Biggest Oops Moment While Overlanding/Camping? Share Your Tales of Woe!

[Derek]

Hey fellow adventurers!

I've been thinking lately about the lessons the great outdoors teaches us, often in the most unexpected and humorous ways. So, out of curiosity, what's the most memorable blunder you've had while overlanding or camping?

To break the ice, I'll confess my recent mishap:

My wife and I were in a remote area, and after a day's drive, I decided it was time to set up camp. Feeling a bit lazy, I chose a lovely spot right next to a serene looking pond. Figured we'd wake up to birds chirping and maybe even catch a glimpse of deer coming for a morning drink. Fast forward to 2 AM, and I was awakened by my wife. Why you ask? Well here is a fun fact about my wife, she is a very light sleeper and during the early hours just past midnight an orchestra of the loudest, most enthusiastic frogs I've ever encountered. It was like they were having a full-blown amphibian karaoke night. My wife barely slept a wink which was reminder that nature always has its own plans!

Alright, your stories are bound to be better than my froggy serenade. Let's hear 'em!

Here's to learning from our missteps and laughing along the way!

 

[Grimbo]

Oh easy - and it was just earlier this year. I had gone offroad and was exploring for 3 hours or so. I had aired down to 10psi in my tires. When it was time to leave I go to get my compressor to air up, and I realized I left it home! I waited for about an hour hoping to see someone with one on the trailhead. Didn't happen. I had to drive 27 miles to first gas station at 25mph! Slow drive!!

 

[smritte]

Years ago I did volunteer wildlife inspections out in the Mojave Preserve. The areas I traveled, your not allowed to drive. Twice a year I could drive to these areas with a special permit.
Even though these areas were very remote, the roads wernt too bad. One trip I had to make was several hours by highway then several by dirt road. At the time my transportation vehicle was either my tow rig (8MPG) or my CJ5 (7MPG and a 10 gallon tank). Due to the amount of fuel I would use, my wife agreed to allow me to use her new, dark blue, 2WD S10 Blazer.
Long story short, I was 30 miles down a dirt road that no one used (except me for inspections) and I spotted a huge Bob Cat sitting on a rock. There was nothing to hit so I didnt worry about taking my eyes off the road. What I didnt notice was the road turned into a sand wash. I managed to bury myself all the way to the frame rail's almost instantly.
My only tools were the stock tire jack and a 3 gallon bucket I would use to muck out the wildlife drinker I had to inspect. No cell service, no radio and no people. To make it worse, no rocks anywhere near me.
Seven hours later, I managed to import enough rocks to build a road about 10 foot long and 2 foot deep (very soft sand). I had to drive out and through some nasty bush's. Oddly my wife knew I scratched her car when I called her on the way home. That weekend I had to polish out the scratch's.

The next month I bought a Cherokee just for my inspections. Five months later I managed to bury the Cherokee up to the frame in a diffrent place. This time I had people with me but they couldnt get near me with straps or a winch. That one only took several hours to extract.

Now I carry traction boards if I go to certain areas.

 

[Foxtrot Whiskey]

Does running out of gas in the sticks count because you didn't fill up your spare fuel tanks?