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My friends arrived here at my apartment around 10:45 PM on Friday evening. They asked if they could use my Internet to check the weather computer models one last time before we hit the road for the south central Arizona area. Kevin knows how to read models really well btw. He looked at a few SPC sites and determined that we would be going to Gila Bend, AZ as our target spot. We made our pit stops and hit the road.
Right by the 405 Freeway, we needed gas. So we filled up. Stephen (another guy who we brought with us) told Kevin to ground himself before touching the gas pump. He said the reason for doing that is because, right by where he used to live, some person didn't ground himself before pumping his gas and it sparked his gas tank, the gas pump, and it also traveled down the pump into the underground tanks, which he says hold 6,000 gallons of gasoline each. Not a good thing if you ask me.
Once we got on the freeway, Kevin took the 405 Freeway to the 73 toll road, then went on the 5 south to the 805 South, and then to the 8 east. The 8 is one heck of a long drive. The first few freeways were not too bad (an hour at most for each of them); but the 8 is the longest stretch by far. Being that I take a diuretic pill (a pill that makes me #1 a lot), it made for a bit of relief when we stopped so that I could stretch and relax for a few minutes.
We were driving in a 2000 or so Dodge Caravan, luxury edition. I had the front passenger seat. It was very comfortable. We all chatted and talked along the way there. Being that I drank tons of soda on the way there (probably 6 or 7 in total), I did not sleep. I watched the scenery go by, looking for signs of incoming moisture, possible storms forming, and also talking with my friends.
*skips the rest of the trip there*
We arrived in Gila Bend, AZ around 6 AM local time (5 AM here in California). Since everyone else was tired (except me, thanks to my huge sugar and caffeine high), I stayed up while they took a 2 1/2 hour nap. As they rested, I stared at the low and mid level moisture that was passing overhead from the SSW to the NNE. It sprinkled at first around (I am guessing since I didn't bring my watch with me) 7:15 to 7:25 AM local time, and then again about 20-25 minutes later. We got a nice and moderate rain shower at about 8 AM local time (7 am California time). It lasted for about 10-15 minutes, just enough to make the ground wet.
When they woke up, we ate breakfast at the McDonald's whose parking lot we had taken up temporary residence in. We drove through the drive thru since about 75 people showed up at the exact same time that we did (2 tour buses full of people actually, since we were right next to I-8). Once we ate, we decided to continue on to Tucson due to the extensive cloud cover in the area.
*skips the trip to Tucson*
Upon arriving in Tucson, which happened around 11 to 11:15 AM local time (just after 10 AM California time), Kevin stated that he wanted to go and look at the computer models. But we needed gas first since we were pushing empty. So we filled up first, then happened to find someone at the gas station who knew where the local library was.
We found the local library and spent about 15 minutes looking at the latest model data. Tucson still had some cloud cover, but not as bad. We hit a couple of moderate rain showers on the way there, so we knew that there was some instability in the area. Kevin determined that the El Paso, TX area would be prime for us to stop at; since it was just about in the slight risk area for severe storms on Saturday.
But of course, we needed enough cash to get home. The four of us conferred and decided that we would have enough to make it there and back home, so we continued on.
On the way, we hit a couple more rain showers. No thunder, just heavy rain showers. This made Brian (Kevin's twin brother) upset. He began to swear and cuss very loudly. We told him to calm down and just wait, because where we were going; there would be a lot more action.
And there was.
We stopped in Las Cruces, NM at a Pilot truck stop near I-8. The four of us looked at TWC and saw that severe storms were in the area; so we decided to park it there for a while. Kevin crossed the street and we went into another truck stop. When we came out we noticed that there was a huge (and I mean HUGE) puddle of transmission fluid under the left front part of the van.
We had busted a transmission hose! What to do now? How were we going to get home? Should we call someone to wire us some money or should we pool some cash together to get some gunk stuff (I forget what it's called now) to put a temporary patch on it until we could make it home and forget about the storms altogether?
