The Flying Tire Incident

Kristy had mentioned before and during Girl's Camp that we should go out to eat as a celebration and treat that Friday night. I was all for it and thought that Coasta Vida would be the best place to sit and get full. I passed this idea on to Shonda (our Camp Director) and she loved it and soon all the leaders (and their families) were invited to come and eat and relax and of course laugh about our Freaking Magical time at Girl's Camp.

The meal was awesome (as always) and the company was just as awesome. We had a good time going over all the details of camp. When the meal ended we all got in the car and it was decided that we should hit Stone Cold Creamery for an ice cold treat. But as we drove up the busy street we begun to hear this strange thumping sound. Now this sound was not the sound that my mechanic had warned me about. This was in between that thumping noise. And it got worse and worse as we got closer to Stone Cold. Finally, I turned into an empty parking lot worried that my car was going to collapse. Kristy thought that perhaps we got a flat tire but after inspection we saw nothing. So I decided that we should turn back home and call my mechanic and have him take a look at it. Instead of getting some ice cream and instead of going down Main Street we took a different route home. 

The noise was still getting louder and so I was taking it extra slow because I was not sure if our car would make it home. As we passed a busy intersection and past the middle school we suddenly dropped to the ground. We heard a crash and our car felt like it collapsed to the ground. I slowly pulled off the road to the side and saw my tire screaming down the road.

Seriously, it was moving like a bat out of hell. I looked back at Kristy and her eyes widened. We got out of the car and I looked back and saw that my back left tire and suddenly ejected itself from my vehicle. I looked down the road to see if it was still going and I saw these people coming out of their house and looking off of their porch. There is no way that my tire could have ended up there. I looked at Kristy and she knew, she saw the tire hit a boulder and take flight and almost crash into a house!

I wish that was a skid mark made by a rubber tire.

The tire ended up past that first telephone pole.

This is the house it almost smashed into. It hit those boulders right in front and took off.

That black mark on the first rock is from my tire. 

We ran across the road and up the block to that house and sure enough, our tire was resting comfortably in a smashed flower bed, inches from the house. They saw us and saw our car down the street. I apologized to them but they were more worried about our health. They asked us a couple of times if we were okay. And we were, we were not injured in any way. In fact, it was pretty funny and I busted up as I told them what happened. I asked them if I could use their phone so I could call for help. Unfortunately Lynn was gone and my dad was at work and I didn't know any other numbers. I thought about calling Jennifer and Justin but I could not remember their phone number. Didn't I learn my lesson? I remembered the last 4 digits and Kristy remembered the first three and I was able to call. Justin left right away to come and help me.

It smashed this flower bed just inches away from the porch. The people thought something exploded in their basement. I wish I could have seen their faces when they found a tire in their front yard!

Our car was by the second house you see starting from the left side across the street.

Some people were moving out of their house and they saw the whole thing. In fact, one of the kids exclaimed "That was the funniest thing I have ever seen!" They came to my rescue and helped me put the tire back on. Luckily we found all the lugnuts. They were surprised that there was little damage down to my car and to the tire. They were so nice enough that they allowed Logan to use their bathroom! (of course he would have to go at this moment... ...maybe this incident scared the pee out of him) Justin arrived and he followed me back to my house.

I decided to call my mechanic and tell him what happened. He must not have tightened the lugnuts and he came right over feeling really bad. So I had him take a look at it and he thought they looked alright as well (I am getting another opinion just to be sure) and he helped Justin and I fix the other thumping noise. Now I could have been really angry but there was not a lot to be mad at. It was a miracle really. If God intended us to lose this tire than he sure made it so it was as painless as possible. The tire crossed a busy street and didn't hit anyone, the car is alright, we are not injured, we found all the lugnuts, the tire didn't hit the house. We were lucky blessed that our tire didn't cause any more damage than it did. It could have been far worse. 

We even took the car to Salt Lake the next morning and it drove just perfect. I will say that every time I hit a pothole or something, it made me a bit on edge. And I will make sure my lugnuts are tightened everyday!