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Monday, September 28, 2015

Crisis #5-The Tree People

Our first camping "adventure."


 
After leaving the mechanic shop with a new starter and diesel lines flushed of air, we decided to get a little adventurous and stay at a different campground for the night.  We didn't know much about it, but they said they had space with power and water.  What more could we need?  When we arrived, we discovered a village of "tree people."  This wasn't so much a campground as it was a permanent establishment, with trailers and campers that were long ago brought in, never to leave.  50 foot trees seemed to have grown up and around these permanent homes, to the point where it would be impossible for some to be removed.  When I pulled up a gentlemen asked if I needed help backing in.  I told him I'd never once done it before, so some assistance would be appreciated.  He proceeded to hop in the driver seat and snake my trailer through the woods with inches to spare between trees, then back the trailer into a bare spot just big enough to squeeze into, with less than 6 inches clearance from the trees.  I wasn't even sure how I'd make it out in the morning going forwards, and was amazed he managed to back the trailer, weaving as he did, into that spot.  Darkness came quickly, and we hadn't yet set up camp.  That means no power, no water, and LOTS of mosquitoes.  Poor LJ was feasted upon before we were able to get everyone into the trailer 10 minutes later.


        We slept well that night, but morning came fast.  We were now a day behind schedule, and still needed to get tires replaced on the trailer and make it back to Omaha for work a day later.  It was a 10 hour drive, so there was still a chance we could make it that same day.  But first I needed to find my way out of the woods.
        We must have clearly put ourselves in a pickle, because a staff member drove up in a golf cart and suggested an alternative escape route.  So we once again winded between trees, in some cases coming within inches of shredding the sides of the trailer against thick rough barked trunks and overhanging limbs.  With the exit in view, I managed to jam the trailer between a telephone pole and several trees with no way out.  The guy on the golf cart was able to move three 18 wheelers that were just beyond the woods near the exit to give me enough space to make a 360 before heading out the gate and on our way.  We did it!  We freed ourselves from nature's claws without damaging our vehicle or trailer.  Next stop, the tire shop.


A glimpse of the campground.  Notice how close the trees are to the trailer in the background.

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