It had rained pretty well during the night and for no reason at all I decided to take a short cut, on a road I had never travelled before. Everything was going pretty well until I came to gravel road. I never drive on gravel roads, I always turn back no matter how long I have been travelling, but now that I have the van, I don't worry about it like I do my car, it is old and a bit battered so I feel it can take it. Well the road was sort of ok, keep in mind, it poured rain during the night. I drove a bit further down the track and it was a bit muddy, but not too bad so I kept going, I saw a few other vehicle's tyre tracks ahead of me, so I wasnt too worried, no tyre tracks coming towards me though. I drove a bit further and it was getting pretty muddy and a bit slippery, I have never driven in mud so I slowed right down to a crawl, but the van had a mind of its own and sort of slipped along, by this time I was getting anxious. I was barely moving and the van was slipping sideways, I couldn't turn around as I just knew I would never hold the van on the road, I had visions of it slipping right off the road and into a ditch. I sneaked into the middle of the road and stayed there, crawling along, the needle on the speedo wasn't even moving. By the time I was cursing my stupidity, you must remember I am as green as grass as far as vans and big vehicles go, until I bought the van in July I had never driven anything bigger than a falcon station wagon. Here I was crawling along the middle of the road, slipping and crabbing and stopping to gain control of the van, I did this for about ten minutes or so and then saw workmen up ahead, sitting on the side of the road having their morning tea, they were watching me approach and were grinning. I slid to a stop in front of them and asked them how much more of dirt road, they said 13 more kms. I asked if it was a mud slide like I just came through and they said "no" they hadn't got that far yet. So I set off and yes the road did improve but it was now like corrugated iron, this went on for the 13kms.
Never again will I get off the beaten track after rain.
-- Edited by NannyMon at 16:43, 2008-10-06
Ole Grizzly said
06:19 PM Oct 9, 2008
"Never again will I get off the beaten track after rain"
Why not, your experienced now..ha ha Yes it can be a whole new scenario of driving skills needed the first time it happens. Seems your luck was good as you made it thru and now have something to remember and share around the campfire.. May you have many more fun times out there, but let us all know when your on the wet road again....
Peter_n_Margaret said
09:43 PM Oct 9, 2008
You did well, NannyMon.
The unplanned adventures are usually the ones that make a good trip one to remember and laugh about later.
Cheers,
Peter
twobob said
10:19 PM Oct 10, 2008
Mon's When you take a risk, and it has its challenges along the way, AND you use your life skills to get to your destination, and make it, will you know the difficulties involved - once completed, it then is easy, next time.
Take on more, find where your limits are - you may be surprised at how many adventure you have, and with luck, far more good ones than not
Big place, lots to see, and learn about. Not all is easy, but can it be done - not till it is undertaken will you ever know.
Been there, done that, and moved on to the next adventure, but can sit around the camp fire and recall all with a smile on your face of a task undertaken.
It had rained pretty well during the night and for no reason at all I decided to take a short cut, on a road I had never travelled before. Everything was going pretty well until I came to gravel road. I never drive on gravel roads, I always turn back no matter how long I have been travelling, but now that I have the van, I don't worry about it like I do my car, it is old and a bit battered so I feel it can take it. Well the road was sort of ok, keep in mind, it poured rain during the night. I drove a bit further down the track and it was a bit muddy, but not too bad so I kept going, I saw a few other vehicle's tyre tracks ahead of me, so I wasnt too worried, no tyre tracks coming towards me though. I drove a bit further and it was getting pretty muddy and a bit slippery, I have never driven in mud so I slowed right down to a crawl, but the van had a mind of its own and sort of slipped along, by this time I was getting anxious. I was barely moving and the van was slipping sideways, I couldn't turn around as I just knew I would never hold the van on the road, I had visions of it slipping right off the road and into a ditch. I sneaked into the middle of the road and stayed there, crawling along, the needle on the speedo wasn't even moving. By the time I was cursing my stupidity, you must remember I am as green as grass as far as vans and big vehicles go, until I bought the van in July I had never driven anything bigger than a falcon station wagon. Here I was crawling along the middle of the road, slipping and crabbing and stopping to gain control of the van, I did this for about ten minutes or so and then saw workmen up ahead, sitting on the side of the road having their morning tea, they were watching me approach and were grinning. I slid to a stop in front of them and asked them how much more of dirt road, they said 13 more kms. I asked if it was a mud slide like I just came through and they said "no" they hadn't got that far yet. So I set off and yes the road did improve but it was now like corrugated iron, this went on for the 13kms.
Never again will I get off the beaten track after rain.
-- Edited by NannyMon at 16:43, 2008-10-06
Why not, your experienced now..ha ha
Yes it can be a whole new scenario of driving skills needed the first time it happens. Seems your luck was good as you made it thru and now have something to remember and share around the campfire..
May you have many more fun times out there, but let us all know when your on the wet road again....
When you take a risk, and it has its challenges along the way, AND you use your life skills to get to your destination, and make it, will you know the difficulties involved - once completed, it then is easy, next time.
Take on more, find where your limits are - you may be surprised at how many adventure you have, and with luck, far more good ones than not
Big place, lots to see, and learn about. Not all is easy, but can it be done - not till it is undertaken will you ever know.
Been there, done that, and moved on to the next adventure, but can sit around the camp fire and recall all with a smile on your face of a task undertaken.