Month: January 2023

I got my car back on Friday, 1/27. Finally! And the forecast for today was sunny and cold so I headed out to a moderate hike (four months without hiking means I need to work my way back into trail shape) in the Middle Fork. What a beautiful day and a beautiful area.

I went up to the Pratt Balcony (see view above) and on the way down I turned right, west, on the CCC trail, to check out the creek just past the Pratt Balcony trail. I could hear it talking to me as I hiked up to the balcony but where it crosses the CCC trail it was boulder-hopping but no problem with the water. So I kept going.

I went a bit more than 2 miles on the CCC Trail and I discovered that it is in pretty good shape:

There were a few nice views on the way and it is always special to spend time in the forest:

Just under 6 miles altogether. Only 600 feet of elevation gain to the Balcony but that’s OK. I will work my way up until I can do some really nice hikes this summer. I am an old man and I need the workout.

Track below.

I am not going to name names but the body shop to which I took my car is not on the up-and-up.

A partial timeline:

1. 9/7/22: Accident. Called insurance, booked appointment with a nearby body shop the insurance company recommended. They are not a small shop, they have multiple locations and a good reputation.
2. 9/28: Brought in car.
3. 10/3: First communication from body shop. They set up a little web site for me to monitor the progress of the repairs. Looking good.
4. Also in October, texts from body shop that there are no back ordered parts, everything is going smoothly.
5. 11/1: Text from body shop that the repairs are nearing completion. ECD is 11/11.
6. 11/2: With no explanation, a text that moves out ECD to 12/23.
7. Phone call explanation: Body shop in fact is waiting for a back-ordered part.
8. Consolidating various communications: ECD moved to 12/30 and then to 1/6.
9. On 1/5 I ask: is there a chance I will get the car on 1/6? No reply until 1/6 in the morning, when I get a non-responsive reply.
10. Still, estimate for my pickup is 1/6 and it takes a while to walk to the shop. I am told that repairs are “almost finished.”
11. I texted them about 3pm on 1/6 to ask: should I walk to your shop? No reply.
12. This AM, 1/9/2023, I walked to the shop about the time they opened to see if I could get some answers. I managed to get a look at the car. See above. Does it look like it is almost done?

The ECD is now moved out to 1/20. I emailed my insurance agent today with a more comprehensive timeline than above and suggested they remove this vendor from the list of their approved body shops, and asked if anyone at the insurance company had any clout with the body shop. Agent called, said it was outrageous, he would see what he could do.

We shall see. Anyway, no hikes and I am getting so badly out of shape I fear it will be mid-summer before I qualify as ‘lame old man.’

On the bright side, Jan and I babysat our newest grandson, 6 month-old Dean on Saturday and here he is, the little cutie: