[Pete]

Fun in the Mud - you have to be prepared.

Had some fun in the mud this morning. Went out in the sticks to look at a piece of land. A couple of acres about 200 yards off the paved state road on the other side of a peanut field. Two rut track through the field. First part was harvested, second part standing while a bit over the rise was harvested. Been raining on and off the last two days.

Driving the Ford Focus - tires a bit on the worn side - OK they should be replaced.

Stop at the start of the drive. Stomp a bit looks OK. Start driving, no problem on the first harvested part and the standing crop, gets a little "slickery" as I get deeper into the 2nd un-harvested part. Oooops, a big ol' honkin' mud puddle that was out of sight of the road. Slow down to a stop. Figure I'd best get out and go to back up. Tires start to spin. Rocked it a bit and gave it the gas and the left front wheel dropped like a rock.

Shut the car off and got out. The left front tire was in up to the rim, right only a couple of inches. Look around, miles of peanut and bean fields, a couple of farm homes about a mile off.

Oh, well.

What do I have? An e-tool, GoreTex Jacket and the jacket I'm wearing. The back end of the car is angled off the track a bit so I need to pull forward to get lined back up on the track. I dig out the front of the tires to a gental slope, fold each jacket in half and get them as long as I can running in front of the tires. Start the car, pull forward about a car length to clear the holes, get out, retrieve the jackets and fill the holes.

Now I can either put the jackets down again to get me moving or give it a shot without them. I throw the jackets in the trunk and give it a shot. It starts rolling, a little fasted, bump through the holes and I'm off an running in reverse. Don't slow down until I hit pavement.

Outcome? A dirty e-tool and two muddy jackets. I think I'll add two 18" x 4 foot pieces of old carpet to the back of all my cars trunks.

Don't look that bad from the road does it.