My trip to California

[luvjulie]

So I decided to take a trip with the natural gas vehicle further than 45 minutes south of home. I decided to go visit family and friends in the good ol' state of California. I couldn't afford taking my van with the gas prices the way they were. It would have cost me 400 ish for the round trip. So I told the kids they could only take a back pack and a pillow and we stuffed everything in the small yet economic car.

It took 17 dollars in gas to get from Salt Lake City to Barstow Calif. We barely made it to the special gas station because the directions I got from the internet were not correct. We pulled up to the gas station with it almost touching the red line. I find out later in the week that I could go longer. This soon in the vacation I haven't figured that out. I pull up and swipe out the debit card and listened to a nice video on how to gas up using natural gas. I have had the car now for 6 months and yet I guess I can always learn something new on these mandatory videos. I watch the video, get a special code and then proceed to the next step. The machine then said that my card is declined. I swipe again, declined again. I know that I have money in the account because it is linked to my savings and I don't have my cards declined. I do it again and again without success. I am in the rural part of Barstow. There is not an attendant, there is not even a phone number. I am almost out of gas. I do not know what to do. My kids get out of the car, the oldest starts skating boarding, the other two get their skates on and start skating around the premises. I am thinking to myself, I am going to sit here until someone comes along to help me. I sit on the curb and I wait. Nope, no one came. I call my mom at this point because I am trying not to have a panic attack and she suggested i go find a police station and ask for some help with the pump. the good news was that there was a firestation right across the street. I go inside and a nice man came out and offered to help. he couldn't get it to work either. Just as I figured that my only choice other than get a hotel in Barstow and try to figure it out the next day or pray that we make it 30 minutes south. I figured that it might be cheaper to try to head south and get closer to my destination for the tow truck  when the fireman decided to use his credit card. It worked!!! I then left to go get him a pizza for all his hard work and some cash for what he put on his card. The pizza place declined my card as well and then I decided to call the bank and thank goodness I got them because it was almost 5 pm. They put a hold on my card because the activity was out of state and they didn't know it was legit or not so they froze my account. They then unfroze my account, went back to give the money back to the guy and told him a pizza was on its way.

Ok, one major hurdle out of the way...I get to Victorville and tried to gas up again. I came to the the gas station and swiped my card, the machine told me that I needed an ID number. I called the number listed on the wall and they said that I needed to watch the video and afterwards it would issue me an ID number. Well, the id number wouldn't work. I watched the video 3 times without success. I called the guy at the number and the answering service said that they have all gone for the day and to call back the next day.

At this point, I sat down on the curb and realized that maybe I need to go back home and forget the trip that we wanted to go on so badly. When all of a sudden someone in a go cart came from around the side of the building and said that he has come to help and filled up my tank for free because it wasn't working right and directed me to another fill station for when I return back home. (that one ended up being the most easiest, quickest fill up I had on the whole trip.

I get to my home. Visit, have the most wonderful time with friends and family. Went to Newport Beach. The kids brought all their friends (borrowed a van this time) I got to see the most beautiful view of Catalina Island from Newport. There was no haze so it was crystal clear and just beautiful. I sailed out of Orange county and Riverside County without one slow down

Then I went to get gas again. This time, I didn't pay attention to the gage and it not only got below the red line, it was on the E. I prayed real hard that I would get to a place in time. I barely got there when my engine light came on. I coasted into the station. Again, no attendant or number. The location was in a beautiful residential neighborhood. Kinda weird.So I am thankful I arrived. I go and get my credit card and realized that I left my credit card in my jeans from eating out the night before coming home from the beach. I am 15 minutes away from my credit card. I had 6 dollars in cash...I never ever have cash on me. Ia m a debit card queen. But today, I had some cash. I figured that I got myself in this mess, I need to get myself out of it. So after a half hour I finally got my guts out and flagged down a mail man to help with the credit card thing and I give him the cash.

Ok, so he only gave me a half tank of gas because that is all I had money for so I filled up in Riverside. Great location, right off the freeway, down the street from where I use to work. I pull up. I read on line that you needed any credit card to have access to the gate. So I pullup, wipe out the credit card, the fence opens up, I drive in. A truck pulls up behind me and ask if I am looking for fuel. I say yes. He says that the fuel station is around the corner and that there was no way to get out of the area I was in without a special key. Which he had and he let me out. Had I not had him there to let me out, there was no way I could have gotten out. So I get gas and go on my merry way.

So we got to church. See our old friends and members and realized that I did have a really neat group of people that I went to church with in California. 

So we head home. We go to Victorville. No problem! We go to Barstow. No problem! We get to Vegas and end up having someone look at the engine light...600 dollars later we are on the way home. Get to sleep in our own beds, get back to our routine, etc. So I fuel up in Mesquite, had a nice dinner...not just McDonalds and then stopped in 'St. George for fuel. Again, no problems.

I have to fuel up again in Cedar because Fillmore is the next station and it was almost 2 hours away and I am going up hill alot of the way. I stop at the station and the pressure stopped giving me gas. I got less then a gallon. I try again. I put in another 13 cents. I tried again and got 5 cents and then 20 cents. Still not enought o make it. Plus, fillmore is closing in an hour and I won't make it anyways this evening.

So here I am writting this all up on my lap top in a hotel in Cedar City. I was so thrilled to save so much money on gas...60 dollars round trip in gas yet then you put the 609.00 in car repairs, extra food and now the hotel...should have taken the van.

But you know...the beach was worth it. My kids got to see and visit with their friends all week long. I got a wonderful break and it was so nice to check up with all my wonderful and dear friends who took such good care of my kids, taking me out to lunch and dinner. It made me realize that we may live in Utah but we still have a group of family and friends who love and adore us. My kids are tucked in a nice warm bed, sleeping. All is well in the world tonight. ...and there is a big continental breastfast in the morning.  Can it not get any better than that?

[24hoursyoung]

Oct. 21, 2008 at 7:21 AM

What a trip!  My bank did the same thing to me for several hours.  I finally called, because I knew we had money in the bank.  I decided to call after I couldn't get gas.  I known what you mean.  Tell me about this car you have.  You said you only have it for 6 months.  Is it promotional?  I would like to try that.  It's a good thing you ran into some good people.  That was God who was with you the whole time.  We have so many crooked folks out here.  Plus people don't even stop these days, because it's so dangerous.  You had angels with you the whole time.  God is an on time God.  I'm glad you guys had a great trip, especially a safe one.  But for real I would like to know more about this car.

[ShannonWest]

Oct. 23, 2008 at 4:04 PM

Wow what a trip Julie!  I probably would have had a nervous breakdown.  You did good girl!  I'm glad your back safely.