Marooned in the Monsoon!

    Konebel's Amusement Resort has some pretty scary
rides! The Phoenix, the Scrambler, the Twister! They're
all designed to give you a thrill, a scare, a fright!
    None were as frighting as the ride we took, in our
family van, while trying to come home from the park
in a blinding thunderstorm yesterday!
     We had just about completed a day that was filled
with fun for the grand kids. I had made it through the
humidity that tried its best to stop my breathing.
      Then the rain began to fall.
      It waited, of course, till the kids and a good
family friend (at least she was until yesterday) got
on board an open air device that spins around while
tilting all sorts of which ways so as o allow the rain
to saturate every bit of their clothing.
      But the precipitation seemed to nearly stop as we
made our way back to the parking lot and let the
two kids traveling with us change their clothes for
the ride home.
      It took awhile to escape the parking area as
everyone else had decided to leave then too.
      But two things happened as we finally pulled
out. First, the rain got heavy again. Second the little
bell that sounds as a warning that my gas tank was
on "Empty" sounded.
      No problem. There's always a little extra. Right?
      But just how much? It was a question that would
haunt us more than the Haunted House back at the
park!
       As we headed out on the long hill that leads
away from Konebel's the rain intensified. Water
poured across the road, colored dark brown by the
dirt from the adjoining farm fields it was washing
away.
      We reached the top of the hill and started
down, towards the town of Catawissa.
       Now the rain was ripping at the side of the
road dislodging stones and rocks as it poured
from everywhere.
       That's when it occurred to me. I was driving
downhill! In the same direction as the water was
running.So what awaited me at the bottom?
        Well, as it turned out, what awaited me was
a stalled line of cars as far as we could see!
         Seems the road ahead of us had washed out!
         A Police officer, heading the other way and
stopping at virtually every car, informed us the
road behind us had washed away at one point too!
         We were in for a long wait!
         I turned off the engine to preserve what fule
was left in my tank and we waited. And waited.
Then waited some more.
         Nearly two hours later some emergency
worker informed us we could turn around then
connect with another highway that would
eventually lead us to Interstate 81.
          Of course the route took us through towns
like Aristis and Numedia where not a gas station
was to be found. When I noticed Centralia along
the detour I had thoughts of spending the night
stranded in the "ghost town" or walking from
there some 5 miles to the metropolis of
Ashland.
          But that unknown quantity of gas hidden
below the "Empty marker" served us well!
          We made it through Centralia and into
Ashland where the sight of the open "Turkey
Hill" station looked like an oasis in the
desert!
          There I pumped 17.9 gallons into what
turns out to be my 20 gallon gas tank!
          Heck! I could have made it to Frackville!
          Have a look at the video I was able to
shoot while marooned in the car!
          I hope your gauge is "Full" and that all
your NEWS is good!

http://youtu.be/LiJEb3MFw2Q