Challenges never end
OK, so I finally got a chance this week to get the Beast ready to take a real vacation next week. Monday I spent about an hour and a half at the DMV to get my new plates. Easy enough, other than the wait. Because they were stolen (back in May) there was no charge for the new plates. On Tuesday afternoon, I drove the noisy Beast to Badger Truck Center to find out what blew out on it and get an oil change.
Just a little back story here.... Memorial weekend I was planning to take the Beast home when Mom was failing fast. I didn't know how long I'd need to be home, and wanted to take Max with me as well as having my own space for my sanity. Saturday I went to take a load of stuff there, and discovered the back license plate was gone. Off to the police station I went with the front one to report the theft. I got an incident report and the officer told me I could still drive it and if I got pulled over for no plates, just to show my registration and the report of the theft.
So Sunday after finishing at church, I rode the scooter to get the Beast, loaded it up and had it all secured, and was just going to drive home to pick up Max and my stuff. As soon as I started the engine, there was a loud "bam!" and it sounded like an airplane ready to take off - plus the fumes were quick to convince me there would be no suffering through a 4 hour drive in that thing. Besides, with no plates & no muffler, I'd be pulled over by every cop between here and Wausau.
I had no time to worry about getting her fixed until this week. Wednesday noon, I got the report on what was wrong..... the catalytic converter was stolen too! They just cut the damn thing right off and undoubtedly sold it for scrap metal. Geeeeeeez...... so more time at the police station and a few phone calls to my insurance company, and the Beast is on her way to being repaired.
I wish I could get a hold of those creeps who robbed me not only of property, but time and energy and emotions that I did not have to spare. I'd love to tell them that they managed to mess with me at a time when I was already losing my mother, and just smack 'em in the face a couple of times. I'd love to shame them and make them feel even a little bad - although I doubt that's possible.
But thankfully, through all this stuff, there has been a lot of good in people to make up for the bad. Both of the police officers were very helpful and sympathetic. The people at Badger Truck were also as helpful as they could be. And I swear, those Progressive Insurance reps were the best of all. They were understanding and calming, and bent over backward to help make this as painless as possible. By Thursday afternoon, Ryan the claims adjuster had already called me to tell me the check was on the way. Even though I still have to pay my $125 deductible, it's far better than the $1100 or so that I would have to pay without insurance. The good news is that the Badger folks tell me the exhaust system appears to be fairly new, so I shouldn't have any upcoming repairs on that yet.
I'll be looking for a new place to store the Beast when she's not in use, but in the meantime, if anyone knows someone who'd like to buy a 1990 RV, let me know. I'll sell it cheap! I don't regret buying it - got lots of good use out of her between regular trips and my sabbatical and the best youth trip ever. But I think she's jinxed, and I just am tired of waiting to see what's going to happen to her next. My next RV will come along when I'm closer to retirement, and it will be a much newer one too.
Just a little back story here.... Memorial weekend I was planning to take the Beast home when Mom was failing fast. I didn't know how long I'd need to be home, and wanted to take Max with me as well as having my own space for my sanity. Saturday I went to take a load of stuff there, and discovered the back license plate was gone. Off to the police station I went with the front one to report the theft. I got an incident report and the officer told me I could still drive it and if I got pulled over for no plates, just to show my registration and the report of the theft.
So Sunday after finishing at church, I rode the scooter to get the Beast, loaded it up and had it all secured, and was just going to drive home to pick up Max and my stuff. As soon as I started the engine, there was a loud "bam!" and it sounded like an airplane ready to take off - plus the fumes were quick to convince me there would be no suffering through a 4 hour drive in that thing. Besides, with no plates & no muffler, I'd be pulled over by every cop between here and Wausau.
I had no time to worry about getting her fixed until this week. Wednesday noon, I got the report on what was wrong..... the catalytic converter was stolen too! They just cut the damn thing right off and undoubtedly sold it for scrap metal. Geeeeeeez...... so more time at the police station and a few phone calls to my insurance company, and the Beast is on her way to being repaired.
I wish I could get a hold of those creeps who robbed me not only of property, but time and energy and emotions that I did not have to spare. I'd love to tell them that they managed to mess with me at a time when I was already losing my mother, and just smack 'em in the face a couple of times. I'd love to shame them and make them feel even a little bad - although I doubt that's possible.
But thankfully, through all this stuff, there has been a lot of good in people to make up for the bad. Both of the police officers were very helpful and sympathetic. The people at Badger Truck were also as helpful as they could be. And I swear, those Progressive Insurance reps were the best of all. They were understanding and calming, and bent over backward to help make this as painless as possible. By Thursday afternoon, Ryan the claims adjuster had already called me to tell me the check was on the way. Even though I still have to pay my $125 deductible, it's far better than the $1100 or so that I would have to pay without insurance. The good news is that the Badger folks tell me the exhaust system appears to be fairly new, so I shouldn't have any upcoming repairs on that yet.
I'll be looking for a new place to store the Beast when she's not in use, but in the meantime, if anyone knows someone who'd like to buy a 1990 RV, let me know. I'll sell it cheap! I don't regret buying it - got lots of good use out of her between regular trips and my sabbatical and the best youth trip ever. But I think she's jinxed, and I just am tired of waiting to see what's going to happen to her next. My next RV will come along when I'm closer to retirement, and it will be a much newer one too.
posted by Kris at 8/08/2008 09:16:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home