Our Worst Travel Day

Our worst travel day, yesterday (Saturday, August 7^th), this is what happened…

We were staying with Mike’s Aunt Betty in Lewistown Montana.  While hitching up the camper to the truck, Mike stepped in dog poop.  (A sign of what’s to come.) He walked our dog Abby, earlier that morning and we forgot to pick up the poop.  After cleaning up his shoe and hitching up, we headed out on the road.  About eight miles down the road from Aunt Betty’s, we hear a noise (like something blew up or off) and the truck jerked.  I thought it was a tire, but Mike thought it was a head gasket on the engine as he started to see black smoke coming out the tailpipe.  So he pulls over, checks the engine with a quick glance and didn’t see anything.  He decides to take us a little further down the road to get us safely off the road.  As he was driving, he noticed the truck not driving correctly and the turbo sensor indicated that there was an issue.  We reach a big turn off area on the road to check the engine again.  This time he noticed the pipe from the turbo on the engine to radiator disconnected so he was able to fix it.

As we continued our trek to Butte, we kept the radio off and questioned to ourselves and each other every noise we heard.  Through Bozeman we noticed that the truck was not feeling correctly.  At first we thought it was the road, then Mike thought we lost a balancing weight on a tire as he experienced that before, I thought it was a tire.  We stopped in Whitehall for a rest stop and gas up before going over the mountains.  Mike checked the tires to pacify me.  He didn’t notice anything.  So we continued.  Not long on interstate 90, a lady (or angel) in an all-white class c camper towing a small all white car, pulls alongside us then pulls in front of us, slows down and flashes her lights and is pointing out the window.  Mike passes her but as we pass we see her waving at us and pointing at a tire, so Mike pull off the next exit, Pipestone.  We just made it off I 90, we stopped on the shoulder at the top of the exit and Mike could see our driver side rear tire barely on.  When we got out we saw with horror that our tire was only on by one of eight lugs and lug nuts.  Seven lug studs have been sheared off (gone, nothing holding them on).  This lady or as I call her an angel stopped to see if we were ok.  I think she was so afraid for us and others.  She saved us and others from a possible accident.  (I say lives but Mike says I exaggerate.)

Mike tried to tighten that one lug to get us down the exit ramp to the bottom on level ground, but the tire said “uh no” or it would have fallen off.  Mike could see how it was wobbling and not safe.  We called Coach-Net, our roadside assistance company, to send a flatbed truck and bumper pull hitch to come and get us and take us to Butte.  Mike called his Mom and step-dad that live in Butte to possible pickup lugs and nuts at the auto part store and bring them to us to fix and limp to their home.  When they arrived Mike and his step-dad Jerry determined that they couldn’t fix it on the side of the road.  We were towed (truck and camper) to Butte.  The camper was parked at the Walmart parking lot and the truck to the auto shop across the street.  Now we wait to see how much the truck repair will cost and take.

I say and believe the hand of God was over us, for numerous reasons… we just renewed our Coach-Net membership last month; the engine made us more aware of noises and signals around us; the lady in white spotting our tire is an angel from God; we got safely off the road and on the flatbed with one lug; the tow vehicle could take both our truck and home; it happened when it was still light out until 9 pm so it was safer to deal with this issue; it happened 30 minutes outside Butte, close to Mike’s Mom; Mike’s Mom had an extra vehicle for us to get around until our truck is fixed; I kept my peace during the whole situation yesterday (today I cried thinking about it and gave God praise); and on and on.  God is with us and He is good.

Be safe out there.  Watch other drivers and make them aware of issues you see.  Have a good roadside membership.  Our membership with Coach-Net covers the tow for the truck and camper.  Safe travels and God bless.