Blow Out on 99

It started innocently enough. We headed to Fresno (about 45 miles south of us) to do a little shopping. Which in Sue's case means... goody goody goody.. a godwill.

It was going to be 102. It never made that. It is still some outside time. Our first stop was at our Coscto for some gas for the car and a hot dog and soda around for the participants. Misson accomplished and we headed right down the 99 to the Riverpark shoppping center. Sue prefers to travel flat in the back seat so as to save her back for noble upright causes.... like shopping.

We arrived and headed for the Marshall's. Next to Marshall's is a pretty well endowed Michael's with a sale on canvases.  I have been going for the canvases for my watercolors that are significantly wider than tall.  I a bought a beauty and have an idea that I will try to express using it.  The nice part of this outside mall, is that the design has all of these nice outdoor chairs and benches made for waiting for the people that are in the stores shopping.  You do not have to wait in the cars with the gigantic heat we have in this valley.

We then headed over to Ross.  Sue made it independently with her power chair and I drove the support expedity and waited fora while outside.  No chairs or benches are available for this shopping venue. After two bouts with the shops, we headed for something to drink. With Sue it has to be sugar free and caffeine free.  This is a rare situation although its getting easier to find with the advent of the the Minute Maid light lemonade that comes at the soda bar with the coke products. The one store that really gets it is Panera.  At almost all panera's that we have been to they have Diet Pepsi caffeine free on tap.

There was a Panera  in this mall, so along with the drinks we bought a couple of sourdough baggets.

The question then arose.. where was that goodwill that was down here on the last visit we had to Fresno.  I pieced together that we were there with the girls to get a part installed in my Mac at the Mac store in the Fashion Mall.. That was on Shaw.  Sue insisted that it was close to the River Park mall on Herndon, about 3 miles difference. After running down hwy 41 to Shaw, Sue used the map feature and a support person with directions to snag the location.. it was on Shaw, and Brawley, as I had suggested. It was not an I told you so moment.. but it had here jumping up and down in her seat at the sight of the its sign.

We bought a few treasures and headed back up to reconnect with our major North-South Hwy working itsself up to being an interstate.. 99.

Everything was cool until we were 10 miles out of town and it sounded like we were being bombed by a B25.  The front driver's side tire had completely imploded.  It dd not seperate, but it was completely ready to split the sidewall from the tread. I slowly pulled over and put on the flashers. I had the AAA app on my iphone and used it to contact the roadside assistance.  They said that it might be 45 minutes.  A few minutes later the independent franchisee, Turner Towing from Chowchilla was there and pulled the spare from under the car and installed it within 3 feet of the road with trucks passing us at 68 miles an hour.  The whole thing was over in 25 minutes. We were back on the road.

This morning I took the tire down to Costco.  They said that the other tires although were also not showing wear were vulnerable to the same kind of blowout due to their age.  Michielin was no longer making that tire but had replcement tires that were actually warranteed for a given mileage number. Four for 1,000 dollars thank you very much.  Oh we only have two. We'll get the other two about Tues of next week... When the next truck comes up from San Bernadino.  A half an hour later the two new tires were installed and the spare was placed in the back of the car.  The cable holding up the spare under the truck was too shaky (down to under two stands to support the tire.  Over to the Ford dealership.  The parts guy said that you have to order the strands plus the mounting cup. He didn't have one in stock but would get it tomorrow.  Pay up front.. 135 for the part.

So it goes.. cars and safety.  You got to pay to keep it safe.

love
Pat