The other day there was a bit of action going on behind my house. There were a couple of wreckers on the lake shore, and several people out on the ice standing around. It wasn't until yesterday that the local paper had an explanation.
Every year they have auto and snowmobile ice racing on the lake behind our house. It seems that last Saturday (according to the paper) a 23 year old was driving his 4WD pick-up on the ice and found a pressure ridge (that's where the ice kinda jams up due to the movement of the water and ice...usually thinner ice or open water). The two wreckers were attempting to pull the truck out of the hole it had created. Now, picture this...the rear wheels are on the ice...the front of the truck nose down in the water up to the rear of the cab. It's out in the middle of the lake, maybe 500-600 yards from shore. Now this truck is not some old beater, oh no. Its a 2003 Ford F-250 extended cab (with the rear suicide doors) valued at $38,000! And of course, insurance doesn't cover this kind of problem. I'm not sure it it's out, or just down with Nemo, because I couldn't see it when I went by this afternoon.
Now no one was injured, but I think this is one of those times the driver must have "said it, then done it!"
It wasn't until the paper came out that I knew about the OTHER ONE!
According to the paper, last Friday (the day before), a 17 year old was driving his FATHER'S truck, a 1997 Ford F-150 (valued at $10,000) and hit the same pressure ridge. It is now resting comfortably on the bottom of the lake (only around 8 feet of water - but hey, what difference?) Only a floating spare tire and piece of wood, now frozen in the ice, marks the location. Again insurance doesn't cover the vehicles on the ice, nor does it pay for any recovery efforts. The DEP has given both owners 30 days to remove their vehicles. The 17 year old was also unhurt, at least from the dunking. Not sure what "daddy" had to say...
It only serves to remember that frozen lakes and ponds need to be tested real well before setting foot on them!
