Saturday, July 11, 2009
Dear Readers,
Have you seen "Life is Beautiful?" If you have, then maybe you remember the part where Guido and his friend are staying at Eliseo Orefice's house. The friend mentions how, if you think something long enough and hard enough, it happens.
I have a feeling there have been some of you thinking too long and too hard about me blogging. Next time you want me to blog, please just ask nicely. Maybe give me a topic to blog about.
However, you thought it, you wished it, and now it has come to pass (proving the theory right)!
So, today I was to return to Anaheim. I left home around 1 or 1:30 this afternoon. My car was running nicely (or so I thought) and all was right with the world. And then I got into Arizona and my AC was no longer working. It was just blasting hot air at me. So I turned it off.
In case you weren't aware, today was a sweltering hot day in the West. How hot? Let me tell you.
- Santa Horhe got up to 106 today. It was about 102 when I left.
- Las Vegas, RIGHT NOW is 100 degrees. They are usually 10 degrees (give or take) hotter than Santa Horhe.
- Baker, when I stopped at Arby's to get some more water (I was out before I even got to Vegas), ice, and a chocolate shake (which was Amazing, by the way. Ah-mazing.), was 108. That was around 3:30 or 4:00.
There were very hot temperatures that I was driving through. With no air-conditioner. I stopped in Barstow to gas-up Lola again, I noticed that it was hotter
in my car than
outside of my car. I was kind of not OK with this and briefly thought about stopping for a few minutes, but I was anxious to be done driving, so I continued on. But only for about 20 minutes. Because 20 minutes later, Lola had had ENOUGH!!!! All sorts of lights started popping up on my dashboard. First the Engine Coolant Warning light came on. Then the little thermostat thingy shot up into the red zone. Then the Check Engine light came on. Then my car started to decellerate. Really fast, too. Luckily as soon as the first light came on I had the thought "I should pull over now." So I was alread to the slow lane by that time and was able to get out of the way of traffic pretty quick. And then the battery light came on. And I thought, "This is not awesome. I am alone, in the middle of no where, with hardly any water. I am going to die in this desert."
So, of course, I called home. Luckily I have a cell phone that was, as of this morning, fully charged (now it is down to one bar on the battery, but that's because I had to make good use of it while I was stuck in the desert). Parents called a tow truck and Dad started on his way to meet me (he should be here soon).
And then I waited.
And waited.
And waited.
The tow truck finally got to me at 6:30, two hours after I had first pulled over. I got checked in to the hotel at 7:30.
How did the pioneers do it? How on earth did they live in heat like that? HOW? I have a new-found appreciation for them and all that they sufferend through in this desert they call the West.
I also have a new-found grattitude for all those times when we pray that the car will run well and we will get to our destination in safety and we actually do.
Next time, I will not leave during the hottest part of the day. Next time I will leave when it is still dark. Next time will also be several weeks away.
Please bless that Lola will be OK soon (I have class on Monday! I NEED her!), and please only send me happy thoughts, not thoughts of adventures. I don't need any more adventures.
Labels: Car, travel, weather
