Welcome to our 3rd week of Family Stories! Today’s fun family story comes from a new acquaintance. Malisa Price graciously answered my plea for stories. You can read more about her at the end of her post. Join me in welcoming her and enjoying her family memoir today!
It was the summer of 1999, I had just graduated high school and my family all loaded into our dually truck and 36-foot long fifth wheel. We were on our way from Sacramento, California to a camp all the way up the West coast to Canada.
My parents and our “house on wheels”
Prior to us leaving, my dad had been having trouble with one of the truck tires leaking air. He brought along a spare tire and put it in the bed of the truck, between the hitch and the end of the bed. Mind you, since the trailer was attached, the tail gate was left at home!
We travelled all the way through Oregon and Washington, staying at lovely state parks. We saw the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (aka “Mounties”), Canadian and Seattle’s Space Needle, lots and lots of lighthouses, Victoria Island, the Butchart Gardens. We also saw the Empress Hotel and visited family friends.
My family (I’m the red-head on the far right)
On our way back to Sacramento, my sisters and I were sitting in the back of the 5th wheel. In 1999, people were allowed to sit in the back as long as there was an intercom system between the truck and trailer. We were sitting at the table playing a game when all of the sudden a huge BANG happened. The trailer started shaking and something pushed up the linoleum floor. We looked out the back window and could see people swerving to avoid a loose tire.
The next thing we knew we were getting called from the intercom. My parents and little brother, Josh, wanted to know if we were all okay. We said yes. Josh told my parents he couldn’t look behind him because he couldn’t bear to see if his sisters were gone!
My dad turned on the hazard lights and started to pull over to the side of the road. But one of the two axles was severely bent. The tires were squealing, trailer was shaking, and boy was it loud! We got out of the trailer and all of us were okay.
Remember the spare tire? Well, we suspected that it was laying on the electrical cords that hook up the truck to the trailer. As we travelled down the road, the tire scooted out from the truck bed and ultimately stood up below the trailer.
Fortunately, we had wonderful insurance. We got to stay at a nice hotel, but the only way to carry our belongings into the hotel was in black garbage bags! The trailer was repaired and were on our way back home in just a few days.
Lesson learned: tie down a spare tire before heading out on a road trip.
Great story and fun memory. I’m Malisa’s proud mom and remember this trip very well. I recall hearing someone say years ago, it’s often the mishaps and difficulties we recall the most, when it comes to a family trip this was certainly one for the memory books.
Just to add a few more details, Malisa may have forgotten. After leaving the trailer at the repair shop, we headed for Astoria to attend a Danish festival. While there, we went shopping at a local Mall. When we returned to the truck from shopping, we were astonished to find someone had hit the side of our truck, and just drove away. Incident number two
Frustrated yet determined to enjoy the remainder of our trip, we stayed a few days at the festival longer.
Then back to the trailer repair place, picked up the trailer and stopped in another camp ground. While there, the water pump went out on the truck. Another repair that had to be done, before we headed for home. Aww, the memories!
Love you Malisa. Mama