"We made it down the road for about a mile, only encountering a few mud holes here and there; nothing major. Then, suddenly, and without provocation, we were OWNED!

"It looked innocuous enough. Couldn't go right because of a tree. Went left, but slipped off. Gunned it, but we were sunk. Differential was hung up. Screwed. Well, nothing to do but call for help. Cell phone to my dispatcher and the 800 number to the LBL dispatcher soon had help en route. Now, here's where it gets funny...er...in retrospect.

"I did a short hike up the road, while waiting, just to see what was around the corner. Soon, I hear what sounds like a vehicle approaching. Could have been a boat out on the lake, hard to tell. Then, I hear what sounds like rubber spinning in deep mud (having been very recently exposed to just such sounds). Then...s-i-l-e-n-c-e.... But soon, the placid forest scene was punctuated by an enormously loud outburst coming from far off: "GAWD D*MNIT!" Yes indeed you better believe it: my help was stuck, too!

"After about another ten minutes, here comes our help. Officer Scott, too, became bogged down in a hole on his way up to help us. Fortunately, his brand new Warn 9000i did the trick! Within minutes he had us pulled out and on our way. Such professional courtesy!