Contrary to grandma Oddball’s expectations I was the driver during our next crisis. Our radiator cap had blown its seal and we were losing engine fluid. It wasn’t long before the engine temperature red lined and we had to stop. Waiting for help in that heat wasn’t much of a viable option since the highway was so lonely and we were nearly out of drinking water.

We needed to fill the engine with some fluid before we could continue. I like to use anti-freeze but this was a desperate situation so water would have to do until we got to a town where I could buy a new radiator cap and some anti-freeze.

The problem was we didn’t have enough water to fill the radiator hence my foray through the barbed wire fence. We’d luckily had stopped near a small culvert that ran under the raised highway bed that serviced a small stream. Actually in the summer heat it was more of a trickle barely a foot wide in the middle of what looked like hard cracked mud extending on either side to a short three foot bank constraining the stream flow. In short it was a nothing more than a large ditch. The trickle itself was almost stagnant with a decidedly green tinge and a scummy surface. Not a very promising water source but we needed the water so we would have to make do.

Unfortunately we didn’t have any water containers. Rummaging around we finally found a large saucepan I could use. With saucepan in hand I carefully parted the barbed wire with grandma’s help and crossed to the other side of the fence. Carefully climbing down the highway embankment I made my way to the stream ditch under the herd’s penetrating gaze which I carefully monitored (especially the very interested bull on the far side of the ditch).

When I arrived at the stream edge I was presented with a choice in order to get to the water. Go upstream towards the bulk of the herd or simply jump down the three or so feet onto the hard cracked mud by the trickle. I choose the latter, jumped down and promptly sank up to my knees in mud!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That deceiving mud surface was less than an inch thick and once I’d broken through it nothing stopped me from sinking into the mud below. Jumping was clearly the wrong choice. Now I was stuck in the middle of nowhere without food or water under a blanket of oppressive heat.

I had to do something. It could be hours before another car came by that grandma Oddball could flag down for help. I was near the bank which had some roots I could grab and using them I manage after a bit of effort to extricate myself. Carefully making my way to the trickle I tried to fill the saucepan with the “cleanest” water I could find whereupon I made my way back to our car.

Using a tee shirt as a “filter” we poured the water into the radiator but it wasn’t enough to fill it. There was no option, I had to obtain more water. It took several more trips in order to get enough water to fill the radiator and with each trip that arrogant bull moved closer and closer until his horns looked the size of elephants tusks. The herd must have had some experience with that mud crust as they only moved to the edge of the stream bank and no further. It was a good thing that bull was on the other side of the stream.

Once we were able to resume our trip we had some luck and things improved somewhat. Grandma Oddball now drove as my feet were covered in mud. About ten miles down the road we spied a house just off the highway and stopped for help. We were disappointed that no one was around but it soon became evident that was because the house was under construction. Luckily whoever was building the house had dug a well so we were able to get some clean water to drink and refill our radiator. I was even able to wash off the worst of the mud which by this time had dried out in the heat forming a second skin of caked mud on my legs.

This is only a part of our Montana adventures. I’ll relate further adventures in future posts.

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