Pheeewww...!

Finally…I went for a long drive this weekend with no mechanical event cropping up. I had to deliver a horse to Lake Stevens Washington for someone, and return with another horse. (I hope you noticed I continued posting the blog while I was hundreds of miles away, such dedication…, as opposed to Auntie who can't post because she moved up three blocks up the hill during the weekend...)

The only thing that went poorly was that the compressor for the truck air conditioner was out. I knew that it didn’t work in advance and it isn’t pleasant driving a heavy load on the hot freeway through the traffic of Olympia, Seattle and Everett with the heat.

With my history of mechanical trouble on the road I obsess on my gages. Every few miles I glance down at the gages. Good on fuel, temperature was always good, oil pressure is good, the tachometer is steady. The computer tells me I’m getting 12 MPG on the flat road. I am relieved and then I tense up as I see another exit sign and check it all again hoping not to have to leave the freeway. Every upcoming exit on the freeway caused the same reaction and then relief.

I was delighted to look down as I pulled into my driveway and not see the Check Engine light shinning up at me.