So far our trip photos have more pictures of repair shops and repairmen than of the sites we had hoped to see. This morning started off with the usual bad gut feeling when I turned the key and nothing happened. Our batteries couldn’t be dead. They have been charging all night. After the third try it turned over and started up.
We left the campground and drove across the street to gas up. I filled it up and got back in the drivers seat and turned the key. Nothing. I tried in vain but it was dead. I went into the busy gas station to let them know I was going to be blocking the drive until I could get someone to come look at it. Just then Darlie came in and said it started.
We set out for Shreveport. All the while I am thinking this didn’t suddenly get healed. It is going to let us down for good sooner or later. Going through Shreveport I noticed that is seemed to be a trucking center. This would be a good place to find someone to look at this. I pulled into a TA truck stop. There was a red faced mechanic lying on his back under a big rig. When I drove up he poked his head out to see what was up. I asked him if he could look at our ignition. He pointed me to Schaffer’s Truck and Trailer Repair just up the road. He said they work on RVs.
We pulled into Schaffer’s. I left the engine running because I didn’t want to have it not start and block their driveway. The owner’s son came out to have a look at our problem. I warned him if he turned it off it might not start again. He turned it off. It didn’t start again. Another tech who works on electrical problems came out and checked everything with all his gadgets. I heard him say to the other guy, “This is one of those deals where you could look for it for a week and not find it.” Oh joy!
They told me they were not equipped with the necessary gear to trouble shoot it further. They said the only place anywhere around that could do the job was located in Longview, Texas just 70 miles west.
I called my Progressive Roadside Assistance number and they dispatched a tow truck to take us all the way to Longview. No charge to us. Thank you Jesus.
After two hours blocking the driveway.... It’s not my fault ha ha ha. Jimmy Lewis and his three year old son, Casey showed up with a big tow truck. After some maneuvering he had us hooked up. He wasn’t real excited about having to have us ride with him but we have no car. We all piled into the rig and set off for Longview.
Little Casey and Darlie became instant friends. Seeing how much his boy was enjoying our company, Jimmy warmed up too. We talked about family, kids, hunting and a host of other things. By the time we got to Longview we had made two new friends.
While Jimmy was unhooking us at Pegues Hurst Ford Motor Co., I went inside to tell them why I was there. They listened courteously and when I finished the service manager said, “It will be two weeks before we can get to it.” Really! Wow! We have no car and that is our home. We have no place to go for two weeks.
The service manager, whose name I haven’t gotten yet but probably will soon know his wife and kids, told me he would have a tech come out and put run a test on it in a few minutes. I went back to the MH where Jimmy had finished unhooking us. We gave Jimmy and Casey a tour of our home. We shook hands and said nice things and they left.
After an hour no one had showed up to check anything so I figured I would go back in and see what was up. The SM told me that his guy had a doctor’s appointment and he had forgotten it. He was gone for the day. He would have him look at it at 8 AM.
I said we have no car and can’t get to a motel. He said they could get us to one. I asked if it would be ok if we just stayed in the MH. He had no problem with that. So we are camped in the parking lot amongst other broken down trucks and cars. Yes, it is disappointing to once again be sidelined but we know one day these memories will have more meaning than we now realize. We have met some very nice folks as a result. Our spirits are good. We even find the ability to laugh now and then.
This parking lot is quieter than the campground we were in last night. A place this big must have some night security too. We have no internet connection again, so we will post this when we can. An air card would have been nice but we can live without it.
Today we traveled 81 miles by engine. 70 miles towed for a total of 151 miles. That tow sure helps the gas mileage. :-)
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