In keeping with my policy of causing my own little disasters, yesterdays Fathers Day Fiasco was entirely my own doing. It was a simple plan: Pull the Spartan into the back yard to turn it around, pull it up alongside the shop to plug it in and begin packing for our trip. Easy, right?
As I pulled around through back, I thought it’d be fun to pull alongside the ’47 Manor awaiting restoration, and take a picture. Our own little Spartan trailer sales. Fun, huh?
I swung the trailer around so it was beside the ’47 and stopped. Backed up a little to square things up and got out. The clue there was going to be a problem was apparent as my feet hit the grass.
Squishy. Not good.
I got back in truck and pulled ahead a little. Got about 6 feet, and forward motion came to a halt as the tires spun on the wet grass.
I backed up about the same 6 feet, until the tires spun in that direction.
Obviously, I was stuck. The trailer tires actually sunk into the soft yard about 6 inches, right to the rim, and I wasn’t going to go anywhere.
Figuring I might as well take my pictures, I did that, then dragged a plank from the shed, some patio tiles, unhitched the truck and placed them in the ruts. This was a great plan, but when I when I hitched back up, with the trailer tires settled in the sod, it wasn’t going anywhere. The truck tires spun on the plank and concreted tiles, the trailer didn’t budge.
So, I waited until Kim got home, we hooked the GMC Dually up to a tow strap to the Diamond T and trailer, and with the massive Del-Ray camper in the back for ballast, gently pulled the rig to solid ground.
I did end up getting some pictures, although the “fun” part was lost during the two hours or so it took to rescue the truck and trailer from the bog.
The watchword now is “Careful pulling through the back yard after 5 inches of rain in the past three days.”
Happy Fathers Day!
Cool McCool's Garage 
Your first mistake was thinking “simple”.
Don’t forget, you’ll be reminded of this little adventure by the jarring ruts you’ll feel every time you mow the yard.
Well, sorry about the smooshy adventure, but just have to say I’m so happy that not only us inept, low-skill trailer pullers & setter-uppers have “misadventures” of this type and even the “pros” get stuck now & then!
Hey, at least you didn’t have to leave it there ’til the ground dried out!
It’s good to see the ole girl sitting there….can’t wait for you to get that project under way!! It sure looks different up north without her sitting there anymore. Happy trails
Jeff-we have lots of plans in our heads. We frequently go inside the trailer and brain storm. It’s gonna be really neat I think.
Brian, I cringed a little when you mentioned putting the planks in the ruts. Had it been me, the Diamond T would have gotten phenomenal traction on the boards and fired them like rectangular javelins right into the face of one of the Manors — they would have had to hit something valuable!
And you did all that with one arm? You da man! reminds me of me burying the wagon, AND John Truit’s truck at camp Dearborn!
Jeff, we’ve been gathering stuff to build it, hopefully will be starting in on it in the near future. We have an interior design figured out, it’ll be our best one yet!
It sure does not seem like you are taking it easy on your shoulder…and you are a nurse…