While we were in Indiana deciding where to go for the winter, we thought we could just go home for a while. Todd has a class he'd like to take and we both have some business to finish in Tennessee. So we thought about just coming home for maybe a few months. Then agreed we'd be very cold, the trailer is falling apart, and mostly - this traveling / camping thing would be really fun if we got to go where we want and do what we wanted to do. We both just work, we go where the job takes us. It was fun still! We agree we wouldn't trade the memory for anything but decided to come home and sell the truck and camper.
On our way home, a short eight hour trip, Todd was a little upset that we left later than we planned and was worried we'd hit some bad traffic. I said "don't be mad Baby, it's our last trip so let's have fun"! He quickly obliged, we didn't hit any traffic, and made a reservation (and paid) for one night at a campground we knew we could get into but had to come see if our first campground here had a spot big enough. The owner told us she really didn't know. We sang and had a great time. We like to wait until we need gas before we stop for food but I got so hungry. Though the gas gauge said keep going my stomach was growling and while still laughing and joking around I told Toddy-Bear he's got to go ahead and stop for food. We pulled into the Love's Truck stop in Horse Cave Kentucky and I pranced my happy self inside while Todd filled the tank. He came inside and said "we have a problem". "Oh, what's wrong." (Paraphrased) "we lost a grease cap on one of the axles of the trailer and grease from it has come out, it's smoking pretty bad. I'll move it to a parking spot". Metal on metal for we don't know how long. Another, who knows, ten miles we would've been pulling an inferno. We asked inside if they knew a good mechanic. "We have some phone numbers here." We called but it was fairly late. They'd send someone out around 7:00 am. Alright, so we're here for the night. We ate, chatted for a few, and it was time for bed. Todd insisted on sleeping in the truck 'cause we had quite a bit in the truck bed. He pulled out the slide for me (it's a push button but sort of like opening a door, he always does it). "Goodnight."
Must've been two minutes after I got into bed I heard a roar of a diesel. Well plenty, of course, we were at a truck stop. OK, someone is parking next to us, surely they'll turn that thing off. Surely, they will, just a few more minutes right? NO! All night long that stupid thing vibrated this unmovable trailer. I guess it was movable in a way, lol. It was so loud and not even rhythmic. I figured it was bothering Todd too as I could feel every time he tossed and turned as if he were in the trailer with me. I thought OK, this diesel driver needs heat, it's pretty chilly. Why didn't he park it the big truck lot? We were in the campers lot.
In the morning I heard that thing move and instantly went to sleep, it was about 6:00 am. I asked Todd to wake me at 6:45 and he did. He told me a gas pump filling truck driver told our diesel driving clinger to move his truck. Clinger moved his truck from one side of our camper to the other, not even in a parking spot with his engine right next to my bedroom but turned it off. Todd got out and told him not to turn his engine back on, that I was sleeping right there, and he didn't. Thankfully we both got a little sleep.
The mechanic had to brake the hub off. Everything was fused together. It was ugly. Everything burned up. The axle was fried too. The "Axle Doctor" wouldn't even try on an RV. The shop owner said he would look in the surrounding cities and try to find an axle. None to be found. Todd got on the phone and I got on the internet trying to find an axle. None to be found... in this whole country! Really? Are you kidding!?! Nope. Todd on the phone with Coachmen. They can have one for us in two weeks. Todd asks who the manufacturer is. It starts with a "P" but we can't remember the name now. He got on with them and a wonderful lady named Tara helped us out! She could get us an axle, or have one made, but shipping... we're coming back up to South Bend Indiana! We had to leave the trailer in the parking lot, stayed in a motel, then drove 6.5 hours back up to pick up the axle and all components (hub). While we were up there Todd was trying to get an advance on his bond for the job he was doing, was still going to work for them from TN. That didn't turn out well and Todd terminated his contract with them. Gawd, that's another story. Tense, frustrating, grueling hours pass and we get to the manufacturer with little time to spare though we hit the road before sunrise. "Here're your parts!" Looking at it Todd noticed what they gave us was for six lugs, not five. On the phone with the angel named Tara again, she says "you're kidding". Nope. People stayed a little late, and we got it. Called the mechanic and it's going to cost $95 more on top of the $190 we already paid the shop. The axle was just under $500, not to mention the $200 or so for fuel. We were out of money. We thought thrice about having them do it but we didn't have money for anyone else to do it either. All we could do was see if they'd come down. Todd said we have $82 in the bank and $7 cash, can you do it for $85? The mechanic was really nice. He and the shop owner might have been playing "good cop bad cop" but after that he managed to fix it for nothing! He said his boss would let him fix it as long as he didn't have any other calls. I ran in to get food again, was so hungry. He fixed it in cold, rain, and dark. We like the mechanic a lot, to say the least. We plan to keep in touch because if there's anything we can do for him, we will. After we got back we sold the CB and had a little cash. Went to get fuel and our card was denied. We thought there was a mistake but checked and something hadn't cleared yet. We didn't have $82 in the bank, we had $.01, yes one penny in the bank. I usually keep up really good but well, boogers, I dropped the ball. Thank God we didn't know at the time.
