Day One: More exciting than I would have liked

[thrihyrne]

I'm safely in a hotel in Bristol, though it's taken me a while not to feel rattled. I had a quiet night last night and got on the road around ten o'clock this morning. I stopped regularly to stretch my legs, and after 3 or 3 1/2 hours on the road, as I was chugging up a hill on I-81 south, this horrendous noise assaulted me and I started yelling invectives because I was scared out of my mind. I slowed down and was pulling over and knew something had happened to one of my tires, and then saw one of my hubcaps hurtling ahead of me up and off to the shoulder of the highway. Panting and my heart racing, I turned the car off and put on my hazards, huge semis still roaring past me as I retrieved my hubcap and investigated what had happened. My back left tire had totally blown out. Not flat, shredded. Once I could breathe somewhat normally, I called AAA and they said they'd be there in about a half an hour. A young man stopped and I let him know that I was being helped but thanked him, then a representative from the county sheriff's office stopped. He stayed with me until AAA showed up and put on my spare, and then he let me follow him to the nearby town (I was, amazingly, only 1 mile from the exit) to a tire place where I got two tires replaced. I could've stood to have all four replaced, but they only had 2 in the right size, so they're on the front. I'm mostly recovered from it all, and have had my belief that a very good number of people in this world really are well-meaning and full of integrity. I told the sergeant once I was at the tire place that he was an angel. "I've been called a lot of things," he said with a smile, "but never that!" I got his card so that I can send him a thank-you note.

So. I actually had to stop about 10 miles down the road after I'd had the tires replaced to walk around and focus on breathing. From time to time I get really tingly hands and my lips tingled and were kindof twitchy; my thumbs get pulled into my palms involuntarily and it's pretty scary. It doesn't happen very often, but after keeping my composure through all of that I think it just hit me and I really couldn't function. I was feeling that my car was the potential enemy; I've not had anything like that happen to me before so suddenly. I've had a flat tire, but nothing that loud and scary. Plus, I'd had a bunch of work done to Bianca (the car) including a timing belt and other belts and two front axles, so there's a part of me that's hyper-aware of the changes to her and worrying that some key bolt is going to drop to the ground and I'll crash into a guardrail or something. It's the downside to being a writer and a person with an imagination that really should be curtailed.

But now I'm safely at my hotel and I have internet again, yay!!! I felt so isolated without my connection to you all. I'm also in active strife with my mother, so I've been keeping my phone off until I get a little more distance and/or I'm planning to call people with whom I'm staying on my journey. On the plus side, I went ahead and posted a room wanted ad on the Portland craigslist, and in the 2 days since I posted it (when I was internet-less) I heard from no fewer than 6 people! One person needs somebody sooner than I'll be there, but the others I've emailed and let them know the situation and I'll see what they say. I think that's tremendous, and bodes well for the future. Tonight I'm relaxing after going to the ubiquitous Wal-Mart to get a chicken ceasar salad and 2-liter of Diet Coke; I brought my little boom box and have tunes on I enjoy, and will type up the beginnings of a fic I'm working on. Today I was too frazzled and emotionally strung out to really think about fic while driving, but hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get more into that groove. Plus I'll be staying with a fellow writer for a couple of days, and I'm hoping we'll sit around and do some writing and/or talk about it while there.

I'm enabling comments, but I probably won't be able to reply. Just wanted you all to know that I'm safe, en route, and quite enjoying having A/C. :)

Comments

[stuckinsea.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you're safe. And though it was trying, that there were kind people taking care of you...I'm so glad, it's all up from here, dear heart. I'll be looking for more reports from your adventure...I love you dearly!

xxooxxoo

[sanba38.livejournal.com]

A certain former suitemate of mine--who used to pump iron while waiting for her nails to dry and subscribed to Soldier of Fortune drove me and another girl to Sewanee from Connecticut back Thanksgiving weekend of '88. We had a tire blowout somewhere northeast of Knoxville in the rain.

Out of the thousands of cars that went whizzing past, one truck, with 42 Christmas trees in the back, pulled over to help. Turned out he'd met me twice before.

"Oh, I know her. She swings."

"Look, what they say about our sorority, it's not true."

"No, I mean, on the playground! She swings on the swings."

"Oh, yeah. That's her."

