How Embarrassing...

kygarden

For a man to have to call for help to get his tractor out of the mud :wink.

Ok, so it looks a lot more like I was being stupid, but honestly...the mud caught me off guard. Here's the scoop. So I'm out on the tractor, figuring I'd scrape up some of the dirt around the old livestock pond to fill in some low areas in the field. We've had a severe drought all summer long and the pond is only half full. The soil around the edge is firm and dry. The problem is...the transition from dry firm soil to damp gooey mud is not what you'd expect. It doesn't gradually change, it goes from dry to muck in a few inches. As soon as I put the bucket down to get a scrape, the front wheels shifted to the right a little and boom!....the front wheel dropped about 12 inches right into the gooey mess! I tried an old trick, using the front end loader bucket to push myself backwards while going in reverse at the same time. This usually works. But not this time...the goo had sucked in the rear well as well and there was no getting out.

So off I went to get my truck (4x4 with a locking low creeper gear that gives you lots of torque). I hooked my tow strap to the tow hooks on the front and gave it a tug. Nothing It just stretched my strap and I knew it wasn't coming out. I left the strap on and tried a come-along (hand wench) attached to a tree. No luck. Time to call the tow truck.

After about 45 minutes, the tow truck arrived. Just a small one used to tow cars. He hooked his motorized wench onto the back of the tractor and it was out in no time at all. Unfortunately, these good ole boys (that's the only way I can describe them...LOL) charged $150 for 20 minutes worth of work. I guess I won't be getting near that tractor eater ever again (pond)! :rofl

Now for the bad Fuji point and shoot pics. I didn't take pictures when the guys were there getting me unstuck. This is while I was waiting for them.

Looking at the pictures, you'd think, how did you get so far in and over? Well, that came from trying to work myself out of it. The more I tried the get out, the more it sank in and slid over.

Zanotti

Been there, done that!

I also fell into the pond, going into the house a muddy, smelly mess in order to call for help!

I feel your pain.....

[Deleted User]

He hooked his motorized wench onto the back of the tractor

Must be a american thing

While I can't provide pictures a friend of mine went to a launch day when Mercedes first frought out there 4 wheel drive G wagon (20 odd years ago). Many of the invited guest were allowed to drive it around the off road track until somebody bogged it down in the mud. After much frantic work they were unable to get the truck out. Suddenly all the Mercedes guys were running around making sure all the guest with camera and any press had put there camreas away, it soon became obvious why.........................they had to use an Old Land Rover to tow the Mercedes out of the mud............not something the top brass in German would like to see captured on film.

Tim

kygarden

draggin wrote:

<quote>He hooked his motorized wench onto the back of the tractor</quote>

Must be a american thing <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/headscratch.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >

While I can't provide pictures a friend of mine went to a launch day when Mercedes first frought out there 4 wheel drive G wagon (20 odd years ago). Many of the invited guest were allowed to drive it around the off road track until somebody bogged it down in the mud. After much frantic work they were unable to get the truck out. Suddenly all the Mercedes guys were running around making sure all the guest with camera and any press had put there camreas away, it soon became obvious why.........................they had to use an Old Land Rover to tow the Mercedes out of the mud............not something the top brass in German would like to see captured on film.

Tim

I found an image online that shows the kind of truck I'm talking about. There's a cable that can be pulled out of the back of the truck (up top). You hook it on and then you retract it using a motor. The cable is stored wrapped around a cylinder, sort of like a spool. That spool is motorized and has lots of pulling power.

[Deleted User]

Definately an American thing, a WENCH in the UK is a sexually provocative female dressed to show off her features but not as common as a prostitute.

I thing you meant to say "He hooked his motorized WINCH onto the back of the tractor"

Tim

kygarden

....oh yes, duh! I spelled it wrong oops...

Yes, I know what "wench" means. I just wasn't paying attention and wrote that in a hurry. So yeah, a motorized wench would certainly be interesting to see. I was pulled out by a motorized WINCH

rwells

Is that John Deere about a month old?

I don't think I've ever seen such a clean tractor...especially one stuck in the mud

Bud1880

kygarden wrote:

Now for the bad Fuji point and shoot pics.

I think the Fuji pictures show your dilemma quite well.

Since a Fuji P&S is all I own, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Bud

JGD

rwells wrote:

Is that John Deere about a month old?

I don't think I've ever seen such a clean tractor...especially one stuck in the mud

Just what I was thinking, new tractor, new tractor operator!