A HUGE Snafu...Part 2.

For the first part of this story check out A HUGE Snafu...part 1


We made our way the 10 seconds to the mechanic that was recommended to us. 3 guys were just sitting around in a small office when Jeff explained the situation. At this point the kids were still in the car. The guys popped the hood and checked out the oil since that seemed to be the situation at this point. It was still super low- like almost none...how could that be when Jeff just put in 4 quarts...they asked for the van's owners manual. They realized what everyone thought was the oil dipstick was the transmission fluid dipstick..so they found the oil dipstick way in the back and boy was it full!! About 4 quarts too much!! At this point we realize the transmission fluid is REALLY low and that its most likely something to do with that. The guys got busy and looked under the car and took the wheel off and were trying to see what they could find. About this point I realized these guys don't do big jobs, and they try to stay away from foreign cars...our van is a Honda Odyssey. I got the kids out of the car and we all decided to find some food. They recommended a pizza place (best pizza in Wyoming they told us)...we checked it out and decided to pass because the cost for all of us to eat there was going to be a lot and we knew we were facing some major expenses with the car repairs. Instead we headed to the gas station and grabbed some hot dogs. This was our only other option food wise. When we got back to the shop one of the guys was holding a part of some kind..stripped of something..and the transmission fluid was mixed with oil and metal shavings. The car would not change gears and basically we needed a new transmission. LOVELY!

The mechanic looked up the cost of getting a rebuilt transmission, a new transmission, and so on...we would have to tow the van to Cheyenne Wyoming which is about 120 miles away...and the tow would have cost $3.50-$4 a mile...our insurance would have covered up to 24 miles. The new tranny would cost roughly $4000 including installation. We looked up the blue book value on the van and in excellent condition sold to a private owner it was worth $5250. And my van was not in excellent condition!! So after lots of OMG what should we do and phone calls to family members we decided to sell the van to a scrap yard and cut our losses. Sad- I will miss my van!!

Now...we are 5 people with a whole lotta camping equipment...how in the world do we get home. In Lusk, Wyoming there are no buses that stop there, no taxi cabs...no nuthin! I had talked to my mom and put her on stand by for renting a car to come get us the next day- this was our first option. Our second option was the mechanic said his wife could drive us to the Cheyenne airport where we would rent a car and drive it one way home. He called his wife and she was not willing to do that alone- I would have been the same way if my husband called to tell me that. So he finally said he would drive us when he got off work at 5. So I called the car rental place and got something reserved- they closed at 730 but he gave me his cell number to call him if it was past 730 and he would get us a car.

Jeff started packing things into the mechanic's Suburban and getting car seats installed and so forth. We trashed some stuff like everything in the cooler that was no longer cool...and some other random things. The mechanic closed his shop early and we all loaded up. We stopped by his house to pick up his wife, who was super nice. They have 5 children- ages 17-8. And off we went!! All 3 kids slept the entire 2.5 hrs it took to get there. We rolled in a few minutes before 7:30 and picked up our "car". It was a Suburban.(After all was said and done it cost $350 to rent that thing and leave it here in the Springs) We were able to transfer stuff super quick and say goodbye to the mechanic and his wife. We filled up their tank before we left and I offered them some money for their time, but they wouldn't take it. We ended up signing the car over to them and let them get the money from a scrap place..not much maybe $300.(they have to wait for someone to come thru town asking if anyone has scrap cars- so we couldn't wait around) They said they were going to donate it to their church. I never asked what church, but I am 99% sure they are part of the LDS community. I'm sure the money will be put to good use.

We were loaded up and headed to Sonic for some dinner at 8PM. They have a sit down inside one in Cheyenne, so it was nice to feel a little relaxed and eat food- I had eaten a cliff bar all day. We had a pleasant drive home and rolled in about 7 hours later than planned at 11PM. Home sweet home never felt so good!!!

I have no pictures from this wild ride- never stopped to think about getting out the camera!!

And BTW- I still don't know what God was trying to tell me through all this- I will let you know when I know!!