Saturday, February 02, 2008

Some travels and a story




Yes, that says nothing is happening for 100 miles. Several years ago, Our whole household of six (at that time) was headed this way on our journey to camp at the Grand canyon in Arizona. We were only 100 or so miles from home (still well inside California), and it was night time. As we approached this sign, my 3/4 ton 1979 4 wheel-drive Suburban "Urban Assault Vehicle" stopped engaing the transmission gears. It simply would go no further. I tried, and I tried. It would go in reverse, but NOT forward. I was caravaning with a friend of mine (an Arizona Sheriff ), and he had to get home, so he went onward...but we could not! I truned around, drove back into town and stayed at a hotel, wondering how to get all these girls home. Well, that next day, I drove all the way home, no problem, but for a stuttering about a mile from my house. I drove that vehicle many miles after that event, but never again tried to take it to Arizona. We eventually went to Grand Canyon a few years later in a new van, but sadly missed that one vaction that was not to be. You explain it...what was going on?

I took these photos in January, 2008. Click 'em to see them better. They were all taken near 29 palms, Calif.





Looking back to my car and the folks inside.


Oasis seen at left, background to Rachel, Marion and Cruz.

--Dan

3 comments:

Vallypee said...

Hey, Dan, that's a really strange story! Almost as if your car had its own mind! It's also quite something to see such signs - no service for 100 miles is a pretty long way to go without hope of somewhere to stop in between.

I love the photos - the brilliance of the sky and the whiteness of the sand really convey how harsh a place it can be but also how incredibly beautiful. I love it!

grace said...

Hi Dan, I love reading your travel stories, and enjoy the photos.

MargieCM said...

Dan had enterered ... the Twilight Zone. Maybe there was something awful that would have happened to you and your family if you'd gone further? Did the car save your lives? Did a Greater Being intervene thus preventing an unmentionable terror befalling you all? Did you forget to have your 4x4 serviced? The answers to these and many other questions will always remain ... unknown. And Dan, that's probably just as well. Life needs it's mysteries.

Love to you and the family,
M.