Putting the HEMI to work...sorta

Not long after I got home today, the phone rang. It was Shan's Dad. "Go under my shed and grab a couple of chains. Throw them in my truck and meet me out behind our place where I've been cutting hay." Now, of course, I have almost no idea what he's talking about, but between the directions he gives me and the directions Shan gives me, I think I can figure it out. I was wrong. Well, partially. Turns out I passed the right-hand turn I was supposed to make, but because I had made the next right turn, the roads all led to where I needed to go.


When I get across the field to where Shan's Dad is, I get out and we walk the chains behind some trees where I see his John Deere leaning heavily to one side, buried at least hub-high in the back. Not long after I got there, Bill S. comes up in his 4-wheel drive John Deere. Being the Yankee son-in-law, my job was to supervise. Oh, and wave my arms frantically when neither tractor goes anywhere fast. Well, actually, Bill's tractor slides to the right and begins to bury itself in the mud (which wasn't mud when he started). Meanwhile, Junior's (Shan's Dad) tractor spins it wheels, not going anywhere. That's where my expert arm-waving comes in.

After a few phone calls, a heavy-duty wrecker is on its way. Junior brings me back to the house while he waits for the wrecker, so he can guide it in.

Fast forward an hour or so....

The phone rings. "Dave, grab some fire wood from under the shed and bring your truck." Okay, so I load up some firewood and head over to the scene. The ride is much different in a 2x4 HEMI than a 4x4 Chevy. The HEMI part was no problem, but the 2x part... I was a little worried about getting stuck, but not too much since I knew a wrecker was there anyway. The grass was more than fender-high, and I have to admit, it felt pretty good driving my truck through it.. :-) Junior asked if my "old Dodge" had any trouble getting through... He's a Chevy guy, can ya tell?


When I get to the scene, not only is the tractor still stuck, but now the wrecker is too! The guys from the wrecker service hoist up the truck, and start sliding firewood underneath for traction. Small problem. Once they set the truck down, everything sinks! So, another phone call, and they will bring another wrecker to the site.

I decide to offer assistance by heading out to the turn-off where the wrecker should be coming. My job is to lead the wrecker down the road, up the embankment where the field is, through the field (presumably on dry land), and to the buried vehicles. The HEMI rolls through the high grass in style. After about 10 minutes or more, I decided that perhaps the wrecker was coming from a different direction and maybe I missed it! I called Shan's Dad. "Will the wrecker be coming down 246?" "Yeah, they just said they were on the Wildcat (road) just passing the airport. Should be there soon." I waited. And waited. And waited.

Finally, the bright lights come over the hill and I lead the truck in, where we have 4 or 5 guys standing around looking at a buried wrecker and a buried tractor. A couple HOURS later, the 2nd wrecker gets the 1st one out, and then using various pulley systems and different pulling layouts, they manage to get the tractor out enough where Junior can drive it without assistance.


The HEMI plows through the field, making its journey back to the house.

The kicker in all this? Junior said he told himself TWICE not to go back where he had the tractor buried. Somehow though, he managed to convince himself that he wouldn't have any problems getting in and out of that spot. Oh, and what was he doing there? Moving a wild boar trap... As you may imagine by now, the trap is still out there. Shan's Dad decided he wasn't in such a big rush to get that trap after all.... Nothing like a couple-hundred dollars worth of towing can't cure.... :-)

On the side of one of the wreckers: "No business like Tow business" That about says it all....