Prologue: Desert Solitude
Isaac had planned to leave for the month of February to work on a project in Washington (read more at secrettrainproject.com). He stayed with me through the SuperBowl because I didn’t want to spend that momentous occasion alone. On the 4th, he left for Spokane, leaving me and Avid alone in rural Arizona to take care of the land. Unbeknownst to me, the slow days would soon be event filled…
Laundromat Frustration
It seems that every time I go to a laundromat in Arizona, I bring the wrong form of payment. I’ll bring quarters, but then they don’t accept quarters, they are operated with a card you refill. I have to withdraw money to buy their card because you can only get one with cash (and not with the quarters you would have used for the laundry anyway). Then, when we’re in a different area, the laundromat I go to uses a DIFFERENT card.
So, when I went to do my laundry early in the month, I brought all my cards with me thinking I was going to the ‘mat I had gone to last (we move around a lot, sometimes I get confused). But it wasn’t the same laundromat. This laundromat doesn’t use the cards. THEY USE QUARTERS. I didn’t bring quarters and it would be 30 minutes to drive back to get some. So, I have to use the cash I keep with me to get quarters (keep this in mind).
Side note: I try to find the largest machines to put my laundry in. I thought I had found the biggest only to realize as I sat down there were bigger machines and I could have saved money doing fewer loads. Thankfully it would have only been 50¢ saved. But still, that’s 2 quarters I could bring with me next time I do laundry only to realize that the place I went to doesn’t do quarters, they do the cards.
It was later that I discovered that Isaac had around $200 worth of quarters in the RV.
The Adventures of the 2014 Chevy Spark
Isaac surprised me by coming home for Valentine’s and my birthday, and life surprised me by my car breaking down a week or so after I got the car serviced (suspicious, right?). I had to have Isaac call a tow, because they wouldn’t accept my info, to take it back to the place I got it serviced (about 45 minutes away). They decided to keep it overnight to investigate. A trip to get groceries turned into a five/six hour delay that ended with a $70 Uber ride and a migraine.
To add to the dysfunction, I absentmindedly gave the entire keychain to the service place, not just the key to my car. I had “lost” my keys two days earlier, so I had taken Isaac’s keychain. His keychain had his truck key on it… He couldn’t find his spare, so I ended up driving the RV to my hair appointment. On the way to my appointment, the mechanic called. He said the issue would cost $1200 to fix. I told him I’d have to call him back. Then I cried.
After my haircut, we drove to the auto shop to ask some questions and get Isaac’s keys. We then decided to return the next morning to tow my car with Isaac’s truck elsewhere. It was Valentine’s Day, so we wanted to end it by ordering a heart-shaped pizza from Papa John’s. And what do you think happened, in this month of chaos? I placed my order to a Papa John’s in Spokane. Of course.
When we went to pick my car up the next day, it was driving again. Isaac called a dealership to make some plans and I drove my car 30 minutes back west to pick up the groceries I had intended to get 2 days earlier. My car made it to Walmart before it started having issues again, only to learn I ordered my groceries to a Walmart on the other side of Phoenix. Sigh. I went grocery shopping then Isaac met me to tow my car back to the land.
Isaac did some research and found a less expensive way to fix the proposed problem with my car. He ordered a part for me but had to fly back to Spokane. It was up to me! I was alone in the middle of a rural Arizona desert with one car that won’t accelerate, one manual truck I suck at driving, and an RV that’s a whole lot more effort to drive around. I don’t know anyone and I have to drive almost an hour to get to anyone that can help. Oh joy.
Finding a Self-Service Car Wash
After I dropped Isaac off at the airport, I embarked on my first solo adventure in his truck. I stalled at a couple of intersections, but it’s fine (I try to tell myself). I was in search of a self-service car wash because oil had spilled in the bed and the automatic car wash we tried wouldn’t let us through because of it.
Apparently, there are no self-service car washes west of Phoenix. Who knew?! Not me!! Can you tell I’m about to lose my mind?
