On Friday October the 8th I made my 4th run down to the r-o-w. My first stop was the Cherry Springs State Park to stake my tent for star gazing that night. The skies were really clear! An amazing view.
After the last time I was down there I made contact with an individual who lives in the area and is a caretaker of most of the trails in that area including the switchback trails from the B&S. He gave me lots of info and guidance on where to go and how to get there. Which made things much easier for me. He solved my problem on how to gain access to the Switchbacks of 2&3. So, after staking my tent, I drove to Junchtion Rd and headed to the crossing of the B&S.
I got out of the car and walked up to the gate. Lots of grass but still fairly clear. I walked past the gate and came across two concrete abutments that had a bridge going over the RR. I walked a little further and came upon a clearing which was a natural gas supply line. I walked in a little further but decided to turn around. I wasn't really prepared to hike all the way around the mountain to #3. I walked back to the gate and then up the access road and climbed on the abutment. I have several pictures but I haven't posted them as I write this. The cut is about 40 feet deep. The grade is noticably steep back to my car.
Now this is the fun part. I get into my car and start backing out. The sun is extremely bright and is like a strobe effect coming through the trees. I get one giant flash and I lose my situational awareness and can't see behind me. Suddenly, the car stops dead in its tracks. I immediately shift to 1st gear to get it back up. No good. I shift to reverse and try to rock it back and forth. Stuck! I shut the engine off and get out. My car is leaning nearly 45 degrees. The car frame is hung up on the rocks. The right rear tire is in the air. The front left tire is a water mill. There is nothing under it except water and a little dirt. This car isn't going to move. I start to panic. I'm in the middle of Pennsylvania on a back road with no cell service. Now what?!
As I assess the situation, I start to calm down. What do I have in the car? I open the trunk and thank God I have a claw hammer. It will act as my pic to clear out under the frame of the car. I discover I have a scissors jack from Ford. Life savor! I start to dig.
I clear a small area under the jack point, insert a rock, then the jack and start cranking. I was able to lift the car a couple of inches and inserted several rocks under the wheel to provide a solid foundation. I was really concerned about the car slipping off the jack and catching my hand under the tire but it held. Then I went and got several branches and broke them into small sticks and planted them behind the tire. There was no use trying to go forward as the bumper was also hung. It was also way to steep to try and go forward. My only hope was backwards. After I got everything under the car in place I got into the car, said my prayers and turned the key.
I am very fortunate to have a 5 speed transmission. No way an automatic could do this. With the clutch in, I put it into 1st and tried to roll it forward just a bit to give me more lenght to operate in reverse. Then I swiftly put it into reverse and tried to get it out. No good. Tried again. Still nothing. TRIED AGAIN and this time it seemed to move a little bit. So I kept it in reverse and clutched it causing it to rock back and forth. Each clutching seemed to rock a little more..... a little more...a little more and this time I just kept it going in reverse with tires smoking and it finally came out of the watering hole! The tire was smoking so bad I figured a tire change was due at any moment. But it held together and no damage anywhere. Have you driven a Ford lately? hahaha My guess is that the water the tire was sitting in is what probably saved the tire while trying to get out. Kept it cool. The stone that sat directly behind my tire, which I couldn't see, was now black with tread wear. I'm pretty sure I burned 15K miles off of it.
After getting it out of the hole, I sat for awhile to see if the tire was going to do anything. Nothing happened so I continued down Cross Forks Road towards Cross Forks, PA. My friend had instructed me on where to go to get on the R-O-W for this section but I was so distracted from getting my car unstuck, I forgot to dig out the email he sent me and reread it, so I missed the trail that would lead me there. This will have to wait till next year.
The next moring, I revisited the Junction Rd incident. I decided to drive down the switchback trail which goes towards Pa44 and Switchback 4/5. I got to the gate and walked in. This is a little more overgrown. Beautiful to walk on. I am told there is a rock fall somewhere between here and the other end which I tried the last time I was down. Then I turned around and came back to the car. As I left, I took a video of my ride on the drivable row back to Junction Rd. The camera settings must be screwed up because it is kinda washed out but it's better than nothing. I'll have a new camera next year and I'll replace this video at that time.
In the video, as I come to a stop, look to the lower left and you can see where I got stuck. It doesn't look all that bad but there was nothing but rock, water and a little mud.
Allll Aboard!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/butchardy#p ... RGeBlcwpRU
