1 Oct blog – Land-Between-the-Lakes-Kentucky Dam State Park

A relatively short drive today – from the ridiculous to the sublime; from a Wal-Mart parking lot to the Kentucky Dam State Park. It was not without adventure however, maybe not the kind we were anticipating!

Once we left Illinois, the Interstate surface quality improved immensely, much to Margaret’s delight. Although we had “agreed” to limit each driver’s stint to about 1-hour, the road was so good, she wouldn’t relinquish control! But this proved short-lived when she announced we had enough driving for the day and should stop.

The next stopping opportunity came when the road sign announced Kentucky Resort State Park, so in we went. Then the fun began. The young man at the registration desk said we should drive in, pick out a spot, and call in the number. The park is immense – and next to a huge lake – so we thought it might be nice to be near the lake. We turned down a cul-de-sac but didn’t see anything we liked. Instead of backing and turning, I decided to make the little loop, unfortunately, it was too little for our behemoth – and we ended up stuck in the mud; yes, all 6 wheels!

So what to do (besides calling Good Sam for a tow – on a Sunday afternoon, miles from who knows where)?

Anyone who’s ever been stuck in mud (or sand), knows the first step to getting out is to get “stuff” under the wheels for traction. But what? Back in our trailer days, we purchased a set of “little orange blocks” for leveling. They have a grid pattern and come in roughly 10 x 10 x ¾ inch squares. But how to get them under the wheels? (Yes, I tried putting them in front and behind, but the wheels spun too much in the mud, so they had to be UNDER the wheels.)

Modern motor home technology to the rescue; and why motor home owners don’t carry jacks! Pneumatic levelers. Normally used to level a motor home, they will also lift the rear (and front) wheels totally clear of the ground. So we threw a few blocks into the mud under the pneumatic levelers and lifted all four of the back (driving) wheels off the ground. Then it was just a matter of moving the “little orange blocks” from the pneumatic levelers to under the wheels (and behind them so I could back up), since the front wheels kinda go wherever the back wheels take them.

The only other problem was the rather large pine tree I managed to back into once I got traction. So it was up to the roof-top (…prancing and pawing of each little hoof, out jumps dear old Santa Claus…) to clear pine boughs so they didn’t scrape off the antennae, ventilators, and air-conditioners. Then with a lot of noise and smoke, I managed to back clear of the mud and onto the pavement with room to turn. Safe at last!

Needless to say, we were very careful from not to choose any spot(s) to turn where they was mud or semblance of mud. Having said all that and arrived at our resting place for the night, the park is very nice.

Margaret writes:
The above brought back memories of being stuck in a canyon, off a side canyon, in Death Valley, where we had driven looking for petroglyphs – which we never found. Our VW camper was buried, all four wheels, up to the pan in soft sand. There was much digging, filling with sage brush, moving an inch or two, and repeating.

We not only had to dig out we had to turn completely around and head back up a steep incline with a turn at the top! We got it turned around and had advanced to the bottom of the incline when we realized it was impossible. We would have to walk out. Carol and I climbed to the top of the canyon wall to see what we could see. There was nothing but nothing in every direction. When we turned to go back down there was not a clue as to which way to go. I followed our footprints back to the VW.

Just then a jeep with a winch topped the hill looking for an out of the way camping site. Did we have one for them! They hooked us up and pulled us free and up the hill.

This was a walk in the park by comparison, though Carol did suggest calling Robin Williams for advice.

Lots of green grass, tall full trees, hickory nuts falling with a thunk on the roof, and sunshine. My kind of place.

Photo Op:
No, I didn’t get a photo of us stuck; I was too busy figuring out how to get out. But I did take one later, after we were safely camped to prove that we DID get out. And no, I didn’t knock off the top of the tree backing in!

No more adventures like this, please?