Blow some shit up and Dollar Store Pop-Tarts
Today was one of
those days where you have to try really, really hard to find the
silver lining..and when you think you've found it – it turns out
to be Tin-Foil.
I've had battery
issues since I left on this adventure. I noticed at Wells NV that
something wasn't right with my LQ. If I plugged in – the power
would surge through the electrical – over-powering the lights,
fans, pump...etc. I wasn't sure if it was dirty power or the
inverter/converter thingy.
It went from weird
to weirder. One minute I'd have power, the next minute the low
battery indicator was beeping. Instead of charging the batteries on
AC - it would surge through the appliances like a lightning bolt. A
peculiar smell, like rotten eggs, caused me to assume I had a propane
leak. The low indicator light is on the LP monitor.
I mentioned all
this to Dave when I first arrived in Aguila. He suggested to check
the batteries. Sure enough – they were boiled dry and ruined.
That's when I got new batteries and ended up being charged 4 times
for them. It took several days to clear that one up. When it was all
said and done – It looks like I now owe them for one battery.
I installed the
new batteries, plugged them in and within five minutes they were
boiling and putting off the rotten egg odor. Fine..I have to dry camp
until the team ropers leave anyway. Unfortunately – the batteries
won't charge off my generator since that is AC.
I need battery
power to keep the furnace lit. It's too cold at night here to go
without heat. The only way now to charge my LQ batteries is from my
truck. That would be awesome except I managed to leave the key on and
my truck battery died. So this is how it's going to be today.
I knock on Patty's
door and we proceed to attempt a jump start using her truck. We
aren't getting anywhere when Dave comes to our aid. He tightens the
battery terminals and after 10 to 15 minutes, my truck fires up. I'm
never shutting this thing off again. Patty tells Dave he could start
up a new business: Dave's Handy-Man Services. Specializing in Damsels
in Distress. I think Dave like's the idea.
I can't second
guess this issue any longer. I need to be able to plug in and keep my
batteries charged. I make a phone call to “Arizona Auto Tech” in
Wickenburg. It was a little after 9:00 AM when I called. I didn't
expect to get in for several days at the earliest. Wickenburg is
having their annual Gold Rush days. Between that and the usual influx
of team-roper traffic – you pretty much avoid downtown Wickenburg
at all cost.
The man at Auto
Tech said to bring my truck and trailer in at 1:00 PM. That was fast.
I had a couple hours to kill. I went to the dump. I have a weird
fondness for the dump – no idea why. I'm sure there is some
Freudian explanation involving my childhood that explains it. Or
maybe I just like throwing shit out.
I arrive promptly
at 1:00 PM. It wasn't easy getting in to park. The parking lot is
packed with trailers, autos and RV's. The shop is run by Bill (the
mechanic) and his wife who runs the front desk. One large cat is
curled up on a shelf by the counter and another is lounging on the
coffee maker. A lab cross puppy sizes you up for tug-of-war
potential.
Bill listens
intently as I ramble on about batteries boiling over and low battery
indicators. When I got to the part about the power surges...he throws
up his hands...”Say no more. It's your converter.” Sounds like
something that can be fixed. Do you really think that's it? “I
know that's it. (Bill obviously knows his shit) Your converter is
stuck on 16 volts. When that happens...it will blow some shit up!”
I like Bill. He reminds me of a 1930's salty sea Captain.
It would take a
while to install the new converter. I didn't want to sit there in the
midst of cat hair and stale cigarette smoke for two hours. I was
itching and sneezing as it was. I called Lynn who agreed to come into
town and pick me up. We had lunch at the Rancho Bar – 7. I remember
somebody telling me something about the Bar -7. It was either really
good or really bad. We took a chance on it. The food and the service
was great. If I wake up dead in the morning I'll know it wasn't a
wise choice.
Bill called about
4:00 PM that my trailer was ready to go. I paid my bill, bade goodbye
to Lynn once more and was on the road back to Aguila. Gold Rush
banners hung overhead all through Wickenburg. I counted my blessings
that I'd be well out of Wickenburg before the weekend influx brought
in by the annual event. I couldn't wait to get home, plug into AC and
leave every light on just because I could. Dry camping for an
extended period of time makes a person somewhat of a power and water
miser.
