I don't know where else to put this on the site, so I'll post it here...if this is the wrong section, I apologize.
So, I have a saved search for Weber and webber on a CL app on my phone.
On Monday, this popped up.
In Colorado.
It would be a 775 mile drive one way to pick it up. So, I let it be for 24 hours, thinking someone else would pick it up. On Tuesday morning, it was still there, so I sent an email to the seller, offering them more if they would hold it until Saturday. Within minutes they agreed, and even said they would remove the posting! I was very happy. They said if they didn't hear from me Saturday by noon, they'd repost it.
So, my plan was to drive all the way to Denver Friday after school, wake up early Saturday, go pick it up that morning (Near Pueblo, CO), turn around and come home, hopefully by midnight Saturday.
You may be thinking I'm crazy, but I've done a lot of drives for my Weberitis...and I LOVE road trips. I know some hate them, but for me they are relaxing. I put in audiobooks, get some snacks and head out. Plus, driving here in the west can be BEAUTIFUL. Once you get 2 hours out of Vegas, the scenery changes, and especially if you're heading north, the traffic clears out, and you're cruising.
My 12 year old daughter even asked to come along, and with her getting older QUICk, I thought it would be fun to spend some time together.
We left Friday at 3:20, and after getting out of Vegas, settled in. Got Culver's Frozen Custard in St. George, UT...Good times! All is well.
Now, if you've ever driven I-70 west, you may know America's longest stretch of Interstate WITHOUT SERVICES is from Salina UT to Green River, UT. 106 miles of NOTHING. For those who know, you gas up and use the bathroom before hitting this stretch. I took the Prius on this trip to save on gas money, and even though I still had 4 tics on the gas guage when we got to Salina, I filled up, to be on the safe side.
9:30 pm, 40 miles out of Salina in the middle of the mountains, we hit the pothole. Not huge, but deep. Immediately, my front driver's side tire bursts. I pull over quickly. CRAP.
This is not a good place to break down. I had no cell service, and Green River is still 70 miles away. My daughter (also a type 1 diabetic) starts to freak out. I tell her it will be fine. Changing tires is no big deal for me. So, I jack up the car, remove the tire, and STUPIDLY, decide to put it in the trunk before putting on the donut spare. As I put it in the trunk, the jack gives way, and the car collapses on it. The jack is stuck under the car. SHIT.
About 15 minutes later, another car hits the pothole, busting their front driver's side tire. They are about a quarter mile down the road. I go down, and oddly it's another guy from Vegas in a Toyota Corolla. We have similar jacks. After helping him change his tire, he comes back to jack my car up to remove my jack. He does, and he also helps jack my car back up again, using two jacks to maintain support.
I put the donut on, and it is FLAT. $%(#(#*%
There is no way I'm driving either way through the mountains on a flat donut. Fortunately, he has cell service (Sprint for the win), and I call for roadside service thru my insurance. Long story short, they say cannot locate me, though I am shouting at them my mile marker (95 on Eastbound 70!! Do you think I'm making this up!!!) After 20 minutes on the phone, they say they'll send a tow.
The other guy leaves, I thank him and wish him good luck, and we are left to wait.
At 12:45 am, the tow arrives...apparently from Castle Dale, UT which was the "nearest" tow, according to Progressive. Castle Dale is 40 miles north of the interstate, 45 miles from my location. He asks if I want to just air up the donut, but I say no, as I don't want to go through this again if something goes bad. We get in the truck, and have a 1.5 hour ride to Castle Dale. Drop off the car in a NAPA Auto Parts store lot. He then takes us to Castle Dale's only motel, the Village Inn. The office was closed. He knows the owner, calls them up, and 15 minutes later, they arrive and we get a room...Lucky 13.
Get to sleep after 3am.
The next morning, I see the closest Walmart is 30 miles away. My wife says if I want to still go get the grill, fine, if I just want to come home, that's fine too. I decide to email the seller and tell them my situation, and that I would still pick it up, though it would be Saturday night. My daughter, who is AWESOME, was still up for the adventure.
Air up the donut, and while driving to Walmart in Price UT, get this message from the seller:
"My sincerest apologies but we had some sale items set beside our garage the past few nights and your Webber grill was one of the items that was stolen on Thursday night. Sorry for your wasted time."
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! If they would have messaged me this Friday morning, that would have been nice. I had messaged them Friday afternoon telling them I was on my way but never heard anything.
Got the tire fixed, drove 379 miles back to Vegas and got home at 3:45 yesterday afternoon.
Weberitis. Gotta love it.
Anyway, someone in Pueblo, CO has stolen a treasure and don't even know it. If it pops up somewhere in the coming months, you know the backstory...sorry for the long post. Have a good day!
