Bring In The Clowns
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tTo begin in the end, this is a shot of JB's van taken last evening when I finally got home from the Door County Sea Kayak Symposium. Now, back to the beginning.
The first day at the affair, JB left something charging and also left some switch on in the car. Once discovered, he also found that the battery was dead. No big problem, just need a jump start. Nothing much new here...yet.
So, we go about teaching and towing and have a great symposium until late Saturday (I think) when we get the car started with jumper cables. To make sure the battery gets charged up, JB and another instructor took a drive into town, left the car run while they enjoyed at least one whiskey and came back for the night. (There was lots more whiskey that night but I wasn't there and, besides, that's a whole different story).
Anyway, we finish the symposium and, what do you know, the battery is dead when we try to leave for home. We obviously needed a plan. Okay, it is a dead battery and needs to be jumped started once more. That was done and, late Sunday afternoon, we head home with a plan to not stop that engine until we get a new battery. Remember, friends, it is late Sunday and we are in northern Wisconsin, home of the tiny towns. But, ever resourceful, JB calls a buddy in Manitiwoc (right on our route). This as yet unmet friend agrees to buy a battery for the car. We are to meet the man at his home where, somehow, one of us non-electricians will install the thing (the friend is a lawyer). All will be well. We arrive before the battery purchaser gets there.
JB wonders aloud if we dare turn off the car. I indicate that it should be fine as the battery's arrival is seconds away. Ignition off. After two minutes we look at one another with the same question obviously hanging in the air: Will it start? Well, it does, instantly. (JB should have had all those whiskeys at the bar while the car was running).
Any way, I suggested JB keep the battery, maybe give it to his wife for her birthday (she, repordedly, did not appreciate the thought). And that is why there is a battery in the back of JB's van...even as I speak.
Paddle safe...
DS
The first day at the affair, JB left something charging and also left some switch on in the car. Once discovered, he also found that the battery was dead. No big problem, just need a jump start. Nothing much new here...yet.
So, we go about teaching and towing and have a great symposium until late Saturday (I think) when we get the car started with jumper cables. To make sure the battery gets charged up, JB and another instructor took a drive into town, left the car run while they enjoyed at least one whiskey and came back for the night. (There was lots more whiskey that night but I wasn't there and, besides, that's a whole different story).
Anyway, we finish the symposium and, what do you know, the battery is dead when we try to leave for home. We obviously needed a plan. Okay, it is a dead battery and needs to be jumped started once more. That was done and, late Sunday afternoon, we head home with a plan to not stop that engine until we get a new battery. Remember, friends, it is late Sunday and we are in northern Wisconsin, home of the tiny towns. But, ever resourceful, JB calls a buddy in Manitiwoc (right on our route). This as yet unmet friend agrees to buy a battery for the car. We are to meet the man at his home where, somehow, one of us non-electricians will install the thing (the friend is a lawyer). All will be well. We arrive before the battery purchaser gets there.
JB wonders aloud if we dare turn off the car. I indicate that it should be fine as the battery's arrival is seconds away. Ignition off. After two minutes we look at one another with the same question obviously hanging in the air: Will it start? Well, it does, instantly. (JB should have had all those whiskeys at the bar while the car was running).
Any way, I suggested JB keep the battery, maybe give it to his wife for her birthday (she, repordedly, did not appreciate the thought). And that is why there is a battery in the back of JB's van...even as I speak.
Paddle safe...
DS
3 comments:
And, to bring an end to the story, I unloaded my car--with lots of help from my loving wife (Oz), who saw aforementioned battery and remarked that it couldn't be a birthday present as it wasn't even wrapped (ok, I digressed). Having faith that the glass was indeed half full, after unloading I backed my car into the garage (yes it started once again!).
Upon seeing that I backed in rather than my usual bow (engine compartment in this case) in, Oz asked me why I did that? Good question, deserves good answer . . . because I didn't feel like turning the car around, oh--and if it didn't start in the morning, the engine compartment would be accessible for a jump start!
Well, the car started right up after a restful night!
Alls well that ends well, and I will be seeing my mechanic to have once dead battery tested to make sure it doesn't happen again. Additionally, I'm going to buy a set of jumper cables at lunch today!!!
Good symposium and some great whisky!!!
jb
lucky for us that kayaks don`t have batteries
To bring closure to this saga--last evening I purchased a pair of jumper cables, 20 footers so cars don't need to be bow to bow. And, this morning I went to my mechanic and tested my battery--it's fine!
Now, as someone pointed out, we stored the new battery next to a box of explosive flares--no one ever said we were the brightest bunch. . .
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