Stranded, Cold, and Late
Yesterday we took our monthly trip to St. Louis to visit the temple there. Things didn't exactly go as planned though, starting the night before. After our date night, we came home and started to make muffins to take on the trip, but it wasn't long before we realized we had no eggs. So, we decided we would make some bread and honey butter, but for some "magical" reason, the bread maker wouldn't work (the next morning it was fine). With nothing to take with us for breakfast, we just downed a few bowls of cereal before we left.
As we left, the gas gauge was already on empty, but our trip odometer only read 322, which is far from the average 400 a tank that we get. We've hit 500 before, and on a temple trip last year, we chickened out at 492. So I was pretty sure we could just get gas along the way, somewhere in the middle of Missouri.
The gas light came on at 404. We've learned that in our car, that means that we have about two gallons of gas left, which is at least 45-50 miles, especially on the freeway. But, we came up on an exit with a gas station immediately, and I decided we should just gas-up there, until I saw the price was 20 cents more than every other advertised price I'd seen so far. So, we got back on the interstate headed for the next exit.
But, we didn't make it. Our car tricked us. It came to a slow stop off the side of the road just 11 miles after shining the gas light. I looked at the mile marker in front of us, and we were eight miles from the next advertised gas station. Off to the side of us was a billboard for the station we had just left advertising the adjoining Dairy Queen, only eight miles. We were out of gas, literally in the middle of two gas stations 16 miles apart, and it was 12 degrees outside.
Not to fear, though, we have AAA emergency roadside assistance. So I called, explained the situation, told her where we were, and she said she'd send someone, but it would be about an hour. It was cold, but we were still in pretty good spirits.
An hour and twenty minutes later, I called back and this time the first question asked was where I was, and I was transferred. The next woman I spoke to found no record that I had called before. By this time, it was really, really getting cold, and my nose was running. I hung up, feeling helpless. It would be another hour now. We got into the trunk and found a pair of fleece give-a-way Royals blankets, and the 72 hour car kit my parents gave us last Christmas. In the kit were a pair of heat packs that came in handy. A little after we called the second time, a highway patrol car pulled up behind us. He knocked on the window and we opened up. We were so happy to see him. He asked if we were broken down, and we told him the whole story. He called the local AAA tow truck affiliate and told us he would be there in about 15 minutes. After the tow truck showed up with a gas can and gave us a few gallons, and we scrounged up enough change to pay for the gas, we were back on the road, only a little more than two hours behind schedule.
We finally made it to the temple, but we just missed the session we wanted, which put us further behind. But, at least we didn't have any trouble on the way home. Not much, anyway.
As we left, the gas gauge was already on empty, but our trip odometer only read 322, which is far from the average 400 a tank that we get. We've hit 500 before, and on a temple trip last year, we chickened out at 492. So I was pretty sure we could just get gas along the way, somewhere in the middle of Missouri.
The gas light came on at 404. We've learned that in our car, that means that we have about two gallons of gas left, which is at least 45-50 miles, especially on the freeway. But, we came up on an exit with a gas station immediately, and I decided we should just gas-up there, until I saw the price was 20 cents more than every other advertised price I'd seen so far. So, we got back on the interstate headed for the next exit.
But, we didn't make it. Our car tricked us. It came to a slow stop off the side of the road just 11 miles after shining the gas light. I looked at the mile marker in front of us, and we were eight miles from the next advertised gas station. Off to the side of us was a billboard for the station we had just left advertising the adjoining Dairy Queen, only eight miles. We were out of gas, literally in the middle of two gas stations 16 miles apart, and it was 12 degrees outside.
Not to fear, though, we have AAA emergency roadside assistance. So I called, explained the situation, told her where we were, and she said she'd send someone, but it would be about an hour. It was cold, but we were still in pretty good spirits.
An hour and twenty minutes later, I called back and this time the first question asked was where I was, and I was transferred. The next woman I spoke to found no record that I had called before. By this time, it was really, really getting cold, and my nose was running. I hung up, feeling helpless. It would be another hour now. We got into the trunk and found a pair of fleece give-a-way Royals blankets, and the 72 hour car kit my parents gave us last Christmas. In the kit were a pair of heat packs that came in handy. A little after we called the second time, a highway patrol car pulled up behind us. He knocked on the window and we opened up. We were so happy to see him. He asked if we were broken down, and we told him the whole story. He called the local AAA tow truck affiliate and told us he would be there in about 15 minutes. After the tow truck showed up with a gas can and gave us a few gallons, and we scrounged up enough change to pay for the gas, we were back on the road, only a little more than two hours behind schedule.
We finally made it to the temple, but we just missed the session we wanted, which put us further behind. But, at least we didn't have any trouble on the way home. Not much, anyway.
You looked cold. I hope you had your Clay Aiken CD to keep you company.
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