WBC, Day 7 (Afternoon)...

Driving out of Lancaster, I finish up the book I'm listening to, The Devil's Feather, by Minette Walters. Good book that leaves you wondering exactly what they did at the end. I start up my next book, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, by Andrew McCall Smith. It's enjoyable so far, and a nice change of pace from the darkish earlier book.

South of Lewisburg, I stop for lunch at a Chinese place. Mistake. Bad food that won't settle in me for a couple of days. Ugh...

My RAV4 is revving high sometimes, especially when I have it in cruise control and am going uphill. Hmmm... Something more to spend money on when I get back to Rochester.

In Lewisburg I fill up the tank, at $3.67 a gallon, which is considerably cheaper than anything we have in New York. The revving problem is getting worse, and I'm having some difficulty making it up hills at speed. I'm getting worried, and begin putting my hazards on when I travel up hill, to warn folks I'm going slowly. Figure the trip to Rochester is going to take more than 5 hours...

North of Williamsport (between Hepburnville and Trout Run), I'm going up a hill at about 10 MPH -- something is really wrong. I begin to smell a funny smell, and smoke comes out of the engine.

Shit.

I pull over (luckily this stretch had the right lane blocked off so I wasn't right next to traffic). I pop the hood and the engine is smoking.

Lovely.

I call AAA.

Two scuzzy vehicles pull over as I'm on the phone. Uh-oh, figure I'm about to be robbed or something. Keep talking to AAA. I get put on hold as he's contacting a towing company. One of the guys from the scuzzy vehicles walks over and shakes my hand. Tells me Jesus wants us all to help each other. I'm relieved, as I don't think they're out to rob me anymore...


I know they can't help, as I suspect it's the clutch. A couple guys look and confirm that, wish me luck, tell me "Jesus loves you," and drive off. Oh, they offered me some water first, which was nice. Pennsylvania, ya gotta love it!

Still trying to get hooked up with a tow truck, another car pulls over, ahead of me. It looks like Mike Cardwell's car, but I thought he left early morning, so just another good Samaritan (or thief, who knows...). But, lo and behold, it is Mike!

My spirits immediately rose, and Mike hung out with me until the flatbed arrived. We followed it back to Williamsport, left it at a Monro Muffler (all that was open on a Sunday afternoon!), and packed my stuff into Mike's car and headed back with him.

The RAV4 is now at "Automotive Specialists" in Williamsport. It is the clutch. I will be going back down there this Friday to get it. I will be out about a grand.

Oh well, it could have been worse (much worse) if Mike hadn't driven by. I owe him, BIG TIME. We had a nice drive back to Rochester, in a car with working a/c. Man, Mike was a life saver.

And, of course, my WBC adventure ain't over yet...