Road Trip - Westward Ho!

Moving from Chester, South Carolina to Loma Linda, California

July 17th, 2016 to July 31st, 2016

The westward migration from Chester, South Carolina to Loma Linda, California was an interesting study in modern travel. 

Leaving on the Sunday afternoon of July 17th, 2016 the weather was hot but the skies were clear of clouds. My 2004 Chevy Silverado 3500, dual wheels, crew cab, and eight foot long truck bed had been inspected by the Chevy Dealership in York, South Carolina and with some repairs and maintenance had been given a clean bill of health the week before. The 2011 Alpine fifth wheel by Keystone had been repaired and maintenance by Tracy’s RV two weeks before and inspected a second time by Wholesale Warranty to extend a four year warranty. Everything was checked out for my almost fifty foot rig. Nothing should go wrong!

The two granddaughters, Caitlin, seven years old, and Madeline twenty-two months old had spent June and July with Sandy and I in South Carolina. The plan was to for them to be my back seat pilots and drop them off to their parents in Tucson, Arizona on the way to California. Sandy would not be able to join us as the house at 946 Looking Glass Drive had not sold yet. So we three musketeers headed west into the sun that Sunday afternoon. 

I had planned on visiting my High School buddy, Steve Hyatt and his wife, Astrid, on this trip. They agreed to come halfway and we would meet in the Nashville, Tennessee KOA. I had not seen him in a decade and was looking forward to meeting my old buddy!

The journey was going well for the first hour or forty miles on the road! As we approached Jonesville, South Carolina the diesel engine started to lose rpms. In a few miles with the pedal to the metal and a maximum speed of fifteen miles an hour, the engine ceased to run. Now in Jonesville proper there was no place to park on the main street. Using momentum we drifted down a side street and then ran out of momentum too. Parked in front of a house with a forty foot RV and a twenty two foot dually, is a little embarrassing. I immediately pop the hood and tried to prime the fuel filter to get the engine running. After many attempts with less than a minute engine run time, I recognized this was futile, frustrating, finale!

I called Sandy. She was less than an hour away because she would not be towing an RV or going fifteen miles an hour. I called and only got the answering machine. Little did I know that on our departure, she had locked herself out of the house with the keys and phone on the kitchen table. She could not call for help and the neighbors were not home to help. She was locked out in the heat of the July South Carolina day! 

Without the option of family or friends to come to my rescue, I called for road service. Three o’clock in the afternoon was a busy time for the Good Sam’s road service. They informed me that they had heavy call volume and would put me on hold and get back as soon as possible. The music started to play on the cell phone while we waited. 

The temperature was in the low 90’s and the humidity was always high in South Carolina. A look at my two little girls told me I had to find them cool shelter quickly. Caitlin held my hand as I carried little Madeline three blocks to a Kangaroo Express Gas Station. I purchased drinks and we stayed standing in the store, thankful for the air conditioning. After two hours of listening to the same music on the cell phone, a representative came on line and explained that they were having a high volume of callers and would get to me as soon as possible. Then he hung up! No music! No help? This isn’t good!

Well, calling for help wasn’t working. I was going to have to try something else. Cool and refreshed from our stay in Kangaroo Gas Station, we walked back to the truck and RV with a prayer that we could get the truck started. A neighbor near the truck asked what was wrong. I explain my problem. He told me that LeRoy Williams that lived across the street could fix anything, except the break of dawn, and he was working on that! With that helpful lead, I walked with Caitlin and carrying Madeline to meet LeRoy Williams. 

Mr. Williams looked like it had been a hard day’s night! He listened to my story and said he would be glad to help me. He went back to his garage or workshop and it was chained and locked shut. He looked for his keys for a while and without success in locating them went and found a hammer. He started swinging strongly at the lock. I knew this wasn’t going to open the lock. Even bullets won’t open a lock. Much to my surprise after four or five direct hits the lock sprung open! Maybe he could fix everything?

Mr. Williams grabbed some tools and we walked over to the truck. He crawled under the truck and looked for the fuel filter. I popped the hood and showed him how I could prime the fuel filter by pumping the plunger. I started the engine and after about a minute it stopped. Just as how I had left the truck. Mr. Williams told me “Well this is easy!” I’ll pump and you run the engine. I went back in the cab and he started pumping. The engine came to life and after a few minutes, he stopped pumping and the engine keep running! I gunned the engine and the rpms kept up! 

