I was headed back to Aurora, Nebraska to pick up my bus, which had been left behind due to transmission issues when I traveled cross country for a wedding in Oregon. I had been staying in my friends bus until mine could be fixed, and we had gone to Vancouver, Washington to visit his mom, and had lingered longer than anticipated. We were trying to make it back to Nebraska quickly, but since we still needed to stretch our legs and walk the dogs here and there, I looked up a few places to stop along the way.
The first detour was Stonehenge Memorial outside of Maryhill, Washington. It is a full-scale replica of the ancient, original Stonehenge in England, and was built as a WWI memorial dedicated to the servicemen of Klickitat County who had died in service to their country. It is constructed of concrete, but looks like stone, and seeing and walking around outside and inside it was well worth the stop.
Our next destination was Twin Falls, Idaho, where Shoshone Falls was located. It claimed to be the Niagara Falls of the west. Apparently this attraction is normally packed, but since it was off season, we had almost the whole place to ourselves. The water level was extremely low. There were pictures on a plaque of what the falls normally looked like, and it showed multiple streams of water gushing in many places over a long, massive rocky cliff. But at this moment in time there was just a narrow, single waterfall flowing.
Even though the scene in front of me didn’t look like the plaque pictures, it was still a magnificent sight. We went over to a little side trail that seemed as if it might lead down to the water below, and started walking through the trees until we came to an extremely muddy, slippery hill, down which we slid. Unfortunately, at the bottom, the trail ended, and the brush was so thick that we could not go any further. Thank goodness we decided not to take the dogs with us. We turned around to go back, but the mud was so slippery and the hill so steep that we couldn’t return. We struggled and struggled, but just kept sliding backward. Eventually he was able to grab onto some branches and sticks and pull himself up, and then stretched back down and also pull me up. I had been starting to think I was going to have to live there! We explored some other trails around the area, visiting a few other nearby waterfalls and taking in the beautiful views.
Our next stop was a small town called Laramie in Wyoming. We only stopped there because it had a pet store. It had been getting down to 20 degrees some of the nights and the days were only warming up to 45. All the dogs had hoodies they could wear, but Thomas did not, and I was sure he needed a sweater.
As I walked to the pet store, I noticed murals painted on multiple buildings. We decided to stroll about the town and check them out. They had them absolutely everywhere, tucked in little alleyways and way high up on buildings. No matter where you looked there was an art piece.
The town also had a huge train station with many tracks running through it. There was a catwalk above the tracks where you could look down and see them and the trains stretched out below us. There was also a sign saying that on certain nights and times, open containers were allowed. You could walk around the downtown area while enjoying a drink. Unfortunately, we were not there at the right time, but I made a mental note to return to this cute little place another time to explore more.
We finally arrived in Aurora, Nebraska, where I was thrilled to have my bus and home back again. I loaded up all my stuff from the bus I had been staying in, and we parted ways, with me off to the East Coast while he headed west. However, as soon as my bus made it onto the highway, the check engine light came back on. I turned around, picked up my friend for support, and we both went back to the mechanic. When they read the code, it said it was the transmission slipping. That sounded like a real problem to me, but no matter what I said, everyone there assured me it was normal and the bus was “just getting used to the new transmission.” They cleared the code again and I drove around to test it out, but the light came back on. Once again it was the transmission light. It didn’t seem right to me that it would be coming on again if it was “fixed,” but once again, everybody there assured me it was fine and sent me on my way. I had no choice but to continue on in hopes of making it back to New York State for Thanksgiving. I dropped my friend back off at his bus and hit the highway again.
I didn’t make it far before the light came on again, but I kept driving to let it “work out the kinks,” as they had told me to do. As I drove, my bus started to act funny, it slowed down and went into limp mode and I got a “reduced engine power message,” that also said: “change fuel filter.” I found the closest mechanic and he got me in right away. I also explained the issue with my transmission to him, and he told me that they were just messing me around and didn’t want to deal with it, and that if the check engine light was on, something was definitely wrong, just as I had suspected all along.
As I waited for the mechanic to replace my fuel filter, I called the other shop to sort out my transmission issues. This was the Friday before Thanksgiving, and unfortunately they wouldn't be able to get me in until Monday. They said the earliest it would be done was Wednesday, and with a 20 hour drive back to New York State, it looked like I would not make it to my parents’ house in time for Thanksgiving. I was beyond upset because holidays are my absolute favorite, and I didn’t want to spend it alone, but with my three animals, taking a bus, train or plane was out of the question. It seemed as if I had no other choice.
