Day #5: Tests. I Never Liked Them.

Today started out all shiny and new. Full of excitement and interest for the day that lay ahead. And I will just fast forward to let you all know that there is still excitement and interest in what tomorrow will bring. But the time between this morning when I filled up with gas and when we finally arrived was filled with nerves and anxiety and....challenge. I felt like it was a test of my positive spirit.

After filling up with gas at the corner station around the corner from her house, I was about to run over to the RiteAid for the kids local "San Jose" key chain to add to their shoe string in the car (more about the souvenir chain later) when I noticed that the check engine light had come on. So I pulled back into the Chevron, and asked the mechanic to take a look. Four hours later, a diagnostics test and a new spark plug (plus $200), we were on the road with our compass set for Crater Lake.  Or rather, Fort Klamath to be precise.

But I was nervous about the car...this having been the second issue within 2 days. And did I mention that this is only day #5 into the trip? On top of that, there was a check-in cutoff at our motel in Fort Klamath (10 pm) and I was nervous that we wouldn't make it in time. I didn't have an exact time fix on our travel for the day. Mapquest said one thing, Google Maps said something else. I was figuring between 7 and 9 hours. In any case we needed to hustle.

Four hours into the trip and we were making excellent time.  We were only 2 hours from the Oregon border and despite the pouring rain, I felt confident that we would arrive with enough daylight to be able to find the motel with ease. Just as we were starting up the foothills of Mt. Shasta, the car suddenly loses power and decelerates from 75 to 50 in a matter of seconds. To further complicate things, it begins lunging and the check engine light has come on. I immediately call Nufi and he relates that this sounds like the same electronic issue he had with the car last year on the trip to Yosemite.

By now I am still moving [slowly] up the mountain and it has started to snow. I am trying to decide what course of action to take.  I have about 140 miles left to my destination. What to do..what to do? So I decide that as long as I am moving ahead, I will keep going and try to make it to the motel. Nufi calls ahead to Klamath Falls and guess what? There is a Honda dealership that opens at 7.30 am. He leaves them a message, we keep in frequent contact and the car-while having no acceleration on the uphills, performs fine on flat stretches and the downhill.  We arrive after only a 7 hour drive.  And this cute little cottage was waiting for us:

Fun Facts From Today:

Number of times a child asked me "Are we there yet?" = 9

Miles driven today = 430

Total number of miles driven to date = 1,190

Number of wrong turns = 1

Number of car malfunctions = 2

Total number of states visited = 2

Conversations Overheard in the Car:

Diego to me: "Mami, where is your ring?"

Me: "What ring?"

Diego: "The ring that shows that you are married."

Me: "It's at home."

Diego: "Why aren't you wearing it? Aren't you worried that people won't know you're married?"

Me: "I'm not worried what people think."

Diego: "But people are going to talk about you!"

Me: "What do you think they will say?"

Diego: "They are going to say....look! There goes that women who isn't married!!"

 

So husband, if you are reading this, for the sake of your son's mental health, bring my wedding ring when you meet us next week. And could you find yours and bring that too?