He closed the hood and told me to try run it up the street. With no problem the truck pulled the RV to the top of the hill. I pulled on to Route 9 and left the truck running. I quickly put the girls in their car seats and fastened the seat belts. I hollered a thank you to Mr. Williams and headed west. He waved and smiled proudly at another one of his accomplishments.

I called Steve and Astrid and they encouraged me to forget about Nashville and just head west. That was the best course of action. I had lost four hours of travel time. You don’t always get what you want. The fifth year class reunion for NBC 1969 is coming up in three years, perhaps then.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, around 7:00 p.m. my neighbor called and let me know that Sandy was locked out asked if he could break a window, so she could get back in the house. Sandy and I had put in ten new Pella Windows (expensive) in the house last year. I recommended that he take a crow bar and wedge the front door open, as I had bought a new front door and it was not installed yet. Twenty minutes latter, Sandy called back and reported success and minimal damage by prying the front door! Archimedes was right you can move the earth with a lever!

Around 7:20 p.m., Good Sam’s called me back and wanted to know where I was and what my problems was, with the caveat that it would be a couple of hours before they could get help to me. I assured them that I had worked things out and thanked them for the call back. We kept on trucking.

Well about 1:30 a.m. on Interstate 20, near Tallapoosa, Georgia there was a loud boom! The RV and truck wiggled and waggled. Sparks were flying off the RV as I looked in the driver’s side mirror. I slowed and pulled onto the berm. With a flashlight I could see the few remains of a blown rear tire on the RV. The rim was an alloy rim and already damaged. The RV fender, underside, and panel were cracked and crinkled! Eighteen wheelers were whizzing by at 75 and 80 miles per hours. 

Not a good place to stop! I put on the four way flashers and headed west at 35 mph! About five miles down the road there was an exit with a truck stop and a place to park. I asked if we could park for the night and there was no problem. I did not extend the slideouts because of the other trucks parked beside us. The granddaughters and I crawled in to the bed in the RV. The night was hot and humid but if felt good to lay down at 2:30 in the morning. 

Somehow at 6:00 in the morning Madeline rolled off the bed and fell to the floor. She was uninjured and unhappy. We went to the truck stop and used the restrooms and got breakfast. I asked if they could change the tire and put the spare on. They could do that for eighteen wheelers trailers but not RVs because of the liability. They directed to another truck stop. We drove slowly into Alabama and two other truck stops with the same story, too much liability with a fifth wheel. At last in Oxford, Alabama John at the Walmart Super Center agreed to change the tire and put the spare on. Then he wouldn’t take any money for the service. They were so nice and I was so grateful. John directed me to another place to purchase another tire and eight lug rim.

Rockwell American turned out to be the right place for a spare tire and rim and as a bonus the lady at the counter gave me jobber rates for the tire and rim! I think the cute little 22 month old and seven year old granddaughters were responsible for this reduction in price!

I did not feel confident with the engine, and the possibility of another shut down was a real concern. Prayer does help! I called my cousin, Chris Ritchey, in Prattville, Alabama and asked if there was a good Chevy Dealership there? If they were going to take some time to make the Diesel ship shape, I wanted to be close to family.

We arrived in Prattville around noon. Chris suggested I follow him to Burger King and we get some lunch. I made the mistake of cutting the corner too close when entering the parking lot.  I grew up on a farm and knew to make a farmer’s turn, but I didn’t! The RV jumped the curb and got stuck in the shrubbery. The ground was soft and the tires sunk in. This required some rocking back and forth and some squealing tires but we got the RV out but with it came a flat tire! I had to go in apologize to the manager. She was so busy with the lunch crowd that she told me not to worry about the shrubbery, that they would take care of this because people do this all the time. She did thank me for letting her know! 

We ate lunch and sure enough the diesel engine wouldn’t start. I pumped and primed the filter and Chris started the engine. We drove to the nearest Walmart and had the flat tire changed with the recently purchased spare tire. Again Walmart did not charge me for this service. Thank you Lord! Again the diesel engine would start. Pump and prime got the diesel running again. 

