I told myself next time if I’m driving, I’m not going with me!

It was sunny and almost 75.

I decided to drive up Trestle Creek Road to Lunch Peak Lookout tower.

“Maybe I should stay down low today”. a voice inside my head was saying

“Don’t be such a worrier.” My ego said.

“Don’t listen to him!” The common sense part of my brain argued.

“Ok grandpa. Go get a blanket and sit in a rocking chair as the world passes you by” teased the ego.

After all it was sunny and 75 degrees. What could possible go wrong? I would simply drive up Trestle Creek and camp for the evening.

If I ran into trouble I had my rear winch to pull me out.

The first snow only covered part of the road toward the lookout tower. “That doesn’t even count as snow.” my ego said.

“I totally agree.” The rest of my brain said.

Skip forward two hours. I am walking down a mountain enjoying the sun.

“Just think if you would have listened to me, you would be driving down the mountain on this beautiful day” bragged the common sense part of my brain. Now remember that part only occupies less than one percent of the space in my head. The other ninety nine percent is made up by mostly bad ideas.

As I bogged down to a stop in the soft snow I stopped to assess the situation. In order to get a proper evaluation I would need a beer. I opened the side door of the Alu-Cabin camper and reached in to my well placed cooler. I positioned the cooler next to the drivers side in front of camper for just this reason.

“Now let’s see”. I said aloud as I walked circles around the truck. “I’ll just put it in 4 lo range, engaged the rear lockers and started to back up. “You should get your drivers side tires on the dirt (mud) for traction.

“Hey dumbass don’t do that it’s near the edge.” Yelled the one percent. Over the edge was a drop.

Well. You all know who I listened to. Which brings me back to this lovely walk. It was warm and sunny. Five thousand feet in elevation. The snow was still hiding in the peaks of the mountains. The creeks were rushing down the valleys toward Lake Pend Oreille.

Soon was picked up by an awesome couple headed back down the mountain towards town. They dropped me off at the bottom where my tent lies.

“So what happened?” they asked.

I summed it up by saying. “I’m a moron!” They didn’t seem surprised by this statement.

They next day a buddy picked me up in his truck. It was stocked with two come-a-longs, a shovel, two straps, and commercial strength ratchet straps.

As we rounded the corner I breathed a sigh of relief. The truck was still upright and anchored to the trees across the road.

My friend and I attached the two come-a-longs to the front passenger tie rod. The other end to the giant pines. The rear winch I left attached to another tree. As I winched the line in from the back and slowly backed out. He would slowly loosen the come-a-longs. Thirty minutes later we were both driving along my trail of tears from the afternoon before.

All in all just another adventure in my travels of stupidity.

Until my next adventure. Take care.