Diary of a Mad Scientist

Well it seemed as if I’d barely gotten home, when it’s time to get on another plane. and that’s just the beginning of the next few months worth of traveling to teach around the USA.

I had not actually unpacked, and was still basically living out of my carry-on bag in my room.

ok, whatever, I’m whining- it’s not that bad this time. There was a real defining moment at the start of the truck tour that I did in the fall of 2004, when I found myself eating breakfast at a table in a convenience store after night a driving, staring in the fluorescent glare out at the institutional floor tiles with little bits of mop caught in the corner, and it really hit me that because I was doing the trip on such a shoestring budget, for the next two months I would be at the mercy of crappy road food and institutional amenities. Like plastic forks and microwave burritos at 6 AM at a minimart and brushing my teeth in a rest stop sink. And it felt at the time like I was committing myself to a homeless shelter for survival or enduring a hospital stay, or entering two months at some other institution designed for handling the needs of the many, the bare minimum way. Driving felt kind of gritty that way.

This time around, it’s just airlines- a few hours and it’s over. And I get a week in between to eat the roommates’ good cooking and sleep in my own fantastic bed. Then I"m off again. That ain’t too bad.

While I’m gone I hope that I can get the van fuel system timed. I really love that van (the voice recognition program, which looks for context to figure out what the hell you’re saying, keeps interpreting ‘I really love that van’ as ‘I really love that man’. It also adamantly refuses to curse, no matter how much I try to train it to say ‘hell’ and ‘damn’).

Anyway, the ace mechanic at East Bay Truck and Auto, who was recommended by everyone, just had a stroke and won’t be back to work, so I am trying out some new place for the Ford fuel system work. The van is awesome, and it has no visible smoke, ever, but it gets 10 mpg. I think those two things are related the- that the pump timing is way off in the direction that cuts down on particle emissions but destroys fuel economy.

After just ten days of living out of my carry-on bag on the southeast trip, I’m somewhat dreading spending four or five weeks later this spring on another long trip. So I’m hoping that I can take the van out that time, and somehow RV-ize it before then so I can take the comfortable bed with me this time. But not if that means 10 mpg.

Off to Houston, wish me luck. I’m scared of Texas, I think./

Mark