“Blown Tire”, by Amy Dalberg

Mom, Dad, and I are heading back to camp after a day in town. A day spent doing laundry and gathering more food and building supplies. We are all taking separate vehicles. Dad’s got the one ton and it’s loaded full of gravel, scaffolding, nails, screws and other building supplies and tools. Mom’s got the Tacoma full of food and laundry. I have my truck. It has been at the house up until now, and needs to be at the cabin ready to head out west when my vacation is over.

 
Dad leaves 30 minutes or so before mom and I. He is trying to beat the dark. The one ton is really wide and has mirrors that stick out a fair ways and the cabin trail is narrow. It is easiest to navigate the one ton down the trail with day light. Mom and I leave together and make our way towards the cabin. The drive is uneventful until we come across Dad on the side of the Railroad Rd. He has a completely blown front tire. Wires are sticking out every which way and just the bead on either side of the tire is all that’s really holding it on. We are 15 minutes from the cabin and a good hour from the house. No spare. Dad hasn’t been able to find a rim that fits the truck yet since it is a ‘new to them’ addition. 


Our options are to leave the truck stranded till morning or head back to the house, fix the tire, replace it and get to the cabin. Building supplies seem to be a hot commodity in the boonies so we opt for not leaving the truck alone too long. Mom drives off in the Tacoma to the cabin. Can’t let the perishable food go bad. Dad throws the tire in the back of my truck and back we go towards the house. My speedy driving skills are now an asset as it is already dark and by cabin time standards that means bed time. We are getting tired.


We get to the house and Dad hunts down a few tire’s he thinks might work by the light of my headlights. We use the truck to get everything over to the garage and Dad gets to work. First the bad tire needs to come off. This is were an ax and a sledge hammer come in to knock the bead out of place. Some soap, a couple pry bars, and a lot of effort finish the job. The best tire is selected and more soap, pry bars, and effort get the new tire back on. Air it up and POP! it’s in place and ready to go. Tire is thrown back in my truck and we boogy our way back to the one ton. It is still safe and sound as well as our supplies. Tire is reinstalled and everything is good to go. 


We finish making our way to the cabin, stopping to leave my truck before the narrow section. I get in the one ton with my Dad to finish the final stretch of trail.Like I said before, this part of the trail is narrow. Dad happily gave me the commentary on how you get this beast down such a small trail full of rocks, trees, brush and hills. There was lots of ‘cut it hard here’ and ‘cut it back there’ a ‘clip your mirror here’ as well as a ‘drive one side of the truck up on this rock’ (feels like your on a 45 degree side slant). If your ever out to the cabin  its a ride I highly recommend. My Dad would surely enjoy it, and you might think we are a little crazy after.


We make it to the cabin. We are tired but it’s good that we got everything there and can start on a cabin project tomorrow. It was a good evening if it was somewhat eventful.


My favorite parts were learning how to use an ax and a sledge hammer to bust the bead on a tire and Dad’s entertaining trail commentary. 


Love you Mom and Dad,

xoxoAmy