Guess Where Swanky Will Break Down(First)? Or – A Pool to Fund Repairs

Update: 11/3/11 - ALREADY, we have a winner... :(  What makes a breakdown?  hearing a sound that *doesn't sound good*  and deciding to have it looked at?  maybe not.  But then, after nursing the vehicle to a place to hold until the appointment next day, and then upon starting it, smelling a smell that *doesn't smell good* and deciding to tow the few miles - yeah.... that counts.


Our pool winner is Lauren P., who chose Morgantown, WV.  Swanky's getting looked at in Sheppensburg, PA, 169.89 miles for Morgantown.  What will be the diagnosis...?  

Stay tuned for Pool Round Two: Where Will Swanky Break Down(the SECOND time)?  Any donations/guess received as of now will be applied to that pool.

NOTE: For Updated List of *Official* Pool Entries, click this link, which will take you to a page on the ClimbAddict Designs website
 
 Last year, Swanky the van was brand new, to me. I bought it from a cop, and my mother(who was a nurse) once told me “Eye doctors can't see; ear doctors are deaf, and psychiatrists are crazy.” Well, I figure that line of thinking probably goes beyond the boundaries of the medical field, if you know what I mean. Now I know there are plenty of optometrists with 20/20 vision, just like most police are law-abiding citizens, but if the lies this guy told me about that van weren't a crime, I don't know what is!

Not that Swanky(which he became named due to his luxe interior of blue and cream-colored velour upholstery) broke down RIGHT AWAY, but within 20 miles after driving away as new owner, the Service Engine Soon light came on.

 

Then, two days later, when I was parked at the Trapps for a day of climbing, and I was showing my partner the carriage that would convey me out west for the winter, I noticed a drip... Coming from the rear side of the van, I hoped it was just condensation, but the sniff test resulted in an undeniable fact – Swanky had an ulcer that was eating away at his gas tank badly enough that I could time the drips. I was parked at an uphill incline, so turned him around with his rear tilted skyward and went climbing. Upon return, there was no gas puddle, or smell, which meant the hole was at least not too low.... Little consolation that was.

Of course, since I was traveling cross-country, I made an appointment with Beek's, the local car doctor(I don't know if the people at Beek's can drive well, but they sure doesn't fit with my mom's diagnosis of medical personae; they are really great, and honest, at auto mechanics and service). I was informed of worse than just a gas tank - poor Swanky was too sick to even pass inspection in his current state. The van this policeman told me had been babied apparently had a rather neglectful parent.

Yes – I should have had the van looked at by a competent person before considering buying it. You win no prize for that. But, we are headed back west again, and you CAN win something by guessing the nearest town where Swanky breaks down at first!

Last year, once on the road, we went all the way to Wisconsin, before losing the Serpentine Belt on the highway near Mossinee, WI.. Then, on to Sedona, AZ where a gash in the tire wall had me replacing it(but the guy assured me the slit wasn't bad and he'd personally drive on it. “That tire has MILES of tread left on it” he said. But I didn't want to risk having a blow out at 70mph on a highway in the middle of nowhere, on a hot desert day. So, that wouldn't count for a breakdown. Nor would the fact that I mentioned that the oil gauge seemed to be acting wonky, and the diagnostic they performed told them the oil sender unit was about to go. Breakdown averted, as was Swanky's appointment with the Reaper....

We got to Joshua Tree and one night, parked in the Pit, I smelled gasoline. In denial, since the tank and several lines HAD been replaced less than two months previous, I did what most women would do....ignored it.

Until the day the van wouldn't start.

Long story short, it was in Tucson, AZ where that occurred, and I had a pirate mechanic drop his drawers and gas tank, and replace the dead pump. That DEFINITELY qualified as a breakdown...

Not bad, for a 1988 rusted to hell and back van previously owned by a lying cop(he told me it didn't use or burn a drop of oil; that I could go to California and upon arrival top it off, and that he had just had the oil and filter replaced. Not true. Swanky was more than a quart low when checked a day later, and goes through a quart every tank. It turns out that was why the Service Engine Soon light went on. I was so conflicted between the words that man had told me and what the dipstick was saying that I didn't know what to do about oil, and nursed that poor van all the way to Jtree on sips and nips off the oil can the entire way.

So – two breakdowns in a trip from New York to California, and back, and no problems since. Something's BOUND to happen sooner or later, obviously. Which begs the question of how I am going to pay for that repair when it does occur.

And THAT is why I have devised this contest! Now I KNOW that in most pools, the money goes to the person who makes the correct guess. But for this purpose, that would be – well, stupid. The winner of this pool is going to be the mechanic who gets the luck of the draw when Swanky stumbles.

What will YOU get? Well, you'll be able to say you were right, for whatever that's worth, Hey – some people really get a buzz off being able to say “I told you so.” In fact, this year the trail crew I work with has nicknamed me “I Told You So Terrie.” I know what I'm talking about! But you'll ALSO get your choice of prizes: You can choose a chalkbag from the ClimbAddict inventory, or $25 worth of hair accessories from Talisman Studios, or $25 in goods from the ClimbAddict shop on Cafepress.

