| Maybe a hundred miles out of Houston, Whip It! starts with the sputtering again. I pull into an east Texas rest stop to check the rotor, which isn't spinning freely, which means the pin hasn't broken. Good. But the clamp is loose again, and I can't find the wrench I've been using to tighten it. Luckily, a church caravan is at the rest stop, and one of the guys lends me the proper wrench. As I'm tightening the bolt, a semi pulls up, on its way back to the freeway. The lady driving it says, "Hey! Didn't I see you in the parade?" Funny; even when things aren't going well, if someone says something, or even honks or waves, it still makes you smile.
Approx. 2pm, Sequin, TX:
Haven't made it even to San Antonio and Whip It!'s struggling again. Tried different fixes, nothing's working. Tried to get mechanics to look at it--three garages, three negatives. Too busy. I even called U-Haul to see what it would cost to rent a truck & towing trailer. One way to Arizona: $800. Looks like it's limping time again. I drive another thirty miles to San Antonio, to try to find a mechanic who'll take a look at her for me.
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