The first part of today was wonderful and merits a gushing post of its own, so that will follow. But it was such a tiny part of this much too long day that I can’t even start with that.
Today was a case of déjà vu. Remember the first time I crossed the Rockies? The day started off great then went to pots around Revelstoke when I discovered I’d lost my 12V power. Followed a mad dash to the Okanagan. Well, that was today. Except the troubles started after the Columbia Ice Fields. And they were engine related.
I was coming down a very, very long 8% grade in low gear when my check engine light came on. It bugged me, but I know that a non-flashing check engine sign signifies a minor problem. Miranda was running great and not making any odd noises. I continued on and stopped a good while later after a stretch of flat so that I could sort of coast into the rest spot instead of having to jam the brakes to make it. My brakes weren’t mushy or showing any signs of problems, but I didn’t want to take any chances.
Soon as Miranda was stopped, she stalled. I took a deep breath, had a bathroom and snack break, then tried to start her. She’d start, then stall. I waited until the coast was clear behind me, started her, shifted into drive, and hit the gas. It took two tries, but she got going. Once she was moving, all was well and she performed well without a hint of trouble. Engine heat and RPMs were normal, there were no odd noises or smells.
I was out in the middle of nowhere and figured that if she was moving okay, I’d better keep going. I had about a hundred kilometres to the junction to the Transcanada highway in which to figure out my next move.
My options were:
1) Go east to Banff. But what then? I’d be a hundred kilometres out of my way in $50-night-for-boondocking territory.
2) Go south to Cranbrook via Kootenay park, as planned. I didn’t want to see the Kootenays that way and I had no idea what sort of conditions I would be heading into.
3) Go west via the Transcanada highway to 97A and the Okanagan, like I did back in ’08. This would get me out of the federal parks and into civilization along a well traveled road. I knew that Kelowna was a long, but doable, distance away, that I could get there with the gas I had on board, and that there I would be well situated to get help or even a tow to Osoyoos if needed.
I picked option 3, of course, and made yet another dash through Yoho, Glacier, and Revelstoke national parks. *sighs* I worked my ass off all summer to make this fall trip especially memorable and instead I’m living a nightmare all over again. Every time I had to stop for construction or a red light took ten years off my life. Some times she’d start up in one try, sometimes it took several. Once, in Vernon, she didn’t even conk out. Crossing that town almost made me regret not picking the Walmart there, but there are a ton of turns and stops and red lights to get into that store while the one in Kelowna is right off the highway.
The mechanical issue is surely minor. I probably have a clog in my fuel intake line or the air filter. It might even be something I’ll recognize the minute I pop the hood tomorrow morning. But put yourself in my shoes: you’re five hundred kilometres from civilization and your stalling vehicle runs normally when you get it going. Would you stop to try to solve the problem right there or make a run for it?
So, I’m now a couple of hours away from Osoyoos and my fun is thoroughly spoiled. Even if I get the problem solved first thing in the morning I’m too close to my destination for it to make sense running around for another week. I think I’ll just call the RV park and see if they can take me in early, then get a head start on the contract/job hunt.
I’m too tired and angry right now to make any sort of wild affirmations about what I may choose to do or not do the next time I take Miranda on the road, but I’m pretty sure this is going to be the last time I take her on a scenic detour.
