The trip home turned into "an adventure". Thought I might have to finish getting home on the e bike.
I have an 8 year old Ford Ranger pickup that had just come out of an oil change/checkup at the dealership, and also had been pronounced in good shape by an independent mechanic. I often pull a small travel trailer with it. That's what I took to Oregon to stay in while bike shopping.
On the way home, two warning lights went on. The antilock brake and the skid control lights came on. I stopped and looked it up. One said to get it checked, one said to get it checked immediately. I was driving through some sparsely inhabited country and decided to go home. What could that skid thing do? The brakes were working. It was Saturday and a 3 day weekend so it wasn't like any mechanics would be available and camping areas would be full.
About halfway home, it felt like I had a flat tire. I stopped and checked and there were no flats. The flapping got worse as did the brakes and steering. I was in the desert and pulled into a shady looking vineyard/orchard housing area.
The people let me wait there while a friend took off from here to help. It was a three hour drive. I sat in a shady yard watching chickens run about and had to talk to the adults through a competent 11 year old interpreter. They were very nice and had me sitting in their yard. But I couldn't talk to them, or they to me, unless we had a kid present. I was told years ago that my Spanish gave the listener a bad headache.
My friend came along and we moved stuff, including the new bike, into their pickup. We switched my trailer hitch over to the Toyota and miraculously, the trailer lights worked. I drove and pulled the trailer home. I'll have to phone around on Tuesday to get a tow truck and appointment with a mechanic. Unfortunately, I liked the way the Toyota pulled my trailer. I do not want to pickup shop for a couple of years, but I really liked that Toyota Tacoma.
Today I'll be using the new bike and pannier to go get groceries. I have no other transportation besides bike and foot. I'll be helping my rescuer fix her e bike. We will be putting on a new wheel with new motor.
I have the new bike in the house where I can look at it. I'm still glad I got it.