Another Crazy Travel Day
We got up early this morning to try to get packed, hitched, and on the road by about 9 AM. We took into consideration that we would likely experience some issues with the jacks/slides due to our hydraulic fluid problem. We were loaded up fluid to refill when needed. However, we still had to run to Pilot/Flying J to stock up on more fluid. Ugh! We were ready to hitch so Russ went to get the truck in overflow parking. I could see the truck from our site and saw him start it up and start driving toward our site. All the sudden I couldn’t see him anymore. Hmmm. Shortly after, I looked and the truck was parked back in the overflow lot and Russ was walking toward our campsite. Ruh Roh! He said a bunch of lights flashed on the dash and then the engine would shut down. After a little research it seemed to be caused by a low coolant indicator and power steering problem. We called a mobile heavy duty truck (HDT) mechanic, but they weren’t going to be able to get out to us until late afternoon. We resided to the fact that we would just have to wait. It only took 2 more trips to Pilot/Flying J for additional fluids (coolant & power steering) and we decided to tackle the issue ourselves. We had the truck up and running and finally pulled away from the campground shortly after 3 PM. Only 6 hours behind our planned departure time. It's always easier to be unhappy than to be grateful - so we are reminded to smile and give thanks!
The drive to Elkhart, Indiana was very pleasant. It was an easy drive and despite the threatening skies during the majority of the drive, we didn’t experience much rain. Although I was kind of looking forward to a free car wash. Oh well. Maybe I will add that to my honey-do list. Sorry Russ! We pulled into the MORryde parking lot where we would be staying that evening. The sites were all filled, but we were able to park in front of another trailer. Unfortunately, our power cord was not quite long enough to reach the pedastal. After a long day of repairs, driving, and trying for a quick fix for our hydraulic leak that was not the outcome we were looking for especially at 9 PM when most stores in the area were closed. We tried our luck at Walmart and think we may have found the one thing that Walmart actually doesn’t sell - 50 amp cords. Grrr. When we arrived back at MORryde, we lucked out when another couple had arrived in their 5th wheel and offered us a spare cord. They were Ohioans so of course they were nice - haha! That made our evening much more pleasant to be able to sleep with the A/C running. Thanks for saving our night - again a reminder to be grateful. We will be up bright and early getting our trailer ready to head in the bay for a new independent suspension, new brakes, and a new pin box.
