ADVENTURE STORY RESCUE , MUD , ADVENTURE
I
get a phone call from my parents . “ We ’ re trapped !” Hearing their frantic voices say those words made my stomach drop . Huge mud slides caused by the combination of torrential rains and extended drought trapped many people inside the little town of Frazier Park , Ca . After hanging up , I look at my wife and both her and I knew we had to rescue them .
All I could feel was my heart beating out of my chest with anticipation as I step into my Jeep Wrangler . Ears perked to the radio , I knew the police had warned people that it was too dangerous to be driving and that police had closed roads . But I thought , “ Lucky for me . I know a trail that can bypass all the police roadblocks .” So we turned off the freeway onto a small crumbling dirt road , just as the rain slowed ... and ran right into a Land Rover sliding around a muddy corner .
Lightning flashed . Thunder hammered the air . How could such a familiar place , become so alien ? Did I belong here ? Was this too risky ? My sense of adventure emboldens me though as I continue to press forward , splashing into every mud puddle we come across . I start to notice in the distance the gate we must go through in order to descend down the mountainous trail . Coming upon the gate my heart dropped , the US Forest Service locked the gate , the gate that stood between my wife and I , and being able to rescue my parents .
Up to that point the rain was very mild , just little drizzle here and there . I decide to get out of the vehicle . I feel the water drops falling from the trees and the smell of wet dirt fills my nose . I walk over to the gate to confirm that it is indeed locked . “ Why is it locked ?” I try to think of a solution , frantically looking back and forth along the gate and fence . I see there is a gap just big enough to get my Jeep around the gate and once again we are on our way to complete this rescue expedition . Down the trail we go ; we start to see the effects of the rain with all the mini mudslides that cross our path which the Jeep handles without any problem .