The Journey Begins

So it’s 9:30 a.m. and I am driving south on I-5 approaching Thornton, between Sacramento and Stockton. Shirley is purring along in the number two lane beside an 18-wheeler when she goes “Thump-thump-thump-KAPOW!!!” and lurches to the right! I immediately think I have either hit the truck or blown a tire. It becomes obvious the latter is true. I look to my mirror so I can move to the right shoulder but my mirror is flat against the side window. As I am trying to move slowly and blindly to the right I see the truck heading for the shoulder. “Oh fudge, I did hit the truck!” I finally get Shirley to the shoulder and stopped. The truck driver is out of the cab and coming back to me. I manage to get out of the driver’s seat and get ready to open the door fully expecting to see Shirley’s whole right side smashed in. The truck driver informs me my tire blew out. Very observant. He also says only my mirror hit him and there is no damage to his truck. He gets back in his truck and leaves. I inspect Shirley and determine the only damage is a totally destroyed Michelin and the mirror has been shoved in but is not damaged. Luck is with us.

Long story short: the spare is useless, a big chunk is out of it. Tow truck time. Shirley gets towed to Brannon Tire in Stockton after an hour wait for the tow truck and a thirty minute tow. By time the folks at Brannon get the work order completed and the tow driver finishes his bill it is 12:35, game time. (Saint) Michael Borelli was going to the game with me and we were to meet in Pleasanton at 10:00. St. Mike drives to Stockton, picks me up and we head to Oakland and arrive at the game in the fourth inning.

Saint Michael entering Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

The A’s played a good game and had a shutout until the 9th when Seattle scored twice with one out. The A’s came through with a 6-4-3 double play that ended the game. First game, a win for the home team and I got to see two future Hall of Famers; Ichiro and Ken Griffey, Jr (he was on deck when the final out was made.)



Mike hauled me back to Stockton where Shirley had two matching new shoes on the front and the original left front was now the spare. It was 6:00 p.m. when I left Stockton and I arrived at I-5 and Hwy 46 at 9:30 without further incident.

Day 1 Summary: Shirley likes me. One game down, 29 to go, 284 miles logged. Time to get some sleep at the Lost Hills RV Park and head for Phoenix in the morning.