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Oct. 3, 2009
Trent's Trip To Wyoming
Yesterday afternoon, Trent traveled 2 hours north to pick up a friend, and a rental trailer for the purpose of going to Wyoming to haul a horse home for our friend. They picked up the trailer, but soon realized the trailer lights were not indicating properly. They stopped to fix that, and that took several hours. This meant that the friend and Trent didn't make it back here for Shabbat dinner. - And I was getting pretty antsy about the whole trip, with the idea that they left the trailer place with the lights not working properly - that didn't impress me at all.
So, they arrived here nearly at Midnight, told us the tale and retired to bed. This morning they left just before 6 AM and headed south to the border to enter North Dakota at Fortuna, and south to Williston. Just before Alexander, they turned west into Montana and made their way to the 94 highway at Glendive MT. I spoke to them just before Wiliston and just before Glendive - the trip was uneventful at that point.
A few hours later I called, expecting them to be approaching Hardin MT.. (A town that has been in the news as of late and was a cause for concern for Trent and I at the thought of traveling through it). It turns out they weren't anywhere near Hardin, they were at Miles City - the truck was not enjoying the climb into the mountains and was huffing and puffing. They pulled into a service station in Miles City and a mechanic there suggested it was either a cracked gasket or a broken header. A cracked gasket is a day's repair once the gasket is found for a 20 year old truck - but a broken header means it needs a new engine, and not worth bringing the truck home. We've just invested $1000 into new tires and rims for this truck - and we need this truck to haul water for the house - without it, there's no water for the cistern!
So, at this point, I don't know where they are. They were planning on continuing on their way slowly towards Casper Wy and trying to get it fixed there tomorrow (Sunday - yep.. sounds promising!). I called a friend who knows the truck, and knows Trent, and asked him if he thought that the truck would make it the 6 hour highway drive to Casper from Miles City. He said it sounded doubtful.
Last year at about this time, Trent went hunting with Jim - the first day out, they got lost. I was blissfully ignorant. Today I'm not. I've been praying about this trip for over a week now, and praying fervently for the last two days. When something went wrong yesterday, I was getting nervous. I should have told him to abandon ship and not go, but I wanted to let my son have this opportunity to grow into manhood. He's not alone, he's with an adult - but still.. it's not easy having him in such trouble so far away.
I'll keep you posted as I hear more.. Please pray for them - Trent and Marie.. and the truck. and the horse Sally who needs to be brought home.
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832 pm
Got a text message, they're at Little Bighorn and the I90.. so they're moving slowly, but moving.
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9:57
Marie just called, they’re in Sheridan WY. Marie will drive the last two hours to Casper. Truck is working fine. 150 miles left
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Arrived at Casper at 2 pm
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3:15pm Sunday
I just heard from him. The truck is hissing, and he can't tell where from. It looses power in the hills, so they're planning on coming home a different way to avoid the Bighorn mountains (by waywest of the Black Hills). They can't pick up the horse today, as there's a storm where the horse is, they're trying to borrow another truck so they can go get the horse from where it is.. in the mountains.. and then bring it back to Casper, where they'll re-hook his truck and come home. It's a 5 hour round trip just to pick up the horse, so it's not likely he'll be home until Tuesday. He's pretty frustrated about the truck - but essentially - they took "Grampa" for a marathon, after "grampa" has been used to a daily stroll for the last year and a half.
The truck loses power on the hills - he has to down shift to 3rd gear and go about 35mph up the hill.. tough slugging in the mountains.
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Playing catch up.. the drama of this trip is over now, I'm able to tell you about it now.
Monday, Marie and her friend drive to the mountains to pick up the horse, Trent tries to fix his truck.. thinks it's a vacuum hose leak.. he gets if fixed.. horse arrives, and they plan to leave Tuesday Morning.
Some time early Tuesday morning, they discover the horse is dehydrated, and decide not to leave Wyoming, but tend to the horse. I don't find out about it until 8PM, when I expected they'd be arriving shortly. I have a meltdown. - ANOTHER meltdown.
Wednesday morning we get a call at 7AM, Trent is on his way home, the horse is loaded, they're off. He's instructed to call every time he stops for gas or whatever.
10:30 AM I get a call, they're south of Gilette - the truck is losing power.. they can't continue. My meltdown just about returns. I spend some time on the phone with my friend Susan to hold my head above water........... I come up with a plan, I'll rent a truck, drive down and bring them all home. Turns out you can't rent a truck with a tow package.. and can't tow internationally with a rental anyhow... sigh. Back to waiting.
3PM. they have the truck fixed, they've fixed the catalytic converter.
9PM They're in Miles City - 4 hours from the border.
My brain calculates.. 4 hours from the border, therefore about 6-7 hours from home. That means he'll be home in the wee hours of the night. I stay up until 2 AM, but don't hear anything, I head to bed.
Wake up in the morning, there's another call, he's in Weyburn, waiting for Peter to come get the trailer. Weyburn is an hour away!!!!!
just before 9AM Thursday morning, after being up since 5AM Wedneday morning, after driving most of the way... my boy is HOME. I do my dance, I give hugs, feed him, he takes a shower and goes to bed for the better part of the day.
Today is Friday - Today is normal. today is good.. today is relaxed My boy is home! |
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Oct. 21, 2009 - Untitled Comment
I can't even imagine a road trip far away... in a different country... vehicle trouble... ARGH! So glad Trent made it okay!!!