I made my way back home and stopped to get our mail (which we didn’t have any, so it was a wasted detour). As I tried to leave, I couldn’t get the truck to reverse without rolling forward toward the car parked in front of me because the spot I parked in was on a slight incline. After a few tries that placed me closer and closer to the other car, I almost burst into tears in the middle of the parking lot. I can’t call Isaac because he’s on a plane. I sat there not knowing what to do, my internal dialog fighting against the fear of hitting the car in front of me that would add to my mess of car troubles, and my disdain of asking for help. Finally, I walked into a Brake Masters close by and asked if anyone knew how to drive stick (feeling like a moron). A nice mechanic pulled the truck out for me and I was on my way again.
I found a self-service car wash in Buckeye (right next door to the laundromat!). It had terrible reviews, but it was the only one I could find and I needed to get the oil out of the bed of the truck or I wouldn’t be able to haul. I arrive and guess what?! IT’S COIN OPERATED! *head explosion* I had put quarters in MY car to avoid this issue, but I was driving Isaac’s truck. I had used all my cash on my last laundry trip but thankfully the Dollar General down the street had an ATM. Half the wash didn’t work, but I did a pretty good job regardless.
The Adventures of the 2014 Chevy Spark Continued
The part Isaac ordered for my car arrived. We could replace the part ourselves based on the diagnosis from the auto shop (the one that quoted $1200) and the Chevy dealership said they could program the part for $125.
Meanwhile, my dad sent me pictures of a letter that Chevy sent me about an extended warranty on my make and model of car. They discovered an issue with the transmission. Whoa, how convenient!
I called the Chevy dealership to schedule an appointment for my car based on the letter I received. The lady said there was no recall on my car. She said they send those letters out to everyone with the make and model so if you call in and qualify, they’ll schedule you. I discussed this with Isaac and we were both confused at how they could include my exact name and VIN number for the extended warranty then say my car doesn’t qualify… Isaac suggested I call another dealership, so I did. The (very nice) man asked me the same exact questions as the other dealership, pulled up the letter I received, and said, “Bring it in! We’ll see what we can do!” I made an appointment. There was hope!
BUT. I had to figure out how to get my car almost an hour away when it doesn’t drive. Isaac’s truck is capable of towing it, but I stalled out on a ramp pulling a full water tote, needing Isaac’s help. I was too nervous to try pulling my car alone with my lack of experience. I can tow it with the RV, but I have to make sure that the RV can fit where I’m taking it (dealerships are crowded). It’s far easier to get stuck in the RV, especially when towing. Trust me…
I decided to use the RV and stop along the way to pick up the part Isaac ordered as back up in case the warranty thing didn’t work out. As I’m telling Isaac my plans, he responds with, “Oh just so you know, the tire on the dolly is super worn down. The wires are showing.”
…
He told me I could attempt to drive with it. But with my luck, the thing would go flat. So now, as I should be leaving, I have to change a tire. In the excessive wind and sun of Arizona. On top of that, Isaac warned me that one of the back RV tires might be leaking from when the brakes mysteriously locked up (another story). I might have to fill them with a tool that is hard for even him to use. Cool, I’ll keep that in mind.
Isaac’s truck conveniently has a jack, but it’s secured in a way Isaac didn’t remember how to release. I’m running back and forth trying to get this jack out of his car, the clock is ticking, nothing is working, only to have him finally look up the very simple solution.
After getting the tire squared away, I had to move the RV then pull this 500lb dolly up to the hitch. The ground on the land is so soft and sandy, I kept getting it stuck in divots made by the RV wheels. After much frustration, I get the dolly hooked up. Now to get my car on. The car that decides randomly when it wants to accelerate.
For whatever reason, I guess because the ground was so soft, one of the ramps fell off as I was driving my car into the dolly. Now I have one tire up the ramp and one tire on the ground… Thankfully I was able to back up without incident. I readjust the ramps to try again only for the ramp on the OTHER side to fall off. This time my bumper is on the dolly, so I can’t just back up without pulling off my bumper. I have to put the RV jacks down in the back to tip the dolly down so my bumper isn’t against it. I backed up again and I didn’t pull my bumper off, thank God. But by this time I was having a meltdown.
