Lost lug nuts

[Doc]

Very nice here today. Mid 60's with warning of snow early tomorrow. Temps dropping fast once sun goes down. So, I think it's a great day for a ride in the side by side. Off we go on the close by back roads and trails. Beautiful all around.

Then I hear a clicking noise. WTH. Turn off engine and coast down a long hill, sure nuff, still hear clicking noise. Raise bed check around the wheels and axle can't find anything out of place. No stick stuck. Nothing. By now we were about 15 miles from home. Head back towards home, clicking gets worse. WTH. Drive a mile or two and then pull off ..something just ain't right.

Then notice a wheel is about ready to fall off. One lug is holding it on and it's wobbling back and forth as we drive. Crap. Easy fix, take a lug off one of the other wheels. All I needed was a lug wrench. Guess who does not have a lug wrench with them. Yep, me. So off we go limping down this back road hoping a car or truck comes by. No such luck. Limp down a back road that crosses 3 creeks. So far so good. Then we come to the only house on the road. A truck was coming from the other direction as I was asking a lady for a lug wrench. She said she had no clue but Tom here should be able to help. Sure nuff, he could. Man. Moral of story, carry tools and jack even on short trips close to home. With no phone signal and no jack if that wheel had come off we were in for a long long walk and the side by side would be left blocking a road, no way to go around as it's a one lane road as it is. I feel lucky to have made it to where Tom was with the right lug wrench.