the day was Battery Warren. My son hadn't been there before and wanted to see it so we made the hike.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1439_zpsq8up7uqq.jpg)
It also sits on a high bluff overlooking the river.
![](http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/Toyman01/Adventures/DSCN1440_zpsrmsw6xys.jpg)
I'll probably post up the next trip tomorrow.
Until next time, go see something.