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Borrego Springs, CA

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Some not so good news, some good news, and some no news

NOT SO GOOD NEWS:  After waiting at the campground gate for 90 minutes, I found out that the tow company that was supposed to have arrived, was detoured by the police to handle a severe auto accident rather than come to get me.  Ugh!  (I did get a call from them this evening asking if I was still stranded at the campground)

GOOD NEWS:  After waiting another 90 minutes, a different tow company from Kankakee (very close to Brown and Brown RV repair) showed up at the gait.  I led them slowly to my site.  Then came the levity for the day.  After getting out of the truck, the driver asked, “Are you sure this is the right rig?”  Hmmm… let me see, yes, I’m pretty darn sure this is where I live. (???)  I’m not sure what he was expecting when he was told it was a 38’ Winnebago motorhome, but he sure seemed perplexed.  I guess he thought it looked like a diesel pusher, but I assured him it was a gas pusher.  That’s when the fun (?) began.  We went inside the rig, and I showed him what happened when I put it in gear.  After a lot of crawling around under the rig, and a phone call to the RV repair place, he was able to finally disengage the parking brake.  That took over an hour.  Then he suggested I just drive the rig to the repair place, as he wasn’t sure he could get it out with the tow truck.  I told him I was more than a little nervous about that since the onboard computer thing still showed hydraulic brake failure.  He had brought his father-in-law with him and both were CDL drivers, so they volunteered to drive the rig while I followed in the car.  He then got in the rig to back it out of the site.  He stopped after three feet.  He came back out and said, “Nope, we’re going to tow it; those brakes are too spongy!”

IMG_3388I was surprised he was able to get his big truck around in front of the rig for the hookup.

IMG_3389

Then he climbed underneath to secure the front.  What a time he had getting the rig and truck out of the site.  He had to back it up and then turn it around on the skinny roads.  We couldn’t go out the way I had three times before because of a sharp turn up the road that I didn’t think he could make with the rig in tow.

The father-in-law and I ran around trying to bend tree branches out of the way so the sides of the rig wouldn’t sport new pin striping.  We ended up making a loop through a neighbor’s campsite.  There just wasn’t any other way to get out of there.

IMG_3390After another hour, we were finally on our way.  It was pretty hairy, but we finally made it to the paved roads. 

NO NEWS:  By the time we got to Brown and Brown, it was a little after 2:00.  They had, of course, expected us in the morning, and it was too late in the day to take the rig into the shop.  All the techs were busy on other rigs.  So, the rig was deposited in the parking lot, and I have a 30 amp electrical hookup.  I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see what they think about the repairs.  Since the parking brake has been disabled, I cannot put the levelers down or open the slides.  That means I can listen to the TV tonight but I can’t see it since it is behind one of the slides.  Just like overnighting at Wal-Mart.  Smile  I’m happy I finally got out of Dodge.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

28 comments:

  1. Sure hope they get to the root of the problem right away, Is this going to alter your travel plans now. Oh yeah the only thing to plow in this area now would be burnt up corn from the two month 100 degree weather, some people might plow it under and plant winter wheat. most will just take the loss.I juts used the term to describe the very wet and nasty day. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

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  2. Glad you are finally at the repair place. Hope they get you up and running today.

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  3. Progress, no matter no matter how slight, is still progress.

    Here's hoping you get fixed, er I mean your motorhome gets fixed quickly! ;c)

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  4. hope the fix is a quick one and you will be on your way in no time!!!

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  5. I always find it amazing that they have to scratch their heads after they've been told it's a big motorhome. Just glad they finally got you out of there and to Brown's. Hope it gets taken care of today and you can get on the road.

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  6. Quite a bit of news, but not much fun:( Hope the problem is fixed quickly.

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  7. Oh, Judy, will it ever end? I know it isn't funny to you but I sure got my laugh for the morning!

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  8. Is your rig still under warranty? It seems that you spend a lot of time in repair shops. I'd be very ticked with Winnebago!

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  9. I HATE days like that! So frustrating! but as others have said, at least your took a step forward - a big one, at that.

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  10. That is so stressful , I hope you have answers by now. Good Luck.
    Chris

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  11. All I can say is that it's great RVers carve their plans in Jell-O! You probably haven't been laughing much with all of this, but what a story it will make when you write your book! (Don't we all "write our own book" once in a while?)

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  12. This brake saga is getting more and more interesting each day. I can't wait to read the next installment. I sure hope it's only good news and that the fix is fast and cheap.

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  13. If it wasn't for bad luck, Judy, you'd have NO luck at all!!Hey, at least the scenery is different..and you will be headed South in a day or two!!!!

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  14. Seems as if the newer the rig...the more problems arise. One of the reasons we love our Maggie, she has had a few issues but all in all, she has been fantastic!

    Hope your RV's ailment gets a quick cure!

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  15. Another reason to pick a rig you can live in with the slides closed--mechanical failure. You do seem to be able to find all the things that can go wrong. You middle name is not Murphy by any chance, is it? Hang in there, Judy, is has to get better sometime, doesn't it?

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  16. One of life's most discouraging moments is when you see your pride and joy behind a tow-truck. Good luck.

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  17. Oh my, Oh my... you most certainly have the patience of a saint!

    The Xanax bottle would be long ago empty if it were me with everything you have gone through and are still having to deal with!

    My prayer is that tomorrow when the tech looks at the problem... he shakes his head and wonders why those other guys couldn't figure it out! It soooo simple!!! And all the RV people friends said AMEN!!!!!

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  18. Well at least you finally made it to Brown & Brown... I hope they get you out of there fast. I think that park you were in jinxed you!
    Have fun & Travel safe
    Donna

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  19. Whew, what a day!! I agree with Kimberly and Jerry, it sure seems that the newer the rig, the more problems it has--exactly the opposite of what you would expect. Our rig is a 2010 gas motorhome and we've had lots of problems.

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  20. Well, at least you seem to find repair shops that have a place for you to overnight. Gosh, I can relate to your slides-in camping; that's what we have done a few nights the past couple of weeks! At least you have power. Power's a good thing!

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  21. Isn't it a shame that the parks best for staying a while are back in the trees and on narrow curvy roads, while the easiest to maneuver a big rig like yours would be the all-paved big lots, with rigs right up next to one another.

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  22. Nail biting!! Glad she's safe and you will get the rig fixed now. wow!

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  23. Oh my gosh, Judy, what a hassle! Thank goodness you guys got her out unscathed. I'm glad you are at least in the parking lot, and will find out soon what's going on. Good luck, hope the repairs are quick and inexpensive. :)

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  24. May not have made it to B&B under your own steam, but at least you're there. Next come the repairs.

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  25. OMG Judy. I have nothing to add except that I hope this is your last problem...ever.

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