Smokes's Crash and Car Fund

On the evening of the 30th around 8:30pm, I hydroplaned on the Nevada 447 between Empire and Nixon right before the last big hill preceding Pyramid Lake. I rolled somewhere between 4 and 7 times...? Still unsure. Murphy was thrown from the car and presumed dead, then appeared magically an hour later about 800ft from where the car landed. He's stressed out as hell, but seems mostly fine aside from some brusing and cuts near his dick. His appetite hasn't returned yet, so I think he needs to go to the vet if that's still an issue tomorrow afternoon. As of yet, it seems Murph and I both have a cat-like number of lives-- at least that's what I'll keep telling myself for now.

I somehow walked away with only a finger fractured in a couple places, maybe a boxer's fracture, cuts and bruises, and some good, old-fashioned back, neck, and leg pain... I still haven't gone to the doctor but probably will in the next few days.

A bunch of my belongings from my storage unit were inside my truck because my contract in the desert was extended recently and I wanted things close at hand. I knew this was an issue and it's why I initially was taking a Burning Man fleet vehicle to Reno but I hydroplaned in that car 4 or 5 times within ten miles of Empire and so decided it was best to retun to Gerlach to go get my car; the tires were super new, it was heavier-- it seemed wise. Unfortunately, my Stabilitrak (traction control module) had gone out a few months ago.. I truly thought the weight of my belongings and new tires would still be safer than the alternative vehicle though.

I found my birth certifcate on the side of the road, all of my kitchen gear destroyed, work computer smashed, all of my winter clothing missing or damaged. The first two cars that passed me in the storm while I was stumbling in the road, waving my arms, refused to stop. The car that did stop maybe half an hour later were folks without legal status. They took quite a while to convince to go call the cops rather than help me pick up my strewn belongings over the 100-200 feet I rolled. And, of course, I didn't have full coverage-- that thing I keep telling myself will be the true sign that I've become a real adult. I'm an idiot.

I have AAA premium, but that was useless because I couldn't find my phone or wallet for the first three hours and the tow truck that did show up told me it would cost hundreds upon hundreds of dollars more to take my car to Gerlach and also promised they'd be open the next few days/throughout the holiday so my car wouldn't be trapped and resulting in me being unnecessarily charged for days I couldn't access my car.

Well, Dude-Bro apparently was lying, because I went to pay my balance and chat with them/ figure out my plan for retrieving my vehicle. Everything was closed. I called Cal-Neva towing and the dispatcher informed me it would be four days before anyone was on site. She confirmed that the tow truck driver was lying to me. In the meantime, the car has 0/8 windows, precious belongings I had hoped to salvage are out of reach and being destroyed, and the five trash bags of prized possessions swept off of the road are sitting around the outside my car becoming even more water-logged and unviable for salvage.

Long story short, everything is stupid. I need to buy another car that is large enough to transpo Murph in addition to being actually safe to travel to and from Gerlach. Posting this makes me want to puke because any of you who know me understand I don't ask for help, yet here I am!