it's only day one.

Ashley arrived just Thursday afternoon. You remember her? The one that got me into travel nursing.

Well Bagheera and I were excited to see her and set off for a week of adventure.

Starting off with Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

That's a giant octopus approaching the Tacoma Narrows bridge

Then we came back and had a fire and watched a movie

. 

And then Friday came, a day for which I had planned many things. It started off great, when we arrived at Ocean Shores to drive along the Pacific Ocean on the sandy beaches. I had just been there, what two weeks ago with Matt and Cyndi? What could go wrong?

The wind was strong and the cold cut right through our jackets. We only stepped out of the car for a brief moment and then we got back inside the vehicle to continue with our drive.

We stopped again, here ^ because apparently the view was too good to pass up..  Not even 2 minutes had passed when we attempted to continue forward.  However, when the accelerator was pressed, the car didn't move. 

It was obvious, we were stuck. The tide creeping in under the car settled sand around it, grasping with millions of tiny fingers, slowly attempting to claim my Sentra for the ocean. 

In a panic, I relied on the only environment I understand - snow. The steering wheel was twisted back and forth, "rocking" the tires, as you might find useful when stuck in snow.  However, I neglected to realize that instead, this action burrowed the car deeper into the sand. Soon enough, when placed in reverse, the tires spewed sand all over the side of my vehicle. We were not going to get out. 

Terror struck me when I got out to assess how far we had sunk. My first response was to start ripping my jacket off and I told Ashley to get into the driver's side. I thought maybe we'd try pushing.  But as the waves washed up around my feet I knew that wouldn't help, and I called 911. 

"911 Emergency Response, how can I help you?"

"Uhm, I was just driving on the beach and now my car is stuck in the sand."

"Okay, miss, where are you?"

"I don't know. Ocean shores, somewhere. I'm not from around here...ohhhh my gosh, the water's coming. Oh geez"

"It's okay miss, I've located you South of Taurus, does that sound right to you?"

"Uhm, I guess, I don't know. I'm not from here. What do I do?!"

She connected me to a towing company and I expressed my gratitude.  The man I spoke to on the phone from North Beach Towing, attempted to calm me down by saying, "this happens all the time", but I had a hard time keeping from hyperventilating as I felt the car sink inch by inch. 

Ashley says I scolded her like a mother does her children, when I told her to get out of the car.  At first she disputed that we didn't need to escape, but I raised my stern voice and told her to get her stuff and get to the beach.  Then we stood there, for I don't know, 15 minutes? Eventually I had to turn my back because the sight of my car tilting pitifully towards it's sandy grave made my heart ache. 

Let's review, as I did on that frozen beach, all the places this Sentra and I have traveled:

Originally purchased in June of 2010, this was my graduation gift to myself. It was my second choice, but won out for financial reasons.  To think, I didn't even want this car to begin with..

Moving to Pittsburgh June 2010, then away from PGH Sept 2011

Across country via Route 66 in Oct 2011

To Las Vegas, Palm Desert, the San Bernadino mountains (requiring chains several times to navigate the icy roads)

All over LA County. Up to Santa Barbara, and down to Carlsbad.

The ski rack flying off of the top and bouncing down the 101, then being replaced by the LA Fire Dept.

Up the coast then inland to Tahoe and Reno.

Further North through Oregon, Washington, and up to British Columbia.

Back to Northern California, and all over wine country, then to Sacremento.

To Denver, through Nevada and Utah.

Above 14,000 feet via the winding roads of Mt Evan's and Pikes Peak.

Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, where I was but a spec on highways through prairies and mountains. 

Finally, to Washington, among the gloom and green pines of this Northwestern State.  

Previously, we had on the beach without problems, but now I stood helpless as I watched waves reach for my car.

As a knight in shining armor races in to save the damsel, so this man arrived in his beat up pick up truck, bounding over waves and sand to rescue me.  He didn't speak a word, but began working immediately.

I hate to say it, but he struggled to set my car free.  He actually called for back up.  Ashley and I couldn't take the stress anymore, and stepped in requesting to be put to use.  He had me ride in the vehicle to keep the tires straight, and Ashley was put to work with the shovel. 

such a trooper. 

Ohmygosh, but we made it out. 

After paying the man and his tow truck, I clearly needed a wash.  So we followed his suggestion and went to a car wash right next to a bar in Ocean Shores.  I got a Coors Light to remind me of Colorado, and Ashley won $100 playing the lottery (proved me wrong too, cause I told her not to play it. I believe my exact words were, "we've already lost too much money today." Guess again?)

With a significant delay to our plans, we hit the road again, Northbound for our very own tour of places and things Twilight.

First we stopped at Lake Quinault  so we could see a lake veiled in clouds and fog.

We blasted through Forks, which doesn't have much to see anyway.  Our goal was to catch the sunset over La Push beach.

We didn't make it.  It was already gone when we arrived.  But I forced Ashley out of the car and shouted something about, "we came this far, I'll be damned if we don't get out and take some pictures"..

The wind was ferocious and our spirits weakened from lack of food and a day that just didn't seem to turn out how we planned. 

Finally we arrived in Port Angeles for dinner at Bella Italia. Unable to see the beautiful contrast of the harbor and the Olympic mountain range because it was pitch black by 7 pm, we enjoyed our meal, relaxed, laughed about the turn of events, and even ordered desert. 

And no, we didn't order the mushroom ravioli.. and if you know why I said that, you're a nerd. Like us.

I'd like to end my post with the above picture and comment about how excited I was to see Port Angeles advertise my favorite season's rapid approach.  I wish I could tell you we got on the highway and got home, had a fire and enjoyed the evening without anymore problems.  Oh how I wish I wasn't about to tell you that I was pulled over on the 101 for a speeding ticket and had an emotional breakdown with my warning to Ashley of, "it's happening". How I wish I didn't have to explain that I'm so grateful she was with me because she made me laugh through the tears and reminded me that even though so much went wrong, and so much money was wasted on preventable situations, it was still a great day and things weren't so bad. 

After all, she said, "it's only day one"

PS After I wrote this post, we both looked at the pictures of my car sunk in the sand and laughed, so. hard. My goodness, it's always something with us, isn't it?