Getting a URAL Stuck in the Backwoods

I’ve been working towards getting myself a relatively decent “Bushcrafting vehicle” to get me and my service dog further into the field in inclement conditions. For example — Maine winters with lots of snow.

I realize that going out into the backwoods on foot I’m going to have a very limited amount of gear that I can comfortably carry to use. Nothing wrong with going lighter on gear and equipment, but sometimes you just want to have some nicer (read that as warmer) luxuries when the weather is ridiculously cold. Plus it’s a little easier on my dog to ride in the sidecar instead of walking in deep snow.

I had originally thought about maybe a surplus military Jeep, or even a civilian 4 wheeler. The problem is price. Money talks and poor bushcrafters walk, unfortunately. Milsurp Jeeps and civilian ATV’s are way out of my price range, not to mention needing a truck and trailer to haul it around on. So my option for me was a reasonably priced slightly used URAL motorcycle and sidecar with 2WD capability. With this vehicle, I can ride it on paved roads to get to where the highway ends then get off-road out into the woods in narrow places a larger vehicle can’t go. I had to put a lot of work into the Russian to get her roadworthy again, but I failed to check to see if the outer hub for the sidecar was working. No it wasn’t. So here’s my first day in shallow snow with the bike.

I decided to take my 2007 URAL Gear Up out for a ride in the snow covered backwoods here in Maine. Oops. I got her stuck.

I was a bit upset at first, because the snow was only about 5 inches deep. I thought the URAL was supposed to get through something as simple as this.

So I hiked out of the woods and left the bike there. I walked back home and picked up a big snow shovel and had my neighbor come out with me.

We shoveled snow and mud and got her loose. As it turns out, I bought my URAL second hand and had to do a lot of work to get her roadworthy again. The primary driveshaft was broken and I replaced it, and put new seals in the primary drive hub. Unfortunately I didn’t bother to check the secondary hub for the sidecar and didn’t realize that it wasn’t working. The shaft was spinning, but the outer wheel wasn’t pulling. So technically it’s just a one wheel drive vehicle right now.

So after a bit of adventure, I got her home covered in mud and crud. I’m tired. I’m muddy. I’ve been pushing a motorcycle hack in ankle deep snow and I learned my lesson today. I have to check the outer hub and see why my two wheel drive ain’t working. Either the splines on the outer drive shaft are broken, or the inner teeth in the inner hub are stripped.

I also determined that my a Russian needs an electric winch mounted to the frame. I’ve got some age on me now, and I’m too danged old to be pushing machinery around in the snow. I’m thinking a nice 2500 pound ATV winch ought to do the trick. Parts are becoming scare these days, but I’m hoping to get everything in good condition so I can haul a better tent, maybe a small wood stove, my Husqvarna chainsaw for more firewood, and my little BEMCO oven. Winter camping is pretty great, if you have just a few luxuries. First off — NO BUGS to chew on you. Secondly — you have the entire outdoors basically to yourself. Most of the “softer” folks are tucked snugly into their warmer homes in colder weather, so I can pretty much do as I want outside.