Sick van, me, and 20 degree nights

Sunday night i drove out to beaverhead. The road climbs steeply up to the flats. I turned off rt 179 heading uphill. I pushed on the go pedal which produced no expected acceleration. Wtf? Just get me to the top of the hill and we will go from there. Engine runs but no power. Forecast is for wind event and precip and my gits are giving me issues. I chose a more head into the wind parking spot for the night. Wind did rock me. Yesterday was a federal holiday and i was unsure if the repair shop was open as well as medical treatment. I drove up to voc with no van issue. I needed coffee beans. A previous visit introduced me to an in house local coffee roaster who educated me of bean procurement who suggested an African bean which i was keen to enjoy. While waiting i ran into a chiro who has adjusted me in the past. Hmm. Decided for a session. He said i adjusted easily which must be good.

Windy and showery day. Furnace running. Started making phone calls. First was tepair shop that was open. Come in around 2 for problem investigation. Health care ended with 10 min hold finally voice mail. Drive to west Sedona has several short hills and no shoulder. Apprehension for van’s performance. Drove to garage. Mechanic hooked up computer to read van codes. Revealed needed egr valve. Ordered replacement for perhaps overnight delivery(?). Very unsure of van’s performance. I gingerly drove to uhaul store whete i have permission to park in his lot. I picked a spot out of the way for the night. Very windy blowing rain showers. Ran the furnace which can’t keep up with heat loss, inside temp drops with outside temp.

Ran into George who owns the laundromat and enjoyed a friendly conversation.

Gastro office finally returned my call: did not receive my referral and can’t schedule appointment until received. Call primary care, left voice mail, called back saying just resent referral. I waited until almost 5 and called gastro office. Still no receival. As of 10:45 today no call. Fax transmission issue. Wtf?

Temp dropped to 21 degrees this morning, inside temp was 50 degrees. I pulled down my 20 degree sleeping bag for a quilt. Warmed me up. 6,000 btu furnace output just falls short.

Waiting for calls from both fix it shops.

Forecast temp is for 20 degree nights and 40 degree days with snow flurries mixed in. I saw blooming daffodils which were tempted to bloom during previous shirt sleeve weather.

This morn i tried to start the catalytic heater but the fuel valve would not open. I repeated pushing the heat control knob to no avail. I added percussive and explicatives method to no avail. Definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. On a whim i turned the heater knob to run even though it wasn’t lit. Darn, that action opened the valve and the heater fired up. This heater produces more heat. I will attemp running it tonight.

No willing to ride with outside temp making it to 40 degrees and a suck van running me aground behind uhaul. Sitting at table inside whole foods typing this on my phone. Street walking for errands.

Finished rereading Wendell Berry’s Jaber Crow the first of his books i read after being introduced to him back at Snake Creek Gap bike race at Dalton, GA back in ’09. I give my read books to The Worm which is also the uhaul place.

Off to consume time.

 

 

 

 

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