Yesterday was one of those days!! A bunch of disparate variables intersected at an axis -- one unbeknownst to me -- to produce a circumstance that I wasn't at all pleased with. I weathered this internal tempest, but I'm abundantly happy that I again am safely ensconced in my upstairs cave.
It all started a few days ago when we discovered a leak in the radiator of our motor vehicle. As it tends to happen in the world of manufacturer's warranties, this problem emerged on the immediate heels of the warranty's expiration (12/31/10). Since our rural area doesn't have any automotive repair shops with sterling reputations, we decided to take our little Aveo to a GM service center.
As it would happen, the closest of these is in Aberdeen, about 35 miles to our north and, as it would happen, we couldn't wrangle an appointment for over one week. So, we looked the other direction -- south -- to the GM dealership in Astoria, Oregon. Ah, they had an opening only 2 days hence.
Of course, it unfortunately was not on Tuesday, the day I needed to travel south to Long Beach to visit my mental health counselor in his new digs. No, it was the next day which meant trips south on consecutive days -- twice the expenditure of fuel.
Another variable in play was that Della was off on Tuesday and so accompanied me to Long Beach. She had to work on Wednesday, so I had to make the trip to Astoria alone. Such a wondrous thing for a person with social anxiety to look forward to!!
Now we get to the crucial variable that interplays with the other ones. At some unknown time to me, a section of mud high above State Highway 401 decided to migrate downward; a mudslide. This mudslide made State Highway 401 impassable which necessitated the closure of the road. As it happens, State Highway 401 provides the shortest route between South Bend -- via Naselle -- to Astoria.
Fortunately, it is not the only route. One can also take scenic US Highway 101 that hugs the lower end of Willapa Bay. On Wednesday, this was the sole path to Astoria and, since I needed to get to Astoria, this was the path I took.
I have taken this route before, but have since avoided it for one reason -- you have to drive through a tunnel. I utterly loathe tunnels!
I had forgotten about the tunnel. As I approached it, the realization dawned on me WHY I avoided this route like the plague. Had Della accompanied me this day, I would have pulled the car over to the shoulder, so we could switch drivers. She could have been behind the wheel as we traversed the tunnel and I would have been seated on the passenger's side with my eyes closed and my ears covered up. (Not only do I dislike the closed in look of tunnels, but the echoing sounds drive me batty.)
But the option of switching drivers was not available to me. So, I was forced to drive post haste through the tunnel, screaming at the top of my lungs in my car every inch of the way. ;-)
Mind you, this is not a long tunnel. I'd guess it is no more than a few hundred yards long. You can easily see out the other end before even reaching it. In my world of tortured anxiety, the length is wholly immaterial. A tunnel of 100 feet is just as terrifying as one 2500 feet long.
And the worst part of this ordeal was the knowledge that I had to traverse the tunnel again to return home. I fretted over it the entire time I was in Astoria at the dealership and doing a little bit of grocery shopping. What a relief it was when I motored through the vile demon again and returned to my safe little cocoon of home.
It turns out we will need to have a new radiator installed next week. I hope State Highway 401 is reopened by that time. If not, I at least made sure our next appointment time was on a day that Della can go with me. If we must take the alternate route again, I take great solace in the knowledge that she will drive through the tunnel and I can sit beside her with my eyes and ears closed!
It all started a few days ago when we discovered a leak in the radiator of our motor vehicle. As it tends to happen in the world of manufacturer's warranties, this problem emerged on the immediate heels of the warranty's expiration (12/31/10). Since our rural area doesn't have any automotive repair shops with sterling reputations, we decided to take our little Aveo to a GM service center.
As it would happen, the closest of these is in Aberdeen, about 35 miles to our north and, as it would happen, we couldn't wrangle an appointment for over one week. So, we looked the other direction -- south -- to the GM dealership in Astoria, Oregon. Ah, they had an opening only 2 days hence.
Of course, it unfortunately was not on Tuesday, the day I needed to travel south to Long Beach to visit my mental health counselor in his new digs. No, it was the next day which meant trips south on consecutive days -- twice the expenditure of fuel.
Another variable in play was that Della was off on Tuesday and so accompanied me to Long Beach. She had to work on Wednesday, so I had to make the trip to Astoria alone. Such a wondrous thing for a person with social anxiety to look forward to!!
Now we get to the crucial variable that interplays with the other ones. At some unknown time to me, a section of mud high above State Highway 401 decided to migrate downward; a mudslide. This mudslide made State Highway 401 impassable which necessitated the closure of the road. As it happens, State Highway 401 provides the shortest route between South Bend -- via Naselle -- to Astoria.
Fortunately, it is not the only route. One can also take scenic US Highway 101 that hugs the lower end of Willapa Bay. On Wednesday, this was the sole path to Astoria and, since I needed to get to Astoria, this was the path I took.
I have taken this route before, but have since avoided it for one reason -- you have to drive through a tunnel. I utterly loathe tunnels!
I had forgotten about the tunnel. As I approached it, the realization dawned on me WHY I avoided this route like the plague. Had Della accompanied me this day, I would have pulled the car over to the shoulder, so we could switch drivers. She could have been behind the wheel as we traversed the tunnel and I would have been seated on the passenger's side with my eyes closed and my ears covered up. (Not only do I dislike the closed in look of tunnels, but the echoing sounds drive me batty.)
But the option of switching drivers was not available to me. So, I was forced to drive post haste through the tunnel, screaming at the top of my lungs in my car every inch of the way. ;-)
Mind you, this is not a long tunnel. I'd guess it is no more than a few hundred yards long. You can easily see out the other end before even reaching it. In my world of tortured anxiety, the length is wholly immaterial. A tunnel of 100 feet is just as terrifying as one 2500 feet long.
And the worst part of this ordeal was the knowledge that I had to traverse the tunnel again to return home. I fretted over it the entire time I was in Astoria at the dealership and doing a little bit of grocery shopping. What a relief it was when I motored through the vile demon again and returned to my safe little cocoon of home.
It turns out we will need to have a new radiator installed next week. I hope State Highway 401 is reopened by that time. If not, I at least made sure our next appointment time was on a day that Della can go with me. If we must take the alternate route again, I take great solace in the knowledge that she will drive through the tunnel and I can sit beside her with my eyes and ears closed!
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