fits and starts

so this is really crazy and almost absurd! we left lawrence and headed across the flat fields of kansas on our way to colorado.  as we were leaving lawrence i heard a bit of a strange noise coming from the underside of the van but didn't give it big thought because the guys at the dodge dealership car service had just finished putting the new transmission in and had checked everything and had said we were good to go.  so we got on the road and headed down the highway at 75 mph. we got a few hours down the road and stopped at the first rest stop for a break. this is a wonderful landmark sign at the rest area.

sounds like my kinda town

as we drove off we heard a strange sound coming from the underside of the van.  not good, but all we could do was continue on our way.  we drove through the ''flint hills'', which are not really hills but small lumps in a mostly flat flat area of america.

flint hills

beautiful earth

different colors

is that really a hill?

we had found a state park half way across kansas that we were planning on staying at over night and then continue our drive the next day. evening came upon us and we arrived at the campsite, (the strange sound could be heard at times, it kind of came and went as it pleased) a big storm was brewing in the sky.  we never got rain but we experienced major wind and watched an amazing lightning show.

aah the beauty

 cloud formations

its raining over there

big wind

storm over cedar reservoir

the storm swept over us wildly and we then we finally could go to sleep in our cozy little home on wheels.  in the morning we awoke to beautiful calmness and took a walk along the edge of the water.

the calm of the morning

 cedar reservoir

state park

friends footprints

as we drove out of the state park we heard the strange wrong sound again so we decided to go into the next town and have someone have a look. we were starting to get depressed and stressed.  we drove 8 miles to wakeeny, a tiny little nowhere town in the middle of kansas. we found the auto fix it place and steve jumped in and had a drive around town with us to hear the sound. but there was no sound to hear. the whole time he was in the car with us the sound could not be heard. it had never been a constant sound but even 10 minutes before on our way into town, we had heard it. it was totally crazy. steve from wakeeny said ''well just keep drivin till sumthin else happens.'' so off we drove. as we got into denver and got off the highway and were driving down the city streets, stopping at stoplights and not going fast, we realized that we smelled a burning smell and that the sound was getting louder. we were really depressed now. luckily we found a state park in denver and stayed the night there and were the first customers waiting in line when the dodge dealership service shop opened at 7 am this morning. they had a look and a listen and told us that the new transmission had a loose bolt inside it and they have to open the 'NEW' transmission and replace it with a new bolt! 

oh my goodness, will this ever end?? i am tired of going from one auto fix it shop to the next!! its getting really old!! thank god i have a 3 year warranty on the new transmission and so getting the new bolt wont cost me anything but really, i am done with this repair stuff!! i just want to relax and go where i want to go when i want to go there!! i have done blessings and prayers for and in my van about her health and about this journey we are on and i am now just ready for the repairs to be done!! thank you very much!! i am trying to understand what the message and lesson is to learn here with all this car trouble but my patience is running thin......

(ok sorry dear reader, that was a rant but i feel better now) 

the nice guys here at the denver dodge are trying hard to get the bolt replaced today and we can be on our merry way this evening. if they are not able to get it done today we will sleep in a cheap motel and get back on track tomorrow. now we are sitting in our favorite internet spot, starbucks coffee, sipping something and waiting for the call.