Uranium Mines

Today I decided to try to find an old abandoned Uranium mine. I regretfully found the correct track and set up off it for a few miles, it was a bit dodgy but not too bad until I abruptly turned a corner and discovered that the "hardcore" ended and I was stuck in mud. I attempted to go forwards to no avail, I attempted backwards with no more success. I drained the puddle/large pool which accompanied the mud by clearing a drainage channel with a stick and put floor mats and twigs and branches under my wheels which also achieved nothing at all. Eventually I realised that I was hung up on my axles and going nowhere. Further efforts were making it worse as I sunk deeper into the mire. I abandoned my van and headed back to the road.

Upon arriving at the road I made a sign that read,

VAN STUCK
TOW PLEASE

Equipped with my sign I started walking in the direction of Old La Sal (two sheds & a three legged dog) about 6 miles away and eventually Moab 40 miles beyond that. As the occasional person drove past without stopping, perhaps one every 15 minutes, I pondered upon how the layer of mud I gained whilst attempting to single-handedly dig the van free may not be helping matters now. After about an hour Jimmy stopped and asked what the problem was, Jimmy was driving a beaten up old pickup which was a good sign from the start. He said he was willing to help after I explained the problem but he had no rope. I was ready for this, the moment had arrived to retire my old 11mm sports rope. I had been looking for this excuse for years, it weighed a ton, jammed up everyone belay plates and I never felt confident using it, having vomited all over it in Targason but was reluctant to retire it when it still (possibly) had life in it.

I jumped into his truck and we headed back up the road and then off up the track. He was graciously non critical of my idiocy in pushing on in a two wheel drive van and positioned his truck whilst I scrabbled around in the water and mud attaching the tripled over rope. When all was ready I sat in the van and he pulled me out without too much hassle, by stopping spinning my wheels when I had made life easier. I offered him beer as thanks & met him at the liqueur store in Moab to deliver on my pledge.

Good times