Started out on a really good note...we both slept well with Sadie sleeping in till 8:30 herself. We ate a leisurely breakfast and slowly finished packing up to move. Stu pulled the rig out to load the bikes while I filled in the holes to China that Sadie dug under the rig. She watched us from the truck to be sure we both did a good job!
We were on the road by 11:45 am and headed over to the Escapee park, Sumter Oaks, over in Bushnell. I had a large bag of things to donate to their CARE table and didn't want to carry them to TN with us. This side trip took us through some pretty back roads, dropping us close to I-75 for the ride north.
The ride was uneventful until about 20 minutes after we stopped at Pilot for a coffee fix. (Okay, so I had to get "my" road food...Twizzlers and Pringles....LOL!) We even saw a Freightliner shop as we pulled out and I jokingly asked Stu if he needed anything. Ladies, NEVER do that....
We were tooling down the road when suddenly the engine fan started roaring away and Stu looks down at the gauges to see that we are overheating. Looking for a safe place to pull over, we can see the steam rising from the hood and then the overheated alarm started blaring.
We get pulled over and Stu opens the hood to find a cracked radiator hose (upper). At first he thinks he can tape it with his Monster Tape but on second thought he opted to cut off the end (fortunately the crack was close to the end) and refasten the hose in the opposite direction. It worked...
Then he dumped back the little bit of anti-freeze he had on hand and then another 4+ gallons of water. We always carry two old Arizona Tea gallon jugs in the bathroom...great for boondocking flushing (take up less room than milk jugs due to their shape). Once filled and running, we then used the water to wash the anti-freeze off the steps and side of the truck (my side). That stuff is SLICK!
Back on the road, we were just south of Gainesville where we knew there was a Ring Power/CAT dealer just outside Gainesville, we used them when our serpentine belt broke last year or the year before. Anyway, we called them...nope, no hose in stock. The engine temp was holding so we continued on our way.
As we approached Valdosta, GA we saw a billboard for a Freightliner dealer. We found them online and saw they were open till 6 pm. A quick detour....still no hose, but he did come out with the part numbers for both the upper and lower hose which will make it easier to locate them once we get to the Atlanta area.
So off to the Wally World just down the road for a night of Wally-docking. We had a double header...we're parked between Wally World and Sam's Club. Stu got more anti-freeze at Sam's and I found a couple of bargains at Wally World.
We ran the generator for the first couple of hours till it got cool enough to not have the A/C running. Currently on the inverter...working fine! We have maybe 5 hours to do tomorrow so we can sleep in and not have to rush off.
See? Never a dull moment.....LOL!
Till next time - keep on rollin',
Donna and Stu
Stu and Donna
At least you didn't lose 15 gallons of diesel fuel..... Sorry to here about your troubles. Drive safe and trouble free the rest of you way.
ReplyDeleteDuane
Isn't it just always something! Be safe!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were able to get pulled over and that Stu got it fixed so that you could continue down the road. Hope you find the hoses you need tomorrow and have a safe day of driving.
ReplyDeleteHope you missed all the yukky weather...be safe & trouble-free for the rest of your journey!
ReplyDeleteGood thing he was able to fix it. I would have to call someone to help me.
ReplyDeleteI love your photos Donna. "rving" seems such an iconic American interest. It is not something we see often here in new zealand. Caravans and camper vans yes, but not rv's. Brilliant, thanks.
ReplyDeleteWell, never a dull moment. Glad you got it fixed well enough to at least get you down the road. Now Sadie has something else to puzzle over!!
ReplyDeleteHope the storms didn't catch you, we had to stop in Tallahassee yesterday, didn't want to drive right into the storm, (headed for Wisconsin via Alabama). Looks like we made the right choice, we would've stayed just North of Montgomery, not a good place to be yesterday.
ReplyDeleteAt least when something goes wrong you're busy. Sometimes a problem like this really gets under my skin, but part of me really likes it. I love using my wits and skills to get me out of a bind. Prettttty rewarding.
ReplyDeleteBrady
Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life
http://www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com/
Good thing Stu is a "gear head" like McGuyver...Ya always gotta have some kind of tape on hand..Hope all goes well and you get the hoses fixed!!
ReplyDeleteYep, the snowbirds are heading home...let the repair work begin anew. Sorry you have already had problems, but good thing that Stu is the man for the job to keep you moving until you can get the needed parts installed. Geez, it seems that everytime we "move" we have to get repairs. Maybe we'll just stay put instead of head out in June. Safe travels to you guys to TN.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is you did not get stranded and were able to keep going. Nothing like a little excitement to make the trip noteworthy.
ReplyDeleteStu being handy was a blessing for sure. Hope the rest of the trip home is uneventful.
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky the break was right where it was. We have been traveling the same roads. We are up on I24 now, on our way to Indiana. Hope you get the part you need.
ReplyDelete...and where was Miss Sadie during all this 'hose fixing' her Daddy was doing? Dreaming of those holes to China, I suppose! lol
ReplyDeleteYou 2 be careful, and I anxiously await news and pics of your RV site construction in TN.
Did Stu mutter when he reset the radiator hose clamp? He could actually have commented about what a small world it is. Stu's wife knows another old about.com guide (me), whose wife is the granddaughter of the French inventor of the radiator hose clamp.
ReplyDeleteWe actually have his original patent papers from the 1900's. What is amazing is that common clamp still looks like his drawings/invention more than one hundred years later.
See? It's a small world after all, as the Disney song goes (on and on in your head after I mention it) LOL
Luv the lil toy garage. Do you find many camping sites don't allow motorcycles. Do you check before you make reservations?
ReplyDeleteLov the lil toy garage!...
ReplyDeleteDO you check with campgrounds before you arrive regarding motorcycles. I've seen many that don't want them around.