I had to move the RV onto a different part of the land that was more firm, redo the ramps, then try again. Success! I strap and chain everything down with mild fumbling, all while getting tossed around in the wind, covered in dirt and dust, sweat, with grease all over my hands. After I had just taken a shower.
Now I was late and very flustered. I didn’t have time to stop and get the part as back up. I’m yelling about how I never want to come back to Arizona ever again ever. To add to it all, there was a slight concern when the RV wasn’t accelerating like normal, but we deduced that the issue was because the winds were so strong and I was driving into them. I didn’t really want to think about any other issues anyway.
I made it to the dealership, after missing my exit, to gleefully discover their parking lot was very spacious. I found a good place to park, ran inside, checked in, ran back, got my car off the dolly, made sure the windows were open for Avid and that she had water, then drove my car to the waiting area. The dealership tells me they’ll let me know, so I just go back to the RV and chill.
After about an hour or so, they call.
He tells me I need a new transmission.
BUT! It’s covered under the warranty! Praise Jesus!!
The auto shop I first took it to said it wasn’t the transmission, and that it was the computer that controlled it (TCM). If I would have listened to them, I would be out $1200 still with a broken car. And if I had listened to the lady at the first Chevy place, I wouldn’t have gotten the warranty for the replacement, paid them for the programming (which is $125, less than $1200, but still $125), and still would have a broken car.
Race for Space
I’m all relieved, I call Isaac. He reserved some spaces at a Pilot (gas station) for a week so I won’t have to drive all the way back to the land. We have to get two spaces because the RV is so long. I drive 30 minutes there but they don’t have any empty spaces back to back, only side to side. The employee tells me that I can call and get the reservation changed to a tractor trailer spot, but it’s more expensive. Isaac tells me to go to another Pilot as he called to see if they have back to back spaces. They say they do, but they can’t block them off, so I have to hurry. And it’s rush hour.
Side note: Isaac wanted me to run the generator until it turned off (it shuts off at maybe a quarter tank of gas) and then fill up so we can figure out at how many gallons left the generator shuts down. So, even though I was just parked at a gas pump, I didn’t get gas for this reason. I turn the generator on and drive to the other Pilot. I make it to the spots before they were taken.
As I’m parking, the generator turns off. Meaning I need to get gas. But I just parked. And I don’t want someone to take my spots because I have nothing to put in the spots to keep people from taking it.
So I left it until the morning and made spaghetti insteadi.
Other Mole Hills
The morning of Isaac’s flight, Avid decided to seek out and roll in the only mud around, requiring a bath.
The day I needed to fill up on gas happened to be the same day as a torrential downpour. I drive the RV up to a pump, open the door, hop out, and land in about 3” of water. My shoes (that I had recently cleaned) were completely submerged.
One night, I was making a pizza for dinner that’s placed straight on the rack. I smelled burning so I pulled the rack out and lifted the edge of the pizza to see if the bottom was burnt, causing it to slip through the rack and flip over onto the oven door.
On the same night as my pizza debacle, I was opening a sample pack of dog food for Avid and, with my immense strength, tore the entire bag in half, spraying dog food all over the kitchen.
The morning of what was supposed to be the last day of February, I awoke to find that my puppy reached her womanhood and bled on my white comforter. The comforter I had just washed the previous day.
I got the RV stuck in a Walmart parking lot. I had to remove the dolly, back up, then reattached the dolly.
Epilogue: The Wait and Wish
As of Leap Day, my car is still in the shop. The dealership called me a couple days prior to say they were still waiting on some parts. Isaac extended his Spokane trip till mid-March, then we can leave this place. Here’s hoping this new transmission is the solution to the problem and the start of a stress-free March.
Cheers!
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