"Broke" in Baker

We went to State Line (mini Vegas before Vegas, for my Indiana family) for the weekend. We dropped Mary off Thursday at mom's and we were on our way for some fun. We met up with Sal and Steph and were ready to relax. We had a great time, as usual. They had a little bit more fun than me since I still cannot drink. It's ok. Me and Odoul's were great friends. The baby seemed to like it too. It seemed to kick when I had one.
Sal and Kevin a little 'toasted'

Anyway, we left Sunday morning about 9:30 to get home to Mary. We missed her. I was thinking about it and I really didn't have anything exciting to write about for our trip. WELL, that changed really soon.

We were headed down the 15 fwy back home. The last sign I saw said 15 miles to Baker. Then it happened. The car lost all the controls, but was still driving. Then it started to stop and go and stall. SO, we pulled over. Sal and Steph had already passed us and were on their way. So we were on our own. There we were on the side of the 15 fwy in the heat. Kevin looked under the hood to see if he could figure it out. Well, it was something with the battery and we had NO tools. So I call AAA right away. Tow truck on the way.

Poor Boken Down Car

Kevin's sweat beaded head waiting in the heat

About 45 minutes later the tow truck arrives. On the flat bed goes my car and we are off to the lovely town of Baker. We are dropped off at the only shop in town. Total grease ball, but it's a shop. The guy looks like something out of a movie. He's looking over my car with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, lit or not. Kinda scared me around the engine, but he was trying to fix the car. Well, he can't fix it but thinks it is the alternator. He suggests to get to a dealer due to the computer being hooked to all the stuff in new cars. Since the alternator is what chargers the battery while the car is running is why we lost power when the battery died. Ok, so decide to charge up the battery and buy a second charged battery and see how far we can make it to Barstow, the next major city. We are scared, but what other choices do we have.

Off we go with our two batteries. We are told to drive as fast as we can and try not to use the brakes or anything else that uses power. GREAT, let's drive 100 on the 15, the most dangerous fwy around. We get about 33 miles on the battery and it dies. Off to the side of the road we go and Kevin changes out the battery. We bought a wrench before so we could do this. Thinking ahead.

Ok, new battery in and about 30 miles to go to Barstow. We can do it. AND THEN we hit traffic. We have to use the brakes. So, we try to coast as slow as we can to not have to use the brakes. This is not working so well. We thought it was the line for the agriculture stop, but it was some lame accident on the side of the road. We get past that and THEN get to the agriculture line. Great, we need to use more brakes. Now it's not about miles it is about time left on the battery. We get almost to the front of the line and the car dies. So, we get pushed to the side of the place and park it. Another call to AAA. But we get to sit in an air conditioned room and use a bathroom. It was a great place to break down if you have to. The supervisor came and talked to use for a while. We learned some interesting things about the place. You usually drive through there and think it's some lame thing to slow you down, but it's not really. It has a lot of useful purposes. I have a greater appreciation for them now.

Ok, so the tow truck arrives about an hour later and we are on our way to Barstow. We tell him to drop us off at the Home Depot parking lot. We asked him to take us there because............DAD was driving all the way from home with the trailer to pick us up!!! Our savior!! We had to wait about a half hour and he arrived. It was a great feeling to see someone you know to drive up with a trailer to rescue you.

Sitting in the lawn chairs at Home Depot waiting for dad.

Load up and we are on our way home! We make it to Mojave and stop at Denny's for dinner. It's a little after 6 by now and we are hungry and poor dad needs a break since he just flew 2 hours to pick us up and then turn around to go back. We have our fabulous meal and head home. We make it to mom's about 8:45. We can get outa the car and relax now. AND see our Mary. She was happy to see us too. Now off to our own home. We take mom's van and we're on our way. We finally make it home at 9:30. TWELVE HOURS to get home from Vegas. Normally about a 4 hour trip.

So today my car went off to the 'car doctor' to get a band aid. Mary was very concerned about mommy's car. We shall see how long it will take to get it back. In the mien time I have the monster Durango and Kevin has mom's jeep. I would take the jeep but it's not really a practical mommy car.