Well, it's official. I'm not going to be back at work this week. Yesterday, Tuesday, the day my fuel pump should have come in if it was overnighted on Friday, I got on a bus to to Grass Valley, CA. About half way there, I got a call "Um, your fuel pump didn't show up." That was about 4:30, well after Sierra Motor Sports knew that the pump didn't come in with their UPS shipment. Yes, I should have called them before I got on the bus but I thought it was a simple, sure thing. You order a part first thing Friday (I assume) to be overnighted (I assume) and the part gets there by Tuesday (again I assume). Also SMS knows that I'm trying to get back to Arizona (I'd never have thought I'd be in any kind of hurry to get back to the heat.) and would have kept in better touch about the situation.
Me after getting the news and trying not to have a hissy fit.

All of my gear I'm lugging around on public transportation.Just goes to show you that assumptions can bite you in the ass whether it's work or real life. I have a coworker that gives me a dirty look anytime I use the word "assume" and after this I hope I've learned my lesson. With hind sight I would have flown home on Monday or Tuesday and come back later to pick up the bike. But of course I didn't know what KTM had in plan for me at the time. I should have been more forceful with the dealer. "Please check the fuel pump first so you can order it today instead of tomorrow" "What is the tracking number for the part? What do you mean you don't have a tracking number? That is not possible and I want you to explain to me how you could not have a tracking number." "Hello, I'm calling to check on the status of the 690" Of course that last one I should have done at least twice a day while they were open.


Yes, I sound bitter, it's because my patience only lasts so long. Again with hindsight I would have rented a car in Grass Valley so that at least I would have been mobile. Being dependent on people to fit me into their schedules is extremely frustrating and to some extent humiliating. That's why I'm currently camped out at a bus stop in Auburn, CA for the next hour and a half, to ride a bus for an hour and then get on another bus to finally reach my bike that had better be fixed. All that to make a trip that would take 30 minutes in a car. People have lives and after a week I feel like more of a disruption to their daily schedules then a guest. I'm not criticizing my friends and family, I would feel the same way in their positions. It's nothing that they planned or bargained for. And they suffered the inconvenience without complaint, it's just uncomfortable feeling like a burden and completely out of control.

Looking on the bright side of all this, I have more experience in dealing with issues on the road. I have more options sitting in the back of my mind for another situation like this in the future.

I did get a call this morning telling me the new fuel pump arrived. So here I sit, assuming (there's that dirty word again) that when I get to Grass Valley my bike will be fixed and I will finally be able to shake the dust of this valley off my boots. If my bike's not ready, I'm camping out at the dealer. Setting up a tent with a sleeping bag, sleeping mat and the whole shebang in the middle of the showroom. That'll show them.

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