Tremendously:

Extremely large in amount, extent, or degree; enormous

I picked the word for this week based on events from April 14. Curiously enough, this is challenge 13 and these events were somewhat scary enough to think that it had been the 13th.

So this is how the story starts:

It was a sunny day in the area of Rock Springs, Wyoming. Actually, it was a nice day by the normal standard: breezy, cool, and just enough clouds to make the sky pretty. So I took off in my rented Kia Sorento to go exploring with my camera. I had researched some typical must-see sites in the closer area. The White Mountain petroglyphs were high on my list and then Boars Tusk if I had time. I planned to squeeze in a trip along the Mustang loop if I could.

So the trip started out very nice. A slow drive along Wyoming Sweetwater county road 17 seeing the mountains surround me.

Along the way I came upon a flock of sheep. Now, if you hadn’t heard from my trip in March, I saw a flock of sheep just before getting into Green River, WY from Salt Lake City. But these sheep were a bit unusual – they had big green spots on them. NO, I wasn’t imagining it. Another friend coming in the next day saw it, too. So on my trip this particular day in April I happened upon a large flock hanging out on the road. The sheep in their variations were tremendously beautiful and interesting! They didn’t have large spots of paint but they were marked. Here are a few of their photos:

When I got to the place where the petroglyphs were I found the gate closed so there was no wandering around the caves that day. Then I backtracked to the county road but saw a little gravel road that ran perpendicular to it so I took it. I wanted to go that direction because Boars Tusk was that way. The gravel road brought me an tremendously awesome sight – two wild mustangs wandering and running together.

Continuing on toward Boars Tusk I found the gravel road to be well paved and not too bumpy. Then as I got closer I noted a packed dirt road that looked like it led straight to Boars Tusk.

So of course, I had to take it. Now mind you, my Hubby had told me that day that I should be sure to fill the vehicle with gas, take water and a blanket if I went exploring and I was reminded that cell phone service in these areas was not readily available. So you can guess where this story is going….

I proceeded down the packed dirt road to a point where I saw water puddles ahead of me. Then I put the vehicle in reverse to back the way I came since I saw that I could not simply turn around. Next there was a puddle behind me which sent my passenger rear tire spinning. In to drive I went and then reversed with a slight turn of the wheels. Well, that slight turn of the wheels sent me into a mud bog that I couldn’t see. That mud bog “ate” my passenger side tires up to about 3 inches from the vehicle frame. I tried all kinds of forward, backward, using the floor mats to put under the tires all for naught. I was stuck. I was tremendously terrified.

Walking back along the road I came, I continued to watch my cell phone for signal. I knew that there were spots as I came along my route where I had signal. Each time I noted a bar on the signal I dialed 911. After about 4 times of hearing the voice of the dispatcher but losing the call I received a text from her. I gave specific information on my route that had taken me to my current location. I even took a photo of where I was to attempt to send to her – that is the vehicle there – the little looking one to the right… It never went thru. But here it is:

Then along came a man in a truck on the other side of what I now saw was a gulley. He had been hiking Boars Tusk and saw that the vehicle I was in had not moved. Of course, I am a bit still terrified, grateful to see another person, yet that person is male and carrying a pistol in a holster on his hip. So I blurted out the question “why are you carrying a gun?”. At this point I figured I was dead or saved. Turns out the man saved me from my mis-adventure by coming back around the way I came and pulling me out with his pickup. Now all this time I am trying to still text with the dispatcher. And just as we unhook the tow rope from my vehicle the sheriff deputy shows up. And not even close to as friendly as the man who pulled me from my mud bog.

I was then given a nice escort out of the recreation area by the deputy. The dispatcher had confirmed that I was ok and she finally had received the photo that I had been trying to send. She told me that it was a great photo of Boars Tusk.

Now you have heard about my tremendously exciting, beautiful, terrifying and grateful day – God was with me that day as I prayed continuously. I told Hubby later that I wasn’t foolish enough to make any bargains such as “I’ll stop doing so-and-so if you only get me out”. And truly my largest fear was that I would not be rescued for many hours and I would worry my Hubby when he got off work.

But alas, God cared for me and I made it back in time to shower and go to dinner with Hubby and his co-workers. Hubby wasn’t happy. But he was tremendously glad I was safe. I’m sticking to paved roads now days. Hope you enjoyed the pictures and the story!