Seriously – the truth is that I am doing this trip on maybe a little less than a wing and a prayer. This is maybe an idea that some will find offensive – ridicule away! I can take it. But it is MY idea, and I think that it is not only mildly humorous, but displays ingenuity.

Here's How to Play:

• Make a Donation of $5 to my PayPal account - click the Donations Button Below
• Include in the note with that transaction, the city and state you believe Swanky will break down in for the first time on this adventure. Get creative and be more specific if you like... "Outside the NoTellUm Motel in Naughtyville, Nebraska," or "at the 3rd traffic light in dowtown Amarillo, Texas" or what have you!
• Include your email address so you may be contacted if you are the winner. I WILL NOT use your email for any purpose other than to contact the winner, and will NOT share the information with anyone. You can rest assured you won't get added to my business emailing lists or anyone else's on my account.
• You may make multiple guesses, with additional donations of $5 per guess.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Here's the approximate route I intend to take(most likely I will be varying from this trajectory at times, as I go with smaller roads, get lost on those smaller roads, and pull off into towns and such, but this is the general idea):

I will be updating this blog post as often as possible to include a list of people's first name/last initial and the town they guess. You can also post your guess to the comments section below, but if you don't put in funds to the pool, I am going to either not include the comment or make some snide remark about you trying to get over or something.

When Swanky breaks down(and you know he will), the person who guesses the city, town, milepost marker on a highway or correct Yucca Tree in the desert, nearest in miles to the place where Swanky ends up at a mechanic, will be the winner.

In the event that more than one person chooses the nearest locale, the one who submitted their choice first will win, so long as that first entry has been updated in the blog post. If more than one wins and they didn't have the benefit of viewing the previous once via updated post, both will win(hopefully it won't be more than two...yikes!)

How to know the status? You can keep up with Happiegrrrl's travels and travails by watching the ClimbAddict Facebook Page. I'll post frequently there, so long as my computer doesn't break down...(that happened already about a month ago, and the motherboard was replaced, so we should be okay on that front – at least for a while.

And – one final note: I can REALLY use all the help I can get. Why not throw me a bone and link this blog pots to your own Facebook, Twitter or blog? I know it's not likely but if the thing goes viral and massive money comes in I promise to....buy a spanking brand new, fully-rigged, Sportsmobi....ummm, no. Just kidding. Excess funds will be equally divided as donations to the Mohonk Preserve, the Access Fund, and the 401C(3) registered charitable organization of choice of the winning guesser(s).

So – this really COULD be a pretty cool way to raise funds for some very worthy organizations, on top of the much less than worthy, me. Please DO help get the word out!

If you'd like to help Happie on her roadtrip, there are a few ways to do that! You can choose to support any of her online shops, such as ClimbAddict T-Shirts and Giftware for Climbers, Talisman Studios Hair Accessories or OutrageousTees.com. Or, you can send her a (very much appreciated) donation in any amount via PayPal, by clicking the button here:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader

Jerome, Arizona - A Photo Essay

As promised, I would post images and info on the portion of my travel where I came through Jerome, Arizona. My friend Tim suggested I really should stop and have lunch there, or at the very least, get out of the van and take a walk around. "Jerome is the coolest little town you've ever seen." he told me. He was right!

I did not stop for lunch, mostly because I arrived there at about 8am, but also because I had just spent $300 getting the van repaired the day before and that was pretty much my food budget for....about 2 1/2 months. Instead I pulled over in front of Nelly Bly's, which is now a drinking establishment, and pulled out the stove to brew my own breakfast cup of coffee.

Cup in hand, I and Teddy strolled up and down this hillside town, enjoying a sense of history, perseverance, and proof that a town does NOT need to kowtow to corporate America in order to be vibrant. There was not a single franchise to be seen. Not even a gas station or bank! Each and every store was a privately owned, mom and pop operation.

Admittedly, I do not know much about Jerome, but do hope to go back with Peter once he arrives in January. Until then, I will post some links for you which may provide more information about the town. I'll do that after the images, all photos I took that morning.


The Hotel Connor and Neighboring Building


A view of the land below the town of Jerome




Historical Block and Remains of the Mine Offices and Bank Building


A Safe Displayed as Art and Artifact


Smelting Furnace From an Area Mine


The Remaining Wall of a Long-Gone Building


Streetlight - They don't make 'em like they used to!


A Loveley Window from one of Jerome's Buildings


Plaque for the Motor Building


The Motor Building


Plaque for Jennie's Place, an historical Bordello


Plaque for Husband's Alley, so named after Prostitution was made illegal in the town


Another pretty buidling currenlty in use and providing Jerome visitors a glimpse of it's quaint modern charm


Chandelier and Vines on the Porch of a Jerome Establsihment


A Big Blue House on the Hillside


Jerome's Firehouse


Unknown Building in the Valley Below, as Seen Near the Motor Building

LINKS:
Tourism Information - "America's Most Vertical City" and "Largest Ghost Town in America"

Wikipedia Entry for Jerome, AZ

jerome Times - Including a "Stories and legends" and elements from the twon newspaper published in the 18800's

Connor Hotel

Google Images for Jerome



If you'd like to help Happie on her roadtrip, there are a few ways to do that! You can choose to support any of her online shops, such as ClimbAddict T0-Shirts and Giftware for Climbers, Talisman Studios Hair Accessories or OutrageousTees.com. Or, you can send her a (very much appreciated) donation in any amount via PayPal, by clicking the button here:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader

Upon Arrival....