We were basically in that parking lot for four days. I can not tell you all how nice the people are at the Love's Truck Stop in Horse Cave, KY. They are amazing! Everyone went above and beyond what they were required to do!
We sold the truck, bought a beautiful car. We sold the camper and rented a super cool apartment. Tonight is our last night in the trailer. There is so much I left out like when we were packing up Todd found the clippings from our dream / vision board and there was a dog that looked so much like our Jesse.
We'll always love this lifestyle. We'd like to do it again with freedom.
On our way home, a short eight hour trip, Todd was a little upset that we left later than we planned and was worried we'd hit some bad traffic. I said "don't be mad Baby, it's our last trip so let's have fun"! He quickly obliged, we didn't hit any traffic, and made a reservation (and paid) for one night at a campground we knew we could get into but had to come see if our first campground here had a spot big enough. The owner told us she really didn't know. We sang and had a great time. We like to wait until we need gas before we stop for food but I got so hungry. Though the gas gauge said keep going my stomach was growling and while still laughing and joking around I told Toddy-Bear he's got to go ahead and stop for food. We pulled into the Love's Truck stop in Horse Cave Kentucky and I pranced my happy self inside while Todd filled the tank. He came inside and said "we have a problem". "Oh, what's wrong." (Paraphrased) "we lost a grease cap on one of the axles of the trailer and grease from it has come out, it's smoking pretty bad. I'll move it to a parking spot". Metal on metal for we don't know how long. Another, who knows, ten miles we would've been pulling an inferno. We asked inside if they knew a good mechanic. "We have some phone numbers here." We called but it was fairly late. They'd send someone out around 7:00 am. Alright, so we're here for the night. We ate, chatted for a few, and it was time for bed. Todd insisted on sleeping in the truck 'cause we had quite a bit in the truck bed. He pulled out the slide for me (it's a push button but sort of like opening a door, he always does it). "Goodnight."
In the morning I heard that thing move and instantly went to sleep, it was about 6:00 am. I asked Todd to wake me at 6:45 and he did. He told me a gas pump filling truck driver told our diesel driving clinger to move his truck. Clinger moved his truck from one side of our camper to the other, not even in a parking spot with his engine right next to my bedroom but turned it off. Todd got out and told him not to turn his engine back on, that I was sleeping right there, and he didn't. Thankfully we both got a little sleep.
The mechanic had to brake the hub off. Everything was fused together. It was ugly. Everything burned up. The axle was fried too. The "Axle Doctor" wouldn't even try on an RV. The shop owner said he would look in the surrounding cities and try to find an axle. None to be found. Todd got on the phone and I got on the internet trying to find an axle. None to be found... in this whole country! Really? Are you kidding!?! Nope. Todd on the phone with Coachmen. They can have one for us in two weeks. Todd asks who the manufacturer is. It starts with a "P" but we can't remember the name now. He got on with them and a wonderful lady named Tara helped us out! She could get us an axle, or have one made, but shipping... we're coming back up to South Bend Indiana! We had to leave the trailer in the parking lot, stayed in a motel, then drove 6.5 hours back up to pick up the axle and all components (hub). While we were up there Todd was trying to get an advance on his bond for the job he was doing, was still going to work for them from TN. That didn't turn out well and Todd terminated his contract with them. Gawd, that's another story. Tense, frustrating, grueling hours pass and we get to the manufacturer with little time to spare though we hit the road before sunrise. "Here're your parts!" Looking at it Todd noticed what they gave us was for six lugs, not five. On the phone with the angel named Tara again, she says "you're kidding". Nope. People stayed a little late, and we got it. Called the mechanic and it's going to cost $95 more on top of the $190 we already paid the shop. The axle was just under $500, not to mention the $200 or so for fuel. We were out of money. We thought thrice about having them do it but we didn't have money for anyone else to do it either. All we could do was see if they'd come down. Todd said we have $82 in the bank and $7 cash, can you do it for $85? The mechanic was really nice. He and the shop owner might have been playing "good cop bad cop" but after that he managed to fix it for nothing! He said his boss would let him fix it as long as he didn't have any other calls. I ran in to get food again, was so hungry. He fixed it in cold, rain, and dark. We like the mechanic a lot, to say the least. We plan to keep in touch because if there's anything we can do for him, we will. After we got back we sold the CB and had a little cash. Went to get fuel and our card was denied. We thought there was a mistake but checked and something hadn't cleared yet. We didn't have $82 in the bank, we had $.01, yes one penny in the bank. I usually keep up really good but well, boogers, I dropped the ball. Thank God we didn't know at the time.
We were basically in that parking lot for four days. I can not tell you all how nice the people are at the Love's Truck Stop in Horse Cave, KY. They are amazing! Everyone went above and beyond what they were required to do!
We sold the truck, bought a beautiful car. We sold the camper and rented a super cool apartment. Tonight is our last night in the trailer. There is so much I left out like when we were packing up Todd found the clippings from our dream / vision board and there was a dog that looked so much like our Jesse.
We'll always love this lifestyle. We'd like to do it again with freedom.
