June 15, 2007
One problem after another…
It was a full day of mixed emotions, on our first Friday of the trip. Breakdowns are unavoidable, and frequent stops make progress slow. The small electrical fire last night gave us a few new problems that were hard to diagnose. It triggered a chain reaction of battery, alternator, regulator, and gauge issues. All very exciting to have on busy highways. When we pull over the driver signals to the pit crew to get ready to run out and fix stuff, something different every time. We’re getting pretty fast at it. I am running my laptop right now through a power inverter connected to the Winnebago in an attempt to use as much electricity as we can to prevent a surge. A series of temporary fixes keep us going, as I type this on Interstate 44 heading west towards Springfield, Missouri. We hope to get out of this state as soon as possible, hoping that by crossing the border we stop having mechanical problems.
Even as I write the cabin is flickering with lights, shorting out, and regaining power. To prevent a fire we draw as much energy away from the battery by turning on all of the lights, music and computers. The lights only work through a surge, causing a quick flicker every few minutes, but to prevent windshield glare we covered the lights with paper plates and duck tape; a real pro job of it too. The Winnebago is like a weed, you can hurt it but it just won’t die.
Earlier today we stopped by a river to take another bath. Inside the Winnebago during the day, it gets really hot. We really needed a clean up, bad. Past a dozen cow farms and down a dirt road, was the bridge was parked by. Bathing suits, towels, and soap in hand, all of us made our way to the bank. The water was a comfortable temperature and we decided to stick around for a while. Catching crayfish became not only a game, but a hunt for dinner. Four hours and thirty crayfish later, we ate on the side of the bridge. All of the crayfish were boiled, only a few of them eaten. The owner of the property drove up in her truck and offered us a place to park and stay for the night. We talked it over and decided that we should probably catch up for lost time yesterday. Complete strangers have been really nice to us so far and very interested in our road trip. We’ve made a few new friends so far, and hope to make some more.
The neighbor’s dog came down to investigate and we played with him for a while. We gave him the name Matt, after Jordan Miedema’s old dog, who he reminded us of. We took off, pulled back onto the road and almost tipped over. The top-heavy Winnebago doesn’t handle big curbs all too well, but we made it. There is a thin layer of dirt over the body from traveling on the dirt roads back here. Helen is a versatile vehicle, dominating pavement and gravel wherever she goes.
Tensions between the guys are dying down from where they were earlier today. Frustration was at its peak when we pulled into a BP gas station to try and fix our battery problem. There were a few different opinions on how Helen should be fixed, none of them succeeding on the first try. Realizing we were expecting too much out of out 35 year friend, we all chilled out a little, and lightened up. Now, problems are just humorous as they are always happening. We know that we aren’t invincible anymore, but also that we can’t get too stressed out about it. Right this minute, we’re between problems and doing great. “Jump on It” is blaring and everyone is feeling much better. We’re looking for a someplace to park for the night, hopefully outside the state of Missouri, hopefully.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
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