Stuck in the Mud and Summer Dreams
The sun peeked through the trees as Gianna, Dalton, and Nicholle bounced along in their Jeep, with Slither riding up front, his tail curled around the grab handle. The Pine Barren Venom Jeep Club was out for another adventure, exploring the unpaved roads deep in the woods.
“I love mornings like this,” Gianna said, taking in the fresh forest air. “The smell of pine, the sound of the birds, and—”
BUMP! THUD!
The Jeep jerked to the side, and Dalton grabbed onto the dashboard. “Whoa! What was that?”
Nicholle, who had been looking out the window, pointed to the front tire. “Uh-oh… Looks like we’ve got a flat.”
Slither uncurled himself and rolled the window down, peeking out. “Well, well, well! Looks like it’s time for a pit stop!”
The gang hopped out, inspecting the tire, which was half-buried in a muddy rut.
“Okay,” Gianna said. “We know how to change a tire, but doing it in mud is a little trickier. What do we do first?”
Slither nodded wisely. ” Safety first! Park on level ground if you can, and make sure nobody stands where the Jeep could shift. Also, before lifting the Jeep, we need to make sure it won’t move—engage the parking brake and use wheel chocks or some rocks behind the tires.”
Dalton grabbed the jack from the back. “But we can’t just jack it up in the mud, right? It’ll sink!”
“Good thinking!” Slither flicked his tongue. “We need something sturdy under the jack. Who’s got a piece of wood or a recovery board?”
Nicholle pulled a recovery board from the back. “Got it! This will help keep the jack from sinking. Thank goodness we are prepared for our adventures.”
“Hold on!” Slither reminded them. “Before we jack it up, we need to loosen the lug nuts while the tire is still on the ground. That way, the wheel won’t spin when it’s lifted.”
Dalton grabbed the tire iron and loosened the lug nuts. “Now we’re ready to lift!”
They carefully set up the jack and began raising the Jeep. Man-oh-man, this was a tough task. As the flat tire lifted off the ground, it made a loud suction sound as it released from the mud. Shloopop…..
“This is way harder than on pavement,” Dalton grunted. “It’s like the mud is trying to keep the tire!”
Nicholle giggled. “It’s just giving it a hug goodbye.”
Slither chuckled. “Mud is clingy that way! But hey, at least it’s not quicksand. Then we’d really be in a jam!”
Once they secured the spare tire, Gianna snugged up the lug nuts while the Jeep was still lifted. Then, Dalton carefully lowered the Jeep back to the ground.
“Now we tighten them all the way,” Slither instructed. “That way, they’re nice and secure.”
“Teamwork makes the dream work!” Slither cheered.
“Speaking of dreams, what’s everyone excited for this summer?”
Nicholle grinned. “Camping! I wanna stay up late, make s’mores, and tell ghost stories!”
“Swimming!” Dalton added. “Gotta cool off after all these Jeep rides.”
Gianna sighed happily. “And a big beach trip! Driving the Jeep on the sand is going to be amazing.”
Slither perked up. “Count me in! I love all those things—just don’t bury me in the sand again. Last time, someone mistook me for a pool noodle!”
The gang burst out laughing as they packed up their tools. With their Jeep road-ready again, they climbed back in, eager to finish their ride and start planning the best summer ever.
“Now that’s how you turn a rough situation into a good time!” Slither said with a wink. “And remember, if you ever get stuck, just roll with it—kinda like a spare tire! And don’t forget to get that flat fixed right away—wouldn’t want another one ruining our next adventure!”
