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Trip Reports

Thanksgiving in the Swell – Our first Day
Bytomas December 2, 2011October 15, 2026

After switching, this fall, from a small private school to a larger public school for 9th grade my daughter stated that she needed some time in Utah to commune with nature. To fill this need we planned a short trip over Thanksgiving break to the San Rafael Swell. The plan was to drive to the…

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Recovery

Recovery Techniques – Joining Straps
Bytomas November 28, 2011October 15, 2026

Safety note (added October 2026): This is a historical account, not current recovery guidance. Do not use elastic or kinetic recovery straps as winch-line extensions: stored energy and equipment failure can cause serious injury. Follow current equipment-manufacturer instructions and seek qualified recovery training. There are a number of things that you are not supposed to…

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Trip Reports | Videos

Alaska 2011 – Grizzly in action catching Salmon
Bytomas November 17, 2011October 15, 2026

This was very cool to watch. We spent about 2 hours waiting for here to show up and then spent about 30 minutes watching her catch Salmon as her two cubs played in the creek.

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Electrical

Auxiliary Battery Upgrade
Bytomas November 17, 2011June 8, 2013

Over the last few adventures that we have taken in our Toyota FJ Cruiser and especially the trip to Alaska I found that I undersized the auxiliary battery. The battery was getting run down most nights and I was even having problems with is getting fully drained at home. I am a believer in the Odyssey…

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Communications | Electronics

New Wilson Cell Phone Amp
Bytomas November 14, 2011October 15, 2026

Wilson has redesigned their Cell Phone amps to take less space. The dual band amp that I use now takes about 1/2 the space. I currently have an amp from SmoothTalker. When I ordered the amp they convinced me that I only need a single band amp. My experience with the SmoothTalker amp during our…

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