Despite my dark, and never mentioned aloud, concerns, the van made it to Joshua Tree. I rolled into one of the primo sites in Hidden Valley Campground last night about nine pm. Not without drama, of course. But each epic was a “Terrie-type” one; that is to say – no true inconvenience was involved.

The first on-the-road problem arose just after I left from my family visit in Wisconsin, where I enjoyed leisurely days of lounging on my sister's couches while the wretched Wisconsin winter taunted me outdoors. I should also mention the wonderful Thanksgiving celebration we had the Saturday following the holiday – yum, yum, yummy!

At any rate, I had offered to drive my younger brother Al back to his home in Wausau, which is slightly north, and west, of Green Bay, where I had been staying with my older sister Gini. After driving 90 miles, I dropped him off and went upstairs to see his apartment. Upon returning to the van I smelled an odor which I instinctively knew was a sign of trouble, yet allowed myself to quell the fears by believing the rubber-like smell was probably some oil I had spilled while topping off before leaving Green Bay.

It wasn't, as you likely have surmised.

As I drove southbound on an interstate(53 or 51; fifty-something or other), with cruise-control set at 65, each time the engine would surge for an uphill injection of fuel, I would hear a slight, crinkling noise. “Uh Oh,” I knew, yet had no frame of reference to diagnose this additional clue.

What the sound was, I guess, was bits of the accessory belt crumbling and dropping away, as the belt wore away. It finally frayed to the breaking point; the belt broke, engine thrust dropped, and the power steering went out. This occurred as I approached an exit ramp at Mossinee, allowing me JUST enough time to understand I had to take that exit and get a safe place to stop immediately.

I rolled through the stop sign at the exit's end, and drove the couple hundred feet to a Kwik Mart convenience store, “conveniently” located so very closely to my break-down it could hardly be even considered such. Talk about a micro-epic! How much less traumatic could such a thing have been? Had just a few seconds passed before I knew I had a problem, I'd have been past the exit, broke down on a highway and having to walk the distance to the mart, then back to the van to await the tow.

Fifty dollars and a half an hour later, I was deposited at Martin's Auto Repair, where I was told “We can't get you in right now. It will be about an hour.” A whole hour!? I was surprised the man thought that would be considered even a slight inconvenience, considering I had just been towed to his place of business, with a full day's work already in process. Maybe he saw the New York plates on the van and figured I was...a New Yorker(with it's inherent “hurry up and wait” mentality).

I played online, updated my businesses, and within a short while was back in motion. Things went smoothly, except for the daily oil reading conundrum, until I passed Albuquerque, New Mexico. Reading the dipstick in this van has been practically an exercise in futility, and probably the dilemma is compounded by the fact that I really would like to believe what the guy who sold me the van told me - “It doesn't burn or use a drop! When you get to California, add a quart. That's all you'll have to do. It just had an oil change too! Here's the paperwork.”

The stick barely registers oil at some points, and other times is coated. Often when no oil has been added.... When I brought the van home, a friend looked at it(tut-tutting the whole time, and worrying aloud for my future) and said “You're down a quart.”

Having “just had a change(with paperwork!) that seemed – odd. Yet when I took it to the mechanic for a go-over(yes, NOW I understand just why – even on a $2,000 used vehicle – you take it to a mechanic for a pre-purchase look), the asked(after telling me all the problems) if I'd like an oil top-off. “It's quite low,” was the look in his eye. When I got the bill, there was a charge for two quarts on it.

Yet, a few days later, when I took the van to the afore-mentioned friend to do the platform build-out, he took a reading and said “Huh. It looks like there too much in there now!”

And so it has gone, the whole way along..... I've wiped that stick for a second opinion more times than a nanny wipes her baby charge's butt on a day of diarrhea, adding oil when I felt I'd better but never sure if I was doing the right thing.

Perhaps this issue will now be resolved to some extent, since I had the Sender Unit and pressure sensor replace in Sedona, Arizona....

I'd been watching my gauges religiously all the way cross-country and was stricken with an adrenaline surge more than once when, on a quick glance while doing 70 mph on a highway, noticed a red-line indication, only to realize it was the damned gas gauge telling me the tank was full. So, when the oil pressure gauge began doing a dance one afternoon an hour and a half west of Albuquerque, I began to panic. Watching closely, I saw the gauge “worrying” itself between a mid-range level it had previously been fairly static at, and dipping down to near the red zone....

Pulling into the next gas station, I sat and waited an hour for the engine to cool down. When I finally took the oil reading...well, it seemed very, very low. I could have kicked myself for not having been more diligent – except I HAD checked it just that morning and it had indicated being PERHAPS a tad low, but not even worth topping off, really.

