Today, we got a late start as usual. Packing the car is the
X factor that always slows us down. We have so many things stuffed in the tiny
car, such that everything must be placed in the “right” spot to fit. Thus,
things easily become disorganized each time we unpack overnight. Not long after
hitting the road, we were greeted by an unfortunate situation. The car suddenly
began clanking loud. I pulled over thinking the engine must have fallen out! As
it turned out, the rear tire had a big bolt head protruding. Shoot, a flat
tire! I thought it odd that a bolt head should be making such a large clanking
sound, but what do I know? Fortunately, we broke down about 5 mins from a
mechanic, who was able to patch the tire and get us on the road within minutes.
What luck! The mechanic, Jose, retrieved the bolt from the tire and gave it to
us. This was no ordinary bolt. It was a thick, 5-inch beast! No wonder the car
was making such a loud noise. The clanking sound was from the tip of the bolt
hitting the inside of the tire frame with every tire rotation. Crazy!
We didn’t pull into Ann Arbor until late at night. We hit
the grocery store, since our AirBNB had a full kitchen where we could actually
do a little cooking. As luck would have it, we ran into a man by the name of
Guy Williams in the parking lot. Guy noticed the “On the Road for Climate
Action” magnet on the side of our car and struck up conversation. As it turns
out, he owns a non-profit called “Detroiters Working for Environmental
Justice.” He and his team played a key role in drafting Detroit’s Climate
Action Plan. What serendipity!
After chatting for a bit, Guy invited us over to a community
picnic in his neighborhood the next day, and agreed to be interviewed about the
work he and his charity have been doing. Video coming shortly! Upon picking up
groceries and checking into our AirBNB, Athina took a stroll into town. It was
late at night, but we’d had a long day and wanted to get out and explore a bit.
We’re so glad we did. Ann Arbor is a cute town!
Click here to learn more about "On the Road for Climate
Action!"
Dr. Shahir Masri
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