Not exactly a great start...

This is not how I was hoping to spend the first day of our vacation weekend.

Why yes, that's Homer. Our beloved Odyssey van. And yes, the hood is up. Where are we? Why we're nearly at the top of The Grapevine, about an hour north of Los Angeles. I believe the TECHNICAL term for where we are is "Just outside the Middle Of Nowhere".

You know, it's never a good thing when you're driving, and your son says "is that black smoke?" and then your husband says "Whoa! Look at the temperature gauge!" just before the dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree.

Fortunately, there was a "Radiator Water" pull out.

And fortunately, Kelly thought of it as just another part of the adventure.

As did Nate.

Alas, when we finally did get the radiator open, the water just poured right through.

Time to call a tow truck.

And did you know that when there's not enough room in the tow truck cab for everyone, someone has to ride in the 'towed' car?

Yup. That'd be me.

And did you know that if you've been driving for a long time, and you're suddenly riding in an incapacitated vehicle on a tow truck bed, that every time you look out the front windshield, you have this crushing feeling in your chest that you are about to rear-end the cab of the tow truck, and you slam on the brakes... Which does nothing.

And did you know that there is a place an hour north of Los Angeles (give or take) that is like a set out of the movie Deliverance? Complete with unwashed hillbillies, toothless tattoo'ed garage mechanics, and a drunk guy at 11 o'clock in the morning that will tell you he had something to say, but was distracted by watching your hair blowing in the wind...

But the day was not a complete write-off.

Good...

Better...

Best...