Posted by Blueink_TN on 11/12/11 4:35pm
Msg #403696

Just another day in the life of a SA

Living in the sticks, I always call to confirm but more importantly, to find out if their home is difficult to find. So I called and left a message stating that there's no reason to call me back if their address is on the mailbox and easy to find. So not hearing anything from the borrower, I head out for what I'm thinking will be a non-eventful signing. About 10 minutes before our appt time, my cell rings and it's Mr Bo. "Yeah I just got your message and wanted you to know that mapquest and GPS is off.... Go 1.2 miles after turning and you'll cross a cement bridge and you'll see a cornfield, well it was a cornfield, but now it's dead... but you'll see three posts and a road which really looks like a path... turn left there.... you'll see a wooden bridge, go ahead and cross it, it'll hold you....".

The bridge had loose boards while I crossed it = I held my breath and wondered how heavy my little Nissan was...

The home on the other side was beautiful, the borrower very nice. I asked about UPS and Fedex shipments (across that bridge)...UPS never crosses but calls ahead to say a package is there....Fedex has no issues 'cause they have their little vans.

Reply by Yoli/CA on 11/12/11 5:12pm
Msg #403699

Wow, Blueink. I haven't had those kinds of directions since I used to go fishing ... out in the sticks.

Great memories!

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 11/12/11 9:12pm
Msg #403705

Yoli, let's go fishin'!

Know any good places up there in Placer Co.?

Reply by Lee/AR on 11/13/11 5:17am
Msg #403728

Yep...Re: Just another day in the life of a SA

....cross 3 low-water bridges and turn left where the old schoolhouse used to be...
(for the uninitiated, a low-water bridge is merely a slab of concrete laid across a creek that is passable--by driving right thru the water--when the water is LOW.)

...just past the firehouse, turn left & down the hill--be careful of the bump at the bottom--it's bad (bump?!! 6 inch drop 2 car lengths long where a low-water bridge sorta just dropped with same 'bump' on other side), then straight up that big hill about a mile and when your engine starts lugging--that's my driveway!

A nearby county just recently changed ALL the rural road names to numbers and entire house address numbering system to comply with 911 protocol. Took all old road signs down, managed to get 'new' signs up to tell you what road you are on... these are about the size of a man's hand and are located about 100 ft down said road after a 'major' (open to interpretation) intersection. No signs on any intersections right now. Result is house owner knows where they live but no way can give directions beyond 'if you get lost, just ask anybody because everybody knows where I live'... which works better than GPS around here.

And, oh, yeah--these homes are gorgeous and have awesome views, too.

Reply by Linda_in_MI on 11/13/11 4:41pm
Msg #403770

It's no wonder SSs/TCs don't believe you about insane travel

"But it's only 15 miles according to _____________ (fill in the blank of the map site)." I'm going to have to remember some of these as come-backs when I quote my fee and am asked to justify mileage. My statement of "your mileage must be as the crow flies" isn't working like it used to!

Reading these direction descriptions made me lonely for Kentucky and visiting my aunt who lived in the country or family way, way out in the sticks. When you knew you were getting close to a town because the roads had lines painted on them--on the sides and in the center. When you had to pull off the road -- and I mean PULL OFF THE ROAD -- so local farmer could pass with his combine on a road that was only wide enough for one vehicle to begin with. And the statement my father drilled into my head about driving on snow covered road: if there's nothing coming, don't worry about lanes but drive down the middle of the road.