Reading (For Dummies)

Friday the...12th?

I attempted to go to New Paltz today to visit my brother. The trip was a disaster. Note the word "attempted" in the previous sentence.

About 1.5 hours into the car ride, I had to stop for gas. I realized that I had forgotten my wallet. Not entirely at a loss, as I keep an extra $10 tucked away in a secret location in my car, just in case such an emergency arises. I managed to get $5 of gas (2.8 gallons at highway prices), keeping $5 to turn around and pay tolls with.

An hour later, things go from bad to worse

Note a few details of the above photo. My velocity is what you would expect on the highway. My gas guage is reading well under the empty market. My brake and alternator warning lights are on. My thought process goes something like this, "Okay, today is a good day to die. I will die in one of three ways. Choose your own adventure: (A) Reid's car will run out of gas and he will get plowed down. (B) The battery will finally give give up the ghost and Reid will get plowed down. (C) The brakes will fail and Reid will fly off the exit ramp when he attempts to leave the Thruway.

Fortunately none of these things happened. I did check my alternator when I got back (my car was sputtering). The alternator is only putting out enough voltage to charge the battery at 4,000RPMs, so I need a new one. Cost: $250 (self-installed). The brakes are, I'm guessing, wearing down. No metal on metal yet, but the fluid level has dropped, which is a good indication that the pads are worn to the point that the calipers suck up extra fluid to keep the pads close to the disc surface. So there's that. Then there's the timing belt I still need.

It looks like another stipend check has just disappeared...