here comes trouble

my first leg of driving and our first signs that Rico is breaking down


bob and brian taking apart the engine
this story is so long that i need to go grab a beer before i start typing...hold on.

okay, so just outside Boise Idaho, on the freeway, while i was driving, the van began to lurch. We were able to make it to an exit where we scooted off the road and sat in the heat and dry duty wind of Idaho trying to figure out the problem. It was 4pm on a friday night and the thoughts of "oh shit" where will we find an auto parts store that's open & where can we work on the van.

we crept at a slow speed and made it a few miles into the very small town of New Plymouth, less than 1000 people. At the local Sinclair station they called the local mechanic ~ Brian, afterhours. Within 10 minutes, Brian appeared in his pajammas and pack of reds. He jumped into Rico, unfazed by the dogs and just started pulling at stuff, revving the engine and came up with a diagnosis.

most likely a bent valve. He graciously offers to allow us to stay at his place and for Bob to work with him, with his extra set of tools to hopefully fix the van.

By 10 pm on friday the top half of the engine was completely bare, a frightening thing to watch as both men were ripping, wrenching and tearing things off at lightning speed.

i sat and drank and tried to remain calm.

Brian informs us that it's worse than he thought, we have been driving on 7 cylinders and have a bad cam and lifters. The chance of us getting the parts within the next 4 days are slim.

Saturday morning we wake up early with Brian eager to go and us behind due to the time change. By noon the engine has been cleaned, the grill has been cut off, radiator off and the poor van looks naked aas can be. There is grease every where and strange men keep popping by to see the progress as we quickly become the town's weekend news. All individuals state the same song...

"you broke down in the right spot".

damn right we did.

it's after noon and we have made calls to every parts distributors and friend he knows to locate our cam. there is a maybe from a guy in Oregon whom Brian doesn't even know....we wait for the call back. The news is the best we have heard yet, he has the parts, will only charge us cost and is willing to drive 45 miles out of his way to get them and then to drive them to us. 3 hours later he arrives and saves the day. He proceeds to tell us that it is 10 dollars cheaper than he quoted and refuses to take money for gas, time or tip.

Brian's wife Lisa keeps me company as she clears out some wreckage from her shed. Exactly a year prior their home burned down to the ground, taking their pets with it. They just finished rebuilding this new home that we are guests in and she is sifting through the damaged goods. She picks up a frozen lasagna for us all to eat, and we take our first hot shower in days at their home with clean fresh towels and q-tips! (a road trip luxury)

By 10 pm on saturday, Bob and Brian have finally put Rico back together after rebuilding the top half of the engine. In 24 hours none the less.

He hums like a champ and turns over with the lightest touch. You could probably hear our sigh of relief in port townsend.

The awkward moment of "settling" up comes about, well, we bring it up as both brian and lisa are tucked into their chairs watching a classic car show on t.v.and could have easily just said, see ya later!

bob's got all our trip fund in his hand and i am nervously sweating as we were told that this would cost us over $ 2,000 if it happened in Boise. I am prepared to pay and then turn around, heading back to Washington.

Brian looks at us and tells us a story of how money ruined their lives. He says he understands that we were in no way prepared for this and that whatever we can pay and what it's worth to us, is fine.

what it's worth?!?! it's worth more than any dollar amount could sum up.

so some cash was exchanged, but not nearly as much as hugs, some tears and a great lesson learned. people can be inherently good, and god bless the moments when we get to experience that.

thanks to brian and lisa, we made it to ohio with no problems and a little better gas mileage than before.