Off-Road Rambles: A Subaru, a Sheepdog, and a Runaway Ram
One seemingly ordinary day turned into an episode of “Farmyard Follies” when I, my dad, and our trusty sheepdog, Buster, decided it was time to catch a particularly evasive ram. Armed with nothing but our wits and our equally sturdy Subaru pickup, we ventured into what could only be described as the Mount Everest of fields. It had rained recently, but a bit of mud was no match for our fearless 4x4.
As we trudged up the slope, the chase began. Picture us—a trio of would-be ram wranglers—zigzagging through the mud, slipping, sliding, and sprinting after a ram that clearly missed his calling as an Olympic sprinter. Finally, at the peak of our own personal hillside drama, we caught the woolly runner. I sprinted back down to fetch our Subaru, which climbed the hill with the enthusiasm of a puppy chasing a ball, oblivious to the slippery ordeal.
With the ram securely in the back, we all piled into the cab—dad, me, Buster, and the ram—all set for a smooth ride down. Or so we thought.
No sooner had we started descending than my dad, casting a wary glance at my increasingly pale face, remarked, "You’re going a bit fast there, son." Understatement of the year! I grimaced back, "I know! We’re basically a farm-themed amusement park ride now!" Control was a thing of the past, and the laws of physics were having a laugh at our expense.
Time slowed as we careened helplessly downhill. Every bump felt like a mini launchpad, threatening to send us sky-high. Sure enough, as the field abruptly ended, our trusty Subaru decided to reenact a classic American car chase scene—catching air like a Hollywood stunt car before crashing into a hedge in a spectacular finale.
Dad and I burst out laughing—because, really, what else could we do? Buster and the ram, however, were less amused. Both emerged from the pickup looking like they’d just ridden the world’s worst rollercoaster. Their wobbly legs and dizzy stagger would have been hilarious if not for their clearly dazed expressions.
The adventure wasn’t over yet. I headed back to the farm, commandeered the front loader, and performed a delicate crane operation to extricate our Subaru from its leafy entanglement. By some stroke of sheer luck—or maybe farm-grade engineering—the pickup emerged without a scratch. Just another fun day on the farm, proving once again that when you mix animals, adrenaline, and a touch of bad weather, you’re in for one wild ride!
