One Puddle Too Far

The day began innocently enough...

Driving around the boondocks of Sacramento, looking for feathered or furred wildlife. There were plenty of wild turkeys on the Hagin golf course.

The were other birds as well.

A Say's Phoebe













To add a little interest I drove to one of the worst roads in the county. Keifer Road is well known for its deep ruts and puddles. I've driven along this road in every season. When puddled it is a great place to search for shorebirds that love to loiter in country pastures aligning the gawdawful road. If you go far enough to find the bridge you can even find flocks of waterfowl, even wild swans.

The notorious Kiefer Road

Great and exciting plan, but I forged via 4WD, one puddle after another. Then I traversed one puddle too far. My dear old Honda CRV was almost in the 'downward dog' yoga position when it stopped moving. Not at all worried or concerned, I steered sharply left, gave it gas - no movement, just HUMONGOUS rooster tails of mud, flying up and over the car. Then turned sharply right, to the same effect. Uh oh... I was stuck.

Calmly - I mean it, I was as calm as hell - I got on my phone and called AAA. It was having AAA as my ever present back up that kept me so relaxed under such duress. After getting AAA headed out to tow me out, I noted three large SUV type trucks in the distance down Keifer. They were headed towards me, along the road, probably headed for Sunrise Blvd.  When they reached me, all three trucks stopped and several concerned looking gentleman asked, "Need a tow?"

By God, did I ever! They hooked me up to lines on a winch, and towed me back onto muddly, but solid ground.

Once on solid ground I attempted to start up the engine but the Honda was absolutely

       dead

                 dead

                             dead!




Now I was panicky and forlorn. The guys calmly began checking to see if they could fix the engine problem and get the car started. They were deadpan as they concentrated on starting up my car again, Mayo clinic physicians, trying to get a flatlined patient - of the metallic mechanical sort - revived & running again.

While the good samaritan crew worked on the car, I stood around. One of their trucks held a lady with her kids, and I chatted with the amiable & cheery group while the men folk labored away.

My poor little Honda

 Finally the guys gave up. The sun was setting and however much they coddled the car, it would not start. Two of the trucks were guys who as friends, love to spend time in the boonies too, only they do not look for birds, they look for stuck vehicles to tow out for the entertainment value. Really! They had just towed the 3rd truck & its driver out of a puddle when I had spotted them down Keifer when I first got stuck.

The guy that was towed out just before me had some sobering info for all of us. He said he used to work a tow truck and AAA will NOT tow any vehicle that is more than about a quarter mile from a regular road. I was at least a half mile away from a 'regular' road. 'After all', he informed us, 'why would AAA risk a $100,000 tow truck on a muddy, rutted road?'

We were all appropriately stunned. Why indeed? I was mentally wondering how I was going to ride out the remainder of this adventure when my good samaritans said they'd tow me the half mile down to the paved road. So, they did just that. Below is my view of the trash dotted Kiefer Road, as they gently towed me backwards to main road.

Once at the main road, I attempted to pay the gentlemen for their superlative help, but they refused. They were totally into it all for the 'fun'. I waved bye bye as all three vehicles drove off into - literally - the sunset. I called AAA, and was told I had about an hour's wait. But, after about 30 minutes, I tried the engine, and it was dry so it started up. The drive home was a touch and go adventure. The damp engine surged, spun and sputtered. My Honda would drive along calmly, then just as suddenly it would buck like a mustang with a bumblebee up its tailpipe. A couple of times I drove over and parked - engine running - to give my nerves and the car's engine a bit of recovery time. Really, I ought to not have been able to drive the ten or so miles home, but damned, I made it all the way home. Lesson learned. No more mud puddle hopping for this birder.

[UPDATE: Yeah, I go my car home alright. The very next time I drove it I was on my way to my Honda dealer for what I call a 'well baby check up'. My car died about three blocks from my house! Triple A towed me to my Honda service center and about $600 later, things were set back to rights. I am one lucky lady, I can tell you that, meaning, I didn't - heavens forbid - need to replace my car.]