Road Blocks

Getting out of the desert in the summer is always a welcome treat - we will usually honor any excuse that will provide us the opportunity to go somewhere - anywhere - that is cooler.  The highs for the week were supposed to reach 118, so we were really hoping for something.  I returned from The Homeland and had one last week of summer school.  We were hoping and praying for a week out of town over the 4th of July...but knew that every other time share owner was probably hoping and planning for the exact same thing. We, as always, remained hopeful.  On Thursday - the last day of summer school - I was at the grocery store and got a text from Scooter:  we were booked at the Marriott Newport Coast. We could check in on Friday.  Miracles happen!  Well, Scooter had a conference on Saturday morning and Carolyn had a swim meet on Friday night...so we agreed that we would leave ASAP after his conference. Bus was leaving at 2:15 with or without him!  I cleaned the house (per usual before I leave for a trip - does anyone else do that?!) and had us packed up...we pulled out of the driveway at 2:14 p.m. I have to admit:  this was our first early departure on a vacation ever.

I like to drive if someone else will navigate, so in went the GPS and away we went, headed west to Newport Beach.  Everything was going great!  We were on I-10 around Cabazon and I noticed traffic ahead of me slowing and moving over - so I knew something was amiss. Then I saw the couch right there in front of me in my lane.  Thankfully I was able to quickly look around at my mirrors and realize I could pretty safely move over...but not quite quickly enough as I felt the car ding the couch. Scott gave me that look and asked why I didn't avoid it. Well duh!  I'm in five lanes of traffic with everyone going 70 mph (and I was not speeding)!  I wasn't going to continue the argument - I knew I had a flat tire.  Thankfully I was able to easily get off the freeway and onto the shoulder and before I had stopped, Scooter was calling AAA.  It was just after 6:30 p.m. and they said someone would be there by 7:10.  So we waited - well, really, what else could we do?   Here's how the tire looked:

Yep. It's flat.

And here is the view we enjoyed while waiting...

AAA arrived very quickly and the only downside was having to take some stuff out of the well packed car to get a wrench.  We were just grateful someone else was on the hot ground doing that work instead of us.  Thankfully it was only 108 here. We saw 125 on our car thermometer coming out of Quartzite, AZ.

Elyse made use of the tire.
Then we had to put that tire in the car because it wouldn't fit as the spare.

And with AAA's awesome service, by 7:15 we were on our way.