Relying on a parachute made from Luan and foam is not a device found in conventional engineering.
Yet I was staring at the wall of a ditch from the passenger seat of our 2016 blue Chevy Traverse.
A ditch 30 feet from the highway’s asphalt,
I turned to my left, meeting the inexplicable gaze of Cat,
The car sat almost vertically, nose down, flowing from I55 with such low impact that no airbags deployed.
Neither of us was injured. “Things will be fine” I thought to myself.
I exited the passenger side and Cat followed because a small tree had pinned her door closed.
Taking a measure look at the car I felt with a little body work we’d be up and running in a few days,
It was then I looked at what was left of our KZ Coyote camper.
“Pancake” was my first thought.
We started to negotiate a climb up the steep embankment, where at street level, we met a very concerned Walmart trucker who had witnessed the incident.
.With time still in slomo, I couldn’t tell you when the Missouri Highway patrol showed up but they were professional and courteous.
In spite of a now-flock of humans requesting an interaction with me I was compelled to examine the twisted black metal trailer hitch.
Absent sway bars, my first thought was all the time and money devoted to the installation of a Vevor sway bar trailer hitch did absolutely nothing to offset 2 tons on dual axles from swaying so severely that the 22-foot travel trailer hastened, while at the same time reducing both vehicles’ speed.
RAParts One White Plastic Camper and RV Door Holder with Stop Fits Universal
No words can accurately describe my mindset of the next few hours while untangling 2 severely damaged vehicles.
I made no phone calls but a couple of tow trucks arrived with both drivers meeting to discuss an extraction strategy
I’m staring at the not-so-far side of a ditch.
“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry*,”
Robert Burns: The full saying comes from Burns’ 1785 poem, “To a Mouse,” where he wrote, “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley”
Written by Mitch Rezman
Approved by Catherine Tobsing
