The Third Shoe
Today I headed down to Sparta with "Appalachian Dreamcatcher" in tow, intending to place it in the Alleghany Arts & Crafts store with my other pieces. Down I went along the lower portions of Waterfall Road and Air Bellows Gap Road, both graveled. At the intersection with Pine Swamp Road, I noticed that a tire was feeling a little squishy. Sure enough, the left rear time was flat as a pancake. So, at the intersection with NC-18, in beautiful downtown Whitehead, I found the jack and lug wrench and put on the emergency spare.
Off I headed up 18 for Sparta and the City Line Tire Company, but at the first curve I noticed that a tire was feeling a little squishy. Sure enough, the emergency spare was now flat as a pancake. I drove on, often with metal rim against pavement, at low speeds until I reached the tire store.
"Yup, she's flat."
So the guy removed the offending gravel, patched the hole and filled the tire with air.
"Crank her up and bring her on in to the pit."
I turn the ignition switch to the sounds of total silence. A third shoe had dropped in 10 minutes. The Jeep would not crank and I was feeling really snake bitten. After a jump start, the repaired tire was mounted and the emergency spare reinflated. After a second jump start, I headed out to the auto parts store to test the alternator and battery, fully expecting something ... anything ... to happen in route.
But nothing did.
The parts guy performed the tests and found a nearly dead battery. He replaced it and I managed to drive back to Air Bellows without further incident.
Bad luck, I am told, comes in three's.
I'm just not certain about the statute of limitations.
Off I headed up 18 for Sparta and the City Line Tire Company, but at the first curve I noticed that a tire was feeling a little squishy. Sure enough, the emergency spare was now flat as a pancake. I drove on, often with metal rim against pavement, at low speeds until I reached the tire store.
"Yup, she's flat."
So the guy removed the offending gravel, patched the hole and filled the tire with air.
"Crank her up and bring her on in to the pit."
I turn the ignition switch to the sounds of total silence. A third shoe had dropped in 10 minutes. The Jeep would not crank and I was feeling really snake bitten. After a jump start, the repaired tire was mounted and the emergency spare reinflated. After a second jump start, I headed out to the auto parts store to test the alternator and battery, fully expecting something ... anything ... to happen in route.
But nothing did.
The parts guy performed the tests and found a nearly dead battery. He replaced it and I managed to drive back to Air Bellows without further incident.
Bad luck, I am told, comes in three's.
I'm just not certain about the statute of limitations.
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