We were all bummed out. Kevin wanted to cry I think, he looked really sad. I almost did as well. Driving nearly 800 miles for nothing would be a total and utter waste of time IMHO.
BUT IT GETS BETTER!!! ...
Steven is a good guy when it comes to fixing cars. You could say that he does this for a living just about. I decided that I would pay for the "gunk stuff" since it is obviously imperative that we make it home - and in one piece too. He bought a couple small tubes of it and set out to fix the leak.
Just at that moment, a man pulled up in a blue GMC truck. He noticed the giant puddle of transmission fluid and offered his services, stating that he owned a mechanic's shop about 10-15 minutes down the road. He took a look under the car and said that the hose could be replaced in no time and that he would do it; plus add new transmission fluid, in no time and for free.
Being that the man was a stranger, we were obviously doubtful about taking his offer. But at this point, it was a case of should we apply a temporary fix and risk the hose busting again in the middle of nowhere on the freeway, or should we have the man fix it for us, permanently?
We took the man's offer. He removed the busted hose and cleaned the area around where he would need to work. He stated that he had to go inside the restaurant/truck stop since he normally ordered his steak dinner there on Fridays, but he couldn't make it down there this Friday so he came on Saturday this time instead.
**I TELL YOU THIS GUY WAS OUR GOD SENT GUARDIAN ANGEL!!! ***
We spent the time while the man went back to his shop to get the new hose and transmission fluid looking at a humongous thunderstorm that had developed just to our east by about 10 miles. It must have been at least 35,000 to 40,000 feet tall. The thing had a very nicely developed anvil and was a classic shaped cumulonimbus cloud. I have pics of it on my camera that will be developed soon.
We also noted another storm developing to our southwest just as the sun set. This would turn out to hit us later. (More details soon.)
Once the man returned with the parts that we needed to fix our van, he and Steven set to putting the new hose on and the new transmission fluid in. Steven started the van up once that was done and it ran flawlessly - no leaks or anything!
We were saved! And for FREE too!
We offered the man a $10 tip but he politely refused. He told us that he has plenty of money and didn't need the $10. Given that he has like 5 Corvettes (and he even came in one originally), I can believe him on that.
The man then proceeded to tell Steven and myself how he found a bunch of gold in the mountains north of Las Cruces. (For referencing purposes, Las Cruces is about 45-50 miles north of El Paso, TX). He proved his story by producing an 1869 dollar gold coin, as well as 6 small gold nuggets, out of his back pocket.
We were all amazed. It would be nice to have gold, that's for sure! The man stated that the gold coin, by itself; was worth $1,600. (I could buy my new computer AND digital camera RIGHT NOW with $1600!!) He told us how he got the nuggets too, as well as the gold coin. (Dunno if I should tell his personal business here though.)
Once the man left and we cleaned the spilled transmission fluid as best as we could, we observed that there was an incoming storm - and fast - to our southwest. Kevin and Brian ran across the street real fast to the Pilot truck stop to catch The Weather Channel. Once they came back they stated that there were warnings on the incoming storm.
This could be the big event of our trip! Would a tornado slam us? Or 3" hail? Or what?
The winds increased, first to 15-20 MPH; then to 20-25 MPH; then all of a sudden they zoomed up to 40-50 MPH before the rain began to fall horizontally due to the high winds. We got excited that the big event of our trip was FINALLY occurring (at almost 8 PM local time, 7 California time).
We drove across the street to the parking lot of an empty building, after doing a U-turn and being buffeted by 50 MPH wind gusts and heavy rains. The thunder and lightning began to boom, shake, crack, and rattle all around us. I was excited that the biggest storm of our trip had finally arrived.
We parked in the parking lot of the building and observed that lightning was flashing and flickering every 3-5 seconds. This meant that it was a severe storm,
according to Kevin. The lightning, heavy rain, and high wind continued for at least 15-20 minutes before slowing down to a comparative trickle. The storm then died after about 5-10 more minutes, so were we were satisfied that we had captured our big fish, so to speak.
And that was our trip story!
