Colorado, Part Two

We drive an awesome van.  Yep, we are the envy of our friends.  Not everyone has a fine, classy, 2005 Chevy Astro.

But we do.

Okay, okay.  So it's not the coolest van in carline.  But that has never bothered me.  While it would be awesome to drive a new suburban or Odyssey or 12 passenger van (I know, I'm weird), this van suits us well.  It's paid for, has plenty of room for all of us and our stuff, and it has that "lived in smell".  The new car smell is way overrated, in my opinion. 

So, on our trip to Colorado, we were dismayed to see it begin to overheat.  Parts of Colorado were experiencing the intense heat wave, and the van's radiator and two other parts (you don't think I actually remember which parts, do you?) had to be replaced.  

We were staying in a gorgeous home with breathtaking views at this point of our vacation.  Our plan was to just hunker down with our family and enjoy the home, the scenery and each other.

Did I mention this home was in the middle of nowhere?  We had to drive about 20 minutes from the main road to get to the house.  On dirt roads that wound up and down, left and right, with a couple of switchback turns thrown in.  It was a beautiful drive back to the house, but it wasn't a quick or easy one.  

For three of the days we were staying in this house, the van had to be driven into Colorado Springs, a four hour round trip, to be fixed.  My husband and his father were returning from the springs on the second day with four of the kids, after the van had been "fixed", only to have it overheat again on the side of the road, about a half hour from our house.  My mother-in-law had to shuttle everyone back and forth to the house, where my older daughter and I were anxiously waiting.  Twice, in the dark, she to drive her rental car to our van and pick up our family.  Twice, I stood at the door, watching for her return.  

Oh, it was scary!  First I had visions of her and the children, broken down on the side of the road, with no cell coverage and no one near to help her.  Then, as the time passed (slowly), I had visions of them teetering on the side of a steep hill in the dark.  I prayed and prayed for their safety and was so relieved to see the headlights in the driveway.  God was surely watching over all of them as they drove back to the house.  

The van has since been given a clean bill of health by our mechanic, so we have decided to keep her.  Aside from this "little" problem on vacation, she has served us well these last several years.  So - if you see us in our Chevy Astro, try not to be too jealous.  Not everyone can have such an uber cool van!