Gene Kranz: “Let's look at this thing from a... um, from a standpoint of status. What do we got on the spacecraft that's good?
[pause]
Sy Liebergot: I'll get back to you, Gene.
[pause]
Sy Liebergot: I'll get back to you, Gene.
Our last episode left our fearless travelers (potentially fearless) on the verge of deploying on their voyage…
After completing what we thought would be our last ‘service appointment’ to get the air conditioning tweaked and check out the ABS light that was intermittent – we had planned to zoom home and spend the weekend priming the pumps, filling the appropriate tanks with the appropriate liquids, stocking the pantry and uploading all the “stuff” that would hopefully make our excursion to the other side of the country a comfortable and safe evolution...
We picked up the RV and got about 6 miles and ($700 lighter) away from the dealership only to find the ABS light flickering on.
In the GOOD thing / BAD thing game - that’s not a good thing. So, we turned around and went right back to catch our awesome service rep - Paul Salazar. Great guy - excellent customer service, but he could only shake his head and say, "I'm so sorry! That ABS light shouldn’t do that - ever!”
We handed the keys back and headed home not really as upset as you'd think - we considered ourselves fortunate that the problem was discovered BEFORE we left for the great yonder. It’s one thing to be standing in the parking lot of the Ford Dealer's Service Department and being disappointed or inconvenienced. It's another thing entirely to be stranded on the side of the road in Wyoming at I-90 mile marker 108 – with not a soul in sight and buzzards circling above.
We handed the keys back and headed home not really as upset as you'd think - we considered ourselves fortunate that the problem was discovered BEFORE we left for the great yonder. It’s one thing to be standing in the parking lot of the Ford Dealer's Service Department and being disappointed or inconvenienced. It's another thing entirely to be stranded on the side of the road in Wyoming at I-90 mile marker 108 – with not a soul in sight and buzzards circling above.
[Fade to commercial]
Scene opens with our heroine on the phone to the dealership, a touch of a grimace on her face…”Okay, so that means that you’re going to have it for another day or so and it’s going to cost how much?” [audible GASP!] “Well, okay, it has to be done, and I appreciate you giving us priority on this, just let me know when it’s ready for us to pick up.”
…so we’ll be sure to bring our first born so we can get it out of hock!
Sorry Tanya - we wouldn't really do that...besides, they said they only accept cash, check or major credit cards. ;o)
…so we’ll be sure to bring our first born so we can get it out of hock!
Sorry Tanya - we wouldn't really do that...besides, they said they only accept cash, check or major credit cards. ;o)
Regardless of what has happened in the repair process - we really like “Bill Pierre Ford (in little old Lake City) twenty-minutes away!” <- that was the radio commercial jingle of this place back in the 50’s and 60’s. Yes, they’ve been around that long, and since they are the “best” guys to work on the RV (Ford Econoline chassis) and came highly recommended, that works for us.
Newsflash: Gi-nor-mous RVs are NOT the speciality of most regular dealerships. But Bill Pierre DOES have a mechanic who’s qualified and willing to crawl under a HUGE 29’ vehicle that is balanced up on inky-binky blocks (cuz it won’t fit in the bay on any type of lift THEY have) to do the labor.
So, that's my big plug for the guys working on our brakes in hopes that karma rules apply, and of course we’re also praying frequently, lighting candles, burning incense and flying Tibetan prayer flags on the breeze. I know I have a great connection with the folks who receive MY big-ticket prayers in shaky situations (like everyday life) but I’m not sure who the Vehicle Maintenance Gods listen to so I’m just trying to cover all bases here.
Let’s see, further updates. Laptop is back and has been de-bugged, de-virused, de-wormed. (Kudos to David at Office Depot). The dogs all have their de-bugged, de-virused, and de-wormed drugs. Donald is un-medicated and therefore still suspect, but I’m sure if I hose him off and spray him liberally with RAID – he’ll be just fine. I don’t think there are any foreign species that are brave enough to take a run at me – I’m not sweet and tender like my Donny Bilger!
So, we’re going to take a breather this weekend and be staying close to home (still) to celebrate the Fourth of July with (hopefully) a minimum of fireworks being launched in our neighborhood. I’m as patriotic as the next person - BUT - we live in a predominately Asian neighborhood with LOVELY neighbors – but one must remember - these folks are often the descendents of the group of people who INVENTED GUNPOWDER!!!
You can scarcely imagine what Chinese New Year is like around here. Circling above our home you might get a great view of the fireworks, but from the front porch - it looks like front row seats to a blitzkrieg.
We'll keep all flags waving and man the hoses and fire extinguishers!
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