I added oil, and as it registered on the stick, blew a sigh of relief I hadn't killed my trusty steed(Trusty? Yes, I guess Swanky IS reliable, being that here I am, in splendid Joshua Tree). Onward, to El Mapais National Monument, 20 or so miles away.

A Supertopo user had suggested El Mapais when I asked for suggestions for a day or two in New Mexico and Arizona. Though I will be coming through these states with Peter once he arrives, I thought it would be nice to take a few days now, instead of rushing through to Joshua Tree on a weekend arrival.

Unfortunately, the maps give Grants, NM as the highway exit for El Mapais, but the reality is that the exit before that is also an entrance to the park, and the one with the more scenic hiking vistas. I'd blown the afternoon waiting to check my engine's oil level and barely had time to get even a short hike in before daylight would begin to wane. As well, the BLM camp ground I was intending to use was back off the previous exit, and closed for the season to boot. After speaking with a park ranger, I decided to continue on toEl Morro National Monument 20 miles down the road, where the campground was still open(and free, because they water was off for the season). I'd take a short walk about, have a leisurely meal, and come back for a hike in El Mapais the next morning.

Well, early starts in the desert are reserved for warriors, one of which I am not. Especially sleeping n such cozy conditions – a down comforter on a queen-sized mattress with two huge pillows – it's just really easy to loll. Which I did!

So, instead of reversing my route, I decided to take a look at El Morro instead, and I am very glad I did. I've a separate posting for El Morro to come(I promise!) and will add the link here once it's published. Suffice it to say, for now, that El Morro is definitely worth visiting, if you enjoy a sense of history mixed with your nature wanderings.

After El Morro, I drove to Flagstaff, Arizona, where a friend, Tim, put me up for two evenings, fed me delicious meals, and took me climbing in between. We went up Queen Victoria, a spire in Sedona, and...I will make a separate posting(I promise!).

After leaving Tim's place, I headed down Highway 89, intent on a scenic cruise through mountainous terrain as I continued my trip. Planning to stop in Sedona and prepare/mail out two orders I'd received for my hair accessories, the day started out normally enough. However, as I went back to the van I noticed a small slice in the sidewall of one of my tires. “Crap.” I asked a man who appeared to be a local about the service station across the way, expecting they might be pricey, being in the main part of town on a tourist's highway. He didn't have an opinion on that, but he did think I'd probably be better served at one of the shops that specialize in tries, of which there were two a few miles further down the road.

Off I went, and turned in to Tire Pro a few minutes later.

Looking at the slice, I was told it was okay. The man explained to be that the cut hadn't gone through the white cording, and with a spatula-like implement, plied away the black section to show me what he referred to. He did mention that the tire was getting fairly worn though, and pointed out the wear from imbalance. I thought I might simply replace the tire now and his stance indicated that, as a frugal soul, he'd be getting a few more miles out of that tire before he replaced it. However, he was not me, and he was not driving miles between even small-sized towns, in a huge van. In the hot desert. I bought a tire.

After paying, the owner told me that the van looked pretty good otherwise, but when I mentioned my oil pressure issue(it had done the dance the whole way from Tim's to Sedona, despite having seemed fine the other day), he said this was not an issue to ignore. Upon request, he quoted me the cost of diagnosing the pressure, and after doing that, I was told the Sender Unit was the issue.

The rest of the day was spent at Tire Pro, where the patiently worked on my van. There was trouble identifying the correct replacement part and they were twice sent the wrong one. This would seem odd, except that each time I have had to provide the information on this van, it seems to “not be in the system” at some level, even with the VIN. Odd.

Long story short, they DID get the van back on it's wheels, at about 6:00pm. Thinking they'd not be able to complete the job that day, they said “no problem” when I explained I lived in the van, and would it be okay to sleep in it, in their lot, that evening. Super nice people, each one, who works at that shop.

But now , with the van fixed, I was in Sedona – tony Sedona – at dinner and bedtime and wondering where I was going to park for the night. Mentioning the nearest WalMart was X miles away, I was corrected, and told there was one just 15 or so mile down the road. (I've not spent a penny in WM on this trip, and intend not to, but that won't stop me from sleeping in their lots and using their restroom!).

The next morning I DID get an early start, at 7am. I drove through, and stopped in Jerome, a quaint and vibrant town without a SINGLE franchised store(separate post, I promise again!). Then a long push, to Joshua Tree.
EDIT: Here is the post on Jerome, Arizona

And here I am....


If you'd like to help Happie on her roadtrip, there are a few ways to do that! You can choose to support any of her online shops, such as ClimbAddict T0-Shirts and Giftware for Climbers, Talisman Studios Hair Accessories or OutrageousTees.com. Or, you can send her a (very much appreciated) donation in any amount via PayPal, by clicking the button here:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader

I Feel Like a New Woman Since Arriving in New Mexico!

I left Wisconsin after a visit with my family this past Monday, and started my southwest drive by actually heading slightly to the northwest, as I gave my brother Al a ride home to Wausau. I stopped in to see his apartment, and as I went back to the van, smelled an odor which set off the "UhOh" receptors of my brain but denial told me that it must simply be a little bit of oil I'd spilled earlier as I topped off at the gas station.

