Vacation 2008...Getting There
Back in July, we went on a vacation to northern Minnesota with Jim's family. We took an old fishing boat that I have inherited from my Grandpa Evans. The boat and trailer are pretty old and my brother had already had issues with the trailer when he had taken it up there a couple months before we went. So...I wanted to leave the boat and trailer at home. But I didn't win that one, Jim was set on taking it.
Our trip started out fine...we left on a Friday afternoon so that the kids could nap for the first part of our journey. We stopped shortly after we got into Minnesota and Jim was concerned about the tires on the trailer looking a little low. He put some air in them but was still feeling uneasy. Turns out his feeling was right and a few miles down the road, we had this...
Thankfully we didn't lose control or anything like that. There was an exit not too far from where this happened, so we were able to drive slowly to the end of the ramp and we were off the interstate. After having to remove some of our "luggage" from the truck to get to the jack, Jim got it changed and we were back on the road. But...Jim wasn't feeling the greatest about the other tire and wanted to add some air to the tire he had changed, so we went into the small town off the exit and again thankfully, there was a co-op type service station thing that was still open (by this time it was about 6 pm.) So...both tires are changed and aired up to the correct pressure and we were on our way again.
So we get about halfway in between where the tire blew and our first night's destination (my friend Holly's home in Apple Valley) and probably 2 hrs behind schedule and a conversation begins.
Jim: I don't think I put the bags back in the truck after I changed the tire.
Erin: What?
Jim: Are there two sacks back there?
Erin: No. There are no sacks back there. (Somewhere in here, I said something like, "if you left those bags back there...we are turning around and going home!) : )
Jim: Should we go back and see if they are there?
Erin: No. They aren't going to be there, it would be a waste of time, we need to get to Holly's and get the kids out of the car.
We arrive at Holly, Jesse, and Kennedy's home...tossed around the idea of going to check on the bags or going to Target to replace the lost items. It was a garbage bag of beach and bath towels and a shopping bag with our clothes/items needed for the next morning (so much for that planning!) Then someone came up with the idea that Jim's sister Amy and her family would be traveling that same route the next morning. So we called them, asked them to check on their way by, and then decided if it was meant to be, the bags would be there and if not, it's all replaceable. We enjoyed our time with the Buenos...at the time Holly was about 7.5 months pregnant, Jesse was studying for a major exam, and they were trying to pack up their townhome to move to Wisconsin in a few weeks...but they graciously opened their home to us. It was great to save the money that we would have had to spend on a hotel, but even better to get to see them before their move. (They since have welcomed a baby boy, Gage, into their family!)
The next morning, we head out for the second half of our trip. Amy, Zac, and Jacelyn got an early start, so I think they went by "the exit" at about 8 am or so and our bags were still there...untouched! We couldn't believe it. I guess we were fortunate that we were slightly on the exit ramp and it was a tiny town and little traffic. It probably helped that one was a garbage bag! And the name of the town was Hope so I guess we had that going for us!
The overnight stop was the way to go...we only had 4-5 hours of driving the next day...luckily no tires blew, no bags were removed from the truck, and we made it to our destination...let the fun begin!
Our trip started out fine...we left on a Friday afternoon so that the kids could nap for the first part of our journey. We stopped shortly after we got into Minnesota and Jim was concerned about the tires on the trailer looking a little low. He put some air in them but was still feeling uneasy. Turns out his feeling was right and a few miles down the road, we had this...
Thankfully we didn't lose control or anything like that. There was an exit not too far from where this happened, so we were able to drive slowly to the end of the ramp and we were off the interstate. After having to remove some of our "luggage" from the truck to get to the jack, Jim got it changed and we were back on the road. But...Jim wasn't feeling the greatest about the other tire and wanted to add some air to the tire he had changed, so we went into the small town off the exit and again thankfully, there was a co-op type service station thing that was still open (by this time it was about 6 pm.) So...both tires are changed and aired up to the correct pressure and we were on our way again.
So we get about halfway in between where the tire blew and our first night's destination (my friend Holly's home in Apple Valley) and probably 2 hrs behind schedule and a conversation begins.
Jim: I don't think I put the bags back in the truck after I changed the tire.
Erin: What?
Jim: Are there two sacks back there?
Erin: No. There are no sacks back there. (Somewhere in here, I said something like, "if you left those bags back there...we are turning around and going home!) : )
Jim: Should we go back and see if they are there?
Erin: No. They aren't going to be there, it would be a waste of time, we need to get to Holly's and get the kids out of the car.
We arrive at Holly, Jesse, and Kennedy's home...tossed around the idea of going to check on the bags or going to Target to replace the lost items. It was a garbage bag of beach and bath towels and a shopping bag with our clothes/items needed for the next morning (so much for that planning!) Then someone came up with the idea that Jim's sister Amy and her family would be traveling that same route the next morning. So we called them, asked them to check on their way by, and then decided if it was meant to be, the bags would be there and if not, it's all replaceable. We enjoyed our time with the Buenos...at the time Holly was about 7.5 months pregnant, Jesse was studying for a major exam, and they were trying to pack up their townhome to move to Wisconsin in a few weeks...but they graciously opened their home to us. It was great to save the money that we would have had to spend on a hotel, but even better to get to see them before their move. (They since have welcomed a baby boy, Gage, into their family!)
The next morning, we head out for the second half of our trip. Amy, Zac, and Jacelyn got an early start, so I think they went by "the exit" at about 8 am or so and our bags were still there...untouched! We couldn't believe it. I guess we were fortunate that we were slightly on the exit ramp and it was a tiny town and little traffic. It probably helped that one was a garbage bag! And the name of the town was Hope so I guess we had that going for us!
The overnight stop was the way to go...we only had 4-5 hours of driving the next day...luckily no tires blew, no bags were removed from the truck, and we made it to our destination...let the fun begin!
posted by Erin at
8:31 PM
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