So, in the annals of owning, maintaining etc. a WVO truck we have had some run-ins with mechanical difficulties. Really, it has been one overly long and extended saga that started one Saturday night on Venice Blvd. I was driving Darla from Culver City back to Venice, but needed to stop at my apartment to do something silly like change out of work clothes. When I jumped back in the truck, things seemed a little off, but it was always hard to tell which gear you were in--but i wasn't in neutral and i wasn;t in reverse and I was going forward...Darla just seemed grumpy, like maybe htat trip earlier inthe day to the Theodore Payne Nursery had exhausted her as much as it had me. In any case, I get about three blocks from my apartment when Darla STOPS. Right there, in the right hand lane of Venice Blvd. I, of course, immediately freak. I don't even have AAA, and I can't find the hazard lights and people start honking. In my initial moment of distress I assume they are honking angrily--but it turns out TWO incredeibley kind car loads of people are actually asking me if I need help. Three big guys and one of thier young daughters push Darla (who is full of dirt, compost and tools) to the side of the road in front of McDonalds. I call Kathleen, who not only has a cool head in an emergency, but also a AAA membership. She arrives, AAA arrives, and (of course) Darla starts when AAA gets there. Kathleen kindly lets me drive her forrester back to venice while she is followed by the tow truck in Darla.
On Monday she takes Darla into a diesel mechanic whose number I got thanks to frantically calling various people who I think drive waste veggie oil, or bio diesel, or any kind of diesel at all.
A week and a fuel injector later, we pick Darla up and drive her back to my apartment. She seems to run great!
However, the next morning when I go down with my coffee, maintenance bag, seed box and armload of seedlings she doesn't start. Rather, she starts but doesn't turn over. The engine goes grubba grubba grubba grubba fro 20 seconds and then bupkiss. So, yet again, I freak, call Kathleen (who is at the airport on her way to Philly). I call the mechanic. He sends his guys over. By the time they get there, Darla turns over and runs. I drive her back the mechanic praying that she won't sieze on me again. She doesn't , and I explain the problem to the mechanic. Then I wait.
and wait.
and wait.
by the time our dear mechanic is ready to talk to me, i've pretty well figured out there's a big problem. there are two things wrong--1) the thing that changes the gears had worn down and 2) because of wear that tiny little piece was, we might as well rebuild the transmission.
after some tears i agree to the $1700 investment. really, what choice did we have? A week later I drive her home, fairly confident that I'll be able to haul out to eagle rock the next morning....to be continued....
so we can use switch our fuel back and forth between pure waste veggie oil and diesel or bio-diesel.
I don't have time to chronicle all the ups and downs we've had with Darla since then, but at some point I will.
Whew! I have not been good with the whole blogging thing (it's hard when you're a root and don't have opposable thumbs) but....I'll be posting some things from my newsletter to break the ice
These are the people I work for. Really, for non-vegetables they are pretty cool. They are into growing food, and planting food, and helping folks be more sustainable. Vegetables already know all about sustainable--before humans came around and it got all hip and whatever. but, hey, if the veggie world can benefit from something the people are doing, I don't have a bean against it.
Anyway, like I said, these are the people. They rock.
I'll get around to properly introducing myself later. (I'm still a bit disoriented)
At long last, I've made it from underground to cyberspace! Weeeeeeeeee! more coming soon. visit my friends at www.heartbeetgardening.com