It wasn't.

Several miles down the highway, as the cruise control kicked in as I went uphill, I'd hear a little crunchy, crinkling sound... as if I'd driven over wet asphalt and bits were dropping from the car.... That wasn't a very comforting sound.

JUST as I neared an exit, power dropped considerable, and the power steering failed. I had exactly enough time to realize I needed to take that exit and get safely stopped out of traffic; preferably near a place to ask for assistance in calling a tow truck.

Limping in to a Kwik Trip gas station/convenience store, I rolled up to a parking spot, parked and cut the engine. Opening the hood, I looked for, and found, the obvious. Well, actually found remnants, that is. The fan belt was fried and had disintegrated, leaving just a string or two of...crinkled dry rubber near the alternator.

That sucked. But it certainly could have been worse. The people in the store suggested a tow truck driver who turned out to be pleasant, helpful and reasonable on cost($47.50). He took me to a repair shop who got the van up and running in short order, despite having a full day's schedule of appointments and several walk-ins they turned away. Thanks, Martins Auto Repair!

The rest of the trip went fairly smoothly, except of course the Kum&Go debacle. Easy sleeping in Walmart lots through the midwest, miles and miles and miles of grasslands in Kansas. And oil wells. Lots of those. And quint, holding themselves up by their bootstraps towns, dotting the highways of Iowa, Kansas. Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, most of which I cut just the corners on. Except Kansas... I went straight through that one. But it was still very nice - a pleasant drive on decent highway.

Yesterday I crossed from Texas into New Mexico and the change of terrain was immediately obvious. Instead of flat cattle-grazing ranges and commercial feedlots, and oil wells, the land became rich red soil, peppered with desert grasses and Juniper. Hills rolled with cut-ways hinting at the mountains coming as I ventured further. Massive hills rose up from the flatter lands as if they did it just to surprise you as you crested a hill and caught sight of them.

I stopped in Santa Rosa to rest, refresh myself with an ice coffee, give Teddy a walk and some Teddy-Time, and then began heading toward Albuquerque, where I stayed for the night(in a Walmart parking lot, of course.... I'd wanted to check for free camping in a *more natural* setting, but missed the last roadside pull off 30 miles east of the city. Thinking there would be one more, I soon came upon the suburban sprawl and knew I had gone too far....

This morning, I am at U-Mound, a bouldering spot right outside Albuquerque in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains.

After my coffee, and Teddy's breakfast - that's where we are headed.

I HAVE arrived!




If you'd like to help Happie on her roadtrip, there are a few ways to do that! You can choose to support any of her online shops, such as ClimbAddict T0-Shirts and Giftware for Climbers, Talisman Studios Hair Accessories or OutrageousTees.com. Or, you can send her a (very much appreciated) donation in any amount via PayPal, by clicking the button here:

If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader

Kum & Go Plays Bait & Switch

UPDATE: 2 hours after I Tweeted a link to this post, I got a Twitter response from a Kum & Go representative. Seems this person tweets practically 24/7, according to the profile log.... Wonder if the Twittering is the main duty in their job! At any rate - this person, who goes by ^MPT on the Kum&Go Twitter profile said he was emailing HQ(or someone, at any rate) about the issue. He wrote(via Twitter):
You sure will. I'm typing up an email now. We'll take care of you. Thanks for your patience. :) ^MPT

I replied to his Twitter post with:
Thanks for the reply, ^MPT. I'll be duly awaiting response from HQ. Let's HOPE they will desist on the pricing misrepresentation. and within MINUTES he wrote back as follows:
You should have a reply in your inbox. I sent it to the email on your Blogger profile. Let me know if you didn't get it. ^MPT

Unfortunately, the email was not there as mentioned, but it is likely because that contact is outdated. I will update the contact email and advise to him, but I am wondering why they can't simply respond to the letter I emailed them in the first place - which DID have the current contact email!

So I am back on the road, headed south to warmer weather(I hope!). I'll do another updating post soon, but need to vent. I HATE unethical business practices, and if you agree that this is the case upon reading this post, I hope you will help me go on a boycotting tirade against Kum & Go gas stations.

The title on this blog post links directly to Kum & Go's Contact Form(as does this link. Send them a note telling them how you feel about such tactics. And do please link this post up and down the internet highway! Twitter, Facebook, even MySpace if it still exists! If YOU have had a similar tactic employed by a gas station while on the road - please post about it in the comments section.

Here's the letter I wrote, after filling my damned 33 gallon tank, which had like 1/8 left in it at the time.


Hello -

I pulled in to buy gas, seeing the price of $2.71. MOST places have the lower octane gas as the cheapest. NOT this station.

The only prices listed on the sign were one for gasoline, and one for diesel.

When I got to the pump, I did notice two choices for gas, but naturally assumed the lower octane to have been the one advertised on the board.

Nope. While the board DOES say "super unleaded" is $2.71 9/10, I am sure that the station is WELL aware the consumer sees the price only.