A black dually
tailed me for ten miles out of Wickenburg. I was going 70 in a 65. I
slowed some to see if they wanted to pass – they didn't take
advantage so I pulled back into the center of my lane and resumed 70
MPH. I glanced back in my side mirror – the dually suddenly backs
off and widens the gab between us by about a quarter of a mile. I
assumed they got the hint or there was a cop close by. I glanced back
in my side mirror. Something catches my eye as it flies across the
road. I don't see anything yet, but I can hear a scraping sound. I
look again to see my trailer fender flapping up and down between my
trailer and the pavement. At one point it stuck out horizontally it's
full length...held on by one remaining bolt. This week just keeps
getting better.
Now I can see
debris from one of my trailers drop down windows spraying glass all
over Hwy 60. I pulled off as soon as I found a wide spot and
inspected the damage. The driver side rear tire tread had peeled off,
caught up under the fender ripping it off. The flapping fender had
bounced up breaking the glass out of the window and mangling the
frame. WTF is happening.
The tread was
completely gone and wrapped around the axle. I could not safely
change it where I'd pulled over. Vehicles whizzed by without so much
as slowing down. One thing at a time, Snowbird. First I have to get
this fender the rest of the way off. It was held on by one stubborn
self tapping screw. I don't know what happens to a person when they
come to the end of their rope –Adrenalin kicks in I guess. About
the third vehicle that whizzed by and blew my hat off was enough. I
grabbed hold of the aluminum fender, ripped it the rest of the way
off and tossed it in the back of the trailer. The tire was still
inflated. Dear God – just get me as far as the Family Dollar at the
edge of Aguila. Who knows – maybe Pa and Boy know of a good tire
shop near by.
Patty texted
checking on me. I said the day had gone from bad to worse, but I was
limping on in and should be there within 20 minutes. I stopped every
5 miles or so to make sure the tire was still up and nothing was
being further damaged. I pulled into the Family Dollar in Aguila. The
day didn't have to be a total waste. I might as well pick pick up a
box of Pop-Tarts and blueberry muffin mix. The beautiful girl behind
the counter that reminds me of my daughter, rung up my purchases and
said to have a great day. As I often do when over-stressed – I
started to laugh. She looked at me kind of odd (probably thinking I'm
a nut job) Instead of trying to explain my day – I said what came
to mind: I don't know how anybody could have a bad day in this part
of the country. It was still better than an Idaho winter. I doubt
she's been to Idaho, but she smiled and agreed.
Dave inspected my
trailer as I pulled in the driveway and immediately went into Dave
the Handy Man Mode. “You can pick up a fender at Tractor Supply. I
can get that put on in 15 minutes. We will cut this window 'here and
here' so you can close it until you find a new one.” I said I never
closed them anyway- so I didn't care one way or the other. “Your
horses will care when your hauling them down the road when it's 40
below.” I thought to myself – if it's 40 below between here and
Idaho – I'm never leaving Aguila!
“Your going to
need new tires all the way around.” Fabulous. I just paid $536.00
dollars for a converter/inverter thing. Maybe I better see if I can
get a refund on these Pop-Tarts. Cindy had a good point: “You can
keep putting cheap tires on and replacing fenders every time this
happens – or you can get tires suited for what your hauling and be
done with it.” I know they are right. They've been living this
lifestyle and hauling down the road for a lot of years. They haven't
given me bad advice yet. I'd be making a trip to Big-0 in the
morning.
How could the
first month of my trip go so smoothly to have all this shit happen in
the last week and a half? From the battery debacle to my retirement
distribution (or lack of) screw up to a bad converter/inverter thingy
and now this.
A good Bon-Fire
soothes the soul. We sat around the fire pit contemplating life,
silver linings and blessings in disguise. It's hard to feel sorry for
yourself when you know that God is always with you. He is in control
of your life. That doesn't mean your life is going to be all rainbows
and Unicorns. It means that no matter what happens – God will be
there with you and use every situation towards good – even if you
can't see it at the time. I am so thankful that my tire blew 10 miles
from Aguila near friends willing to help instead of on some deserted
Nevada highway in the middle of nowhere, or worse...The Vegas
Spaghetti bowl!
I climbed into bed
and pulled the covers up to my chin. It cools off quick in the desert
night. The smell of cholla and mesquite smoke lingers in my hair. I
think back on the day. Not only on the mishaps but on the friends
that surround me: I think of Patty, Dave and Cindy, Lynn and Peter
and how truly blessed I am to have them in my life. One final
thought before I drift off to sleep brings a smile to my lips: I'm
having Pop-Tarts in the morning for breakfast! Life is good.
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