The rearrangement worked — really worked. My sleeping setup had transformed into a comfortable, roomy refuge. I tucked myself into the far corner of the Espanola Mall parking lot, crawled into bed once darkness fell, and drifted off undisturbed.

That peace, however, didn’t last long.

I was up again at 5:54 a.m., well rested and ready to test my new morning ritual setup. Rather than using the rear hatch, I’d switched operations to the passenger side of the Escape. It’s easier, more discreet, and a strategic win for privacy when choosing a location. With everything squared away and stowed, I started up to grab some breakfast.

Then came the unexpected.

About one-third of the way across the parking lot, every warning light on the Escape’s dash lit up red. Alarms blared and the engine cut power. I tried to restart, but the Escape refused to cooperate.

Cue the dreaded call to CAA. I wrestled through their AI system before reaching a human, who quickly arranged a tow. Just an hour later, Dan’s Towing arrived and hauled me six blocks over to Northland Ford.

Despite being short two mechanics and swamped ahead of the long weekend, the service crew showed real compassion. They diagnosed the issue — a water pump leaking through the weep hole — and even drove me to Tim Hortons for breakfast (I walked back, because sometimes it’s just nice to stretch your legs).

Replacing the pump wasn’t going to be simple. With its tricky placement behind the timing components, it’s a six-hour job — and with parts needing to be ordered and shops slammed ahead of the holiday, no one in town had room in the schedule.

The problem? This vehicle isn’t just transportation. It’s my home.

The mechanic, Dillon, and I weighed options. If I monitored the coolant and kept it topped up, the Escape was still roadworthy. Sudbury or Sault Ste. Marie might offer availability, but given the looming weekend and my unique situation, the best path forward was clear.

I called my mechanic back home, gave them the heads-up, and hit the road.

Dillon topped up the system, Canadian Tire helped out with a cheaper alternative to Ford’s pricey coolant — I picked up four 3.78-liter jugs of premixed antifreeze and I hit the land route through Sudbury, then the 400 to 407 to 401. Traffic ground to a halt in Milton, so I detoured overland and rejoined once things smoothed out could not trust the system in a stop and go situation.

Now I’m home. I’ve unpacked, the A/C is humming, and dinner is calling my name. Tomorrow, I’ll take the Escape in and figure out what’s next.

Stay tuned — the journeys never dull.

Stats: 609 km  7.2 L/100 km 2.5 gallons of premixed antifreeze