What a week, and it's not even Friday.

Well. This was an interesting week.

I was asked to go to a college football game. LSU -vs- Tennesee. Fun experience. LSU blew it. UT played well during the second half. I was probably the only person in the entire stadium who DGAF about the outcome. It was an interesting experience and is now something I can say I've done.

However, and this is where it got interesting, I found out that certain things that you think mean one thing, mean something ENTIRELY different when you relocate to a new area.

Case in point: When I see a sign on the side of the road, you know the ones, 36" diamond. Orange with black letters reading "BUMP", based on my previous experience I expect to hit a little whoop-t-do in the road and carry on.

Unfortunately, here in Louisiana, that specific sign ACTUALLY means, "Please come to a complete halt before proceeding because you are about to encounter a 6" tall, square curb we just cut across the next intersection perpendicular to the direction you are travelling at 60 MPH."

This is what the outside of my car's wheels looks like:


This is what the inside of the right front looked like after encountering the "BUMP.":


I was able to order a pair of new wheels from a local(ish) Dodge dealer and they got them in a day. The local Bridgestone dealer was able to install three new tires and align the car in about three hours even though his shop was absolutely slammed. He said it's been like that since the first hurricane.

I liked the shop. I was impressed with how the crew worked, treated the cars and how the managers treated the customers. I will be back.

Anyway, I found out how much the wheels on my car cost. $550 EACH. So this is a very expensive lesson that I should probably slow down a bit at intersections even if I have the green light.

As luck would have it, the alignment wasn't even off and the left front wheel that hit the curb balanced with no weights after the new tire was installed.

I still feel lucky.

ONWARD!!