The old Comealong

I really can not pass up a trip to Fernie every summer, as come August every year I seem to always get a strange itch. It's not the type of itch you get from a night of unprotected sex, but rather it is an "Itch," a hankering, a need to do something, I great fucking desire to go see the rocky mountains. Anyway enough about Fernie for now, other than to say that Fernie even takes precedence over my yearly family fishing trip. Not that I would bail out on that, but I can always come late. Usually everyone flies in together but three years ago I paddled in, last year I hiked in and this year I decided I would try something different. I would come late and borrow my brother's mountain bike. This proved to be really really great. Tons of fun as always on two wheels, even if the quad trail to the lake sometimes resembles the bog of no return.

Now this morning I woke up at five to take the route out once again. All went well, I made it to the car in one piece and my car was still in one together... for now. In case anyone out there was wondering, a Volkswagen Jetta is not a suitable off road vehicle. "But Jeff! I always go off roading in my Volkswagen Jetta," is what I am imagining you are all crying right now....right?
soooo ya I went and got it stuck in two feet of water, I could not get out of the car without water coming inside the vehicle. Luckily though I had my bike. The nearest house by the way is a solid twenty kilometers away, and when you get there, the community is a secluded four house reserve. I approached one man, who only spoke Cree and who directed me to a neighbour, that neighbour also only spoke Cree, but her grandson inside was home and directed me to another neighbour.

Here I met Marshall, A strapping young man of about thirty who would start his truck by coaxing it down a hill and slamming it into gear. I have found just the man for the job. He even had a Comealong that was holding up his tailgate. A Comealong for those of you wondering is sort of like a ratchet strap in a way except it is made for pulling out cars, and it is made of solid steel. So we put that to good use, tying one end to a nearby tree and given er for about ten minutes. My car started, I slapped Marshall two twenty dollar bills and away to the city I went.


Oh, and the first thing I am doing when I get back is buying two Comealongs. One for my truck, and one for my car.