We're packed and out of the RV park before 11am, and ready to head out into the great
unknown. First, though, we visit a truck
stop. We fill both the RV and car with
gas, and I also check the oil. We've been
worried about the pressure in one of the tires, and Vicky discovers that this
place, a Love's, has a service where they will check and fill all your tires
for $5. So I drive around the back and
have them do this. At this point I've
started and stopped the RV engine four times already this morning as I maneuver
it into position, and I do his one more time while we hitch up the car and get
ready to go.
Vicky tries to start the engine and nothing happens. It doesn't even turn over! My first thought is there's a short in the
electric connection to the tow car, so I disconnect that, but still the RV
won't start. We visit the mechanics in
the service station. They try tightening
the connections to the battery - to no avail.
Finally they do something underneath the RV and it starts. They inform me it's probably the starter
solenoid that needs replacing and advise me not to turn off the engine as it
may not start again.
Neither these mechanics nor anyone else in Cedar
City will be able to help us, and
since our route through Nevada is
on lonely roads with only the occasional small town, it's time to rethink our
plans. Vicky makes several calls and
finds a shop in St. George - 50 miles in
the wrong direction - that is willing to help us. It's an easy drive - straight down I15 - with
an altitude drop of over 2500 feet and a temperature rise of 15-20
degrees.
We arrive at the shop to find Scott, the service manager,
trying to do multiple tasks at the same time.
He's not convinced of the diagnosis from Love's and wants his mechanic
to check things out, but the RV is too big to fit on his hoist so the mechanic
will have to crawl underneath. The
outside temp is around 100 degrees and the RV is hot from the drive so it's not
going to be done today. Plus which he
has to call our warranty company to get approval for the repair and can't do
this until he's checked out the car. So
we are facing a weekend in St. George - with the RV in a parking lot so we
can't stay in it.
We find a friendly hotel that will take us and the cats at a
good rate, and make a reservation. We do
a frantic packing and both cats draw blood from me as I try to get them ready
to move - they're scared and let me know it!
But we do get into a nice big air conditioned room and they soon make
themselves at home. We find a restaurant
across the road from the hotel and Vicky enjoys ribs while I devour about half
of a pork chop and bring the rest back to the room.
We were supposed to be in a KOA campground in Ely Nevada
for 2 nights and have tickets for a train ride tomorrow. I call both to cancel. We have to pay a one night cancellation fee
at the campground but they will credit it if we stay there in future which
hopefully we will. After several phone
calls the railroad agrees to refund what we paid for the train. So it's time to enjoy a weekend of enforced
leisure. Never a dull moment when you
travel with an RV!
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