–

So as we were driving between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, we noticed that one of the two horizontal prongs holding up our bikes on our Thule bike rack had sheered off. (Fortunately I had stopped at a port-a-potty on a 10,000 foot high pass, or we would not have noticed it…)

While we were trying to refrain from colorful language, and massively utilizing Laura’s black duct tape to try to seal it together, we were approached by a couple asking if we needed help. Between the four of us we got it rigged up, assisted by our lock and duct tape, but mostly by these nice folk’s belt that they generously gave us. It is really the thing that made all the difference. Then by taking our daughter’s front tire off, so it would not scrape along the ground, we were able to proceed.

We drove down the road literally singing hymns of gratitude for the fact that every time we needed something, help just appeared. Hymn 375 says:”We thank thee and we bless Thee, O Father of us all, that e’en before we ask Thee, Thou hear’st Thy children’s call.” This perfectly expressed how we felt, full of awe for both the divine protection and supply. We sang it repeatedly down the mountainside, confident in our jerry-rigged bike arrangement, and that our next help would be there.

My husband called Thule and hooked us up to a registered dealer in Sacramento, which honored our warranty, and swapped us out for an updated, more stable model. We were quickly on our way. We are secure again and think now that this bike rack subplot it over!

–