September 10, 2002- This is about as "dumb" as a stuck can be.  Hmmm, I was at the ripe old age of 50 and I'd been four wheeling since I was 16 and I still managed to pull off this caper?  Read on...for one of the dumbest "stucks" of my life.

OK, I was on vacation and exploring all of the awesome country north of Elk, Nevada, and just happened to find myself heading toward Wild Horse Reservoir.  After several hours of hot, dusty driving, the fresh, inviting waters looked too geed to resist.  (I have a rule:  When there's water, you get in it!)  So after splashing around in the water for a bit, I grabbed a lawn chair and sat on the beach to dry off and contemplate the scenery.

I looked a bit over to my right and noticed that the shore was rocky and the rocks extended into the water. Wouldn't it be "cool"  to drive the truck into the water and get a "water shot" to impress the dudes at work?  Or, post it on the web site?  So, I shifted into four wheel drive and proceeded to drive into the water, in the direction of the rocks.

At first, all was well.  But, as I headed deeper into the water, I got a "sinking" feeling that the truck was being sucked into the mud.  So, I gently turned the steering wheel in the direction of dry land, but, WHOOSH!!!!  That was it!  I was sunk up to the rocker panels in the mud and the water, and I wasn't going anywhere.  Muddy water started to come into the cab, as I was in deep over the rocker panels.

Now, what do you do?  Pull out a lawn chair, pop a top, get out the newspaper and light up a cigar.  I failed to do all of that but I tried to take a photo (to post on this web site for bragging rights) but I was out of film!  Drat!  So, as I can't produce photos,  you'll just have to take my word that this was a very dumb stuck.

As I contemplated my truck oozing mud, stuck up to the rocker panels, I remembered seeing a BLM campground a couple of miles south of where I was marooned.  Maybe a phone?  Maybe a tow truck? Maybe...maybe...maybe...

So I hiked a couple of miles to the campground and, what do you know, I came upon a large camp that looked like several families were camping there together.  There were two guys sitting the place drinking beer, Kevin, Charley, not to mention the obligatory dogs.  Mind you, these guys looked like they'd belong in the movie "Deliverance" but I was not in a position to be picky.  I did spy a 4WD Chevy truck in their camp, with tow hooks mounted on the front of it and that gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

I explained to Kevin and Charlie my predicament, and asked them if they'd give me a ride to my truck, park on some rocks and let me use their truck for a winch anchor.  Keep in mind, that there are no trees in northern Nevada, so if you want to winch, you have to improvise.  These guys were very hesitant at first, but I let them know that I'd make it worth their while.  Being the good ol' beer-drinkin', tobacco chewin' rednecks they were, they agreed.  Sol, I piled into the back seat of their truck, with a couple of dogs beside me, and a few more in the bed of the truck, and off we went.  Of course, they each had to have a beer with them, and the windows of the truck were rolled down so they could spit the tobacco out of the windows.  

As luck would have it, there was a rocky knoll about 100 feet from my semi-submerged truck. They parked their truck on the knoll and watched me as I got my winch stuff out of the toolbox, attached it , and waded toward them in the knee-deep mud.  I fixed the winch hook on one of the tow hooks of their truck, then waded back to my truck and attached the winch controller to the winch. Then I got in the cab so I could drive and winch at the same time.

They backed up and I winched.  After, maybe 30 feet, I was on dry land again and their truck was still safely high on the rocks.  As I emerged from my truck a muddy mess, Kevin and Charlie had a good laugh at me.  Hey, at least they gave me a beer!

I thanked my good Samaritans profusely and gave them each a $20; not bad for less than 5 minutes's work and a beer!  But, hey, just think if I would have had to get a tow truck from Elko, over 100 miles away?  Later, I drove to Caldwell, Idaho and spent some time at a local car wash to , as we shall say, to repair the damage.  

Folks, this goes to show you:  Don't four wheel alone and don't do stupid stuff!  With all that said, the thing I regret the most about this affair is that I goofed-up on the photos.