When I looked at my receipt and noticed I had been charger $2.81 9/10 instead, I was QUITE pissed off. I bought 23.661 gallons off your gas, at a cost of $66.60, and was - in my opinion - ripped off out of $2.36.

While it might not *seem* a big deal, I am well aware of the factor when applied in quantity.

This behavior tells me that Kum & Go is an unethical business.

I am on a cross-country road trip; one which is being reported on on Facebook, Twitter, 3 international website discussion boards for adventure athletes(who travel extensively) and a blog with a good number of viewers. You can BET I will be posting this letter and details.

Would you like to comment(which will be included in follow up postings).

Thank you,

Terrie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader

First 24 Hours On the Road

Well, first 19.5, actually. It's 10:30am and I am lolly-gagging at a rest stop on Hwy 17 near Bath, NY. Got a late start yesterday, leaving New Paltz between 2:30 and 3pm.

The van has been running smoothly and it makes me nervous to feel comfortable about that; so many people took one look at Swanky and shook their heads sadly, that I fear something catastrophic will occur along the way. Please universe, protect me from that!

After driving past the Mohonk Preserve one last time, and waving good-bye to my beloved Clove Road(See you next year, cabin! Hank says it is likely I can have it again.),I headed south on 209, and then west on 17.

A half tank of gas later, I stopped and filled up as was suggested by the security guy at the preserve Visitor Center(I forget his name!!!) who told me to go this route over the one I had chosen, which was 209 through the Delaware Water Gap and then crossing wide through Pennsylvania. He said, "After Corning, there's nothing for a loooong while! Get gas!"

And as I passed Corning, I had to listen, but instead pulled off the highway at the town just further, called Painted Post. The reason being that the Corning exits offered only one gas station choice, and I felt my wallet might be taken advantage of if there was only one choice. Painted Post had 3 choices, and it was just a quarter mile off the highway exit to the one I used.

I thought it would be an easy off/on to the highway, but as I went back, the exit was closed for roadwork. So I had to backtrack for the detour, which....I didn't follow. Instead I pulled off at the very next exit, but then it intersected with another big highway, and worried I would somehow get herded onto that unwanted route, I turned off to the smaller road instead. I figured I'd drive down that a while, turn around, and get a decent warning as to where the entrance back to17/86 was, instead of having to make the choice in the seconds I would have otherwise had. What can I say? I haven't been regularly behind the wheel of a car in a long time.

At any rate - as I drove down that side road, I saw a Walmart.... And it lured me right in! Ever before, when people said "You can camp overnight at Walmart," I would snub the idea. I thought I would want to do better than that. I had figured I would get back on the highway and continue on to the rest area near Bath, where I actually am now. But I had stopped at the previous rest station to feed and walk Teddy and you know....the people I noticed sort of had a really anonymous vibe. Plus, the parking is right there where every single car using the place drives within feet behind your vehicle. So - I figured WalMart couldn't be any worse.

And it wasn't. Probably better even, since I did notice a few condom wrappers on the ground as I made coffee here this morning. I don't think anyone was hooking up in the cars at the WM lot...but anyway....

So, I even went in to use the WM potty, but I will say it now - I pledge to do my best not to give WM any of my money on this trip. But that won't stop me from using their bathroom, and yes, I will sleep in their lots again I think.

Somewhere around midnight, a cleaning truck drove through the lot. I was awakened by the recurring droning sound it made, and finally after several passes I was like "WTF IS that?" and looked out the window, just in time to see the big yellow behemoth swipe right up alongside the passenger side of the van.!

"That's a little close," I thought, but figured it was probably just an open lane the truck would use, and who knows - maybe there was some trash sitting there to be scooped away.

But then the truck turned around and came for another pass - and repeated it three damned times! "Shit," I though. "They are going to have someone from security come rapping on my window and ask why I am here."

But, they didn't, and eventually I fell back asleep.

It was a far cry from the nights of peaceful bliss I've spent at the cabin the last half a year, where maybe 6 cars quietly pass down the road per night, but it wasn't so bad, I guess. The cel reception for my mobile broadband was 4 bars strong, and that was a plus, though I ended up not staying online for very long.

I woke up about5am, which I have been doing for the last month anyway, and lolled in half-sleep, and then opened my eyes again later and it was pretty light. 7am! oops!

I decided to just get on the road and make coffee at the rest station I had intended to go to the night before, and that is just what I have done. I also did a little more organizing in the van, and....well, I am going to stay online for just a little longer, and then walk Teddy again and head off.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader

Road Trip Pre-TR

Busy, busy, busy...I have photos to edit, catalog, email, and post for the Goddesses on the Rocks event I talked about here.

So, instead of making an all-inclusive "here's what happened" report, I'm breaking it down into segments.

The plan was to Amtrak to Boston, where my friend Cheryl would pick me up. We'd stay the night at her place(a very nice little arts& crafts-y bungalow she's got, though I'm not sure if technically it's a bungalow. But I love built-ins and simple, beautiful wood trim, and the place had the original in place.). The next morning, we'd pick up person #3 from he airport, head to a campsite near North Conway, and get in a day of climbing on Friday.

