Stacy: Day 16 (August 4, 2015) - The End is Nigh
So, you may be wondering why these last updates have come so much later after our trip ended. Well, let me regail you with the tale!
The dar started out like the others in Ft. Davis: a smidge later, and with a non-rushed feeling. We met mom and dad for a nice breakfast before going our separate ways.
Mom and dad had some things to see near Del Rio, and we wanted the more direct I-10 route home, taking a short drive through a historic section of a little town I can't remember the name of (we saw Paisano Pete!), and later stopping at America's Stonehenge just a bit north of San Antonio.
But, it is Sonora, Texas, that will forever be rembered in our hearts. This town, known for its caves, has a Dairy Queen and three mechanics.
You see, we were driving (rather, Kim was driving, which was probably for the better since she has logged many, many more hours behind the wheel than I) down I-10, just 3.7 miles outside Sonora; 165 miles from San Antonio; 69 miles from San Angelo. Lovely countryside, you see; a nice grassy slightly depressed median to our left; an 18 wheeler to our right; a white pickup truck behind us.
We see an unusual...something in the road ahead. With no options to safely avoid this large, shiny metal and black rubber item, Kim runs over it (straddled it between the tires).
I have never before heard the likes of such noises eminate from my car. The tires didn't leave the ground, but the item hit my undercarriage, bounced around a couple-two-tree times, and flew out from under the left, back driver's side.
Then, kur-THUNK. [all happening in split seconds]
I notice the car quiets, and slows, but wasn't sure why at that time.
Abby exclaimed, "Something just flew off your car!!!"
Kim had complete control of the car's steering.
"I think we should pull over," I said nervously and urgently.
After the 18 wheeler passed us, she (while carefully and gently braking) moved over into the right lane, and then the right shoulder.
The car came to a halt. It was quiet. We looked at each other, and she turned the key in the ignition (which was still in the "on" and running position).
She put the hazards on at some point, but the tried to start the car from the off position. No sound.
We had electricity (we could open the windows, and the hazards could be heard rhythmically blinking), but nothing else happened.
I got out to assess the damage/problem. I checked the passenger side tires: intact. I was thoroughly confused. It wasn't a tire? I walked around to the trunk and got down on the pavement. I saw this:
I calmly walked back to my door, crawled into my seat funny/sideways, and told Kim I needed her to get out to look at it, as a second opinion--it looked like a piece was actually off of my car.
She got her AAA info out, and called for a help. We grabbed our hats, sunglasses, and water bottles, exited the vehicle from the passenger's side [LOTS of trucks were passing us on the interstate to our left!], and crossed the car-less access road to the only shade within 1000 feet on either side [it happened to be literally on the other side of the access road from my car]. There was a driveway to some "ranch" to our right in this photo.
We waited for about an hour for the tow truck. After the first 30 minutes, people traveling along the access road stopped to ask if we needed help. ["No thanks. AAA tow truck is en-route!"] We got a hold of mom and dad, and asked them to turn North to get us. Funny thing: they had just passed the sign for Sonora!
We watched, unblinking, as an unmarked, white pickup truck (not the one behind us when we ran over the object) with two guys in it drove past us along the shoulder. They had to move into traffic to pass my car. Their eyes were on us as they passed us...
What, exactly, did we run over? A temporary-road-sign stand/tripod, all folded up, like it fell of the bed of a road maintenance truck. It looked a lot like this, but was completely silver with a bit of black on the ends (so, no orange):
Hold the story::: After continuing on our way home, after the accident, we saw some unfurled, holding signs--we are 100% certain that is what was on the road in front of us; what we hit. We also saw these sign tripods everywhere during our travels. Little did we know they were so curious about us to get all up in our business. ::: Back to story
Finally, the tow truck called us, and arrived in no time. We got in. He started hooking my car up. A traffic official (I don't think he was a police officer or State Trooper) comes up behind us and puts on his lights. Finally, traffic moves over to the left lane!
The tow truck driver had some difficulty getting my car up because of the thing dragging--it got caught on the lip of the car platform. The officer pulled out his baton and lifted it up as the driver continued using the wench.
They came back and informed us that the object was my gas tank. My just-filled gas tank. I had seen some liquid dripping in the middle undercarriage, in between the front tires, but neither Kim nor I smelled gas. Doesn't mean it wasn't gas, though! It was too hot when I looked under my car, and I didn't stick around sniffing things.
I knew it was something like the gas tank! It wasn't the right shape to be the muffler, but I couldn't think of any other part of my car that was that large (other than the engine block, and I knew it wasn't that !)
I began to think I needed to call my insurance company since it was a more... difficult problem than what AAA covers.
We drove my car to the closest mechanic, who takes one look at it and says, "I'm not comfortable making that kind of repair."
Insurance agrees it needs to go to the nearest Honda dealer--in San Angelo, 69 miles away. [Now you know why I had all the mileage!]
Mom and dad arrive. We clear everything we can out of my car. If it's totaled, (age: 11 years; mileage: about 64,600), I'll never see it again. We left (all unopened): a 6 pk of Ozarka 20 fl oz water bottles, 1 gallon distilled water, 2 gallons antifreeze, 1 roll paper towels. I was going to return the antifreeze if we didn't use it. I wish there had been room to take it home with me... :o(
With my car in another tower's possession, bags at all of our feet (except dad's since he was driving!), the rear window fully obstructed, we pile into dad's Honda CRV to get something to eat at Dairy Queen. Piled out; ate; piled back in. Drove to San Antonio rather uneventfully (Praise the Lord!). I got home about 10:30pm. We did NOT stop to see America's Stonehenge. :o(
Thus, our adventure came to a close. With a BANG! We're all home safely.
But, what of my car?
As of this writing, the appraiser has seen the vehicle, but I don't yet know of its fate...
The last time I saw my car...
Even with all the "excitement" towards the end, the trip was great. We were only rained out of an event once (yes, we had a couple near-misses), and we may have had some slight body problems (hives, knees, allergies), but in the end we had each other. And some great stories to tell...!