[lena3.livejournal.com]

Car things are always scary, but glad to here there were nice people and AAA around. AAA is always my first choice to call! So glad you are able to update and let us know how/where you are. :)

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

i think it's v. v. clever of you and bianca to get the Standard Evil Car Trouble While On A Big Trip sorted so early on. now you've done with it and all can be fine from here on out [*nods*]

craigslist is v. v. popular in portland and a great way to do things. do call my bro when you get in. ♥

[callumjames.livejournal.com]

Hiya,

Well, I'm glad that the first day went okay! And if it helps to remember, that's probably the most dramatic thing any car is going to do to you and the fact is you coped perfectly well with it so yay to you :-)

I'm liking the sound of your desk clerk at the hotel! 'Joey' such a cute name, I fancy him already ;-)

Also, I want to know who is *that* in Stormwynd's icon!?

May your sails billow on to a sparkling horizon...

luv ya

CJ

[txdville.livejournal.com]

Hopefully that's all the 'excitement' you have on the trip. Glad there were a few 'angels' hanging around.

[gingerspark.livejournal.com]

yikes

I hope Bianca is done with the surprises for this trip...

nice to know there are still good people around...

[abigail89.livejournal.com]

Wow! I am so glad your blow-out didn't send your car into a tail-spin. YAY! for AAA. They are awesome in a pinch.

When we most need it, help is always there. *hugs you*

[eccequambonum.livejournal.com]

after my 3 flat tires this winter (including 2 spectacular blow-outs) i can say been thee, done that. spare t-shirt on the way.

did i miss that you got a laptop (i'm assuming) for the journey? let me know if there is a mailing address somewhere on the way. you have a package nearly ready to go, but it was delayed as i realized that tunes and video may not be the must useful at this time. seems as though they just might be after all.

[eccequambonum.livejournal.com]

::snicker::

[alt-baie.livejournal.com]

Wow love. Just wow. Keep it up, keep it going...

[camile-sinensis.livejournal.com]

Eek. Oh well, one day you will look back on this and hide behind the sofa, whimpering laugh!

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Yes, beloved, I'm doing fine. I'm now in Nashville with hapendfro and glad to be talking fandom!! XOXOXOX

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I believe I remember that suitemate!! Your dialogue is hilarious. Amazing how coincidences like that can happen…

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I love AAA! I've been a member since 1996. So very grateful that they could come and rescue me. I'll be posting regularly so everyone knows I'm okay. ♥

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Yes, Bianca was very clever to get that out of the way! And tomorrow I'll get two other new tires so they're all equal. :)

I'll definitely call your brother! Craigslist is already making me feel so much more at ease in regards to housing and jobs and all of that.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

It was very exciting! I'm hoping that the rest of the trip is much more calm in comparison. Today has been! (Thursday)

I don't know who's in stormwynd's icon… ask him! ;)

XOXOX

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I hope so too!! Things went pretty swimmingly today. And yes, the guardians around were a very positive thing. :)

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I hope she's done with surprises as well! She definitely behaved today, but I'm going to go ahead and invest in two other new tires. She is heavy-laden, after all. And yes, I was quite grateful for the helpful folks.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I know!! It could have been so much worse, and it really wasn't. I've had AAA since 1996, and I think I'll be keeping it for many years to come. ;)

(((hugs back)))

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Somehow I'd missed you'd had so much trouble with your tires this winter! Yikes!!

No, no laptop; I'm carting my wee mac mini in its box and another box for the monitor, keyboard and mouse. I can get it set up and/or dismantled within 5 minutes. It's not the most elegant in the world, but it works. Video probably not so useful right now, but I'm excited about a parcel! Once I have a mailing address I'll let you know. It does appear that getting a room for a few months won't be an issue, which is such a relief.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I'm okay!! Things could have been so much worse. I'm keeping everybody's good thoughts and care with me, to be sure. ((hugs))

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was rather heart-stopping exciting there, for a time! She did fine today, though. Still, I'm going to invest the the other 2 new tires. Don't want to chance going through that again…

[stormwynd.livejournal.com]

My email is stormwynd9 AT yahoo DOT com.

Oh wait ... it sounds like you're going to be in SF when I'm out of town. I'm going to be at Disney World from June 23 - 30. Drat drat drat drat drat. :-S

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Oh no!!! Yes, that timing is near to exactly when I'll be there. Bummer! I would have loved to have had coffee with you and chat about all that's going on. ::disappointed sigh::