We had quite a scare one weekend. After a football game, a few of the teens from my church hopped in Mr. Deitz's van and headed down to Pittsburgh for Aquire The Fire, a national youth rally. We got there late, and it was dark. We were so lost! We were trying to find the church where the rest of our youth group was, but we ended up in the backalleys of Pittsburgh. We passed by a drug bust, and had to ask directions at an ambulance station, I think. We finally got to the church, after quite an automotive adventure for kids from a small town.
The next night, the whole group headed home, in a "convoy" of a few vans and cars. Everything was going fine. It was late, maybe 11:30, and we were all tired. I fell asleep about halfway home. The next thing I knew, I heard screaming and screeching brakes. I jerked up, looking at the jumbled lights that battered my sleepy eyes. Well, I didn't know what happened. In that split-second, my life did flash before my eyes, literally. I thought we had hit another car, and who knows what would happen? After a few more seconds, someone who had been awake told me that we had just hit a deer. Luckily, no one got hurt, except the deer who died. However, Mrs. Reynold's van was majorly damaged and couldn't make it home. So we packed into another van. For a while there, the van was smoking and we were afraid something was going to explode! But everything was okay, and she ended up getting a new van. What an evening! By the way, the rally was a blast.
Here's the second story I'll tell. I went to Grove City, an outlet shopping mall an hour from here, last week. My friend Michelle drove, and Steph, Amy, Marissa, and I all went in her car. We left in the morning, and it was raining so hard! We drove out on the interstate, but we had quite an adventure. The car was slipping a bit, moving sideways when Michelle wasn't turning the wheel. (just slightly, off and on). Most of us knew that this was hydroplaning, but Michelle, bless her heart, was clueless. Once we got there, we complained about the hydroplaning. Michelle said, "is that what we were doing?" She's such a silly girl, The Confusedest. Also, we got lost a couple times on the way, which is amazing considering you go from I-80 directly to I-79, then right off at the second exit. Not too difficult, one would think, but no! First, Michelle takes the wrong exit off 80 to 79, and we have to get back on 80 from the exit. (I should mention that I had told her it would be the next exit, which I thought would be 2, but was really 3A.) Then, she goes North on 79 instead of South! But that's understandable, a big truck planted its rear in front of us right then, so she couldn't see the sign and just decided to take the first of the 79 exits. Well, that was a mess, and there was no easy way to get going South. So we went an exit north, and pulled off at a gas station to ask directions. The gas people pointed down the road--there was a sign to 79 south right next to the Citgo we were at. Then my friend Steph hit her head on the car and fell out when she tried to get back in. She was fine though, except for a bruised ego. Well, we finally got there, despite our hydroplaning, getting lost, and the copious road construction. We had a wonderful day, and an uneventful trip home. It was fun!
I have a car story from back in February. My youth group was having the 30 hour famine, when we collect donations for Worldvision, that helps feed hungry children, and then don't eat for a day+ ourselves. It's a great thing and fun! Well, anyway, during this we carpooled out to camp Westminster Highlands (the world's greatest place) to do a clean-up service project at the camp. I rode in Judd's car--and oh my goodness. It was raining hard both ways. Personally, I collected brush from trails and shoveled gravel back onto the roads that morning. By the return trip, it was still raining. Well, we hopped in Judd's car. We were really tired because of the morning, the fasting, and the 3 hours sleep the night before. Well, I nodded off after a while. Anyway, Judd decided to play a little trick. He suddenly slammed on the brakes (remember it was pouring rain on the interstate) in the road (there were'nt any cars near, I found out). I woke up with quite a start! How rude, and not too safe, but that's okay, he's been good since. But watch out, Judd "drives to the music". When it goes fast, he does; slow tempo reduces our speed. Funky music gets jerky driving. Listening to and singing along with "My Heart Will Go On," Judd was slowly swerving and it was so funny/scary. Well, I've probably given you the impression that he's a bad driver, but he's not too bad, he's just weird sometimes. It runs in the family, right Eric?
I had another car experience last night. Our youth group carpooled out to Millcreek for a bonfire. I rode with Michelle, so the ride was okay. ;) Well, a bunch of cars were about to leave for Millcreek, and Eric's car wouldn't start. He tried to jumper-cable it, but that didn't help. So then, when we got back to the church again, Michelle, Steph, Judd, and I pushed the car across the parking lot and back to get it squarely into a parking space (it was in neutral). Well, what fun!
I have another memorable car experience that I had forgotten to talk about. One weekend night, I was driving and Lori was with me; Travis was driving Marissa. Well, we all parked our cars and got out. We were looking at the stars, and it was so beautiful. We went back to our cars and Lori said her door was locked! I had left the keys in the ignition and I was so scared. Oh my goodness, I did not want to call my parents to come pick me up at 10:45 at night and have to give them directions to get there, too. What was I going to do? Luckily, Lori had left her window rolled down about 2 or 3 inches. She tried to reach through the open window and unlock it, but she couldn't reach, and then Marissa tried. Then, Travis, a.k.a. "Elastic Man," managed to reach his arm through the small window opening. He managed to reach the lock, and open the door. Thank Goodness! Then he's like, "Hey guys, can you roll the window down now?!? My arm's stuck!" Well, we did and he got his arm out. He had a bruise for a long time. Well, he's my car hero now, because he rescued me from that hopeless situation! Thank you Travis...
Well, I'll save more stories for another time. I've gotta study!