Washed out

The day after such a deluge it was an unexpected and welcome change to have a lovely sunny day. Glorious in fact. The damage caused by the downpour is evident on the lane, and in a clear case of should have known better, I really should have known better than to have said out loud only three days ago that since we have moved here the lane, our connection with the outside world, a three tenths of a mile long ribbon of gravel and grass that ascends the Bonsai Mountain, put there for the sole use of the occupiers of Rock HQ, the lane has fared well, surviving the elements and not deteriorated in any discernible way in over three years. Why, I carried on full of bravado, you hardly need a four by four at all here.

The small gods of smallholding, bored with waiting for the next drama of animal husbandry to test us decided that this was too good an opportunity to miss and the four horsemen of minor disasters, aptly named Minor Damage, No Time To Mend, That's Torn It and Accident Waiting To Happen set forth to wreak havoc amongst the gravel and boulders that constitute our drive.

First indicators that things were awry was when Vic the surefooted but terribly low in ground clearance Volvo dived to the left just before the gateway, in panic I accidentally got us through this inconvenience by applying full opposite lock and lots of acceleration. A strange sensation as you know your wheels are facing the opposite direction to the way you are travelling but Vic fought for purchase, missed the fence and oncoming tree and pulled out of a terminal dive and regained the track surface. A quick inspection revealed foot deep ruts in the stone lane carved by the water, which was still doing its best to rearrange the local geography. Further inspection gave light to the fact that part of the track was now missing presumed neighbours fields. The repairs will have to wait, meantime a traverse of the track is possible with care and a certain amount bravery. And a four by four.