Still in Aurora while the car gets tuned

[pseydtonne]

I have about an hour and a half before the car will be ready. I needed a pollen filter for the A/C, a tiny light bulb and rear brakes. They're also rotating the tires.

The car has been mostly free of problems during the trip, but there have been two things to note:

1. On Sunday I had the A/C cranking because it was miserable in Chicagoland. I got out of a construction zone and revved up to pass someone when the vents started spitting out water vapor. I had to turn off the A/C, roll down the windows and use the fan for the next couple hours. I then let the car cool down for an hour after that once I crossed into Iowa. The problem never returned, but I haven't taken any chances: I've kept the A/C temperature as high as possible.
2. I stalled yesterday when I got off I-76 in Sterling, Colorado. Since then I've had the dead bulb indicator go on but not stay on. I'd checked each light twice, and each time they're all on and the indicator would go out because I was changing electrical states.

This is a much nicer experience than the same repair in Boston. If I got the car fixed near where I work, I would get one chance at 8 am to get a "complementary shuttle" that only goes near where I work and nowhere else. Thus I usually drop off the car at a different dealership, take the bus home and work the day from there.

Instead they gave me a ride down the block to the Village Inn. I felt guilty when I found out it was so close. They also threw in a slice of pie with my lunch (a cubano pita) that's on a chilled plate and served with a chilled fork. I had not expected such attention to detail in a chain pancake restaurant.

Getting repairs done right now also works well with my desire to drive when it's not so hot out. Then again, it's not even hot today and it's dry here. Getting beyond the Hundredth Meridian makes a difference.

People are ridiculously polite here. It's an interesting combination of Southern politesse and eastern speed. I don't feel like I'm driving anyone nuts when I toss out a factoid.

There is a woman at the next table talking about Piaget levels to someone on the phone. I think it's her adult child.

I plan to drive about 350 miles, then have dinner in Santa Fe. After that I'll do some night driving and get to Winslow, Arizona. I just want to stand on a corner there, for some flighty reason.

Update: I may have a slowdown once I get below Pueblo. They've closed I-25 southbound between it and Walsenburg to clean up debris from a high-speed chase and blowout of three wanted siblings. They were heading from one Wal-Mart to another to get ammo for their AK-47s.

Comments

[lightcastle.livejournal.com]

That actually sounds quite nice as far as repairs go.

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

There's actually a statue commemorating the song:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standin%27_on_the_Corner_Park

(I <3 wikipedia....)

And now that song will be in my head all day....

Glad the car doesn't need anything too major.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

Beat me to it. :)

[rednikki.livejournal.com]

I love reading the story of your road trip.

[rednikki.livejournal.com]

Oh, and P.S. - there is something technical I posted in my LJ that I could really use your input on.

[tenshikurai9.livejournal.com]

I've completely missed the news. What did the Dougherty do to become wanted in the first place? (The first page of Bing results are all on the recent chase.)

[tenshikurai9.livejournal.com]

They were heading from one Wal-Mart to another to get ammo for their AK-47s.

I do find this humorous.