Notice: There are few animals in this blog post.
When we promised that I would keep you up-to-date on my adventures while traveling to Best Friends this week we did not think the word "adventures" would play such a major role in the day
3:30am Wake Up
4:15am Leave for the airport
4:45am Arrive at airport
4:46am Proceed to wait in line for 15 minutes at the Southwest check-in
5:01am Head to TSA screening where I wait in line for 45min. This was no fault of the TSA as once I got up there I breezed through. There was just a crazy amount of people flying this morning.
5:46am Arrive at gate. Get in line. Thanks to early bird check in with Southwest I was A31.
Board plane sit in 3rd row with a sweet older couple. It was at this point that Southwest announces to everyone on our flight that this flight happens to have a 3:1 children to adult ratio on the plane. There was also an adorable Pomeranian on the plane.
During the flight some of the kids were given "jobs". The helped the flight crew hand out snacks and collect that trash. They has a blast and drama was kept to a minimum. Southwest Airlines are the most creative nannies EVER!
7:15am (Pacific) Arrive in Vegas. Get luggage. Help the sweet older couple get their luggage and head to the rental car center. I did not realize in Vegas that this took an act of congress. I checked in upstairs and was then lead through a basement dungeon to get my rental car that they had already checked and had the keys in and sent me on my way.
9:00am Stop in Mesquite at the Wal-Mart to pick up essentials. Notice that there is a big green sticker on the key chain for my rental car. That says FX Tire PF. I do not think much of it and drive on.
9:30am Get back on the road and drive through the grades and mountains of Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
10:30am Talk to co-founder Laticia on the phone. She is stuck at home with a torn tendon and bad ankle sprain and is walking with crutches.
11:30am Arrive in Kanab and check in at Dogtown.
12:00pm Arrive at hotel and discover that the passenger front tire has a chunk out of it. I was the luckiest soul on earth that it did not blow out on me.
The phone calls back and forth to Enterprise begins. At first they tell me to drive it back to them. I tell the I do not feel safe doing so. Then they say we will send someone to change the tire then drive to St. George (3 hours) to exchange it. To which I burst into tears telling them I have been up since 3:30am. She suggests that I find a Firestone they are authorized to replace the tire. The nearest one is 164 miles away.
In the meantime the great folks at Ramsey Tire and Auto here in Kanab arrive to change the tire. The take it back to their shop to see if a patch is possible it is not so they put on the spare. While I am there two other folks are getting their tires repaired that rented cars. One of then had one blow out and another one was serverly thin so that one was being replaced too. We vented about the fact that above customer service at car rental providers safety and up keep of the cars should be the #1 priority.
Back in Enterprise land they did some research at the Vegas location and realize what a major error they made sending out this car. They decide to physically tow a new truck out to me. Yes, that is right they loaded a car onto a flatbed and brought one to me (3 hour drive).
In the meantime I get a nap. ZZZZZZZZZZZ
5:00pm One of our board members calls to check on my trip so far. He is very supportive and sponsored my trip out here.
5:12pm New rental car arrives. Drivers says leave it all to him and I do. When he is done I ask if we have to do any new paperwork or anything. He says nope and drives away.
7:00pm A few hours later I head out to dinner and the parking break is locked in place on the new car. It will not budge. I proceed to spend the next 30 minutes fighting to get it loose. I finally google the make and model of the care to find out the issue. Apparently, with Toyota the car must be on AND the car must be in gear. TA DA!
I am now going to bed!
Don't forget our Fundraising Committee meeting on Saturday July 30th! Everyone is invited as we will discuss a lot of our fundraising avenues including our Doggie Drive-In Event!