Then, the Goddesses event for the weekend. And, as you may recall, I had no plan as to my transportation back....but obviously, it has worked out, and I am back home, being bombarded with the anxieties and troubles of city-living in the age of advanced technology. yesterday, my AOL service was FUBAR - that should be in 96-point type, by the way - yesterday. SO messed up that I spent more than 6 hours in attempts to diagnose/repair, with less than 15 minutes of that involving human tech support(an epic unto itself, but luckily I saw the route would not go early on, and bailed before committing past the first few moves..... GRRRR).

The train ride - This was stylee mass transport, in my book. I had a few options. Take the Acela, which is supposedly that ultrafast ride.... But at twice the cost, with only a half an hour shaved off in transit time, I felt it was a rip-off, and declined. Maybe there is something I missed that makes it worthwhile....I couldn't say.

They also offered an upgrade from coach class to business on Amtrak. Now, I consider myself a luxe dirtbag, so I automatically rejected the "upgrade" without even checking the price.

Locally, I'm used to taking Metro North to the Gunks, with my dog. I get the stink-eye if I take a seat(they're for 2-leggeds only, apparently) and so I ride in the open section for baggage and bikes, using my cooler for a seat, with Teddy curled around me somewhere nearby. simply having a SEAT is an upgrade for me, so I didn't think I'd mind the coach class train ride.

Well - Let me tell you something! I don't know what business class Amtrak offers, but Coach service has butt width seats and leg room enough for the biggest touron venturing cross country. Plush, clean better than any airline seats, in my experience. I settled in comfortably, and the only distasteful item was that the guy across the aisle was yammering into his cel phone for he entire first hour of the trip. Funnily, his big, oft-repeated topic was how "so and so" suffered from narcissistic personality disorder....

Finally, he got off the phone, and soon after got off the train, and I was left to the quiet of my inner thoughts while I watched the northeast corridor glide past as the sun headed round the horizon.

The drive up next morning, from Boston to New Hampshire, was a highway cruise, but since it was my first trip in the area, I was very happy enjoying the changing scenery as we entered mountainous ranges. Very pretty land, and as we drove the smaller roads the next few days, I saw many wonderful old homes, barns and outbuildings. Another few weeks and the foliage color-shift will make such a trip one to relish.

We camped at Covered Bridge campsite in the White Mountain National Forest.. The campground seems nice, I think, though I don't know what other options are available in the area. It had large, quasi-secluded sites that were clean(in fact, it appears someone comes in with a rake in-between tenants), fresh, cold water that comes from a hand pump down the road(there's something to be said for manual labor in exchange for subsistence). Best of all - there are huge logs set across the roadways, at about 8 feet off ground level, thus stopping any RV or monster-tired truck in their tracks.

Apparently, we were pegged as undesirables from the get-go by the campsite host though... Within a few minutes of our choosing a site and unpacking, he drove up in his golf cart and told us to slow it down in our driving. When we returned from our climbing session in the early evening, a form-letter list of Rules to be Broken was tacked under an item on the picnic table. I'd tented on foliage, it seems, although what I'd actually staked my claim on was the same surface that covered the rest of the tent area(gravel). It did have a carpet of dried leaves, but I honestly wasn't anywhere near putting up on the forest dirt ground. Ahh well... I am not one to piss off the guy in charge of my accommodations. So, I quickly moved my tent.

We then set out to begin our evening meal, and as we were doing so, a car that happened to be the same make and model as ours came careening down the road(that means they were going a little faster than the posted fast-idle posted speed limit). As I saw them pass our site, I told the girls "Watch - we're going to get blamed for that one!"

Sure enough! The host came Barney-Fifing down the road in hot pursuit! Off course, he'd had to get off his chair, call his wife/deputy and into the golf cart beforehand, so it was a few minutes later that he screeched to a halt in front of our site.....

I called out an apology for my tent, but was cut off with an officious "I TOLD you not to drive so fast in here!"

Well! My site mates weren't having any bully bullying them around, and they let him have it! Cheryl EVEN pointed her finger at him while declaring "That wasn't us!"

Luckily, she deflected the situation by explaining the look-alike vehicle and adding something like "We get into enough trouble on our own without having someone else's trouble added!"

He laughed at that one and that was the last we saw of the sheriff while we were in his town....

Climbing - Cheryl took us to a lesser-known crag to climb that day, so as not to lessen our experience with the Goddesses event if we'd be going to Cathedral or Whitehorse Ledges the next few days. She chose a slab area called Lost Horizons, which was just a short ride away from our camp area.

The hike in was...vigorous. At least it was for me... The heat and humidity added a level of exertion, but nobody else in the group(we'd met up with some others of Cheryl's friends) suffered as I did.

I don't know what happened, but after a few minutes, I was having some difficulty in my hike. I had stupidly left my full rack in my pack, not wanting to leave it in the car, which was parked along a busy-enough roadway. I fell back to the rear, and later took a short rest. Continuing on, I felt overheated again in another few minutes and had to stop.

