For the last ten days or so, I've been on hiatus from social media. It's an annual break and one I deliberately chose to take because I'm doing something I enjoy and that keeps me sane--I go to the Collie Nationals. This year the Collie Nationals were held in Salt Lake City. Taking nine dogs to a show that is a solid 2.5 day's drive from home requires logistical planning on par with moving a small army. To accomplish that trip required the rental of a trailer to haul equipment to Salt Lake City. (Fortunately, we didn't need the trailer coming home because two of those nine were going to forever homes on the trip there.)
About five hours into this trip and well after dark, near St. Charles, MO, the ball hitch for the trailer lost the nut holding it securely to the bumper. Crossing a bridge in desperate need of repair bounced the trailer, complete with ball still securely held in the hitch yoke, out of the bumper. Fortunately, a professional driver of a big rig saw what happened, laid on his horn, and flashed his lights at me. Another car drove by and the driver shouted out his window to my friend and passenger we were dragging the trailer. Neither of us had any idea what was going on and I tapped the brakes. Immediately, said loose trailer began swaying all over the place. I knew then we had a major problem. The semi driver stayed on my bumper with his flashers going and cleared all four lanes of traffic so I could get to the exit at the bottom of the bridge. Another driver in a pickup followed us off the interstate and to the well-lit parking lot of a business very near the off ramp. This driver offered help.
Four hours later, after a call to the 800 number of the rental company, we were finally back on the road with a brand new ball hitch that had been properly tightened and secured. (As a Facebook friend said when I first posted this image--"LockTite is your friend!")
It could have been a lot worse than simply a sheered off ball hitch. We could have been tail-ended and the trailer driven up into the van, possibly injuring dogs. The trailer could have fishtailed and jack-knifed around into the van. Or worse, it could have caused me to lose control of the van and either forced us into traffic or off the bridge. None of that happened. The whole thing amounted to little more than a four hour delay and a bit of an inconvenience.
I'm pretty sure my guardian angel was working overtime that night and when he or she went off duty had a good stiff drink. I know I did when we finally got to the hotel that night.
About five hours into this trip and well after dark, near St. Charles, MO, the ball hitch for the trailer lost the nut holding it securely to the bumper. Crossing a bridge in desperate need of repair bounced the trailer, complete with ball still securely held in the hitch yoke, out of the bumper. Fortunately, a professional driver of a big rig saw what happened, laid on his horn, and flashed his lights at me. Another car drove by and the driver shouted out his window to my friend and passenger we were dragging the trailer. Neither of us had any idea what was going on and I tapped the brakes. Immediately, said loose trailer began swaying all over the place. I knew then we had a major problem. The semi driver stayed on my bumper with his flashers going and cleared all four lanes of traffic so I could get to the exit at the bottom of the bridge. Another driver in a pickup followed us off the interstate and to the well-lit parking lot of a business very near the off ramp. This driver offered help.
Four hours later, after a call to the 800 number of the rental company, we were finally back on the road with a brand new ball hitch that had been properly tightened and secured. (As a Facebook friend said when I first posted this image--"LockTite is your friend!")
It could have been a lot worse than simply a sheered off ball hitch. We could have been tail-ended and the trailer driven up into the van, possibly injuring dogs. The trailer could have fishtailed and jack-knifed around into the van. Or worse, it could have caused me to lose control of the van and either forced us into traffic or off the bridge. None of that happened. The whole thing amounted to little more than a four hour delay and a bit of an inconvenience.
I'm pretty sure my guardian angel was working overtime that night and when he or she went off duty had a good stiff drink. I know I did when we finally got to the hotel that night.