Dude. I'm so sorry this happened. I'm glad you're still here to tell us about it, though.I won't go thru the whole ordeal here, now...
I simply have way too much in my plate right now but I'll follow up at some point.
Was on a week long, 800km tour thru Quebec when this happened crossing a wooden bridge.
As beat as I can tell, a beam broke off the bridge under the front passenger wheel.
Then the rear come off and slid over the side.
I finally arrived home, last night after the Bronco sat in the water for 3 days.
An incredible group of guys came up from outside Ottawa to do the recovery. Took 3 vehicles and a LOT of rigging and problem solving to get it out safely and without damage.
Updated with more details:
I have a minute, I can add to the story. The situation with the truck was just the beginning.
There was cottagers 1km up the road... They were planning on leaving the following day. If they weren't there, it was likely a 20k hike out. Very little traffic comes down there.
I fact, all we saw were people coming to help and look.
I also have to mention just how buggy it was. If you were unprotected, you were CONSTANTLY being harassed and biten by horse and deer flies and mosquitos.
Not to mention the near 100% humidity and sweltering temps.
At the cottage, they had no electricity... Gravity fed water pumped from the lake, and out house and that's about it.
Cell signal was only possible by walking down from the cottage to the lake and holding your phone a certain way. And while you did so, you were a sitting duck with the bugs!
All I had was my dog, my cell phone, and a pair of shorts and a t shirt that I had already been wearing for a full day.
I only managed to check msg's every hour or so, while also charging my phone in their pickup truck in between.
The extreme generosity and caring of Nipper and Joanne, the cottagers can't be under stated. But the situation I put them in was horrible.
We took his pickup down to have a look at my Bronco, on the way back he lost 4 low and got stuck.
We hiked back up to get his tracked vehicle. He dumped in gas and started down, only to have probably a liter or more of water pumped into the engine.
We drained out the water and continued. Managed to level the truck so it wouldn't roll, but because of a stuck throttle, a shift into reverse drove the hitch receiver on this thing into the tailgate, opening it like a pop can.
On the way back up, the shifter broke and we couldn't get it into low gear. Another repair on the side of the road and we made it back after severely overheating it.
I didn't sleep a wink that night... Severely dehydrated, no appetite and no idea...
It wasn't until the middle of the night that it occurred to me about the FB recovery groups. Stupid of me
Eventually it was JF Dupris who got a hold of me and arranged everything... Grabbing gear, organizing other vehicles, etc.
And all of this after a 12 hrs shift of work, he finished a 5pm and they headed out for the 2.5 hrs drive.
They arrived in the dark and he immediately wanted to go have a look at the situation
He went so far as to climb into the truck, waist deep in murky water to at least disconnect the shift interlock (out of habit, I put it in park before shutting it off)
He also swam around, checking to see if anything was holding or blocking the Bronco. Simply amazing...
Nipper and Joanne had a fire going and the group sat around having a few drinks and enjoying the beautiful area before getting started at work the following day.
I was simply too exhausted, mentally and physically at this point and just crashed on the couch when we got back.
You'll not want to miss the vids on my channel when I get there.
J. F. Dubris, the guy in the water, was the master recoverer here...
Simply went all out, no short cuts, no fear (multiple leech attacks!), no damage and did it right.
You all will have to make sure to catch the vid on my channel when I release it.
VIDEO:
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