Nice story Jim!
I've found my VW in 'bad' places before & started carrying a
come-a-long, shovel, chain, tow strap & shackles after one of them.

How did you get out of that?
Would a come-a-long, shovel, chain, tow strap & shackles have helped
in your situation?

Rob
vwrobb@gmail.com

At  4/17/2013 09:36 AM, Jim Felder wrote:
>This may have been covered before, and it is not strictly Vanagon content,
>but I was in a Vanagon last week when it happened to me.
>
>Looking for places to get on a river, I naturally found myself under a
>bridge. I was a long day from home on a multi-day Westy trip to research
>rivers in part of my state. The surface I was on went from hard-packed to
>deep sand in one short moment, and I could not see it coming. The front
>wheels dropped down and quickly the back wheels had dug in. I had to dig
>out under the muffler for clearance to be extricated by a local who,
>because I travel with a very long tow strap, was able to pull me out from
>the hard packed road.
>
>While locating a local, I called AAA, which has always provided me with
>really good service when I have needed it. "Can the service vehicle get to
>you without getting off the paved roadway?" I was asked. I replied that you
>couldn't even see the paved road from where I was. "We can't help you,
>thanks for choosing AAA today. Is there anything else I can do for you
>today?"
>
>I thought that I might ask her to pave the access road, but thought better.
>
>Don't wander farther off the beaten path than your tow strap will reach.
>And don't tell me to buy a Syncro. Even the four-wheelers I encountered
>would not cross over to me on the soft sand.
>
>: )
>
>Jim