what a crazy week it's been.

 

so this happened.  probably a little fast on the decision making process, but i have been looking at cars and really a car is a car. the back looked big enough to handle pups.  not sure about how to keep the dogs inside the back end with the slow hatch going up...maybe should have thought about that more.  found a car that had a window opening inside the hatch.  no car will be perfect and no car will do what the element could do. 

this was what I was taking pictures of right before the Element broke down.  the honda place said it had no oil in it when they checked. there was full oil when myself and MT checked when i got home.  lots of leaking so perhaps it leaked out through the night. i took it in the next day. i think it was just not getting to the engine as it was supposed to. still a lot of snow up there, which is why i wasn't thrilled with getting stranded up there. 

after i bought the car i put the Element on FB Marketplace asking $2000 with no engine.  i was overwhelmed by the response.  who knew so many would pay so much for a car without a functioning engine.  the Elements are in high demand, especially up here. if you had the money to round up a bunch in the lower 48 and have them shipped up here you could make a killing. 

really what that did was seal the deal that i wasn't ready to get rid of the Element yet.  i wanted to spend some time seeing what my options were.  i collected a few numbers from the ones that seemed most interested and wrote them that i wanted to look at other options before i sold it.  a few were super nice and we messaged back and forth.  

one guy told me he had gotten an Element from a crash.  the car was no good but the engine was.  after back and forth a bit he has now offered to sell be the engine and do the install.  a bit of a leap of faith i guess...but it's an engine with only 70,000 miles to the 165,000 my car has....so i said i was going to go for it. the low mileage engines i saw were about $1,300 + and that doesn't include shipping and installing. even if it fails...i can still sell the not running Element and make back the money he will charge me. if it comes back working, i could sell the Element at a nice price if i so desire.  really i just want to keep it though. for now anyway.  

meer cat.

so with the new car i can take some time to get the old Element ready for camping...deck it out as a mini camper van.  then i can decrease the wear and tear on the new car by driving dogs around more in the old Element. will have to see what the insurance will be for two.  right now the no longer drivable car is not being insured.  

getting the new CR-V prepped for dogs.  i put in the gate to keep the dogs in the back.  Tusker is not very happy with this but he will get used to it.  there are lovely heated leather seats up front that do not need wet, dirty dog on them. it's actually safer for him to not be up front.  if i crashed he'd go right through the windshield so i have long thought it wasn't the best thing...just didn't have the heart to tell him that...now i have an excuse. 

many thanks to SH for driving me around Wednesday and Thursday.  test driving and then buying.  i know she thought i was nuts for acting fairly hasty and she may be right.  i am happy with my purchase. it's felt a bit like a rental car these last few days.  so clean and new.  lots of learn about all the new tech in these cars.  haven't gotten use to the no key fob thing yet.  

Ivy helping me make the bed. 

we still have a lot of snow down here as well.  today it feels like spring again. weather is back up into the 40's and expected to stay that way.  

i was outside digging out the driveway so i could fit both cars in there.  the guy towed the Element back home.  i felt better once i made the decision to just keep it.  crazy i'm sure to many out there.  Element owners are nuts for these cars and we do not want to part with them.  

so i'm happy with this plan a the moment.  the driveway is a bit tight until the melt really happens. 

the official new car shots. 

still weird to drive a comfortable and new car.  not looking forward to having car payments again, but the interest rates were much higher for used cars. i will have a 72 month payment with a 1.9% interest so not bad.  that puts the monthly less than $500.  still i've been paying zero car payment for a long time. haven't had a car payment since 2011 sometime. 

loved the heated seats as it has been cold this week in the mornings. those scrubs are pretty thin.  

all three nights this week were in the Covid ICU.  i had a pretty decent assignment

all the car stuff kind of consumed my thoughts.  i know it totally stressed me out. 

in the end practicality won the day.  i'd love one of those larger SUV's but the sticker shock was too much for me.  i'm also not keen on the gas mileage of many of them.  