Once my fuel filter was changed, I drove the three hours back to Aurora. Luckily for me, I found a free campground there where I could spend the weekend. It even had an electric hook-up, and although I normally don’t use outside electricity since I have solar panels, with the cold nights I wanted to use my space heater, and didn’t have enough power reserve in my batteries for that. The campground was small and mostly empty. I had my own little spot with a picnic table, and Sophie had enough room where she could be tied on a long lead behind my bus so she could run and play. The bathrooms were closed, but I was grateful for a place to park with power for heat.
Bright and early Monday morning I drove to Grand Island where my bus would be fixed. They wouldn’t allow me to stay in the bus while they worked on it, so I found a nearby motel that allowed animals. I did an early check in, leaving the animals and my stuff there and then dropped my bus off. It was four miles between the motel and garage, so I decided to use my moped. It was raining steadily and the temperature was around freezing, but it was still better than walking. I got soaked and was so cold the whole ride back, but knowing I had a warm shower waiting made it bearable. When I got back to the motel, I wanted to bring my moped into my room. The area seemed a little sketchy, and I was worried it would be stolen. The issue was that there was no elevator. I struggled to drag that thing up the stairs, making it halfway before having to sit a bit while I caught my breath. Luckily for me, a guy came striding up the stairs, and when he saw me sitting there, asked if I wanted help. I’m not one to turn down offered assistance. He picked the whole moped up like he was the hulk or something and carried it the rest of the way up.
I spent two nights in the hotel. I really enjoyed having heat and a shower, but I was also bored out of my mind and antsy because I was eager to get home. I was still hoping for some kind of miracle, and that I would somehow make it to my parents’ house in time for Thanksgiving.
I received a call Tuesday afternoon around four that they had finished my bus. Thanksgiving dinner was scheduled for one on Thursday, and with a 20 hour drive ahead of me, I didn’t know if I could make it, but I knew I had to try. As quickly as I could, I hauled my moped down the stairs, which was much easier than going up. I drove it to the garage, picked up my bus and loaded the moped in before driving back to the motel. There, I threw my belongings and animals into the bus and hit the road.
Everything was going smoothly for the first two hundred miles, and then my check engine light came on, again. I pushed away the feeling of defeat as I pulled into an auto zone. The guy who read my code said it was a problem with the turbo. He told me I shouldn’t drive it because it could lose power at any moment. I appreciated his advice, but I had no intention of taking it. I was bound and determined to make it home for Thanksgiving dinner. I drove into the night for as long as I could, and then got up late the next morning to drive the rest of the day and well into the evening until I could go no further.
Thanksgiving morning found me on the road again, pushing myself forward. I made it to my parent’s house two hours before the big feast. I was exhausted, but it was so worth it, and I was truly grateful on this holiday of giving thanks to get to spend it with my family.
After that cross country trip, I needed a long break from driving. I was also out of money and still had that check engine light to deal with. I decided to stay in New York State until after Christmas. I have a job that allows me to pick up work shifts taking care of people with developmental disabilities when I’m in the area. My check engine light ended up being no big deal, merely a sensor that needed cleaning instead of a bad turbo. That was a huge relief.
I have always loved the tradition of my parents, two brothers, and I visiting a Christmas tree farm and wandering all over before picking out the perfect tree, and this year was extra special because my two young nephews also accompanied us. It was fun spending time with my family, and I enjoyed spending an afternoon with my mom and I decorating the tree together and talking about the memories associated with so many of the decorations.
I had also had fun seeing some of my hometown friends and their children, especilly this time of year. I always make it a point to see them when I’m in the area, but normally it’s a short stop and then I’m on my way again. Spending extra time with them was nice.
One of my favorite moments happened when I went with my friend Stephanie and her kids to a Christmas Tree Lighting event. We had our faces painted and visited Santa, and the night ended with fireworks. I was holding one of Stephanie’s young daughters as we watched the exploding lights above our head when she exclaimed, “this is the best day of my life!”
Christmas is my favorite holiday of all, and I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas with my family. We played games, opened presents, watched movies and just spent simple time together enjoying each other’s company. And no one fought this year! My heart was full.
The year wrapped up with a simple New Years going out to dinner with my friend Heather. We went to one of my favorite restaurants, Pastabilities. The was the perfect way to wrap up the year.
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