If I Had a Hammer.... I'd Hammer in the morning....

I can not believe I did this....

I can not believe I am admitting to doing this....

Yesterday, my last delivery was relatively close to home... However, I was unfamiliar with this portion of Georgia. I was excited to be nearing the end of my work week and eager to see my little town...

When leaving the final destination, I headed back the way I had just come from to a little highway that would send me straight to the house.

Now where was that turn at???

Oh here it is... I saw a sign that read "Junction Hwy 16" I was assuming the Junction was at the light that the sign was posted on... So, I made the turn...

After a few hundred yards, I noticed that there was no HWY 16 West sign posted anywhere... I thought that was odd, considering there is always a sign posted to reassure you that you had made the correct turn... Undaunted, I never let up....

After a few miles, once again I thought something was just not right... This road seems to be a bit too narrow....

Whatever, I am heading home.......! Woooo Hoooooo

Maybe, I should have been more concerned, but OH NO, NOT ME!

So another five miles and the road has become frighteningly narrow, and less highway ish...

Now, I am showing slight concern

Hey, did that lady just look at me funny??

Then around the curve, the pretty asphalt gave way to a surface reminiscent of a rarely used county road that is not even on the Atlas...

Reminiscent HELL.. It was a rarely used county road not listed on the atlas.... YIKES!!

OKAY OKAY, just look for a place to turn this big SOB around!!

YEAH, RIGHT.

Next sign, Pavement Ends 1000 ft

So I stop....

What to do, what to do..

Well, there just happened to be a relatively flat field on my left, with a dirt driveway... But in between the road and the field was a nice little ditch of no more than 1 ft in depth.. And did I mention that the road is very narrow at this point!!

I proceed to back off the roadway into the drive.... This took great diligence and extreme caution!! After 3 or 4 attempts, I successfully steer the trailer into the driveway and proceed to back completely out of the road... But not before I slide of into the 12 in. ravine.... CRAP!!

I get out and look....DOUBLE CRAP.... There are 8 tires on the section that is stuck. And of the 8, only 4 produce the drive power and those 4 are completely suspended in the air...I locked in my differential, which transfer the pulling power to both axles and still cannot budge, I get everything I can find close by to place under the tires in an attempt to regain some traction... I mean everything... Rocks, load straps, 2x4s... (Glad I did not throw those babies away, which I normally do, when the trailer is empty)

Got some traction, but not enough... More stuff.... more more more... When I felt I had placed enough items under the tires, I used my little hammer to beat the 2x4s in as snug as I could get them....

SWEET VICTORY!!!!!!! I don't think the local cows had much faith in me, but they never said a word!!

I now had to reattempt the previous procedure, this time avoiding the ditch.... Ha Ha

I made the turn, got realigned and ventured back to where I had come from..... PHEW!!!!!

I came back to the original BIG highway where the sign had steered me wrong , and proceeded back to the interstate, which would have been 50+ miles further and led me straight into Rush Hour Atlanta!! At the next traffic light, I saw several signs for HWY 16...... Yes, I made the turn and shortly thereafter I was home!!

Whats even worse is that while I was stuck in the middle of God only knows where, I had absolutely no GPS signal on my Truck and no cell service.. The closest anything was several miles back and there was no way a tow-truck could have tugged me out of that predicament... IT could not have gotten around me for the ditches and trees and cud chewing cows behind the fence...

I wish I had taken some pics, but my train of thought at the time had nothing to do with blogging. Forgive me dear friends!!

Oh and when I finally got set free, I retrieved the straps, but forgot my little hammer...

I know where you are, little buddy and I am sure the cows will keep you company until someone finds you!!!