Mathews Family Insanity: The end of the road...

Oddly enough I took this pic at a rest stop on the WAY to California. Look at my pointer finger marking "Marsing" now follow the red road south way down by the bottom of the picture in the white area, you might read Jordan Valley. Please note there is NO cell phone service from way before Jordan Valley to Marsing. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. And there my friends is where I and my family happened to just break down.

There is nothing anyway, why would they need cell phones?

Oh the warning signs...

Headed home and Oh sooo tired....

and the road....well it's straight. Yes and I was speeding....

Enter Jordan Valley....and Jim's station where I was unknowingly going to spend way too much time... We stopped to use the bathroom, and as I was pulling out there was this weird noise that I thought was the air wrench at the station from someone changing tires, or using an impact wrench as mechanics have a weird habit of doing. But after I got a few feet onto the road (really, like maybe 20) it did it again, and Chris immediately knew what it was, and ordered the turn around back to the station.

Broke down. So thrilled (note the ding in the side of Savannah's nose, it is from Braden's boogie board during a big wave, she is ver ver proud of it for some weird reason)

Braden, and his blistering stubborn non sunscreen wearing self putting on a fake happy face...

Colton curling up into a ball...

And Olivia and her sun burnt nose enjoying the snuggle time with Jenny. Did I mention we LOVE Jenny? She does amazing things.

And they are off on a tow truck.. and we get to stay behind until Chris got back with the white Suburban to get our posse home... or pay an extra arm for "the old man" to "loan" us a pick up truck for 100 bucks for five people to follow behind the tow truck. Oi. The choices just left my head swimming!

Did I mention no cell phones, and I couldn't get a pay phone to work? I called my Mommy. On a land line. Collect. And actually had to get a live operator on the line because I couldn't remember how to do it...

And I had to keep just the things with me that would be necessary for us, and keep us light on our pedestrian toes?

So we pedested.

And then saw a note that said that Charbouneau died near here. Great. If the notoriety of this place is for killing off hardened trappers, we're in for a fun time...

But we found the J.V. Club Cafe (thanks to a local who thought if we asked, I could probably get the kids into the bar to play pool too). The food was really good, and it was clean and friendly. We chose NOT to take the kids to the bar.

but I ordered two sundaes for us to split thinking it would bide some time before we headed out into the cold. It was cold folks. So two sundae's (for $5.00 a piece) and they arrived, in to go cups. Closing folks. Don't have to go home, but you cannot stay here. Thanks for coming in! Oi.

Chocolate makes girls smile. A good thing.

We then sat in a C-store's lunch counter for two hours (under the sign that read "no loitering") until they kicked us out and headed over to Jim's as it was the only LIGHT left on in the town on a Sunday night...

So we found out there is a hotel attached to Jim's gas station. We could choose one bed for $65.00 or two beds for $75.00 and they are "clean as hell" according to the gas station attendant, who by the way was smoking right next to the "Danger, do not smoke" sign at the gas station. I chose to just wing it. Not sure how clean hell is, but by dang it, that hotel didn't have windows, and that made me think of a cell and I haven't ever stayed in a cell let alone paid $75.00 to hang out in one for 3-4 hours!

And I thought it was creepy.

Not that the gas station was a whole lot better, but it was better lit. And had people around...when they stopped for gas anyway. But it was open 24 hours, and because it is Oregon and you cannot pump your own gas there we were lucky to have the attendant that was on shift next offer to let us stay in the mechanic's bay so that we could stay warm. He even turned the heat up for us ( I think we had a "look" about us like stray puppies that needed a heat lamp to make it through the night). He even brought me a chair, and was very gracious. I was thankful for that.