So it was an innocent enough dump station stop off, you know get rid of the black and grey water like responsible self-contained bus people. Tekapo has one recommended for large vehicles on the road down to the hot springs.
Everything went swimmingly and we discussed the exit strategies and there was some disagreement on the route out but for the life of me I cannot remember how that played out. Regardless we found ourselves right across the road wedged into the road surface with the bus rear wheels free wheeling in the dirt and the entire road blocked with our bus/trailer/car combination.
At this point everybody in Tekapo then decided it would be a good time to visit those most excellent hot pools.
Kiwis are wonderfully helpful people. Before you could turn around we had volunteers directing traffic, people helping me get the car off, others with tools trying to free the then flying trailer. A chap and his partner got their four wheel drive in front and tried to help pull the bus off the road with my 2.5 ton strop...
After the trailer was finally removed we pulled and pulled the bus, shoving the trailer ramps under the wheels to no avail. At some point someone recognised me and the former District Services chairman of the Timaru District Council was now found to be destroying the Mackenzie District Councils sealed roads - DRAMA. I sensed there was much mirth to be found in this situation playing out for them.
"First time out is it?"
"First time yes, in the sense we've been on the road for 3 months now..."
So pulling forward wasn't working so we swapped the four wheel drive around to the back and tried to pull it back on the road. Still the bus wheels spun themselves dizzy. There was talks of jacks and lifting the bus, Ang asked me what plan D was, some chap went off to find something bigger to pull us. Incidentally the kids thought this whole thing spectacularly exciting and the highlight of the day - bless.
So we've been trying for an hour and at about the point where all hope was lost - some shouts, a smidgen of movement and then the rear tyres gripped the trailer ramps and we gouged out more of the road as we came free. Once everything was untied, the helpful kiwi's disappeared refusing anything for their help. With the bus on the side of the road, Tekapo mysteriously turned into a ghost town with no-one feeling the need to now drive up or down the once hectic road.
No-one of course except a police office who after evading our large hole in the road decided to round about and come back for further inspection. Window slides down,
Officer: "So you got your bus stuck eh?"
"yep" sucking-in-air "we did"
Officer: "You've really ripped up the road there"
"yea, it's a bit of a shocker"
A moments silence then ensured as we all paused to consider the situation.
Officer: "I'll let the council know and they'll swing around in the morning to get it fixed"
"Thanks, much appreciated" I reply, he waves and pulls away.
"Dad, Dad what did the policeman say?" No 8 asked rushing up breathlessly excited.
Kids are really cool for keeping things in perspective, we hooked up the trailer, car and carried on to Pleasant Point txting pics of the mishap to our new French friends who once got their 11m monster 4wd house truck stuck for two days in an isolated river in Iceland.
Replies
Yes I was wrong, that rise was not as surmountable as it looked. Yes I spent 90% of the ordeal inside the bus (someone had to look after the kids), plus I didn't think my giggles would be particularly helpful to Hamish who was frantically running around trying to dislodge the safety chain from the towbar firmly lodged into the tarseal within full view of a huge audience that appeared from nowhere. And yes I was terrified I was going to ram my 12.5tonne bus into the 4 wheel drive that was pulling me out with the 2.5 tonne strop!! Wouldn't that have been the icing on the cake, thanks for pulling me out mate - crash!
When I emerged to photograph the ordeal the random man in the car behind us who I hold responsible for our harried exit decision stated, "you're not seriously going to photograph that are you". Obviously my humour and his differed slightly...ah perspective!"