Blog

Hey Dad,

Just a quick update on our progress. In the last week, we drove from Harrisburg, PA, and then flew to Billings, MT, then spoke in Atlanta, GA yesterday, and will pull into Orlando, FL tomorrow at noon. The RV has run top-notch and a quick stop at a Cummins shop yesterday in Chattanooga, TN to change the fuel filters stopped a small leak.

About the only sightseeing we’ve done was to take the Corvette Assembly Plant tour in Bowling Green, KY. Although we just about missed the tour, we had an awesome time.

Hey Dad,

I continue to be amazed at how much ground you can cover in a week. We started last weekend in Oklahoma; we’re in Harrisburg, PA now, and next Friday, we’ll be in Billings, MT (we’re flying to that one).

All the travel didn’t allow for much sightseeing, but we were able to walk around Bricktown in Oklahoma City as well as tour the sight of the Oklahoma City Bombing.

Windy Oklahoma also claimed our RV awning as its own, and the boys and I had to cut ‘er loose in a Wal-Mart parking lot. We also experienced our first hailstorm in an RV. It was a little like being inside a popcorn popper and a bit frightening.

Hey Dad,
We’ve covered a lot of trouble free miles since last I wrote. We had one windy day near Tucumcari, NM where my awning unfurled along the interstate. We had to pull over and cut a big chunk of the awning out. Reminded me a little of a sailor cutting a chunk of sail along a stormy sea.

Other than that, things have gone swimmingly. We spent a couple days in Bacavi, AZ (Hopi Reservation) at a friend’s home, hiked down into Coal Mine Canyon (must see), drove to the Grand Canyon (where I was a Were-dad), and made our way to El Paso for a Homeschool Convention.

Hey Dad,

As some famous comedian used to say, “It’s always something.” That’s how it has been out on the road. Actually, the day I updated the blog last week I noticed some little cracks on the sidewalls of one of my RV tires. After a few calls I found a reasonably priced tire in Amarillo, TX. We drove there got the tired changed quickly and then I went to start the RV. It started, but it did something weird.

“Honey, I saw a Cummins engine place up the road, and I think we’d be wise to go have this checked out before we get on some mountain road,” I said to my wife.

It’s amazing how much ground you can cover in a week. Right now we’re parked at the Amarillo Ranch RV Park in Amarillo, TX. Yesterday, we were freezing as we traveled away from St. Louis, and tonight we have the windows open and are enjoying a warm spring breeze.

Things have gone pretty swell. Just an hour ago, I replaced the leaky valve on the toilet, and we have not developed any other leaks…which is good. This would be a good time to remind you rookie RVers not to let your black water tanks (which is a nice way to say your sewer tanks) get too full…like we did.

We were backed up all the way to just below the bowl…and it wasn’t pretty…or good smelling. Fortunately, we had our handy dandy Flying J directory and found one just a 100 miles down the road.

Remember all those expensive RV repairs that I told you about last week? Well, one of those items that was replaced was a new compressor for my air brakes. It sure made a big difference once it was replaced, and I was glad to have it fixed…until I saw the big spot of oil that seemed to be leaking from it every time we stopped.

To make a long story short, I spent the night at Cummins Crosspoint in Evansville, IN and found out that the compressor was bad and needed to be replaced…again. Not only did they replace it for FREE but they also bought pizza for the whole family. Talk about one satisfied customer and a good reminder why when you’re on the road, it’s good to use a service center that has outlets all over the country.

You know, life is funny…like toothache funny. We didn’t hit the road like we had anticipated. Here’s the short of it:
As you remember, last week the Familyman Mobile was in the shop having a few things done. Well, I got the call that it was done, made the forty-five minute drive to get it, and zipped home only to find out the turn signals still didn’t work. AUUGGGGGG!!!!

Next, Googled the service guy’s name, found his number, and met him in a dark parking lot where he fixed the problem (it wasn’t included on the work order). Got home at 10:00pm, too tired to finish loading, and dropped in bed…only to be woken up by the sound of my son throwing up in the toilet.

I’m not sure I’m ready…but the RV adventure begins today. All I need now…is an RV. It’s still at the RV shop.

I took it in Monday for a couple things, and although they found the problems pretty quickly, they had to order the parts. Which means that my plans to have the beast packed up by yesterday had to be scrapped.

Oh, I forgot to tell you that as I backed out of my long driveway in the pre-dawn hours, I had Ben (14) guide me out. I was about to take off down the road when Ben ran up beside my window with a smile on his face and said, “Dad, you knocked over the mailbox.”