Tales from the teardrop: out of gas

Here's a post I found floating around in my computer. I didn't seem to get it posted but it was part of our trials on the trip. Changing the part in the parking lot of the hotel wasn't the answer and it was that afternoon we came to a screeching halt in Gallup, NM.

Twelve miles from our hotel and in a hail/rain storm we came to a sputtering stop less than a mile to a gas station. Our last gas stop only offered a lower octane gas, which could have thrown off Dan's calculations but he did say he was trying to push it to our hotel. Remember, with the damn starter problem if we stop we have to wait a while to cool down and start up again.

The rain let up and Dan started off to the gas station; I stayed in the truck with the blinkers on, the hood up. It wasn't long before a Sheriff's car pulled up. I explained the problem and he wanted to know which direction so he could give him a lift back. Dan had a ride to the station, too, and with the Sheriff giving him a lift back, he was back quickly. The starter needed it's usual time to cool down but after a few minutes it fired and we were off.

Was I worried? Yes and no. It's not fun to be stuck by the side of the road where we were vulnerable to traffic but the lovely helpfulness of strangers was reassuring. My darling companion usually can take care of any car problem and then we do have the Super AAA card, if we need it; he is amazing. The next morning, not yet 6:00 am and he changed the starter hopefully eliminating that addition hour of wait each time we stop.

Do things like this ruin a vacation? Only if you let them.