Bump in the Road

Well, yesterday as we left Needles we heard a "noise". We kept listening and the noise went away. We convinced ourselves that maybe it was just the coffee skin (thermos) rolling around. We kept going - doing read-alouds and having a good time. We were really looking forward to getting to our fabulous campground just 1 mile from the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park! According to the website they had a petting zoo and playground for the kiddos - teepees - landscaping, etc. We finally pulled into the entrance with the intention of dumping the trailer and heading to the canyon. Have you ever seen one of those movies where the family gets to the "resort" they were promised only to find a nasty room full of roaches and a window opening up to a brick wall? WELL - we pulled into the campground and it was worse than that. Really. It was a gravel parking lot with mostly permanent residents living in ancient travel trailers.

The bathrooms were graffiti-laden and had signs warning you not to leave your personal belongings where they could be stolen. The showers were disgusting and you had to pay to use them! The petting zoo was a goat in a pen the size of a doghouse and an old horse tied to a tree. The playground was some tires and a lopsided slide. And the place was $50 a night which was more than we have ever paid! Just as I said, "No way - we are NOT staying here...." the van made a really bad grinding noise as if to say, "oh yes, you are and possibly for a really really long time...." Jeff got out and looked at the tire and said, "We are lucky the tire didn't roll off while we were driving. The bearings are shot." Then he wiggled the tire around to prove it. He pulled into the first available spot (pretty much where we had landed) and got out his computer to check the web for repair shops/ tow trucks. No Internet access. He got out his phone. No cell coverage. He walked to a store and was told the nearest mechanic was an hour back. He picked one out of the phone book and made the call. The guy told him he'd be there to tow us in the next morning around 8 or 9. Then he added we might want to call him if he didn't make it.... We settled in for the night, nestled in the armpit of Arizona - the Grand Canyon being only a mile away but the furthest thing from our minds. The campground came complete with a vicious barking dog in the trailer next door. He finally settled down about the time the live band started up at the bar across the street.

In the morning we were up early emptying the trailer of all of our valuables. 9:00 came and no tow truck. Jeff called. The guy he had talked to was not working that day - we should have expected that. "No problem, Pop," the guy said. "We'll be there in about an hour." Oddly enough, the drama perked up the teens. They were perky and pleasant and enjoying the tragedy of their family vacation : ) Jasper, while waiting for the tow truck, looked around the dilapidated trailer park and said, "Isn't it bootiful here, Mom?" We watched RV's come in and do one of two things: either they left right away or the couple getting out had a fight over whether or not they would stay. The women inevitably did not want to stay but the men would gulp and puff their chests and insist it was "just fine".

While we waited for the tow truck we planned our day. I was trying to be a good sport. "I'll keep the kids here while you ride in with the tow truck," I told Jeff. "We have lots to do here," I said with brimming eyes and my "aren't I a trooper?" look. Just then it began to rain. "Oh no!" I said. "Now we can't go for walks and look for used condoms and needles at the playground." When the tow truck arrived Jeff informed the driver that the entire family would be coming along. Of course, we couldn't fit in the tow truck. The driver informed Jeff we could ride in the van, and then he laughed and shook his head. He loaded up the van and then it lifted up really really high onto a big flatbed. "How do we get in?" I asked Jeff. "Well," he said, "I'll just lift up the kids and you can...." here he proceeded with caution. He quietly went and talked to the tow truck driver who lowered the bed back down so I could climb in.

All of the depressed guests and permanent residents of the trailer park were watching the scene. All of their faces said the same thing: "well, at least we're not them." So we provided the population with a small pick-me-up and don't you know that felt nice.

Once on board, we watched with amusement the startled expressions of the other travelers as they realized there was a family on board the van. Some of them laughed at us. Stopping for gas was the worst. People pointed.

At first The Joels were very still and quiet so as not to cause the van to fly off of the tow truck. Then they got bored and didn't care and we rocked and rolled down the highway. When we got into town the driver turned on his flashing lights and Ellie was so pleased. "In case it was possible someone didn't SEE us....." she said.

Once at the garage there was some discussion as to whether or not the part could be located in Williams. Several phone calls later concluded it could not. A part was found in Flagstaff and a runner was going to bring it over. We stood in the drizzle looking rather pathetic. Town was about a mile down the road.....

"Would you like us to call you a cab and you can go into town?" John the Mechanic asked. "Sure," we said. "Will we fit?" We were assured they would have the cabbie drive the van over. Of course she showed up in a car, looking totally surprised at our number. She informed us that the van was broken down. "Hmmmm.....I'll take you guys in two separate trips." So she did. We ate in a historic building in an adorable part of the town. The building had a lot of history. To be specific, it was a whorehouse. To be more specific, it had at one time boasted housing up to 8 whores at one time. Actually, it is still boasting it. There is a plaque. Well, let me be honest. It was not just a whorehouse - it was also an opium den. Now there are no whores or opium - just a bar and great Mexican food. We had a great lunch and really enjoyed it. I looked around at the table at the kids and Jeff and suddenly became tearful. I don't know why. I was just so grateful for my family and the fact that our biggest problem at the moment was that our van was broken down and we were eating lunch in a historic whorehouse. Considering the reason for the trip - I just always feel so blessed and undeserving of our good fortune. Everyone laughed at me for getting emotional and Jasper made another comment about how this was his best vacation ever.

Next we headed to a small museum and Ellie and I were about to hit the thrift shop across the street when our van pulled up! Everything was fixed and we recovered from the shock of what it cost and headed toward our trailer. "Do you even still want to go to the canyon," Jeff asked. I told him we were going to go look at that !*@*&^! hole in the ground if it killed us. So we did. And WOW. Another breathtaking moment. It was really late and cold so we only went to a few overlooks and the museum before heading back to the trailer. Jeff had located another campground for half the price that had Internet access, a heated pool, and no permanent residents. The problem was, checkout had been at 11:00. Technically, we were supposed to pay for another day. We looked around at the graffiti and the sad, lonely goat and hooked up the trailer and peeled out......technically we stiffed them but they gouged us so we're even.

We stopped at the IMAX theater to see the Grand Canyon movie and it was great. Especially since we didn't spend as much time at the canyon as we had hoped.

Well, we are now in the nice RV park, the kids have been swimming and most are asleep. It is really cold. Joel would get out of the pool and stand in the cold watching the steam from his skin. He lasted up to 2 minutes at a time. A woman asked him what he was doing, if he was alright or needed anything and he explained to her what he was doing and she just looked disturbed and said, "OK". Jeff is now reading the 4th ballerina book to Camille, and we're about to turn in.

The Universe has not turned against us. When we didn't listen to our intuition when we first noticed the "sound" it was infinitely patient, allowing us to make it safely to a place where we could spend the night before allowing the tire to completely fall apart. We saw the blessing in this and continued to trust that things would take care of themselves. We were not stuck here for 2 or 3 days - the garage got us out in a couple of hours and we had a very enjoyable time in town. So, in our opinion we've enjoyed especially good luck, not the other way around.

Tomorrow we're just going to get as far as we can....probably won't be home until Friday, though. That is ok. I am really enjoying this time without chores, appointments, schedules, television, phones, gameboys......except for missing some solitude, Ellie and Joel have admitted they're not missing any of their "things". All we need is right here in this little trailer. We're not living in a tent in a refugee camp somewhere, or in a FEMA trailer, or in a shelter or a car.....or in an ancient travel trailer back in the RV park we had fled. We're just playing at being nomads with the assurance of a nice comfortable home waiting for us. It makes me feel guilty......

We're counting our blessings tonight!
Love,
Sardine Mama