In case you missed Part 5.
I was so close. All I needed to do was push the alternator back in place, tighten the bracket, attach the power steering belt and pulley, and then we'd be good to go. No matter how hard I tried, I could not budge the alternator. I was using the wooden baseball bat as leverage and even trying to hit a grand slam with no success.
Even though I had been drinking what Jim brought me from the cafe, I was still dehydrated. I also hadn't had any food. I started to feel overheated. I needed to take a break. When I stood up, I got dizzy. I felt queasy. I walked to the side of the building where there happened to be a rusted 50-gallon barrel with trash in it. I braced myself with my wrists on the edge of the barrel almost ready to fall over. My mouth started to water. I knew what was coming.
Suddenly, I was dry heaving, and then vomiting whatever liquid was in my stomach. I never understood that about heatstroke. If you are dehydrated, the last thing you should be doing is throwing up the very liquid you need to survive. Jim heard me and walked over and asked if I was okay. I said yes and told him I just got overheated and needed to take a break. He went and got a bottle of water for me to sip on. About five feet away from the barrel against the side of the repair shop was a ripped-up bench seat that once belonged to some pick-up. Even though it was in the sun, it beat sitting on the ground.
The next period of time is a blur for me. I was in and out of awareness. My head was spinning, and it felt like I was dreaming. The sun felt hot on my skin. At one point, I heard what sounded like the chimes of an ice-cream truck. I'm not sure whether that was real or imagined. I heard sounds as if I were underwater.
It might have been an hour or maybe more that passed when I could hear the sound of objects hitting each other and someone grunting. As I came to, I realized it was Jim who was grunting, and he had taken matters into his own hands to try to get the alternator to behave. I felt marginally better by this point, so I stood up and slowly walked around the building to see what Jim was up to. He was putting everything he had with the baseball bat, almost willing the alternator into place. He saw that I was standing behind him and said, "I think I got it." I slid underneath the car and verified that the alternator was back in the proper position!. Jim to the rescue! I was recharged with new energy at the prospect that the worst is over.
I tightened the bolts and retrieved the power steering belt and the pieces for the pulley. As I put the power steering belt back on and screwed on the pulley, something was not right. The pulley felt loose. This was not the way it was originally. I remembered that when I removed the pulley, it came out in several parts, and I must have lost one. The pulley would not work properly without the missing part because it would not keep the belt tight. I looked everywhere for that part but never found it. Another tragic realization dawned on me--first no A/C and now no power steering for the rest of the trip.
The final test was filling the radiator with coolant to make sure there were no leaks. Thankfully, there were none! Operation: Replace Water Pump was a success. I'm so glad Jim had the wherewithal to snap a picture to commemorate the event.
As I recall, it was mid-afternoon. We decided to grab a bite to eat, probably at another Burger King, and then get back on the road. It was roughly 4.5 hours from Ozona to El Paso, and we figured we could make it in decent time barring no other mechanical issues. As we got back on the I-10, I was driving with my window down and sunroof open. Moving hot air was better than still hot air. The purple bug with the world's greatest A/C was following right behind me. Since it was a straight freeway, the lack of power steering was not too much of a hindrance.
We made it to El Paso without incident. As soon as we checked into the hotel room, Jim couldn't wait to call Rach, and I couldn't wait to take a bath. When I was finished, the tub had a large ring of dirt where the water line was. I don't know whether Jim minded that for his turn, but them's the breaks. I slept hard that night after what was most assuredly an honest day's worth of work.
I was so close. All I needed to do was push the alternator back in place, tighten the bracket, attach the power steering belt and pulley, and then we'd be good to go. No matter how hard I tried, I could not budge the alternator. I was using the wooden baseball bat as leverage and even trying to hit a grand slam with no success.
Even though I had been drinking what Jim brought me from the cafe, I was still dehydrated. I also hadn't had any food. I started to feel overheated. I needed to take a break. When I stood up, I got dizzy. I felt queasy. I walked to the side of the building where there happened to be a rusted 50-gallon barrel with trash in it. I braced myself with my wrists on the edge of the barrel almost ready to fall over. My mouth started to water. I knew what was coming.
Suddenly, I was dry heaving, and then vomiting whatever liquid was in my stomach. I never understood that about heatstroke. If you are dehydrated, the last thing you should be doing is throwing up the very liquid you need to survive. Jim heard me and walked over and asked if I was okay. I said yes and told him I just got overheated and needed to take a break. He went and got a bottle of water for me to sip on. About five feet away from the barrel against the side of the repair shop was a ripped-up bench seat that once belonged to some pick-up. Even though it was in the sun, it beat sitting on the ground.
The next period of time is a blur for me. I was in and out of awareness. My head was spinning, and it felt like I was dreaming. The sun felt hot on my skin. At one point, I heard what sounded like the chimes of an ice-cream truck. I'm not sure whether that was real or imagined. I heard sounds as if I were underwater.
It might have been an hour or maybe more that passed when I could hear the sound of objects hitting each other and someone grunting. As I came to, I realized it was Jim who was grunting, and he had taken matters into his own hands to try to get the alternator to behave. I felt marginally better by this point, so I stood up and slowly walked around the building to see what Jim was up to. He was putting everything he had with the baseball bat, almost willing the alternator into place. He saw that I was standing behind him and said, "I think I got it." I slid underneath the car and verified that the alternator was back in the proper position!. Jim to the rescue! I was recharged with new energy at the prospect that the worst is over.
I tightened the bolts and retrieved the power steering belt and the pieces for the pulley. As I put the power steering belt back on and screwed on the pulley, something was not right. The pulley felt loose. This was not the way it was originally. I remembered that when I removed the pulley, it came out in several parts, and I must have lost one. The pulley would not work properly without the missing part because it would not keep the belt tight. I looked everywhere for that part but never found it. Another tragic realization dawned on me--first no A/C and now no power steering for the rest of the trip.
The final test was filling the radiator with coolant to make sure there were no leaks. Thankfully, there were none! Operation: Replace Water Pump was a success. I'm so glad Jim had the wherewithal to snap a picture to commemorate the event.
As I recall, it was mid-afternoon. We decided to grab a bite to eat, probably at another Burger King, and then get back on the road. It was roughly 4.5 hours from Ozona to El Paso, and we figured we could make it in decent time barring no other mechanical issues. As we got back on the I-10, I was driving with my window down and sunroof open. Moving hot air was better than still hot air. The purple bug with the world's greatest A/C was following right behind me. Since it was a straight freeway, the lack of power steering was not too much of a hindrance.
We made it to El Paso without incident. As soon as we checked into the hotel room, Jim couldn't wait to call Rach, and I couldn't wait to take a bath. When I was finished, the tub had a large ring of dirt where the water line was. I don't know whether Jim minded that for his turn, but them's the breaks. I slept hard that night after what was most assuredly an honest day's worth of work.
Gotta steal this line. I've also had this thought but not in words.
I also loved this line:
I slept hard that night after what was most assuredly an honest day's worth of work.
But can't steal it because I don't think I've ever felt like I've had this feeling of having achieved this deep amount of an honest day's work.
I never expected you to pass out from this. Have you ever passed out before other than this? I can't remember if I've ever... if I have it would've been so early in my childhood that I can't remember.
Wasn't Jim worried at all?? Lol there's nothing mentioned about him worrying about you or asking you how you're doing?
Also am curious where the baseball bat comes from. Any interesting story behind that or is that just one object of many being moved?