 When my truck broke down it was frustrating, inconvenient and the thought of expensive repair bills kept running through my mind. As mentioned in my last post, I had towed my truck to two different shops, and neither could figure out the issue. Then I took it to the local Ford dealership where it was for over 40 days! Still, I was able to get around on my bike and handle the necessary errands everyday life brings. Over the past 3 weeks I was able to use a loaner truck the dealership provided but still found myself using my bike except for those times when it wouldn’t be safe because of what I was purchasing, specifically dog food and bottled water. Then, last Friday I got a call from the dealer, he told me they had identified the problem, completed the repairs and I could pick it up that afternoon. I asked him what the issue was, and he said he would explain it all to me when I picked it up. When I arrived at the dealership I waited while my service technician assisted other customers. Looking out on the near empty car lot shocked by the lack of vehicles available. There was not a pickup truck to be found! I read that there is a shortage of computer chips necessary to build the sophisticated cars of today and it was impacting dealerships across the country. Then, he waived me up to his counter. I said to him “it’s been a long time; I’m really interested in learning what the problem was”. He printed off several pages of parts and labor that were needed to get my truck repaired and I remember thinking, this is going to be expensive! After he pulled up several photos on his computer, he showed me what the problem was, a broken valve spring intake valve to cylinder 8. Not being a mechanic, it didn’t mean anything to me but a large repair bill! He continued explaining the problem to me in as simple terms as he could and going over the many steps they took to identify the problem and make the necessary repairs. Then the moment of truth! I asked him what the damage was, and he told me that he was able to work with Ford to get it covered under warranty and my total bill was $100.00 for the deductible. WOW! What a huge relief! We chatted a bit more, I thanked him, and he thanked me for my patience during the ordeal. We shook hands and he handed me my keys. Getting back in my truck felt wonderful! Looking back over this event, I couldn’t help but feel that it happened when it did for a reason. By this time, I had planned on being in remote areas of Idaho with Ace, exploring, camping and enjoying this beautiful state. But, with Ace’s current health issues, I haven’t been able to get to those places as I had hoped . What if I had been able to get out and explore on my timetable? I may very well have been stranded in an area without cell phone service or near anyone that could have helped me. Not to mention, the costs of getting assistance in the rugged terrain! I’m not going to say I’m glad this happened, that would be silly. But it has opened my eyes to what is possible when we don’t try too hard to figure out the events in our lives and why they happen when they do. When things don’t seem to be working out as we expect or on our timetable, trust that God has the perfect timetable for the events in our lives.
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The one thing that I've always enjoyed is having the freedom to explore and go pretty much anywhere by any means. My bike ride was a great example of this. I've been working on building out my truck so I can be self sufficient at any time in any environment. Below are some early photos and videos of the progress I've made so far. Using an old twin bed frame, my coworker cut down the frame for my bed that is 30" wide, 75 " long and 15" tall, leaving plenty of room to clear the fender well. It is also has metal plates at the bottom for stability.  As you can see in the above photo, the shell has the BedRug for added comfort and insulation. The top headliner is also covered and has rope lights (more about that in an upcoming video). In my next post, I'll be showing the completed bed and storage as well as some of my survival gear. For updates, please subscribe to my email list at the bottom of the page.  |
