THE GREATEST RINGSRUD CAR CRASHES
YES, WE HAVE ALL HAD SOME FAMILIARITY WITH WALLS, TREES AND OTHER CARS. BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO WALK (OR LIMP) AWAY!
1961 Ronald H. vs. Brick Truck; There we were, a typical family of 'happy campers' all set up somewhere in the Appalchians. Mom is drying our swim trunks on a rope line, Rian is poking a bug with a stick and I was squishing mud between my toes...then Dad jumps into the Plymouth to get some groceries and gets wiped out by a brick truck somewhere in town! But the stern makeup of the Ringsrud constitution becomes evident - he limps back to our camp; only an hour late!
1968 A memorable wreck, this one involving brother Rian: Out cruising in the '57 Chevy with the three two-barrels, either he or Billy Bonds forgot to stop at an intersection and the Chevy spins a '360 as small metal and glass parts fly off! The damage was done, most of it psychological: another teenager learns the difficult lesson that he's not invincible (especially when facing Dad with the news...).
1971 64 Dodge Dart four-door vs. 66 Mercury Comet - This destructive scene occurrs on an old metal structure bridge over the Vermillion River near the University of South Dakota. Out beer drinking with buddies, it occurrs to us to stop and pee off the bridge into the frozen river. Our respite is interrupted by the sudden sound of a car fast approaching. We scattered and saw the carnage up close - the Comet hits our empty car with a horrible rending sound! Underaged teens in the Comet get into big trouble with the authorities...We got a ride in a police car back to our dorm. Memorable quote, said to Roger Schat in the back of the police car, "I hope a can of Stop-Leak will fix my radiator". It didn't.
1974 Dorothy takes on a few pine trees - and wins! Another grand part of the Ringsrud Family History. The roads were icy on mid-winter Elk Creek road. Dorothy is returning from taking me to the school bus. Rounding that last sweeping corner before the uphill to our house, a slide-out rudely interrupted her singing of 'White Christmas'! Mid-chorus the I.H. Scout flew off the road and was gently collected by 3 ft. deep snow - only after flattening a few small pine trees! Dorothy had to walk home in her bedroom slippers!
2000 The Colonel takes on another big Truck! But with the same results - He limps away! Back in Sioux City, somewhere near the Sioux Bee Honey factory, an intersection and stop sign fails to impress my Dad and the words "lateral impact" gain new meaning to him. What better excuse to buy a brand new black Chrysler Concorde?!
Send Yours In! I know that these are only a few good ones of many. Participate and send some more wreck memories in to ron@emeraldmine.com