This morning I spend a while researching mechanics in Albuquerque.
There is unmitigated admiration among yelp travellers for a couple – I ring around and try and get in but the earliest anyone can fit me in is the next day.
The guys at Duke City Auto are highly recommended, and they can make time for me in the morning, so I’m happy to wait.
I’m left to my own devices (like when am I not), so I toddle around the city checking out the sights.
Albuquerque is home to a lot of Breaking Bad locations – I’m a fan, so I drive around and check a few out.
Even in this crappy weather (it’s overcast and gloomy), there are fans out taking photos and disturbing what are really people’s homes and businesses.
I elect not to join them in proving my proximity to places we’ve all seen already on tv and content myself with knowing I’ve been there done that.
Eventually I end up at Marble Brewery taproom, one of the city’s best known craft brewers. They’re popular and ubiquitous, but may not be the best beers according to the locals I talk to, but that doesn’t put me off.
I take a seat at the bar, order a flight and start sampling.
The place is relaxed – it’s the post work crowd, and I’m happily enjoying my beers when the 2 girls next to me start pulling out a set of Cards Against Humanity and invite anyone next or close to them to play.
They are sisters – Di and Heather, and being bored whilst at the bar, ran back home to grab the cards for some ad hoc fun. The elder one is married with kids, the younger in a long term relationship, but they’ve taken the day of work to go watch Sisters the movie, and are making sure girl’s day out doesn’t end too quickly.
The next few hours are hilarious, everyone’s getting tipsy, we’ve taken over a fair bit of the barspace, and I haven’t laughed this hard in days.
I stumble on a particular card and seek help from home via facebook. Not a good thing to do given the card’s topic (I won’t repeat it here)
Sorry Kate – that was my bad!
Finally we reach the end of the cards, tally up our scores, toast the winner (moi) and say our goodbyes.
Hugely unexpected but a novel way to spend an evening.
Thanks Girls!
Next morning it’s over to Duke’s.
These guys are solid military, 2nd amendment, Republican folk, big in the NRA/gun community, and renowned for straight talking, no bullshit attitudes.
I explain the story, handover my keys and sit down to wait.
30 mins later comes the report – the “check gages” light is due to a faulty emissions sensor which they have reset and the once over on the engine shows no problems – Charlotte’s heart is beating true and steady.
Phew.
Except for the inevitable “but”!
Charlotte has been leaking a little water – the guys back in Baker, CA who did the brakes had tried to get me to replace the water pump (which they said was the cause of the leak).
it’s not much – I check the water each day and only have to top up maybe half a litre or so every week so I’ve not been concerned.
The guys at Duke tell me it’s not the water pump, but the radiator – one of the cells has cracked and she is probably only a couple of days from going “bang”.
They take me out back to show me and it’s pretty clear – I’ll need a new radiator sometime within the next month – better to replace it now than breakdown on the road.
It’s sensible but expensive – a new radiator is $280! Plus labour.
I do some checking and I’m not getting ripped off so reluctantly I give the go ahead.
I sit and twiddle my thumbs whilst they put the call in for the part, chewing the fat about guns and Republican politics (I’m very careful in what I say!)
Eventually just after lunchtime Charlotte is returned to me good as new.
They’ve run diagnostics, tell me she is running as sweetly as she can, but they can’t do a wheel balance for me as their balancer is broken.
They give me a recommendation down the street (Charlotte has developed a small wobble at above 70 mph) where they go themselves and its done.
They have been diligent, honest, efficient and although the part was expensive I can’t fault the guys for their part in this.
Down the road at discount tyre, the boys are happy to balance the wheels.
On the safety check I’ve got good tread but the they tell me the tyres are a little old, and I should think about replacing them as they are not as supple as they used to be.
Not in the mood for spending more today, I pass on new shoes for Charlotte – I’ll check in later down the road on those.
Back on the highway, Charlotte purrs like a kitten and steers like a dream – the wheel balance having made a huge difference.
Comfortable in the knowledge I’m once again in safe, reliable hands, it’s time for the next destination.
Roswell. Area 51. Aliens. Abductions.
