Adventure

Yesterday (Sunday) I had an adventure. I need to go out to the barn and Sam decided to go with me. It was a cold clear day, maybe two days after our first snow fall. All the roads in town were clear so I assumed to roads out to the barn would be as well. But I was wrong.

It was a beautiful drive, looking at the hills covered in a thin layer of snow that allowed the golden brown stubble to show through. Driving by some field we wondered at the green "grass" that was growing under the snow. You think it would have died or something.

The first half of the road was perfectly clear. Then we hit the spot where the trees started to cover the road. It was icy in patches but my little Honda made it up and then slid half way down that hill. Then we came to the worst hill of the road. It is a steep hill that takes about a 90 degree turn to the left at the very top. On the right it drops down a couple feet before leveling out. On the left is a ditch and then a hill going straight up. This hill is problematic even in the best of weather. Completely in shade 24/7 this road was now nothing but ice. But I decided to go for it anyway.

We made it almost to the top of the hill, then the car really started slipping. Sam shoved it into 1st gear. But that didn't help. The car stopped and started sliding backward. It started turning and slid so it was facing down hill. At this point Sam said, "We're gonna be okay!" My response, "No we're not." With a very slow slide, the car landed with a bump in the ditch, its front end against the hill.

My first reaction was "Let's push it out" but even as that thought was going through my head a knew we weren't strong enough to push the car up hill to get it out of the ditch. The next thought "oh s***." Then "I feel like an idiot." Then "this is hilarious."

The car wasn't badly stuck, it was just in a really bad place. Its back end was still on the road and it hadn't even bottomed out. All in all it was perfectly fine, no damage done.

Since both my dad and Sam's dad were hunting that day, we had no one to call. So we walked to the barn to see if anyone was there. Thankfully someone was just leaving and we were able to hitch a ride into town with them. We then got Sam's jeep, a tow rope, shovel, and flash light, and accompanied by his mom (who insisted on coming along) we headed back out to try to get my car un-stuck.

By then it was getting dark, and the conditions were just about as bad as it can get for icy roads. We couldn't push the car out. In order to tow me out, Sam had to stop his jeep in the middle of the hill. Well that didn't exactly work. As soon as he stopped his jeep just started sliding, turned around, and almost ended in the ditch just like my car.

By this time my dad got back from hunting. He came with the four boys, all dressed in hunting camo, to assess the situation. Thank goodness we have free towing with our insurance so he called a tow truck.

While waiting for the tow truck I took everyone to the barn and showed them around.

Once the tow truck showed up he easily winched my car out of the ditch. He had to keep pulling it further toward his truck because whenever he let the rope go slack the car would start sliding down the hill. Once he got in in a place where it was not moving, Papa go in and drove it to the bottom of the hill, heading home. It was scary. He almost went over the edge on the other side. After fulfilling his job, the tow truck inched his way down the hill and was gone.

At this point, Sam's dad and his friend decided to show up. So basically my whole family, plus possible extended family, plus a person I didn't even know all showed up to witness and help with my idiotic situation. It was just wonderful. (sense the sarcasm)

After car shuffling and more slipping and tense moments we all made it back to Moscow safe and sound.

I became very thankful for boys during this experience. One they are strong and provide more brute strength the we girls could manage. Two, they enjoy adventures. I just know that deep down they all had a blast with the whole situation and really enjoyed the whole "getting sister out of the ditch" experience. Third, they are stupid enough to to just about anything at all the "wrong times". While any girls would be sitting around talking about what to do next, the boys went and took a look at the car, and then started sliding down the hill and having a grand time of it. They were falling down and sliding, or just standing and sliding. So what if the car was stuck? No use in worrying, might as well have fun. No girl would blow off a stressful emotional moment and decide to start having fun.

So basically boys are awesome and I really hope I always have one around.

And I am almost determined to drive the Honda out to the barn again. I think we would make it the second time...