One we got settled at Pine Lakes we started to worry about the tires. The subtle thump thump from the morning had gotten progressively more insistent throughout the day and sometimes, especially at slow speed was a loud WHUMP WHUMP! So we decided we better take the time and get the tires checked.

We found a truck tire shop and we were there early the next morning. They inspected the tires and found one that had the steel showing through.

Unfortunately, since they were an older style of tire they had told us that they didn’t stock them and they would probably have to order them. That would have slowed us WAY down.

But then the guy says, “wait a minute, let me look and see what I have in back. And he finds a used 2018 with very little wear. Shahin does some negotiating and we get the tire and installation for 300 bucks! They get the tire on and then, they notice a bulge in the side wall of another tire. Now we already know they don’t have another tire that will fit, but the guy says, ” hold on, let me make a call.” He comes back and says he found one at another shop nearby and they are bringing it over. Again, Shahin puts his amazing bargaining skills to work and they give us both tires with installation for $800. Pretty good deal, especially since it saved our necks! We’re on the road again by about 9:30. The rest of the day was pretty smooth sailing, thankfully.

Shahin really pushed to make up the time we had lost so far and we stayed on the road until about 8pm. Then for the sake of convenience, we pulled into Walmart in Fort Stockton for the night.

Apparently they are super popular and very hospitable, which is nice because it is a LONG drive from Houston to El Paso with not much in between. Plus they have cheap diesel!