It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Remember how I told you about a packed summer? Well, it wouldn't be fair to leave out the all star vacation we took at the beginning of August!

It was kind of our last "big thing" to do together before David heads off to Brazil and he was dying to go to a tropical beach - so we went to California. :) (Nice compromise, right?)

Before we start the story of this years vacation, let me take you back to the summer of 2004.

Exhibit A) Saturday night, several miles outside of Wall, South Dakota (never heard of it? It's ok, we hadn't either).

We were driving to Boston to visit our grandparents who were serving a mission there. Our car broke down as we left Mt.Rushmore and we had to be towed into Wall, where we spent the rest of the weekend, since the repair shop didn't open until Monday morning.

Exhibit B) Summer 2007. We were driving home from California and literally coasted into a gas station as the alternator in our car went out. These nice people fixed it up in Nevada long enough for us to find ourselves coast into my dad's friend's driveway in Utah around midnight that night.

Well, since we have had a few breakdowns in the past, we figured we would be just fine (especially since we got a "check-up" on the car before we left) so we set off for sunny California.

  We left after church and drove for a few hours before we hit a nice wind/sand storm in Nevada. It eventually cleared up just in time for Dad to start noticing a really wacky noise that the car had developed. It kept getting worse so he pulled over to take a look at it.

   They thought it might be something to do with the AC, so we got back on our merry little way and had a lovely feast of our packed up cold pizza and junk food!

But it was a short ride after that until we heard a gut-wrenching bang and knew something had fallen out from under the car. Dad pulled over as quick as he could, and we noticed a huge trail of some kind of fluid that was coming from the suburban. David and Malia took off running down the side of the freeway to retrieve whatever had dropped and the rest of us hung out by the car as Dad called AAA to get a tow truck on the way.

  Yep, our engine was shot and our car was going no where!!

  We all hung out in the car as we waited for the tow truck to come from Winnemucca (NV). What a pleasant surprise to find out from our tow truck heroes that we could actually ride in our suburban WHILE it was being towed (yeah, pretty sure that that is SO not legal)!!
   Why is that so exciting? Well, besides the fact that we were riding high, it also meant that we didn't have to ride in the same car as the tow truck rescuers. Ok, Dad and David did and apparently it was quite possible that they had had a few drinks before hand.

 This is our fondly named, Billy Bob, the son of the main tow truck driver. And yes ladies, I bet he's available, and easily found in the small town of Winnemucca! ;) Nice guy, but I'm glad I stayed in the suburban - legal, or not!

 Farewell, suburban! It was real but now it's time to say goodbye.

 We walked a few blocks to the nearest Motel once our suburban was dropped off. As soon as we knew we had a couple rooms, we all traipsed back up the hill where the sub. was parked and got our suitcases. We must have looked like a traveling circus as we walked all over the place with our blankets, pillows, and suitcases in tow.

 Anyway, we settled in for the night in our little Motel 6, re-grouped, watched some Olympics, then hit the hay.

  And that is the end of day one!