Today we went for a shorter 2 mile bike ride and had a great time. We took great pictures, collected pine cones, and enjoyed the beautiful weather. The sun was warm and the breeze was refreshingly cool. We'll have to do it again really soon!
A week ago today we went out in the rain to visit family. At that time Michigan was being dumped on from the left overs of hurricane Ike. It had poured down hard for the third day in a row but we decided to brave the water and go out anyway. Karl drove the car through lots of puddles but the last one was memorable because, to our surprise, the water came up over the hood of the car! To make a long story short, our Alero spent the week in the shop and finally came home on Friday afternoon. We're just glad to have our car back!
I went out for a 4 mile bike ride today with Chesley and Kaden. I was all set with helmets, water, and snacks. We got 2 miles away when we started heading back home. It had been a good trip so far…
Then I tried to change gears so I could peddle easier up a hill when my chain slipped and got stuck. I decided to sacrifice my clean hands to try to fix the chain but it was wedged tight and wouldn't budge. An older man stopped on the side of the road to try to help me. He even pulled out some gloves and a screw driver to give the chain a good pull. But even he couldn't seem to move it.
So Chesley rode his bike the 2 miles back while I walked quickly beside him, pushing my bike. I was glad when we finally made it home. I guess I can't complain, we got some fresh air and lots of exercise! Right?
Our 2000 Alero has been feeling a little under the weather the last few weeks. Two weeks ago we discovered that our small oil leak had turned into a very big oil leak. It got so bad, that by the time we took it to the shop it was leaking a quart a day! The night before we took it in, our abs (anti-lock break system) started freaking out. We knew that would need fixed but decided to focus on the oil leak first.
So, I took the car in and picked it up two days later only to find another problem. Our serpentine belt was squealing really bad. As it turns out, they should have included that when they replaced the timing gasket. So I took it back and payed a bit more to have it replaced. But, that wasn't the end of it. I also noticed our car had come down with a new illness. There was a loud rattling sound coming from the engine. It was so bad it sounded like a diesel! I took it back to the shop. They discovered there was a dent in the timing cover that was causing it to rub against the timing chain. The dent was hammered out and the rattling sound was gone. After dishing out over $700 and taking the car back twice, we were glad to have our car back and the problems solved.
There was still the abs problem that we were continually reminded of by the warning lights on the dashboard. So last week I decided to take the car to the dealership and get it fixed. We ended up with a new wheel hub because the sensor was going bad. We spent almost another $700 for that to be replaced.
So, all that to say… our Alero seems to be driving well now. We are just hoping there will be no more large maintenance jobs needed on it for a long time. (It's really hurting our pocket book!)
On Monday evening the Herrick family spent the last bit of time before dusk playing at Delta Mills Park. We had a wonderful time until it all was interrupted with some car trouble. Have you ever started up your car and not been able to get it out of park? (Yes, I tried pushing on the break.) But Karl and I were unable to figure out why it simply wouldn't go into drive. So, we had to walk 1.5 miles home in the dark, through a construction site, with Kaden in the stroller and Chesley walking/being carried. In the end we found out that our shifter was broke and needed replaced. A new one was ordered and for now we shift by pushing down the white button you can see in the picture. It feels weird but at least it's drivable!
