Apr 11, 2012
‘Whine’ time…..
So Tuesday morning started off slowly as is our style…..on the road about 10AM! Driving along Colin states that the roads in California are the worst of the entire trip with Mexico being the best! It became overcast as we headed towards Modesto and soon that turned into rain. We left home Oct. 24th and have had one day of rain, November 15th while on the Isla.
RAIN = REALITY = SPRING = WORK!!!!
Our clients are tuned into us returning about now but we are a week later. The work requests are coming in. Bueno!!
Once again Caeli did not want to leave. She loved the freedom of roaming the huge area as did Carmeh. By the way...Chuck and Sandy....Pat & Gord from Lo de Marcos, last season, say hola!!!
So we are driving along enjoying the wildflowers along the highway discussing this and that, planning a summer trip to celebrate a number of milestones. Then we discuss, overnight tonight at a Casino or a Walmart.....I did not vote for the Walmart but I wasn't driving. THANK GOD!!!!!!!!
Suddenly at about 4:45PM, a mere 36 miles short of our overnight stop a yellow check engine light comes on, followed by a red light and alarm sounding……we are not sure but think that the engine shut itself down due to overheating. It happened in seconds but Colin was able to pull us over the the shoulder. The engine was steaming……
….then the nightmare began! I immediately called our roadside service provider, Good Sam. I am still on our cell with them at 6:15PM ( 1.5 hours later ) when Ralph who is a freelance RV Technician stops to see if he can help. He quickly diagnosed our problem.
See the bright green above the big hose near the middle bottom of the shot.....that is antifreeze!! See the small round pulley on the bottom right....well our engine water pump is directly behind that held into place by three screws. Looks like the engine noise we have been hearing since we left Mexico on April 1st was a result of the vibration within the water pump at a certain RMP....all according to Ralph of course....he thinks the pump burst....Ralph is willing to leave us on the side of the road until Wed. afternoon when he can do the repairs!!!!!!!
Thanks for trying Ralph......
Meanwhile I am still on the phone with Good Sam. By now we have set up Magic Jack via our Verizon stick ( which I am loving even more and more ) and each of us are on the phone, calling repair shops, towing companies, anything we can think of.
By 7PM I am onto my first glass of wine, my fingernails are gone and I need to relax ( joke ) a bit!! It seems that we are too big to tow or at least in this area. We are, for the record, 3/4 of a mile south of Corning! Good Sam has finally found 2 companies that can tow us but neither will accept Good Sam’s form of payment:( We are informed that we could pay for it ourself and out for in a claim for repayment with Good Sam!! We have been sitting there since 4:45PM so at 7:00PM we said go for it. As it turned out only the one company had the capability to tow us.
Waiting and waiting and waiting…more vino for me. Colin is out unhooking the HHR, putting out reflector triangles, etc.
If only we could have been rescued before dark!!
Of course the girls have to ‘go’! We are at an angle, leaning into the wet ditch, being buffeted by each passing semi. It is cold, damp and wet….I change into warmer clothes and discover that I am in major trouble. I barely have any wine left!!!
8:00PM ! Dark ! The tow truck arrives....we each have certain jobs to do. Here Colin is attempting to start the engine to move the RV just a few inches because the tow truck is worried about sinking....HELLO.....we have been sitting here on the edge for hours and hours....I forgot to mention that we have already had a visit from the CHP, California Highway Patrol....just wanted to make sure we were okay. Apparently many have have to spend the night on the side of the road...no way I say!
Fingernails totally gone, 2nd glass of wine gone, RV drive shaft disconnected, tow truck driver comes in with muddy boots on my beige carpet to check something…..sigh…..Ma’m he calls me……I’m doing stuff inside at the wheel, Colin is checking the 2 fellows on the outside, the girls are shaking!!
These two fellas were outstanding....they knew what they were dealing with.
Finally at 9PM we were ready to be towed...Colin and I followed in the car. We were only going 16 miles.....
It took an hour to get to the repair shop, fortunately someone was already there who unlocked the gate for us......it was a slight incline...the RV was drastically shaking, the rear bumper was dangerously close to damage....that is when I, sitting behind the wheel of the car, totally lost it.....big tears!!! I just couldn't help it....this was traumatic!
So at 10:15 PM, 5.5 hours later and $1000.00 dollars later we lay broken at a repair shop somewhere in Red Bluff, California, waiting for daylight and what it might bring.........................!!
Colin went for the comfort food, Kraft Dinner, while I emptied the wine bottle and worked on this post. Here we are, locked into a yard, somewhere with no place but cement for the girls. Thank goodness for the generator and heaters….and my lovely Verizon connection.
...so ends our day at 338 miles. Overall it worked out pretty well are we used our evening hours to get relocated and the shop opens at 7AM so we may be able to maintain our schedule.
