Major Blowout

What a day! We left Santa Barbara at 5:00 in the morning so we could beat the LA traffic and the Mojave Desert afternoon heat. We made great time, driving 80-85 mph for the first 3 hours. We had one stretch of desert where they were doing construction and it was down to one lane and we crept at turtle speed for about 1/2 hour and it was 101 degrees. The kids were great even though we turned off the air to spare Capt'n Jack any undo stress.

We arrived in Leeds, UT around 2:00pm where we picked up the camper from the Cole's home, (thank you again, Brian and Tammy!) we even remembered how to hook it up...oh, and the lights still worked great! Once the camper was connected, it was back to 65-70 mph which felt like crawling after 80-85 all morning (I even hit 90 a few times...don't tell my dad. Wait, what am I saying, I learned that from him.) We were still making pretty good time until we turned onto I-70 and began to head east. Just as we were about to head over a mountain range, we ran into some construction which moved us into one lane and then onto the right shoulder of the road. I hate it when they do that because there's so much crap on the shoulder and I always wonder what I might run over. Well, sure enough, something must have been there because as soon as we hit the rumble bump thingies there was a loud "boom, boom, boom" and I knew the tire had blown. But I was now on a small bridge and needed to get beyond it or we'd be stopping traffic. This worried me because I didn't want to dent the rim.

I crossed over the bridge and pulled over into the left lane which was blocked with cones. As soon as I pulled over, a really nice gentleman named Shawn and his wife pulled along side and asked if we were ok. I said, "I'm not sure". He said, "You blew a tire", and I asked if it was the truck? Yep. I quickly looked at my phone and didn't have service. He did, so he pulled over and let me borrow his. It took about 15 minutes before AAA had a free line and I was able to request roadside assistance. Another 10 minutes passed while I gave them my location and they contacted a service. I told them I was a mom alone with 3 kids and they made me top priority. Then the nice couple, Shawn and his wife Lou left. I was secretly wishing they'd offer to stay until the truck came because we were in the middle of nowhere and having no phone service made me a bit nervous. Then the AAA truck service called my phone (not sure how they could call me when I couldn't call out), but he told me he knew right where I was and he'd be there in 20 minutes. And then he told me that on that stretch of highway a guy in a white pickup truck pretends to be with AAA, but he's not with AAA and not to talk to him. Ok, so this freaked me out a bit. I said, "Is this guy crazy?" He said, "Kind of." "You mean crazy like he's gonna hurt us or crazy like he's just a con artist?", I asked. "No, he's just dishonest. Just don't believe him." Ugh. So I got off the phone and since the kids heard all that conversation, I prayed with them. But they weren't phased by any of it anyway, they just thought it was all a great adventure.

A very long 20 minutes went by and Rick, the AAA service guy came along. He and his teenage assistant had the tire changed and ready to go in 10 minutes. He asked where we were staying and I decided then and there that we should stay in Richfield, UT, 30 miles on up the highway which was also the first town on up the highway. He suggested a place to get a tire, I thanked him and off we went.

The first exit had a Comfort Inn and since I was feelin' like I needed some of that, we pulled in. I stepped in and asked the clerk if she had a room which she did. I told her we just had a tire blowout and asked where the tire store was that the AAA guy suggested. She said it was just up the road, but that her husband worked at a brand new one called American Tire. "They're having their grand opening", she said "and you'll get a much better price if you go there and ask for my husband, Dave." Bingo. God is good.

So now we're in our hotel room, our tummy's are full with pizza, we're showered, and getting ready to watch The Mentalist. Once again, God has been good to us; protecting, blessing, providing, and showering us with love. We are blessed. More than anything else about this trip, I pray that the kids will grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus.

And I must add that I am fully aware that the prayers of you, the saints, have been heard by our loving Father and have been answered in more ways than we will ever know. God bless you, our dear family and friends!

Denver and Casa Bonita are the destination for tomorrow. But for now, I'm just going to chill.