A Band on Bus, Abandoned Bus
Thu., Nov. 8. 2012 10:19pm EST
Is getting there half the fun? Getting home was no fun last weekend.
After Friday's show in Braceville OH, our bus wouldn't start for an hour. Then it conked out for a while at a rest stop. Pulling into Shippensburg PA Saturday, it quit again. After much effort, we got it restarted.
Saturday night, on the Turnpike 130 miles from home, a pulley broke and blew a belt, cutting all power. Thankfully, we'd brought J.'s minivan in case of emergency, and all eight of us crammed into that.
Keith and Rich returned Sunday and fixed the belt but couldn't start the bus, so it and the trailer had to be towed, separately. Extra trips, tolls and towing cost about $700. We're awaiting an estimate for the repair.
We just replaced the transmission ($3500) two weeks ago. In previous weeks, we had to replace brakes, rotors, the radiator, a temperature sensor, and a fan motor. Keith did those repairs, but the parts still cost.
We're not playing this weekend, which gives us more time to repair the bus ... but less income to pay for it. Please pray for us.
No matter what vehicle or mechanic we use, we get trouble. Then again, in one week's tour in 2003, we had to spend $10,000 on a thermostat, a radiator, an engine and a transmission. What if we'd quit then?
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