June 27, 2025: The Alternate Adventure

This is not how I wrote the script.

Quiz: What converts a car’s mechanical energy into electrical energy?

Answer: An alternator.

This morning, our car wouldn’t start. A jump got me rolling, but AutoZone’s diagnostic brought the verdict: the alternator died.

I dropped the sedan at a repair shop and drove a different car to North Carolina to grab a second vehicle. Arrived, stepped out, and — surprise! Dead battery.

Another jump, another AutoZone. And the culprit? Yep, an alternator.

Now I hunted for a mechanic at 3:30 PM on a Friday. The first one couldn’t. The second was found by Jess, after several frantic phone calls.

Thankfully, they fixed it in a couple of hours while I waited, then I hit the road and got home by 11pm.

A day for the books:

7 hours of driving
3 mechanics
2 states
2 AutoZones
2 new alternators

Almost makes me yearn for the horse and buggy days.