Instead of going on our usual vacation for a roadtrip to Yellowstone, or a week in Southern Cali we decided to stay at the ranch. My stepson was in town visiting and very excited to go to the ranch so we decided to make a special trip for him before he left to go back to his other home. With one extra kid we have to drive two vehicles. So my DH was driving the dump truck with a trailer and a 25-foot chicken coop that we had bought for the ranch with two of the kids, and I had our 15 passenger van with a trailer and two quads on it with 13 kids. So off we went. The van I was driving went much faster than the dump truck and the kids and I arrived much sooner than my DH, in fact he was over an hour and a half behind us.
So, when I got to the dirt road one mile from the ranch and the tires started spinning because we were totally stuck in the mud, I knew I was in trouble. I called my DH and he said he would be there as soon as he could but it could be up to an hour and a half. My poor city kids were already freaking out in the van talking about, "When there are no lights people can see you, but you can't see them. What if there is a mountain lion waiting for us!" I knew I couldn't just have them sit there, they were getting scared. I decided to take action. I don't know why I thought I could do this, but I did. I unstrapped the quad and took it off the trailer and decided that I was going to drive the kids two at a time through the dark and the mud to the trailer that my DH took up there two weeks before.
There I went...I was so nervous. I left the oldest there and grabbed the next oldest to take her to the trailer to get things set up for the rest of the kids. I drove super fast (for me) and this was the first time I was driving this quad on something other than a city paved road. It was bumpy and the mud was flinging! Mud chunks were flying off the tires and hitting us in the head and sticking into our hair and then twirling around getting more stuck. It was an adventure! I dropped off the first kid with all the specific instructions about taking off your shoes outdoors and locking the door, and then back I went as fast as I could to get the next kids.
It was cold and I figured out that I had to breathe in a downward fashion so I wouldn't fog up my glasses. I learned certain spots were bumpier than others and began to navigate around them. I made this trip 6 more times. Back and forth, back and forth. I began to relax, and enjoy the trip. I was becoming the Country Momma. I had a problem, I found a solution, and I was making it happen! :) I wasn't as stressed and even began to laugh and feel empowered by the experience I was gaining by the moment.
By the time the last two kids were the only ones in the van (the oldest and the baby) I was relieved to see my DH pull up with the dump truck at the end of the road. He came down to the van and because the mud had dried while I was hauling the kids he was able to get the van unstuck and drive it to the trailer. I went and picked him up with the quad and drove him back to the dump truck. Then he drove the dump truck through the mud and made it to the trailer. (He is obviously a much more skilled driver than I am because I would've gotten the dump truck stuck too!)
Although it was a little scary and stressful. I did it. I made it through our first challenge. I was proud of myself, I figured it out. My DH was so proud of me also for taking care of the kids and making the most of it. The kids thought it was great, they loved it. Even now I will overhear them talking, "Remember when mom drove us fast in the night and the mud was flying all over? That was fun!"
Some of the lessons we learned were; always wear your hair back when riding the quads to avoid what we now call "quad hair," the country is very dark at night especially when it is overcast, and if you are ever feeling like a target just make sure you remain a moving target!
More to come...
Country Momma
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