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Day 4

I woke up this morning to my cat sitting on my chest, as usual. Everyone else in the house was either gone or still asleep. I got up, packed up my stuff and my cat and walked back to the U-Haul station out front. I called the mechanic again, and I found out the clutch is done, but the mechanic was out picking up the gasket to fix the oil leak, so it would still be a couple of hours until I get it back. Larry needs another driver today, so I volunteered. Guess where the drop off is? San Jose! One exit north of my old exit! I'll be back in my neighborhood! I think it's a conspiracy. I'm not allowed to leave! The city is trying to keep me within its limits and it's doing everything it can. Ah, well, off to another adventure.

Larry, Beau and I headed up to San Jose to drop off two trucks. I led, since I knew the area. Beau and I got there first, then Larry arrived and we headed to another U-Haul to pick up a trailer. Then we stopped for lunch, again, compliments of Larry. We drove back to Prundale and I called the mechanic again. The bus was ready!!! I drove my car into Salinas and picked up the bus. The mechanic replaced the clutch, fixed my old oil leak, tightened the power steering belts, filled all the fluids, checked the transmission and replaced a part on the starter. He said the engine was clean, the tranny looked good and everything was filled and working. So, theoretically, I should have no more problems. We'll see.

I drove back to Prunedale to get my tow dolly. John and I hooked it up and discovered my turn signals weren't working again. It turned out that it was only the ground wire on the battery that wasn't tight. So, now, everything is working. I let Larry hitch a ride with me into Greenfield, where he had left his car the day before while on a truck pick-up. First I stopped in Salinas once more to get my car that I left at the clutch shop. We got the car back on the dolly and headed for Greenfield. We stopped for gas and noticed I was spitting oil out of my engine! I popped the hood and Larry discovered the lid to my oil filter wasn't secured. After a lot of wrestling with the filter and about 6 quarts of oil, the filter seemed to be back together. So we hit the road again.

At the next exit, I pulled over, to double check that I wasn't still loosing oil. That's when we found out the ground wire was loose again. All that oil in the engine compartment was preventing the tape holding the ground wire secure from sticking to the battery. We messed around with it some more, got the signals working and re-taped it. Then we were off again.

Finally, we arrived in Greenfield. After one more check on the oil and turn signal wires, Larry and I parted. He cautioned me about the hazards of the trip and insisted I include him on my nightly "check-in" phone calls. I am very glad to have met Larry and the rest at the 101 U-Haul in Prunedale, and I will be keeping in touch.

I finally struck out on my own. I was finally leaving home. After getting stuck for 4 days a mere one and a half hours from home, I was glad to be on the road. However, by the time I dropped Larry off in Greenfield, it was already dark. I didn't travel much further before stopping for the night. Larry insisted that I stop at a hotel for the night, and since Dad also insisted that I stop at hotels, even to the point of paying for them himself, I agreed. I really could use a shower after all that oil! So I checked into the Motel 6 in King City, made my phone calls to Mom and Dad, Scott, and Larry, then watched some TV and turned in.

Day 3 - - Table of Contents - - Day 5

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