Stuck In The Mud
I consider myself a tough ole bird. I’m fairly adventurous so I often get myself into a pickle. Most of the time I just remain calm, think through the situation logically and find a way out. Other times though, I get stuck. Sometimes quite literally.
For the last ten days or so cranes have been congregating around our village. They’re pretty noisy, so even when you can’t see them you can hear them. I’ve made a few attempts to get close but they always get skittish and fly off, so I have to settle for watching them from afar.
Yesterday I went down a particularly muddy road in search of red deer. The rut is due to start soon and I had been told there were a few stags in the forest at the end of this road. As I was driving I spotted a huge congregation of cranes off to one side. They were partly hidden by the long grass, so I drove further to try to get a better angle. I obviously got too close – they took to the sky.
As it happens, my car got stuck in the mud on this particular road last year and I had to call hubby to be rescued. To avoid a repeat scenario, this time I decided to park my car before the road became really mucky and go the last few kilometres on foot. It was a gloriously sunny day and I would enjoy the walk. Going on foot would also enable me to sneak up on the cranes and get a better shot.
I was in my wellies (muck boots) and wasn’t too concerned that the field was a bit mucky. I just took my time, taking in all the sights and sounds. All of a sudden one foot disappeared deep into the mud. I wriggled to get it free, but this seemed only to push my foot deeper in. I pulled and pulled, side to side, pointing my toe, anything I could think of to get my foot free. I was carrying an expensive camera with long telephoto lens attached, so didn’t really have use of my hands. I was also being a bit tentative in case I fell face first (and camera second) into the mud.
Finally, after much effort, the boot slid heavily out of the mud. Phew! I went to walk on, but in the time it had taken to free my boot, my second foot had become stuck. For several minutes I wriggled and wriggled but it might as well have been cemented in – there was no budging it. I looked back at my car, about 1 km away. I looked at my boots, now both stuck. I started to panic. I knew Arunas was working and I didn’t want to drag him away because my feet were stuck in mud. What on earth was I going to do?
I decided that my biggest hindrance was the camera. If I could get rid of that I could use my hands to dig my boots out. So I took my feet out of the boots, carefully removing my socks in mid-air and placing them back into the boots to keep them dry. Then I walked the kilometre back to the car in my bare feet. I deposited the camera safely, then walked back in my bare feet for my boots. I dug them out with my hands and carried them back to the car. I was too afraid to put them back on in case I got stuck again. When I got to the car I washed my hands and feet in a puddle, dried them with an old t-shirt, then put on my socks and shoes (which were in the car) and drove home for a very strong coffee.
Suffice it to say I will not be going down that lane again, red deer or not!
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Excuse the poor image – this was taken on my cheapy phone with very shaky hands.
My Food Odyssey 
Thank you for a great blog about getting stuck in the mud; you reminded me so much about growing up around Cork Harbour, and nearly getting stuck in the wonderful expanses of soft grey shiny mud at low tide (a splendid feeding ground for birds). Myself and a couple of pals from school made “mud boards”, copying the design from a book by Arthur Ransome; we strapped them onto our wellies, but they didn’t work too well, and had to be abandoned 🙂 Frank’s suggested “Mudders” look much more practical !
Dalia and I saw our first snow yesterday in the midlands of Ireland where we live, and we are talking about visiting Lithuania in 2018. I miss the forests, nature, the city of Vilnius, and more; and it has been too long since our last visit.
Iki,
Jack
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Hi Jack! Yes, I heard it was a bit chilly in Ireland at the moment. Hope you’re safe and well and enjoying the beauty of the snow. We’ve actually had very little so far, but I’m sure it’s coming. Take care! June.
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Quite an “adventure” – right in your own backyard (almost).
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I got lost in a marsh once when I was a teenager while ringing reed warblers and bearded tits… Water to my waist and chest, about to come inside the “waders” boots… Surrounded by reeds, nothing but reeds… I hear mud is good for you though! 🙂 Crazy stuff, your story brought back memories!
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Ooh, I don’t like the sound of that! Water is MUCH scarier than mud! I did think the mud might be good for my skin while I was squelching about. Got a few cuts and bruises, though, so that took from it a little! 😉
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Oh June! Since you are fine I can laugh …. I did the same in a snow hole in the early spring here. Climbing with far too much aplomb I jumped off a rock and just sank. Who knew that snow can be so …. sticky? I know how much I panicked and I had my husband with me. How you must have felt I can only imagine. But well done, the Girl Guides would be proud of you for your practical calm and ultimately successful escape. Just please don’t ever go that way again – it doesn’t like you. Really it doesn’t!
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Ha! Laughing at that Girl Guide comment! “Always be prepared”! At least I did have my phone in my pocket in case I did need rescuing. But you’re right – that road just doesn’t like me!
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Mean thing. The road. Just ignore it. For a long time. It’ll probably learn its lesson 😉
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Perhaps it’s time to get a pair of mudders? https://www.mudderboots.com/
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I think I’ll just avoid the mud, Frank! They look good, though!
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I love reading about your adventures!
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Thanks Alvida! Some are not planned, but I guess those are the fun ones! 😉
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What an adventure! That happen to me when I was a kid. We were walking through a Christmas tree farm choosing a tree when I stepped into a muddy area and my boot became stuck. I stood there balancing on one still-booted foot wondering how I was going to get my other boot out of the mud! Luckily my family came to the rescue. Goes to show when in a pickle, you can be very resourceful! Take pride in knowing you can handle the situation on your own!
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Ha! Yes, it’s not fun when those feet get stuck. I was just lucky it was a nice warm day!
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I Couldn’t agree more with Randy. Being a South African myself , our roads are something else!
but we love that adventure ,that experience is one of a kind!
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I agree completely, Lerato. I’m okay with muddy feet – just let me get as far off-road as possible. The bigger the adventure, the happier I am!
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That’s awesome. Really glad you took pics of your muddy feet. Our “road” to our house is only a bit better than that. I’ve been stuck 2 times even with all wheel drive. I was pulled out by the local farmer and his tractor. 3 times I’ve pulled others out including in my yard where workers were at our house. Lithuania is a bit like an African Safari sometimes. Rough terrain, wild animals, and exotic foods. I’m kind of a city boy so being in Lithuania is a daily adventure.
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Arunas tells me there’s a knack to driving in the mud. I’m not sure I’m prepared to put in the practice to nail the technique! I definitely need a four-wheel drive – that’s currently top of my wish list. I love that safari feel when I’m far down the fields, but yesterday I was very grateful we don’t have any predators here. I was like a sitting duck, with both feet stuck in the mud! 😀
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