meet the griswolds, times 10.

well, after detoxing from the weekend, i thought i'd sum up the epic journey to utah and back. our drive out there had everything go wrong that could possibly go wrong. the drive back was at least a little better...

mind you the drive should have only taken 7.5 hours.
it took us 24 hours to get there. and 11 hours to get back.

the drive out:
leave at 6pm (expecting to arrive the condo at 2am at the latest)
get on 80 in wyoming, see a sign saying 80 will be closed past laramie due to blowing snow and wind.
no big deal. it'll probably be open by the time we get there.
it's not.
we sit on the on-ramp by where it is closed to wait for it to open.
after an hour we decide to get a hotel.
get up at 5am. the road just opened. sweet. should be there by lunchtime.
almost into utah!
BOOM.
engine is smoking.
we blew a radiator hose.
call a tow, 30 min wait
an hour and half later, no tow truck. no phone signal to call, low batteries and phones are dying. fuck fuck fuck.
finally get ahold of the truck driver. said he didnt find us.
give him a piece of my mind.
he shows up (2 hours after we pulled over).
drives us back to wyoming to find the part. we can't. land rovers are rare.
we go to 2 auto parts stores.
richie decides to do a temporary tape-up fix until we get to salt lake (about 90 miles away)
he busts another tube.
fuck fuck fuck.
we figure out a way to get a free tow all the way to salt lake, to the land rover dealer.
trade out tow truck drivers.
home free! (right?)
90 miles later, ALMOST to dealer, the driver's phone rings.
the original tow truck driver has the car key... back in wyoming. 100 miles away.
fuck man.
we cant get the truck off the tow truck, let alone drive anywhere.
the dealer doesn't cut keys.
mon gets the information on the key.
richie hits up a locksmith.
mr k buys the parts.
richie takes about 30 min to replace the two parts that are busted.
we're home free.
add more antifreeze.
the engine temp is burning, red light is on.
no heat coming from the vents.
back to the dealer. ask a couple questions.
head up the mountain.
we're there! and it's 6pm again. a whole day gone.
drinky drinky.

2 absolutely amazing days of skiing/snowboarding (montastic boarded some blacks with the boys! what up !)

the day we are leaving we watch the news. 18+ inches to hit wyoming that morning.
shitters.
drive down the mountain.
engine light is on again. no heat at all.
windows open so the car doesn't steam up.
freezing for about 30 minutes.
call the dealer at the bottom of the canyon, figure out the solution.
light goes off. we have heat. perfect.
home free.
decide to go south through utah, instead of wyoming...adding about 100 extra miles, but avoiding the weather.
get to 70east to head home.
light comes on. engine steams.
pull over, loose screw. fix it up.
let the car cool.
keep going. light goes back on.
pull over. add more antifreeze.
light goes off. we're back on track.
the just a little bit of snow flurries and completely iced over roads to hinder us.
finally home.

so... almost 40 hours of travel time. absolutely unbelievable.

but such a fun trip nonetheless!