When Trailers and Potholes Don't Mix

Have you ever towed a trailer? 

Well I have towed a trailer a few times and get so nervous when I do. I also have had my fair share of mishaps almost every time I have towed. There is one particular time that stands out from all of them though, so please try not to laugh too much at my misfortune.

This particular day, the trailer I was towing on this occasion had a cage sitting inside the trailer which is made of steel bars. It is very strong, sturdy and extremely HEAVY! 

You will find out shortly why I have highlighted the word heavy. Here is a picture for you:

So I had made a delivery of wood (as per photo above) to a neighbour around the corner. 

I also should explain to you that where I live is a very hilly country area with dirt roads and lots of pot holes.  When it rains and road has not been graded for a while, it can be a hazard to drive on. 

And as far as neighbour goes; I mean someone who lives 4km away, my closest neighbour is almost 1km away.

After delivering the wood, I had left for home and for a short distance the road was nice and smooth and sealed.  Knowing that the dirt road was approaching up ahead and at this point in time, it was in a pretty bad state too.  Hence I was driving quite slowly. 

Suddenly, with a thud I was on the dirt road and any small pothole I hit, the trailer I was towing was making an awful lot of noise. 

Then I drove across a huge hole in the road and I heard this awful loud clashing noise behind me. I looked up in my rear vision mirror and saw the cage fly out of the trailer and roll, while bouncing down the road.

NOW the panic button was pushed and what was I going to do? I started to reverse, but could already see this was not going to work so I pulled over to the side, which meant I was still on most of the road (remember small country dirt road). 

I got out of the car and walked to the cage which was a few metres from the trailer. I assessed the situation and was trying to come up with a solution (which kept coming to the same conclusion) 'You are going to have to drag this thing to the trailer'! 

Huh! How on earth? It is so HEAVY!

I had to think fast, surely a car was going to come past any time soon. Instead I called my husband, but unfortunately he was no where near my area and couldn't come to my aid. 

I then made a call to the person I had just made the delivery to, NO ANSWER! 

Of course there is never a man around when you actually need one! 

So this meant the inevitable, I placed two hands on the cage and with all the strength I could muster I dragged it. 

As I said the cage was so heavy and I was hardly getting anywhere until I dropped it on my foot! OUCH! 

Holding back the tears, rubbing my foot while semi limping (and looking like a fool and luckily there was no one around that could see me). I knew I had to keep going as I thought a car would pass by soon.

Finally I reached the trailer.

Hmm! More thinking as I walked around the situation before me, how would I get this rotten thing onto the trailer, and really how on earth did it come out in the first place? 

I proceeded to open the tailgate and I lined up the cage with the trailer. I got into the trailer and managed to lift the cage up to the trailer... my phone rang, ooh it was the guy I had just done the delivery for and I laughingly told him what had happened and he said he would come and help me out.

While talking to him on the phone I found myself looking at a beautiful lake and a house on the other side of it which had full view of me.  Ok so you gotta laugh hey, maybe they hadn't seen anything. 

After much pushing, pulling and stressing I had the cage in with just 10cms to go.  Then neighbour pulls up and finally a car drives by, amazing! That would be my luck! 

He kindly helped me push the cage in just that last little bit and then I looked at it and wondered had I put it in the right way? 

I wiped my brow and phew, thank goodness it was in the right way. There was no way I was going to change it now if it was wrong. 

We tied it down to the trailer so there was no way it could leap frog out of there again. I think I panicked all the way home even though I knew it was secure. 

As for my poor foot, I hobbled around the house for a few days (luckily I did no serious damage), yet with each painful step and each grown I made - I deliberately made it known to my hubby, THAT next time, you can deliver the wood!  

But as I mentioned above it was not the first time I towed the trailer, and I guess nor will it be the last either!