I had the day off. Thank God. I work every third Friday. Tried to switch but Paul needed the OT. I wanted it, too. Fortunately, he declined the trade. Woke up at 3 am with the need to empty my bladder. The walk to the bathroom was interesting. Two steps forward, one step to the right. Hit the entertainment center. The hit the hutch. Damn, did I have a stroke? Nope, vertigo. I suffer from what is called Meniere's Disease, an imbalance of the fluid in the middle ear. Usually hits during my sleep and I wake up with the inability to be upright without balance issues, double vision, vertigo and nausea. The only thing I can do is lay down and sleep it off. I had the day off from work. All day to recover. Just only one thing to do. Get the car to the shop. Need the car the next day to drive to Minneapolis.
Easier said than done. The shop opens at 7 am and I wanted to be there when they unlocked the doors. That did not happen. Sleep this off. Then the knock on the door. Dora is out front and her dog is running at full speed making a mockery out of her attempts to capture him. This time I can walk straight but still feel a bit sick. Headache. Took about 20 minutes but we caught the bastard. Time to get the car to the shop.
Power steering died. Real workout to turn the beast. And that awful squeaky noise. Usual drill, make an appointment, throw a bike in back and drop the car off. Ride back when they call. I picked The Carbon Rod for the duty. It was the lightest bike and easiest to grab from my fleet. Easy to shove into the Honda CR-V. Should have aired the tires first but the softer ride was appreciated.
I took the bike into Hilltop Tire Service. Held the door open for a woman walking a white Labrador Retriever inside. "Yeah, this is my Emotional Support Bicycle, can't you read the official beer koozie my doctor gave to me?" She actually complimented my 1994 Trek. "I need to get a skinny tire bike again. Had a Miyata a long time ago. I miss it," she said as I held the door. Seemed like an odd thing to hear in the age of plump tire gravel/adventure bikes and fatbikes. But a compliment is a compliment and I would have broken out in a smile if it was not for the overpower aroma of brand new tires that wafted through Hilltop. Not something I needed my sense to pick up in my state of vertigo and nausea. A half mile later I stopped in front of the Polk County Building, put my right foot on the curb and puked in front of the morning commuters. Mayo the Sixto and I had not had a drop of booze for several days. Meniere's is like a massive hangover from blackout drinking without having the pleasure of having even a milliliter of alcohol. Punishment without the prior fun.
I stopped at the store for Gatorade and half and half. Then crossed the river to take a photo for Face Book's Bicycle Ride & Seek. Then the phone call. Honda was ready. Just loose bolts on the pump. Apparently, when the timing belt was replaced last year my mechanic only hand tightened the bolts. $76 instead of the estimated $300 to $500. Cool. Minneapolis ready on the steering front. We have a a concert to attend, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark.
This is one of the reasons I prefer bicycles over cars. If one of my bikes breaks down I can set it aside and ride another. Normally, I can fix it myself. If one of my cars dies, if lucky I can drive it to the shop and get it fixed but getting it fixed ASAP is the key. Despite all my abilities it is nice to have a functioning motorized vehicle for big grocery runs, ambulance service, traveling to rock concerts and hauling children and our granddaughter. And with the amount of trail closures in Des Moines, hauling bike to trailheads.
After picking the car up I got some breakfast and successful ate it. Took me meds, too, and went back to bed. Eventually, after 4 pm I pulled the bike out of the Honda and rode another 10 miles and met Mary at Starbucks. This was despite the residual headache behind my eyes. Sunglasses help. I needed a cuppa. Nitro cold brew with sweet cream.
That sounds miserable. Sorry you have to deal with it.
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