So, yesterday I had a busy day working. I had an attorney call me to serve deposition subpoena's to six people in four counties. On top of that, I had to take my sons to work at different times and be there to get my stepdaughter when she got home from school. So, I spent my morning in the two counties to the south and the one to the west. Then, I came home & picked up my stepdaughter & son. Dropped my son off at work and drove to the county to the north. (near where my husband works) I still had two more to serve and he had just gotten off work. We met for dinner & he took stepdaughter home & I went on to do the other serves. The first one was easy, a nice quiet neighborhood with perfectly manicured lawns. The gentleman answered the door, took the papers and I left.

Well, DH insisted last year that I get a car with GPS, so we bought an SUV w/ 4WD because we live in a mountainous area. With gas prices what they are, I called him while I was on my way to the last serve. It was 7:30 pm. I don't like to serve anyone after 8:30, 9 at the latest. (unless they are hiding from me, then I stake out and anytime I can get them is good) Anyways, I told him that we should have switched cars, his gets really good gas mileage and up until then, all the serves had been on paved roads the car would have easily made it on. But, it was too late to switch.

Well, I enter the address into navigation and it directs me how to get there. All is fine until I get on a road leading to the road I need to be on. I came to what looked like a creek. I wasn't sure but the road went into it and came out the other side (about 20-25 feet wide). I couldn't tell how deep it was and I sure didn't want to get stuck in the middle. I had spotty cell service. So, I pondered it a moment and this young guy, about 20, drives up in his truck and goes right through. So, I see it's not too deep (about a foot & half) and I've got 4WD so I go. No problem, got through. **SMILES** Then, the road I'm looking for is right there. The pavement gets rough, there are potholes and it's in pretty bad disrepair, but I'm almost there. I need to go about two miles on this road. It's just around sundown. The pavement ends and the dirt road is very bumpy. Still, not the worse I've seen. I keep going. Then, I reach a locked gate with an address. It's not the address I need and the road continues up a hill. So, I figure, I'm going to keep going, I'm not too far away according to the house number on the locked gate. As I drive up the road, the 4WD and traction control keep me from sliding back down. As I get to the top, the road narrows and it's on the side of a mountain where one side drops off. Then I see it... the sign. **CAUTION: ROAD CLOSED BY CHAIN AHEAD** and there it is. Two metal poles and a chain, blocking the only way out (besides backing the hell up, and backing down the hill I felt lucky to make it up in)

So, I get out and assess my situation. It's dusk, still light but getting dark. Part of me wants to cry. I know I can't back down that road, I'll slide back and probably wreck my SUV. I suck at backing up on flat land. I just sat there for a few minutes, wondering what to do? I had cell service but my husband is home, two hours away. I could call a tow truck and then I see what a fiasco that would be... I kinda felt 'helpless' and afraid. I also didn't want to feel humiliated if I were 'rescued' by a guy that thought "woman driver"! So, I backed up to the crest of the hill and was gonna make an attempt to go down backwards. I lost my nerve and sat there thinking I had to handle this. I started seeing the headlines of me rolling down the embankment and then I thought of 'Gardenweb' and how, as I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to make it out of this predicament, I'm thinking 'they're probably still debating my past... ' and I started to laugh. I could die out here and they might never hear from me again, and they would think I left the forum because of things that were said.

So, I got out of my car. I walked to the edge where it drops off and I walked along the edge. I found a spot where there was about three feet of shoulder under the grass. There was also a tree that if I did slide down, I'd end up tangled in the tree & it would break my fall. I backed up to that spot, pulled over to the shoulder, hoping I didn't underestimate it. I was good & turned all the way so my car was diagonal with the road. Then, with my door open and one foot on the ground (I could see better with the door open), I backed it onto the shoulder. Between the width of the road and the shoulder, it gave me about six to eight inches of 'move' room. I backed up six inches, pulled forward six inches. (anyone ever see the scene in Austin Powers where he is turning around in a small space and goes an inch back and forth?) That's what it was like, I made a 20 point turn. But, I DID IT!!!

Oh yeah, it's good that I hadn't taken my car, it wouldn't have made it through the foot & half of water, let alone up that hill, so I would have had to give up before I got there. At least I can say I made an attempt...

Of course, I was disappointed that I didn't get the serve done. It was 9pm by the time I got out of there and had to get home. I got home around 11pm, exhausted and proud that I found the courage to get myself out of that situation. I had to do some research but I found a road that goes around to get me into the side that was blocked off. grrrrr I have to go back today.