On The Road Again!

We pulled the plug and went initially to Talona Ridge, an absolute favorite and also where Karen and Tom are staying so we could visit with them before we launched on our escape to Maine.  We had an added bonus, our friends, Larry and Teresa were there as well.  Our time was short, but we did manage to visit with them for awhile.  We stopped to see them later but our schedules didn't mesh.  We Happy Houred and dined together and caught up with Karen and Tom, then we launched, had a non eventful drive to Fort Chiswell, VA, had a quick overnight, the rain held off until after dinner, but was still raining when we left.  

We made it one mile to the on-ramp for 81 when the tire monitor squawked and boom, a flat tag tire!  Once I got it safely off the road I ran out with the pressure gauge, but as it turned out I didn't really need it:-)

On the good side we were in a safe place, lots of room, and the only traffic going by us was on the beginning of the on ramp, so not going very fast, on the bad side it was pouring rain, and we had no idea what to do.  We could see a Speedco right across the interstate, not that we could drive there, I started with them and they told me they had no mobile service.  We were right next to a truck stop with a shop connected, and after they were told it was a motorhome, they flat out told me they wouldn't even look at it, I impressed upon them it was a tire, who cares what it on, but they didn't relent.  The Speedco people recommended a shop about a mile away so I drove there and although they were very nice, he couldn't send a guy out as he was short on people that day, and he was very busy.  We found another truck service place about a mile the other way, I called them and they said they could accommodate us, but they didn't have our tire size, 295 80R 22.5, but if I could find the tire they'd come out.  Well that started our quest for a tire, not good, no one, and I mean no one within 150 miles had that size tire!  Evidently it is an almost exclusive RV size.  On the other hand almost everyone had 295 75R 22.5's since that is what the truckers use.  What to do?  Finally the one shop, Complete Truck who said they'd come out found a 295 80R 22.5, a Michelin for..............$1300!  For one tire!  Since the tag tires are the oldest tires on our coach the tread difference even between two tires of the same size would be too large in our opinion, not to mention we swore off Michelin tires at least 10 years ago.  Again, what to do?  It would be days before I could get two new tires of the correct size, and with the motorhome not moveable, we sure didn't want to be sitting on the side of the road for days, even if we could.  

I thought about sticking a used tire on temporarily until I could find the correct ones, but no one would install a used tire because of liability.  So right or wrong I decided to buy two new tires in the smaller truck size, they are about an inch smaller in diameter.  I figured since it was the tag and those tires are not connected with an axle, they basically float on their own, it would be all right.  So that's what we did, Complete Truck came out at about noon, 5 hours after we had the failure, and did the replacement in about 30 minutes.

That's the culprit, a piece of steel that punctured all the way through

So a little before one pm, we set off for Pine Grove, PA, 390 miles away, it handled fine, I could not detect any difference in feel or ride, but it turned out our troubles weren't over yet.  We pulled into our site, and Jan went back to get the Dishy that she put in the truck, and it wouldn't unlock, in fact it was deader than dead.  Amazing how on these newer electronic laden vehicles how everything relies on the battery.  We got the door opened with an emergency key built in to the fob, but nothing else worked, including, we found out, the tail lights when towing.  Again, now what to do?

First, after a very, very long day we had a drink and dinner and decided to just act fat, dumb, and happy and leave in the morning for another 375 mile day as if we never went near the truck.  We got fuel first thing and as I was pumping I thought maybe we could get a new battery along the way.  So Jan started looking for an auto parts store along our route with a large or accessible parking area, and sure enough she found an Autozone in Hazelton, PA that looked good, not too far off the interstate with a huge parking lot.  To be sure I called to first be sure they had the battery, and to confirm the parking, and all sounded good.  Sure enough we pulled in, and in about 20 minutes we had a new battery installed in the truck.

We thought it would be prudent to run the truck for awhile with the new battery so we disconnected it and Jan drove about 20 miles or so to the next rest area where we hooked it back up and went on our way.  The electronics in these newer vehicles are so touchy that the check engine light stayed on for the next 2 days, and our nav screen did all kinds of weird things as well, all seems good now 4 days later.

We spent a couple days in Brattleboro, VT and made our way to the Woodstock Farmers Market where we always try to buy local pork chops that come from a nearby farm that we have enjoyed for several years, in fact, we have even bought them out a couple times:-)

Then on a beautiful day we made our way to Maine with many plans for the day.  First we had to get fuel, pretty expensive right now, $5.30, then we planned to stop at the Fox Run Mall in Newington, NH, disconnect the truck and go over to Bob's Clam Hut for our first seafood meal.  We made the turn in and found the entire mall area was fenced off and inaccessible as they were tearing it down, but the Walmart next door solved the crisis.  We unhooked and enjoyed a delicious lunch, fried whole belly clams with delectable onion rings!!

After we hooked back up and headed to a new to us campground, Sun Outdoors in Saco, ME.  It is great, large sites, enormous concrete patio with a very nice fire pit, but best of all it is quiet and dark, excellent!  Let the seafood devastation begin, in fact after we parked we went to a favorite seafood market and bought delicious swordfish for dinner!

 

Now to settle in and enjoy our time here in Maine, lots to do, and imagine it was 45 degrees this morning!