I took the Defender in today to get a new horn installed. Frankly, I'm glad that other horn failed, and, of course, failed when it did. Had that happened on the road, I probably would have stayed in place until a new horn arrived, and I would have lost three days at least. There is no way I would have driven the interstates with a horn. The option would have been to have it dropped shipped 500 miles down the road at a Land Rover outfit or some garage and have it installed there. A royal pain, in any event. As it turns out, this new horn is superior to the one it replaced, so there was a silver lining in its failing. A close call. I never appreciate my horn as much as I did when it went out.
I also picked up a spare alternator just in case. I now have an alternator, distributor, ignition coil, and fuel pump. The only critical part I do not have is a water pump. Mine was installed new seven years ago so I will hope for the best. if it fails, I lose three days on the road.
As I go to pull out the supplies and equipment for the trip, I am constantly running into chores that should have been completed before. When I do, I have to decide whether to finish them now or wait till I get back. so that don't stack up, I am doing many now. The peace of mind I will get is worth the delay in setting off.
I wish that I was three more months into my recovery with my mobility issue. Sometime over the weekend I will go through an exercise of setting up the tents, transferring containers to and from the roof rack, and climbing up that new ladder I got to get up on the front of the roof rack, a three-hour task. The onlu two scenarios are: it is all doable or it is not doable. There will be no in between.
Tomorrow I will pull out all the containers and equipment and then set up the 20 or so stations around the house, a three-hour task .
I will also go shopping for the 12-day food boxes and get them ready, a four hour task.
Most on the remaining to-do list consists of desk items and packing.
ED