in the end i feel the best option for me is a reasonable smaller suv with good gas mileage that i can sleep in if i need to.  i still prefer a tent or hotel/cabin but good to have the option.  the metal divider i put in has a little gate so if  I'm sleeping and a bear or intruder is trying to get in i can squeeze through the little gate and start up the engine. 

better i guess as i don't have to worry about hunting down the keys...i'll have the fob right there with me and the no key start will be great.

ultimately, i do hope to get a bigger van and have it converted into a camper van.  who knows, maybe by then a new element will be out there or an suv/van that is more camping ready.  

in the meantime, get a new engine for the Element and set it up for short camping treks. 

i'll still plan for hotels/cabins when i can.  i do enjoy having a full service room.  warmth is good as well. 

thinking my next stretch off i should make the trek to Homer. it's time!

Ivy still has her bad knee but her good knee is basically healed. we are at week 12.  

i've started to allow her off leash for walks.  no tennis ball time yet. when will i be ready for that again?  not sure yet. 

getting her in/out of the new car is a bit trickier. i did just buy a ramp.  will it work? may try to do some ramp training tomorrow.  have treats. i can also do some training to have them get back when the hatch opens so i can feel safe loading groceries in there without them jumping out and running around a parking lot. 

most of these are from the drive down the arm a few days before my attempt to Seward ending in a massive fail.  

got this super amazing card from my niece.  she painted it.  how cool is this??? so i have it in a little frame now so i can always enjoy it. 

so much talent!

chatted with my contact from Fish and Game.  the rangers are getting ready to head out there.  sounds like no explore.org again. still concerns for covid i guess. bummer.  they do have over 20 permits already requested so hopefully they get some visits out there.

one of the docs was just talking about going out there again.  said of all the places he's been in Alaska it's still one of his most favorite.  

i for sure am with him on that. 

we had a little earthquake the other day.  well it was actually a 5.5 at least but it was up north...so fairly little feeling here. more of a slow and long shudder...not as annoying as the shudder the element had before it blew up.

the new cloth cover i ordered arrived for the back of the CR-V so that is now in there as well.  

the dogs have been in there a few times now already...today was the first time they were taken to the trailhead at N.Biv.  wanted the metal divider in before i let them in the car. will need to personalize a bit more and it will feel less like a rental and more like my car.  i think i needed to make a decision about the Element.  

odd that i was more distressed over the loss of the Element than the stress of buying a new car.  

side of the road water fall art.

the trains are always cool as well. 

Portage Lake still frozen.  not sure i'd be out there.  someone posted a video from today or yesterday....the wind was nuts.  the wind chills can be brutal.  that was what it was last time i went out there.  we were coated in frost by the time we got back to the cars.

it is beautiful and a very rewarding walk on a good day when it's safe. 

Alaska has had a bit snow year.  it was awesome really.  it will be quite some time before break up turns to spring.  

many are itching for the weather to turn nice.  there are some kids down the road who have been out every day playing on their pogo sticks...who knew those were even still a thing.  

not sure when the engine will get done on the Element.  the guy is working on another car right now...a CR-V actually.  super nice of him to give up this low mileage engine. he could wait it out until another car like mine comes up and then sell it himself for a nice profit.  do not tell him that though please.  

i won't hold my breath.  he could back out still i guess.  

in the meantime, the Element is a yard ornament...i am so officially Alaskan now.  i drive my pretty new car.  it's called Sonic Grey but it has these pretty blue tones.  that is what sold me on this one.  i went back intending to buy the red one they had in the showroom but i mentioned that i really liked the midnight blue...the salesman said they didn't have that in the same model but they did have this cool Sonic Grey that has just gotten on the lot.  so pretty...so i grabbed it. 

i had a charge for the diagnostics on the Element so when i called today i mentioned i still needed to pay that and the guy gave me a pass. i'd just bought a new Honda so i guess they figured they got enough cash out of me for the month. 

i have an appointment to take the new car in to get the roof racks installed and the block heater then it's all set.  

so a crazy week is hopefully coming to an end.  back to work tomorrow night.  

thankful for: A. nice people you meet on the internet.  B. to have the Element back home and to have a plan C.  for my pretty new car.  may she live with us for many years...!!