Road Trip: Day One... Well, almost...

Jumped out of bed this morning ready to take off for our trip to Reno, Nevada.  The excitement was coursing through our veins as we stacked our bags by the door.  Jumped in the car and headed to the airport to pick up the rental car that we reserved and paid for nearly three weeks ago.

"Oh, sir, since you're paying with a debit card, we have to run a credit check on you."

Wonderful.

"I'm sorry, sir, but your credit check was refused.  You can't rent a car with us."

WHAT??!!

"I paid for this rental nearly three weeks ago.  It's paid for.  I've spoken with customer service to confirm and re-confirm the terms of this trip.  At some point along the line, do you think someone could have informed me that I might be denied based on a credit check?"

"I'm sorry, sir.  That's just the policy."

"So, now that I've planned, budgeted, reserved, paid for, and bypassed all other alternative forms of travel for this trip... Now that I have to be in Reno, 1750 miles away, in two days, you tell me I'm denied.  I know it's not your fault, but don't you think that's a bad business practice?"

So we contacted multiple car rental agencies and found similar issues.  I know, let's take our car to the shop, see if we can fix what needs to be fixed, and take it to Reno.  The brakes are a bit spongy and there's a vacuum leak.  We drove our happy selves over to an auto mechanic's shop where we explained our situation.  They happily wrote our car up and wheeled it into the garage.

A little while later, a charming man came in and said, "Now, you know they can get started looking at it.  But they're gonna stop at noon and take an hour lunch, so you're gonna be stuck sitting here until after one o'clock." 

Wonderful.

So we sat there and watched as a large number of people sat around a table smoking cigarettes and eating, until we finally decided to walk down the street to Purple Burrito for some lunch (Pregnant women know how to tell you when they're hungry.).

When we got back, the gentleman to whom we had spoken gave us an estimate for the repairs.  OUCH!  The car needs a new master cylinder, front disks and pads.  $464.00.  Not an option today.

I called a friend who advised me to go to a mechanic he trusts very highly.  Howard was great.  He was professional, courteous, busy, and eager to help.  He and his technician tackled our car with all the gusto of a two-man pit crew, all the while answering endless phone calls and processing customers in and out.

He was short-handed, and was having to deal with angry customers who couldn't understand how their cars couldn't be finished immediately when they had gone to all the trouble of bringing them in first thing in the morning.  All the while, Howard was trying to explain why he couldn't fix an engine that had a three-inch hole in the side from a thrown rod to a family who spoke only what sounded like Chinese.  The sign language was entertaining, but I was focused on getting on the road.

Ah, Howard.  So observant and thorough.  So thorough, in fact, that he discovered why the first mechanic had quoted me $464.00.  Because he hadn't looked at the rear brakes!

Two blown brake cylinders and pads all around.  A new master cylinder and front discs.  The system needs to be flushed as well, but that's an afterthought.  So Howard, in his thoroughness, quotes me a price of $872.17, but then says he can give me a $50 coupon for the front and rear brakes, making it a hundred dollars less.

I like Howard.  I will go back to Howard.  I would recommend Howard's services.  I simply can't pay Howard today.

So, back to the house to rethink  our options.  I will not miss this graduation.  Last minute flights are astronomical, so that's out.  I'll figure this out.  Tomorrow I'll be blogging from somewhere around Albuquerque!

By the way:  Avis is NOT my friend.

Leavin' On A Jet Plane... Well, actually a rental car...

So, I'm really excited!  I received an invitation to my oldest son's high school graduation in Reno, Nevada!  It's so tough for me to imagine my son being old enough to graduate!  He's already signed up for the Air Force, and will shortly be going into basic training.  I couldn't be more proud of him.

For those who don't know, I was divorced in 2000.  Since then, my regular contact with my sons has been far less than it should have been.  There were several factors in play, and I'm not here to delve into that situation.  It is merely my intent to say that I am actively working to repair the damage that time and distance have caused.  I love my sons, a fact that has never wavered.  I desperately want to be with them.  I am thrilled for the opportunity to be a part of this important day.

I recently made a plea to my online friends for help.  With the ongoing financial recovery from the time my mother had her stroke, and the unexpected expenses that came along with that, Krystal and I have been very tight on cash.  We've been surviving, but with just enough to pay our basic bills.  An unexpected trip across the country seemed beyond our reach.

I received overwhelmingly supportive response from my friends.  Some offered air miles and others offered cash for the trip.  I can't adequately express my gratitude for their generosity.  It was a bit humiliating asking for help, but the warmth with which most of them responded was mind-blowing.  I did have one person I had thought of as a friend accuse me of "begging for airfare" on the internet and use the occasion to question my worth as a man.  It was an interesting interaction that resulted in a parting of ways, but many of my friends were gracious.

I crunched some numbers and discovered that renting a car and driving the 3500 miles round trip will actually cost less than a round-trip ticket between Springfield and Reno.  Not only that, but this way, Krystal can travel with me!

We didn't have much of a honeymoon last August.  We had her son, Tiegen, with us and mainly stayed at home, taking only a couple of days to go camping.  (Sleeping in a very small tent with two adults and a four-year-old in 90-degree weather is anything but romantic!)  So, when I pitched the idea of a road-trip to Nevada, Krystal immediately saw it as an opportunity for some one-on-one time.  She arranged child-care for Tiegen, we arranged for my brother to come and pick up my mother for a couple of weeks, and started making plans.

So, tomorrow morning we head to the Avis counter and pick up our compact car to head west.  I'm excited about the trip and extremely grateful for the help we received in the process.  For those who offered air miles, I thank you.  It was kind and generous of you.  For those who offered money to make our trip more doable, I am very grateful.  Thank you.  Without your help, this wouldn't be possible.  For those who offered words of encouragement, you have warmed my heart.  I appreciate you all.  Please keep us in your prayers as we travel and as we visit with my sons.  My strongest desire is to have a solid relationship with my boys and to be a positive influence on their lives.

I'll be blogging throughout our trip, sharing photos and impressions along the way.  I hope you'll come along with us and comment on the blog entries.  This ought to be fun!

To the one who lambasted me for asking for help:  the next time you need help with anything, call me.  If I can assist you at all, I will.  And, even if I can't, I'll uplift you to the best of my ability.  Because, that is what good people do.