Stuck in a Pothole -- I'm Out!!!

[linann]

Just got home from a four night rally with my camping club. Hooked up and pulled TT home with no problems. Drove a local road so I missed all the holiday traffic. Was only able to unhook the TT and unload the fridge when the rain started. Got the rest unloaded two hours later and drove the van around to side garage to unload the BBQ. Big mistake.

Lawn is overgrown because there has been so much rain and the mower is in the shop. In trying to back the van onto the concrete pad in front of the garage, I ended up cutting the corner too side and ended up with the back tire into a pothole on the (used to be an oak tree there that had to be removed). Now, it is really stuck and going no where with water up to the back bumper on that side. Texted DS who is out of town right now. She said just leave it and I should be able to drive it out in a couple of days when the water dries up. Sure hope so. I am going to feel even dumber if I have to call a tow truck to tow me out of my own yard.

[Bethers]

Aw. I'm going to guess it'll be fairly easy to pull out when the ground dries. And, remember, you can always take a 2x4 or some type of board to put under in the direction you want to go to help get it out also. That might work now, but I'd wait, just because you don't want to chance it going further into the ground.

[avalen]

Just wait, I remember doing that with my van once, grass was wet and in trying to get out I left some really nasty tire marks in the grass, boy, did I hear about that!

[JudyJB]

Can you shovel in some gravel? Not to fill the hole in completely, but maybe partly and give your tires something to grab on?

One of my big fears is having one of my rear tires drop off the pavement and not be able to get back on.

[MandysMom]

Count me in on this trick ! A few years ago we went to a Christmas display and they had a parking area off to one side. Maybe twenty cars and pickups parked. Drove the Leosure Travel van in their because they said park there. We had had several days of rain but was dry that night. Went to leave, and you guessed it, sunk right in. I was so upset. These men wanted to hook a chain to the bumper and tug as I drove. I was not brave enough. So one of the men who put on the display got in and another hooked up a chain or tow strap and got it out. I remember that night every December when we go see the display, but I won't park over there!
Velda

[Pooker]

Few years back. Watkins Glen, NY. We So. Calif. folks didn't know upstate NY had rain for a solid week! Checked into an RV park that was totally empty. Owner never said a word about mud or rain. Long, pull thru sites that were narrow worn out gravel and very narrow roads on each end. Our large Class A didn't bend in the middle so it's rear wheels cut across the grassy corners and promptly sunk up over axles in mud! So-o-o glad Good Sam sent an experienced RV tow driver who knew NOT to try towing a large rig out of mud (because the frame would tweak) and used a winch to slowly inch by inch ease the RV out while having my DH turn the wheel "a tiny bit to left, tiny bit to right, etc." It took over an hour - seemed like 5 hrs. All the while the campground owner was screaming at us for leaving ruts in his grass! Two shook up people and two nervous cats! Few days later, DH dug the mud out of the tailpipe and limped down the hill to a tire place. They hosed every nook and cranny and wouldn't take any money!! We tipped the two very wet tire employees and were on our way. Yes, we did walk the glen even though it was drippy!

Pooker

[MandysMom]

Evie, I would have been tempted to ask the campground owner why he had knowingly put a big class A in a site that had that risk and perhaps offer to send him a bill for damages to RV. I always asked at places we stayed in the 40 ft bus if the way into our spot was ok for our lower clearance and sure enough one spot in Missouri lead us in their golf cart on a road/path that almost got us high centered and was extremely difficult to get out when we left. Their suggestion on leaving being turn left out of your spot and go over that bridge and drive the loop to get back around and out the way you came in. Only problem, it was very clear that bridge would not take the weight or length of our bus. The owner was furious we simply went forward and back to make the turn without risking the little bridge. I wonder how he would have felt trying to get us out of his gully had we gone over his bridge and it gave way? Sometimes you just do what you gotta do.
Velda

[linann]

Well, it rained again today. Wet streets and standing puddles when I got home. Got a feeling the poor van will be stuck in this pothole for a while. Sure hope we'll be able to drive it out once all the rain dries up because I am going to feel pretty dumb trying to explain how I missed the driveway and ended up in this mess in my own yard.

We have had incredible amounts of rain that would flood other areas. My friend lives on a lake and has a boat dock that is now completely underwater. It takes a lot of water for the lake to rise that high. Just a couple of years ago there was a drought and people had to anchor far away from their dock or take their boats out of the lakes completely.

[grammynmaggie]

Yikes I hope you're not stuck there all winter.... any good neighbor friends that have a tractor.... hope to see you and your sister soon....donna

[gingerK]

Well, you're in good company here. Not my MH or my TC but I did bury my pickup in my parents' yard one time. Yes, we had to call a tow truck!

[linann]

Bad situation kept getting worse . . . more and more rain and the tire was sinking lower and lower. If I could figure out how to upload a photo you would see the mud was already at the top of the hub cap. The van was leaning on the passenger running board and the back bumper, and more rain was on the way this evening.

Neighborhood friend got it out this afternoon by digging out most of the dirt & mud around the tire, and digging an angled trench that served as a ramp for the back tire. Pretty amazing and clever of the neighbor who came up with the solution and recruited the other guys to help. They straightened up the wheels and gently pulled the van out with a large four wheel drive SUV. If this had not worked, we would have had to bring in a wrecker to lift the van out of the hole without damaging anything.

It took a lot of scrubbing, but the van is clean and sitting where it belongs on the concrete pad in front of the garage. Made a grocery store run and bought a lot of appreciation beer for the guys. Suspect they are having a good time in the man cave right now.

[bluepinecones]

I'd say they earned that beer. Glad you are out of the hole.

[avalen]

That's good news

[Bethers]

That's definitely well-deserved beer! So glad it's out. I know that's a weight off you.

[Queen]

Glad you're out, safe and sound.