Let me start from the beginning..
The plan was to leave your house at 1pm and head to REI for one last trip to get socks or a sleeping bag liner or whatever else you may need. Of course with the way you pack and plan things we didn't leave until about 2-2:30~ but that's fine since your flight doesn't take off till 10:15pm. So we got to Roseville and probably stayed in REI a bit longer than necessary. We left by 4:30.
A light on your mom's dashboard came on for her battery, which she had changed about 2 weeks prior to this. I guess her car was acting up and she assumed it was the battery and when it was changed everything started acting normal. Problem solved.
But not quite since the battery light had shown up now. So she called Liberty Motors and they advised that we should stop or something. But you, Avery, and I all assured her that we would be fine. Of course we would make it to the airport and back. Then you could look at it tomorrow or something.
But of course, that wasn't the case.
I guess at all your meetings the biggest thing that the main guy says is to be flexible.
This was only the first step and we had to be flexible.
We were maybe 100-200 YARDS AWAY just from the toll for us to get on the Bay Bridge when the front windows stopped working. And then every other light on her dash came on. Then of course the battery died. Luckily we were in an ideal spot to pull over. More like push over.. Avery and you did a great job to push us over under the overpass.
From that moment we all kind of had to stop and think about it all. What our next step was since you had no choice but to call a Taxi. So the phone calls began and the stress levels fell and began to rise a little more.
You guys called a cab and but still made a sign to see if you guys could get a ride to SFO.
We called a tow truck that could bring us to this parking lot about 100 yards away so we could legally be towed away by AAA. I guess the tow truck we called wasn't even the one that we called. This guy just happened to see us and help us out.
So here comes your taxi and we have no other choice but to part ways on the side of a freeway..
Nothing like what I had pictured in my head. I wanted to hug you dramatically in the airport and kiss you in front of your family and cry. I had no time to cry. And that was the biggest part I was bitter about. But I was able to at least drive down that far with you. Hold your hand for that much longer.
But all in all you getting to the airport and everything was most important.
So I gave you my letters and you hopped inside and drove off.
From then on we had to deal with getting our things in the tow truck to get to the legal parking lot.
I was looking for my stuff and couldn't find my phone. So I had Elsa call it and then you answered.. From the taxi..
So now we had a whole other issue on our hands. Thank goodness the cab driver was a good guy and said he would bring it back to me after he dropped you guys off at the airport. Which he did and then we could finally worry about us and calling AAA.
It was about 8-8:30 at this point and we were on and off the phone with them looking for someone to take us to Grass Valley and be able to tow the Karena's all wheel drive car (Thank goodness I had 200 miles of free towing). Which is nearly impossible to find in the San Francisco area. AAA would call us and say they would have a truck then the wouldn't.. it went on for hours. Then at 10pm I finally was tired enough to sleep a little bit in the back of Karena's car. A little bit later she said that the best they could do was get a rental car to get us home and then they could tow the car back the next morning. Which was a fine option.. I only wish they had given it to us 3 hours before. The only downside to us driving ourselves back was that Karena had been driving all day since. We all were exhausted.
So at least if a tow truck had taken us we would have all been able to sleep. So since Karena now had to drive us back, what should have taken us 3 hours max took 5. Since she had to stop and rest her eyes or buy snacks. Something. So we got home at 3am. And I had to work t 6. So I drove to my house since I had slept the majority of the drive back. Got hime and slept for the next 2 hours before my alarm would go off. Got up and worked an 8 hour day. Went home at 3 and slept until 6.
You are now safely in Lima, Peru. And that is all that matters. I'm so excited for you, but still a little nervous always. But I'm keeping busy. Going to hang out with my sister and catch up on Netflix and such. You know..
I love you like crazy Em. Be safe.
