Though we had mostly "moved" a couple weeks before (as in we were staying more in Price than in our house we still owned) I really wanted to go to Girls Camp with our ward. I needed closure and I had helped plan camp for months. This wouldn't have been a problem at all, except for the fact that camp fell on the same week as Luke and my 10 year anniversary. We had already "celebrated" with our Yellowstone trip in January, but it still was sad to be at camp during that special occasion. Luke was especially unhappy about this.
On the 8th (our anniversary) we had our hike and the day and it was the day they were lacking leaders. To make up for being away on the 8th, the next day I planned to leave camp and go down to Price to take Luke on a surprise date.
Surprise! I hydroplaned around a corner on the way down Payson Canyon and ran into another truck. It was bad. Thankfully no one was hurt, but both trucks were totaled.
OUCH
As I left camp, I prayed for safety but had a strong sense that something could go wrong. It had been raining so hard for well, DAYS, so I knew the roads were very wet, and I intentionally kept my speed down the whole way through the canyon. Just as I hit the bottom of the steep canyon, I picked up a little speed, but was still not going over the speed limit. As I rounded the last sharp corner in the canyon, I hit the standing water on the road and tried to slow down. I simply couldn't, and knew I was going to be in the other lane around the corner, Just as I realized this, I saw the oncoming truck. There was nothing I could do. I contacted with the other truck right on my drivers side to his drivers side wheel and door. My truck sort of slid along it and bounced off and then came to a stop. I was completely unharmed.
I opened the door as far as I could and squeezed through the tiny opening. I ran to the other truck to see if they were okay just as the wife and son of the other driver, who were following in a car behind the truck met up with me. She asked if I was alright and then we ran to her truck. The driver and his daughter were fine, even though the airbags had deployed and things were a bit smokey. As they were getting out of their truck the wife cursed and said, "THIS IS THE SECOND TIME HE'S BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT THIS MONTH! He totaled his mustang and just barely got this new truck!"
I lost it.
I cried and cried. She hugged me and told me it was okay. Everyone was okay and that was all the mattered. This was true, but I hated knowing it was my fault.
As we waited for the police it started to rain. I had left all of my jackets up at camp for the girls since all of their clothing was soaked because, again, it had been raining all week. The only thing I had was my huge beach umbrella. I got it out of the back of the truck and there I stood, in the rain, under my giant umbrella as the police and crews worked to secure the scene of the accident.
At some point a lady directing traffic turned around to look at me and commented how pathetic I looked. Standing there, crying, under my beach umbrella.
Luckily I had a moment of cell service and was able to reach Luke to tell him I had been in an accident. Not quite the "surprise" I had in mind.
The policeman needed our reports. I explained to him that I was trying to stay slow and the other driver confirmed that I was not going fast (THANK YOU!) and so he said he would not give me a ticket. The roads were bad.........and though it was my fault, I had suffered enough.
He then gave me (and my umbrella) a ride down to Payson to meet Luke. Though I hope to never ride in a cop's vehicle again, he was a very friendly officer who talked my ear off.
Luke and I then went to Santaquin to where our truck was being towed.. We made the arrangements with the Ford dealership and then went home to our house for me to shower and get cleaned up. We did get to celebrate our anniversary-- that will be the next post.
Until then, here is rest of girls camp:
I rode back up to camp the next day with another leader and we met them in the canyon for the rappelling activity. I couldn't believe how bad of post traumatic stress disorder I had. Every curve in the road made my heart stop beating. I was grateful to not be driving!
Camp was great and I am so glad I could go spend those final few days with my beloved young women and the other leaders but it sure was good to get home to my littles. Especially with such a nearly disastrous event, I was so happy to wrap my arms around them!
