The Day My Tire Went Flat in the Utah Desert: A Lesson in Staying Calm
Lessons from my 1700 road trip from CA to MN
Last month, I made the 1,700+ mile journey from sunny Southern California to the already cooling weather of southern Minnesota. The first leg of my trip went pretty smoothly, except for my cats, who were not thrilled to be on this road trip. One of them cried the entire time—yes, the entire ride, except when they were asleep. Fun times, right?
I had just left a Vrbo in Utah, eager to get to Denver for a one-night stay. I was excited about a little downtime in a hotel while my cats got some boarding of their own. With my car packed and snacks ready, I hit the road early, hoping to make good time. We set off with the rising sun, and honestly, the Utah desert was breathtaking—red rocks, wide open spaces, and the kind of peace you can only find out in the middle of nowhere. It was perfect. Until it wasn’t.
The Moment It All Went Sideways
I was cruising along, making great time, and saw signs warning about "No services for 150 miles." No problem, I thought—I had a full tank of gas and plenty of road ahead. But about 100 miles into this no-services stretch, things took a turn.
Suddenly, the tire pressure light came on, and my back right tire was dropping fast. It started at 35 psi, then quickly fell to 29, then 28. And I was still over 50 miles away from the nearest gas station.
Cue the panic.
I’d already been driving through the desert for an hour, and now I was freaking out. What if the tire blew? What if I got stranded in the middle of nowhere with my pets and my belongings? I slowed down and moved to the slow lane, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. How would I get a tow truck? Does this car have a spare? What if they couldn’t tow the car with my cats inside? What was I going to do?
I turned off the music and focused on calming myself down. I just had to make it another 46 miles—just 46 miles, and I’d be at a gas station. But, let me tell you, that was the longest 46 miles of my life. I kept an eye on the tire pressure, which continued to drop, and had multiple mini freak-outs along the way. But I kept going—slow and steady.
Gas Station Heroes to the Rescue
Finally, I reached a tiny town with a gas station right off the highway. I pulled up to the air machine, hoping I could fix the problem myself. But no luck. Air wasn’t helping, and the tire was in worse shape than I thought.
So, I walked into the gas station and asked if there was a tire repair shop nearby. The lady at the register looked at her coworker and said, "You think Carl’s at work or on lunch?" Her coworker shrugged, “Could be either.”
Small towns, right?
Luckily, Carl was at work, and the repair shop was just down the street. I drove there on a nearly flat tire, but I made it. Carl fixed the tire for $40, and I was back on the road within an hour. It delayed my trip by about 45 minutes, which later turned into 2 hours of traffic trying to get into Denver. But honestly, I was just relieved I didn’t get stranded in the middle of nowhere.
After 12 hours on the road, I finally made it to Denver, dropped off my cats, and collapsed into a hotel bed. I had never been so happy to see a shower and a bed in my life.
It’s Okay to Be Scared
I can honestly say this was the scariest most stressful part of the entire trip, even more than the 2 hours of traffic I faced later in the mountains of Colorado, that same day. The moment that tire light came on, I felt so vulnerable. Alone, in the middle of nowhere, with my pets and my car full of my entire life’s belongings.
I chose to make this cross-country journey alone because I believed in myself and my ability to handle whatever came my way. But in that moment, I definitely questioned everything. And you know what? That’s okay. We’re allowed to be scared, especially when things don’t go as planned.
What mattered most was that I didn’t let the fear stop me. I stayed calm (ish), kept going, and made it to a place where I could get help. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just keep moving forward, even if you’re terrified.
When Travel Goes Wrong
Travel doesn’t always go the way we plan it, and that’s part of the adventure. How we handle those unexpected moments can change the outcome entirely. If I’d pulled over in the desert, the tire might have gone completely flat, and I could have been stranded for hours. Instead, I kept going and made it to safety.
So, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation—whether it’s a flat tire in the desert or some other travel mishap—remember that you’re capable of handling it. Stay calm, keep moving, and trust that you’ll figure it out.
When things go sideways during travel, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but those moments often make for the best stories—and the most memorable adventures. I’ve been there myself, like when my car tire nearly blew out in the middle of the Utah desert. It's moments like those that shape us as travelers, pushing us out of our comfort zones and giving us stories we’ll laugh about later.
If you've ever had a less-than-perfect travel moment (or several), you're not alone—and those mishaps can turn into incredible memories. That's why I created the "Travel Mishaps to Memorable Stories Toolkit". This toolkit is designed to help solo female travelers like you reflect on those experiences and craft shareable, meaningful stories. With tools like a 25-page journal filled with thought-provoking prompts, checklists to prevent future mishaps, and a story creation worksheet, you’ll turn even the most challenging travel days into engaging, memorable tales.
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Check out the Travel Mishaps to Memorable Stories Toolkit and start turning your travel challenges into stories worth sharing!