By that point, we were a few minutes away from the crag, and Cheryl(enduro-woman, as you'll see in the photos below) had already gotten there, dropped her pack and returned. She offered to take the rope I was carrying, and I gave no resistance.

I decided to take it easy for the rest of the approach, no matter that everyone else was moving more quickly. But then, a steep section came up, and I found myself feeling a little light-headed. I sat down on a log, thinking it would be a short rest and suddenly I was accosted with a full on attack of dizziness and nausea.

Wow! It was bad. I truly thought I was going to pass out and throw up. So, I put my head down between my knees and waited as wave after wave rolled through my body.

Not sure what was causing the thing, I came up with the idea that I must have had my first menopausal hot flash, and when I tried that excuse out on the others(most of whom had already been there/done that) they didn't buy it..... But, they were good-natured about me and my excuse for physical unfitness. It WAS, I will admit, "that time" of the month, and it was generally agreed upon that the humidity, the semi-stiff approach, my pack weight, and the iron loss probably was what did it. Kindly, the "maybe a few sit-ups once in a while" suggestion was not offered as a remedy for repeat occurrences....

So - I survived, though I didn't feel so great, and was careful to be safe once we began climbing. The crag is a slab that rises into routes that range from 5.4 to about 5.8(so far as I know). The trail at the base is simply a footpath where rock meats dirt, and the angle of the slope continues downward, so any trips or stumbles mean down you go, only to be stopped by the forest of trees.

We climbed about 5 routes, with everyone getting a shot on all if they desired. The easiest routes were simply walk-ups, where no real route-finding is required other than the obvious(Go upwards). But the first bolts were up there, and then there were some run-out sections.

I chose to lead a route that was purported to be 5.6, a grade I'd stand by. And that first 25 feet of slab definitely did keep me on my toes(well, actually not, for I pasted as much rubber as I could get). The thought of coming off, and the awareness that the fall wasn't simply to the cliffside trail but onward and into the woods.... made for a sporty feel.

The first bolt passed and I breathed my relief sigh and continued onward. I don't recall feeling any worry about runout on the route, and the climbing was not too difficult(I lead Gunks 5.5). But the anchor! Oh my.....

I have heard of suspect anchors, but this one was definitely a runner for the title of Miss Manky Anchor. Not bolted, by the way. It consisted of a natural bridge-like bit of rock, with a shallow tunnel under it. The width of the bridge was maybe 8 inches or so, but the rock quality was pure, disintegrating as you watch, choss. It had the consistency of sandcastle material with some pebbles added for texture.

At any rate, the climbing was fun; I do like slab. And the route did require some skill in finding the best path, plus it had two crux-y spots(the first before the first bolt).

Still - I nicknamed this crag the "Green Acres Crag." It seemed every route had something....."off" about it. My lead was the awful anchor. There was a route that appeared to have a HUGE run out with groundfall potential from 60 feet up. It was an illusion....The missing bolt was actually in situ. It just happened to be several feet off the natural course of the route.

Another line had anchors placed at a point where a 60-meter rope meant the belayer had to climb 15 feet off deck(easy 5th class moves) to gain the belay stance. It WAS a nice little dish, although the space was tight for leader/belayer to start out on. Nowhere to anchor the belayer, so the leader had best not come off....

And it seemed that someone had made some effort to clear the slabby face of years of lichen. Except the clear spots tended to be in between where the bolts were placed! The routes tended to go straight through grainy lichen patches, making the routes feel as if peppered with a little local spice.

At any rate, it was a fun day, out climbing with a group of women in a quiet setting. We saw no other people while we were there.

As we drove back to camp, Cheryl stopped just after passing through the campground's namesake covered bridge. She wanted to show us what she called a Party Trick. Now, before you peruse the pictures, I should mention that earlier in the day we had been talking about training regimes (Of which, I volunteered I had none).

Cheryl, on the other hand..... did tell us that one of her endurance exercises includes doing repetitions of pull-ups to exhaustion. The thing is to do 5 pull-ups in a minute, and repeat each minute until incapable. So, you do 5 and then have the "rest" of the minute to rest.... Next mintue, same thing. Supposedly......one starts out with lots of rest time, which lessens as the reps build up.

Cheryl does this for.....45 minutes.


....I know.


So - the party trick consists of climbing, hand over hand, up this iron guyline, and then exiting through the pretty window on the bridge.








She did it in one shot, taking probably about 10 seconds, fully locked off the entire way.


What a sicko!


ADENDUM: 9/14 - I just remembered.... When I climbed with this hardwoamn the first time, it was in JTree on April of this year. She had told me that the day before she and some other chicks had gone to the legendary Gunsmoke to do some bouldering.....

She, having never been there before, and being newish to rock climbing, looked at the traverse(from the overhanging end) and....seeing no feet.... had one of the others boost her to the holds. And she proceeded to CAMPUS the traverse fully to the corner. Clean. Onsite.

ummm...yeah.
~~~~~~~
If you enjoy my blog and would like to subscribe through RSS, you can click the FeedBurner Badge here. Thanks for your support!  Subscribe in a reader