It took longer to get on the road than I had planned. . . A lot longer.
But I finally DID leave! I left town with tears in my eyes (and dripping down my chin), and headed east. I stopped for a swim at Keechelus Lake, and for some sweet Apricity-goes-to-the-lake photos!
We’re still working out the kinks and getting to know one another. Today I learned she prefers to go 65mph, she hates 55mph, she pulls to the right, braking is a delicate dance, and that I like to stop every hour and walk around!
We stopped again just outside of Vantage and went for a swim in the Columbia River. The dogs think road trips to new swimming locations is pretty fun! Did I mention we left on the hottest day of the year? By the time we left the river it was over 100 degrees and climbing.
Just outside of Moses Lake I heard a clunk. It wasn’t very loud, especially with my music on and the AC blasting, but I figured I’d exit just to make sure everything was ok. . . By the time I had reached the end of the off ramp, Apricity had died. No power. No engine. Just a heavy box on wheels rolling to stop, in Moses Lake. It was 104 degrees.
Now, I know you’re probably thinking the worst, but this is just where the magic begins.
I consulted Google and found the highest rated repair shop in Moses Lake. I called them and discovered they had their own tow truck, were a few miles away, and had time to take a look at her. They said they’d be right over. So I crawled into the back with my pups to put ALL the reflectix on the windows and turn the fans on high. Then I waited impatiently, nervously staring at the dogs to make sure they weren’t overheating. . . Because it’s 104 degrees and we’re on the side of all that asphalt, in the desert.
They towed us to the shop and kindly set us up in the air conditioned office to wait for The Diagnosis. Which ended up being a broken fuel pump. But they didn’t have the part in Moses Lake, so I’d have to wait until tomorrow. Then THEY DROVE ME TO A HOTEL and said they’d come pick me up when she was ready!
My friend Cindy drove over from Spokane and we went to dinner at a cute little Mexican restaurant and got to catch up!
The hotel let me stay in my room until the repair shop came to get me!
This very long story almost has a perfectly happy ending. I picked up the van and headed out of town, but just before I got on the freeway I turned around and headed back to the repair shop, with two dogs panting so hard I thought they were going to pass out. My Air Conditioning wouldn’t turn on and it was another 102 degree day. So they fixed the AC while we cooled off inside. 
The rest of the first-day-turned-two-days went smoothly! I pulled into Spokane 36 hours after I had departed the Seattle area. I had swam several times, stayed in a hotel, been the recipient of a lot of magic, and was on my way!
