Wrong turn

Starting with a few plump raindrops, the clouds suddenly open, pouring rain down on you so hard the wipers can barely keep up. You slow, knowing that the turn off to the camp ground is close, not wanting to miss it with the poor visibility. After about a mile of driving you see the sign for the county road that you need to turn on, and with a little sigh of relief you pull onto it.

You reach for the directions you were given, reading them as you drive. According to them, you need to travel five miles on the county road, then turn left on another road which will take you to the camp ground.

Hopefully the thunderstorm won't last long. At this time of year they happen, but usually clear up pretty quickly and are followed by clear weather. You, check over your shoulder at your camping supplies in the back seat, looking forward to getting together with your friends.

You've driven for a few minutes when you realize you didn't check the odometer when you turned off the highway. You need to go five miles, but you're not sure how far you've already come. You guess that you've driven about two miles, and estimate that the turn off is about three miles ahead.

Three and a quarter miles later you see a road to the left and grin to yourself, proud of your estimating ability as you make the turn. This is a narrower road than the county road you just left, and you drive carefully, aware of the ditches on either side of it.

About a mile later the pavement ends and the road turns to gravel. You check your direction sheet again, but see no distance indicated that you have to travel on this road. You shrug and keep driving, the rain hampering your vision. Another mile or so and the road enters a forest, making you think that you must be close to your destination. The camp ground your friends picked out was near a lake in the midst of a small forest.

You drive another mile and the road narrows still further until it's virtually a single lane. A hundred yards after that, the gravel stops at it becomes a dirt road. You feel the car slip an little in the mud but manage to control it, cutting your speed to a crawl and continuing on. About a mile after that, the road stops completely, terminating at yellow and black warning signs and concrete blocks. You're at a dead end, surrounded by forest, and clearly on the wrong road.

With a frustrated curse you pull out your cell phone to call your friends. When you hit speed dial nothing happens, and you notice that your phone is indicating that it is out of the service area. Muttering to yourself, you start to try to turn the car around, carefully trying to manipulate the vehicle in the tiny space at the end of the road.