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Brian writes... 2/18/2012
Tonya and I decided to take a
day trip to Bodega Bay Saturday. Early plans were to get up early and spend a
good portion of the day there. Of course as in the famous Styx song,
"Nothing ever goes as planned."
Last minute errands meant we left
much later than we wanted to. The drive there was uneventful. I was driving and
had noted that the gas was lowish, but figured I would gas up once we arrived
unless the low fuel indicator came one at which point we would stop at the next
available station. Word of warning – DO NOT DO THIS.
We went about 30-40 miles after the
light did indeed come on, and only were able to gas up once we got there.
We also had only a little over an
hour of sunlight left by this time and less than that by the time we found a
spot recommended by a local, Goat Rock. Beautiful ocean coast, and cold enough
to make even a leather jacket seem like inadequate preparation.
Nonetheless, we enjoyed a few
minutes on the beach before retreating to the car with rosy cheeks and noses.
I got two pictures before the camera died.
About half way between Bodega Bay
and Highway 101, the electrical system light came on. Being nowhere near a
garage of any sort, he kept going. Then just before we got to 101, pulling up
to the stop light just across from the 101 entrance, the car stalled as my foot
was headed to the brakes.
Flashers on.
Out of the car.
Cell phone out.
Look up roadside service number.
Call - put on hold - then a live person...
Cell phone dies.
No problem - 2nd cell phone - phone dead -- okay, I take
back the "no problem."
Neither of us brought car chargers,
being as we were just going on a day trip, and it wouldn't have mattered since
the car battery was dead.
Waving down passersby... no, no, yes.
Used good Samaritan's cell phone to call roadside service.
Just as we started to call 911 due
to car being still in road (and on a slight incline) a CHP arrived on the scene
and stopped.
He was very nice he pushed us to the side of the road and
waited with us till the tow truck arrived. We decided to have him drop us at the Pep Boys in Rohnert Park.
They had Sunday hours posted online using the tow truck driver's smart phone.
Shortly, we arrive in Rohnert Park
and the car is dropped in the Pep Boys parking lot. There's a hotel across the
street. Papers signed, off we go on foot to the hotel... which has no
vacancies. We did not use their phone directly, but the attendant did call us a
cab.
That is hilarious! Not to mention a good lesson about cell phones. Found you through the blog challenge.
ReplyDeleteMy friends are a hoot yes thanks. Life happens and you have to roll with the punches. It is funny the trouble modern conveniences get us into sometimes.
ReplyDeleteGlad you dropped by and left a note.
What a day? cellphone and camera dead always happens to me but not the car battery yet or else I don't know what to do especially if it is at the wee hour of the day and I have 2 kids with me.
ReplyDeleteI had a car die on the freeway when my daughter was about 5 and we had no cell phone. The nicest lady stopped to help us. She let me use her cell phone while she distracted my daughter from panicking.
ReplyDeleteAnything you can walk away from can be a lesson and a laugh to others when the crisis has passed.
I can't remember the last time I left home without a change of clothes and ended up sleeping in mine. Hope you read the ending to this little tale. They made it home after a chilly uncomfortable night.
Can't wait to hear more.
ReplyDelete