Stay tuned for the next development of our ongoing drama………….
……as I finish this post at 12:15AM we get a request from a client via email for photography and that is how this bill will be paid!
<< Older Posts Home Newer Posts >>
At least you did not have a boring day. And now in a secure place for the night. Hopefully they have the parts needed and can get you back on the road. Good Luck.
George….we have never had a boring day!!
Connie….more wine would have helped but we were locked in a repair yard:(
Elaine….I will look into Explorer Club Roadside….I still can’t believe we had to pay our tow, at least we have the means to do so.
Catheline….that is what Colin said also!
Sandie….didn’t totally fall apart but I was so worried about the RV being damaged, if only you could have seen how it was swaying.
Chuck….34 hours is ridiculous…..yup, should have brought that leftover red with us. Even thought I am a white wine drinker, anything goes sometimes.
Croft…..we wanted to share some of your burdens!! At the rate we are moving ( not yet at noon on Wed. ) you may catch up to us!!
OH MY GOSH, Contessa! (Aren’t you driving thru wine country?) Sending good luck wishes and hoping you’ll soon be heading north again.
don’t know where my comments went…how sad I am for you..but thank heavens your all safe..terrible that you had to wait on phone so long for good sam tow..then had to pay up front..not good…and to be locked in a compound without wine…unacceptable!! you held up well my dear before the tears came..I’d have been bawling right away I’m sure..well at least after the first hour on the side of the road…we have good sam, and also roadside with our extended warranty..but we carry explorer club roadside..its fantastic..covers you everywhere..and we have had to use it in the past..great service in record time..they send proper rig to move the mh and a flat bed for the car..I always had to say dont’ bother sending the flatbed we can drive behind in the car..you might want to look into it..its only around 140/yr and well worth it..one time we got stuck in our backyard trying to get a mh out early and buried it in the soft mud..they sent someone right over to tow us out..and it was our own fault…but they said thats what you pay for…hoping your on the road soon without too much out of pocket…good luck and hugs to you..and stock up on that wine!!!
Contessa:
You should be proud of the control you had of yourself before you realize your wine supply was low. I have been on that roadside before in Fort Wayne, Indiana. AAA took 3 hours to get there. Then when the guy arrived he didn’t even have a jack to change a tire. Long story.
You were in the dark, scary. In the rain, even scarier.
THANK GOD YOU WERE NOT IN MEXICO, Wink, Wink.
I would have been in tears long before you fell apart. What a nightmare for you. And my girls would have also been hysterical. Hoping all works out for you today.
OMG!
Sorry to hear about the problem. But the RV tech hit it on the head that was the noise you have been hearing, the pump was going bad and finally gave. Our pump went out 4 years ago in Wyoming, we sat 34 hours before we could be towed to Casper. We were still under Cummins warranty so it was paid for. It is a easy fix but the part is not always easy to find.
You should have taken the red wine with you, it would have served as an emergency back up. LOL
Oh No!! It is usually us that has these “disasters” in the RV! It could have been a lot worse and like you say, you just got a job that will pay for the repairs. What? Contessa with no wine?????
Good Grief. I am so glad you got off the road and got safely to the shop. I’m sure the rest of the trip will be uneventful after this!
Nancy….Okay…you are in charge of the rest of the trip…..
Bob….love that thought…”well. there’s always an at least”.. Had no idea you RVed! You are right….S”t happens!
Lynne…it is an adventure but more fun with wine.
*phew* Not much to add here, except that you’re safe. I remember breaking down (a few times) at the side of the road when one of my brothers and I drove a couple transit buses from P.A. Saskatchewan, to Vancouver. He’d always say, “Well, there’s always an ‘at least’.”
So, “at least” you had your house with you, and “at least” you had some wine etc.
Some times these things happen.
The rest of the trip will be fine. I’m sure.
So sorry to hear about all your troubles today. Gave me flashbacks of my summer of ’07 and blowing not one but 2 transmissions while towing my T@B in the Rockies. Good Sam would eventually get there each time to make sure we were transported to a safe place. It felt like an absolute nightmare when it was happening, but now looking back, it was quite an adventure and one of my more memorable “life stories”. So, hang in there C’s!!! Buy some more wine and carry onward…for good or bad, this trip home will certainly now be memorable!
Poor You, What a day. I hope by now you have replenished your wine supplies.
Have an eneventful rest of the journey home. See you on the 24th.
Hope your RV has been resuscitated and you’ll soon be on your way. VERY stressful I’m sure.
Looks like an adventure
Hi Contessa and Colin all I can say is I am so sorry for you guys to have to go through such a experient and mostly caused by incompentant service providers But I quess this is part of RVing but thank you for your insite you made up my mine about verizon I will be signing up and I hope the rest of your trip will be better Roger