The day I and WE called in sick for a day of hunt and drunk. The previous two weeks had been a serious deep hurt, even a loss most there that particular day will take to our graves. Some have already.
The grandest of all grand "things" I ever wanted was a Jeep. A CJ-5 to be exact. Having az planted a MUTT (M151A1/A2) for many years curtesy of the Gi mobile express system I swore when it was over I'd buy borrow or steal me a get-up consisting of vehicle trailer combination including a real air mattress that NEVER deflated by 0200hrs nor would I ever sleep in a canvas shelter half tent during heavy snow and relentless ice rain etc etc again. John Wayne made it all look very appealing in my day, but as many of us soon realized, well... anyways.
Comfort being the key. In vehicle as well as in camp.
To make a long story short as they say, a bud of mine, a rather heavy set behemoth, a city boy for sure, never before exposed to the finer qualities of country/wilderness conditions ambled and plopped over to my Lil White Darlin of a White Cj-5 Laredo in search of another beer. While digging around from the passengers seat towards the back seat, his fat body knocked my manual gear shift lever out of reverse into neutral, causing my baby to begin rolling ever so slowly. My L-Tee and I sat aways off, clear view of this atop a large rock formation holding our rifles in one hand and a beer in the other watching this whole debacle from about 200yds or so. As the Cj began moving just a tad more than I cared for, suddenly city boy tried running around the rear fell down to his knees, the jeep moving away about three to four feet ahead of him, getting up, he rushed to the drivers side grabbing onto the gear shift in vain attempt at somehow getting it in gear, by now my lil Darlin was going a mite faster causing me some real concern. I yelled at him to try the emergency brake to include the manual brake peddle. Within moments, gaining speed as the slight decline become a real decline speed, weight and bad luck took over as my hapless comrade quickly realized he was stuck in the drivers seat on his big girth of a belly as we yelled for him to bail out-LET IT GO!!!
He screamed about half way down (I'm so sorry Gary) by now-headed straight into a very deep ravine I knew to be there when suddenly the Jeep lurched upward violently hitting a tall cut-off pine tree followed by the rear pumpkin striking the same remaining tree stump lifting the end of the jeep and his body well over four feet high. Those very exact moments my eyes focused in on his right thigh lining up perfectly underneath the left tire as it come down... barely missing his upper thigh brushing his skin as he and the jeep threw him like an over-sized rag doll. By this time, I last saw her gaining speed until those last few moments frozen in time her *** end the last I saw of her before sinking out of sight. Seconds passed, then a horrible smashing sound came as I ran to the city boy who lie there rocking back and fourth trying to somehow control the pain his leg suffered. He began balling like ah baby-not just over what had happened, but about his life in general, and those horrible days we all endured.
Miles away from what I new to be a nearby ranch. I explained I had to hike there for help. That pretty much describes the jest of it.
The Lil White Cj had bee-lined straight into a huge rock formation, the ONLY formation there period! The entire front end caved in, tears began whaling up in my eyes the sight of it all.
I would never wish for a repeat... so? If I were to change my rig... if I we're to somehow go back in time, I would leave the beer at home, FIX my non-working emergency brake, point it a different direction, put down chalk blocks around wheels.
I guess that cats been let out of the bag...
CJ***CJ