At the Escapees RV Rally in Du Quoin, Illinois (called Escapade) they parked 48 rigs in The Swamp, an area in the middle of a practice harness race track. We were the generator parking group. The swamp was muddy when we arrived Sunday and it was difficult driving in. I could feel the Dutch Star sinking and the steering wheel felt like it lost control. No matter which way I steered the Dutch Star went straight and then would hit a firm spot and jerk left or right, whichever way I had the wheels turned. I kept the accelerator on the floor and never got above 8 mph during the 1500 feet venture from the hard track to our parking spot. Once we got to our spot I let up on the accelerator and stopped immediately. The next couple of motorhomes made the same grand entrance as rain continued to come down in buckets from Hurricane Rita. Then motorhomes got stuck coming in and were dragged to their parking spot by a large tractor. After getting 48 rigs in the swamp they parked the rest of the generator group and the hard surface of the race track.

It rained hard the rest of Sunday and all that night before clearing up Monday afternoon. By then much of the swamp had five inches of standing water and the hard packed mud became soft oozy mud, the kind that seeps through the toes and over the ankles and then makes a sucking noise and a pop as the foot is withdrawn for the next step.

Tuesday afternoon the parking crew and a fairgrounds worker came to the swamp with little red flags to mark the best exit path. After walking around and scratching their collective heads for over an hour they shrugged their shoulders and left. Of course all the motorhome and fifthwheel owners were offering helpful comments like: Who in the world decided to park rigs in a swamp?  Ain't no way in h*ll we'll get out of here!!!  Can we just stay parked here for another week until it dries out?

Actually the parking crew was trying to do a good job and came close to apologizing, but never said that word. The parking crew said the week before we arrived it had rained and they drove a pickup around the swamp and it left no ruts so they assumed RVs would have no problems. They failed to realize a motorhome like ours weighs almost 32,000 pounds and each one of our front tires holds the weight of an entire pickup truck.

Two motorhome owners announced they needed to get out because they had to leave the rally the next morning. A big tractor was summoned and arrived and waited in standby. RV owners stood on the sidelines to see the fate of motorhome number one as he gunned his machine and made it fifteen feet before sinking axle deep in mud. The tractor operator laid on his back in mud and found a place to hook a tow strap. After some grunting and tires spinning, smoke bellowing from both engines, the combination tractor and motorhome inched forward and finally reached an estimated 3 mph. After digging deep ruts for 1500 feet they reached the hard surfaced race track and disconnected.

The tractor returned and everybody awaited motorhome number two's attempt. With air bags inflated, diesel engine roaring and the sound of pure power, the motorhome spun its rear wheels and sank to the axle having never moved one inch forward. The tractor towed that motorhome out of the swamp like the first one.

For some reason, unknown to the rest of us RVers, motorhome driver number three decided he wanted to exit too. We lined the path to cheer him on and as he started moving forward we gave a loud cheer, as he kept moving forward we jumped up and down and clapped our hands. Suddenly the excitement ended as the motorhome sank axle deep in mud claiming yet another motorhome. OK, the tractor driver laid in mud, hooked up the tow line and pulled him out too. 

The parking crew told the rest of us 45 RV owners we had to be out of the swamp by the next afternoon because more rain was forecast and once it fell the tractor might not be able to help. Many of us silently walked around and through the swamp trying to find firm ground and a possible way to drive out. Hopeless - it sure looked hopeless, with ruts 12 - 20 inches deep through the swamp and they had already re-filled with water. 

Bright and early the next morning the parking crew and tractor returned. We all exited our RVs and met in small groups discussing possible options. Who wanted to be first and who wanted to be last? We had to decide. One by one RVers said I'll go first, I'll go second or I want to be the last one out. 

It became a sport much like motocross. People lined both sides of the exit path and cheered and yelled as each motorhome and fifthwheel attempted the course. Engines roared, tires spun and mud flew, but every dang RV met the same fate and sank to their axles in mud. Some never got out of their parking spot, some made it 20 feet and others covered 50 feet before sinking, but there were no winners. By that point the cheering had ended because everyone realized their turn was yet to come and the ruts and mud was now about two feet deep - so deep the tractor was having trouble moving. 

There were about 30 rigs left and everyone of us were walking around the swamp trying desperately to find firm ground and a new exit plan. The RVers had all been facing the same direction and exiting the same direction. Now that most of the RVs across from us were gone we had new options and a new plan. We decided if we went forward instead of through the planned exit, we could get on firmer ground by driving 300 feet, making a 90 degree right turn, hugging a drainage ditch for 1500 feet, turning left and crossing the low ditch, and driving another 500 feet to the packed race track. 

Others agreed with the plan and we didn't want to be the first to try that route or the last when it would be full of ruts. Motorhomes number one, two and three made it out and we were ready to go next. We informed the parking crew to clear the path so the tractor was moved. Our angle was more severe than the other three motorhomes so we had to start driving with the front wheels turned instead of straight ahead like them. 

Our motorhome weighs almost 32,000 pounds, but we felt like we had two advantages. Our tires are 70 series which means they are wider than most tires and give more surface traction and our engine develops 370 horsepower and a whopping 1200 foot pounds of torque. The parking crew gave us the go sign and as other eyes watched I started slowly so we would not spin the wheels and sink, then I mashed the pedal to the metal, flew through mud and made a 90-degree turn between an electric post and water faucet sliding sideways. Once straightened out we kept picking up speed and reached about 20 mph, slipping and sliding, fighting the steering wheel and bouncing side to side. The hard packed race track came closer and closer until we pulled on it at an angle and were finally safe and sound. 

Our wheels and wheel wells were packed with mud and the rear mud guard did its job we guess, because it was so packed with mud we couldn't recognize it. Of course the sides of the Dutch Star sported about twenty pounds of mud too. Our only other causality was two broken drinking glasses so we felt lucky and hope we never have to park in a swamp again.