Getting (Un)Stuck

IN THE FIRST installment of this series, I explained how I, along with my wife and two dogs, took Vincent Van Go, my new-tome ’03 Ford E-350 with the venerable 7.3L powerplant, on his first adventure—and wound up at a secluded campsite (aptly named Camp Nada Lotta) in the Southern California desert.

- Courtney McKinnon

After three days and nights of exploring the surrounding hills, stargazing from atop the roof rack, countless Yahtzee and Uno games played in the shade provided by Vinny’s shadow, one confirmed afternoon UFO sighting (we have video!), and way more junk food than any two people ever need to eat, it was time to deflate the air mattresses, pack up the van, and head back to civilization. By 11 a.m., we were on our way home. Or so we thought. When I pushed the pedal to the floor, Vinny made no forward progress. The only other time I experienced something similar was the year prior when I got a motorhome stuck in the mud in New Zealand…