Page 26 - Demo

Fools%u2019 Journey20rear of the grounds winding up a hill. It looked scenic so I suggested having a look-see. Even though it was no longer raining, the lane was pretty wet, and Lynn didn%u2019t think it was a good idea. No problem, said I. Big mistake.We drove up through a wooded hillside and emerged on a ridge top overlooking a large valley. The sun was now low in the west, the sky starting to glow. I suggested following the lane into the valley. Lynn pointed out that it was wet and slick. I drove on. The lane (no longer paved) curved down between two fields, then wound along the bank of a creek. Lynn kept saying this wasn%u2019t a good idea, but I continued driving. By the time we got to the creek, the sun was starting to set, and even I could see that the way ahead was only designed for tractors. I barely managed to get turned around. At one point, the rear wheels slipped off into a field and started spinning, but there was just enough traction to move us forward, toward the hill we%u2019d come down. I sped up as much as I dared toward the curve at the base of the hill, figuring a running start would help. It didn%u2019t. I only had enough momentum to move a hundred feet up the hill. I backed down and tried once more. Still no luck. On my third try, the rear wheels slipped into the field again. Now I couldn%u2019t move forward at all. So I backed up further into the field to get a straighter shot at the hill. That way I%u2019d be able get up more speed, have more momentum, and we%u2019d soon be on our way. Very bad idea. I was able to back up, but I couldn%u2019t move forward at all. So, I backed up some more. Still couldn%u2019t go forward. Backed up even further. Now I was about a hundred feet into the field. And really stuck. And it was getting dark. And the rain had resumed. And the temperature was dropping. And the new bride was not impressed.By the time we hiked up the hill and descended the other side, our shoes were heavy with mud. We crossed a parking area and trudged toward the main road. We looked like hell. We were hungry. The rain turned to sleet. Although I certainly wouldn%u2019t have picked us up, we started hitchhiking. All the late-model cars with empty back seats drove right by, and I couldn%u2019t blame them. Suddenly a beat-up %u201855 Chevy with one fender of a different color, no front bumper, and one windshield wiper, stopped. There were