Larry Puckett Chevrolet was able to get us in right away. After five hours of watching two little girls in the waiting room, they announced that the repair was complete. A crack in the fuel filter housing was the culprit. This allowed air in the fuel system and vapor lock. They were able to find a replacement and put in a new fuel filter. That did the trick! Four hundred and fifty eight dollars and eight cents later we were on the road again. Don’t know if I got the cute granddaughter discount here? 

We had dinner with Chris, Judith, and their son, Drew. Then we headed west! We had lost more hours but we were more confident that we would reach our destination without further ado. That night we pulled off at a Super Walmart to get diesel fuel and parked the RV in their parking lot. The Murphy gas station attendant showed us where was the best place to park and assured that they security that would keep us safe. 

We set up the RV with the windows open and the side slide outs. A little warm but comfortable to lay flat and sleep. We put Madeline on the floor to sleep so there would be no more accidents. The next morning we went in to Walmart for a bathroom break, breakfast, and a few things for the girls. A talking two foot red Elmo fuzzy doll came out with us and the Walmart bill over one hundred dollars for food, clothes, and supplies. Now I know why Walmart welcomes you to park the RV in their parking lots at night!   

With the sun to our back we were on our way west. We had just cleared Shreveport, Louisiana and I called Uncle Donald and Aunt Judy in Arlington, Texas and told them to expect us about two o’clock as we crossed the Louisiana-Texas border. Well we were in Texas just two miles, I was on the phone (blue tooth device – I was being safe) when there was another loud noise and swaying of the RV and truck. I remember this from the other night!

Caitlin also noted that there was something wrong. I pulled off to the side of Interstate 20 and now on the passenger’s side of the RV another tire had blown! More damage to the other side of the RV. Fortunately, the exit was in sight, I could possibly save the alloy wheel. I got off the interstate and used the internet and cell phone to locate a few tire shops. The nearest one with eight lug rims was in Marshall, Texas!

Unfortunately, Marshall, Texas was twenty miles away, so much for saving the alloy wheel. Taking a back road with the four way flashers going, we arrived without another incident. The salesman said to me “The next time you buy tires for that RV, I would suggest you upgrade from a 10 ply tire to a 14 ply tire. Because your RV is really heavy!” to which I responded. “This is the next time, let us make them 14 ply!”

Well in less than two hours, I had four new tires and two new rims on my fifth wheel! As we were paying the bill, the nice lady, looked at me holding the cute little 22 month old and the seven year old by my side, she looked at the $1200 bill, then she said, “I’m going to give you jobber rates and help reduce your bill.” She typed in the computer and the new bill was four hundred dollars less. I thanked her profusely. We now call this the two granddaughter discount. The next time you have a major purchase to make you may wish to borrow my cute granddaughters!

Trucking on west, we arrived in Arlington, Texas KOA around seven o’clock that night. After setting up the RV and disconnecting the truck we went and visited Uncle Donald and Aunt Judy.  We came back to the KOA and went for a swim and the girls played in the playground. Then for the first time in three days could have a hot shower, air conditioning and TV. That was great feeling! We slept very well that night.

The next morning we were called and requested to visit Uncle Donald and Aunt Judy for breakfast. Aunt Judy had made a “care package” for us with snacks and drinks for our trip. You know when folks treat you so nice and special. I am truly blessed to have such caring people that I can say are my relatives.

We headed west again and were zooming across the long state of Texas on Interstate 20 about forty miles from Abilene when there was a loud whooshing sound and a sudden loss of power.  As I pressed the pedal down, there was no response. I had lost power again. The engine was running but almost like it had a governor on it. 

With the pedal to the floor the best the engine would run was forty miles per hour. I pulled off the side of the road and popped the hood. The hose that connects the cold air blower to the diesel engine intake manifold had come loose. The clamp hose were still there but I could not even get near them, as the engine and surrounding compartment was better for frying eggs than being touched. As usual the speed limit was eighty miles per hour and eighteen-wheeler were rocking us as they went flying by. I decided to make a run for Abilene. The area I had pulled off on the berm was uninhabited by man nor beast nor plant! This was in West Texas!

I called the Chevy dealership in Abilene and they noted that they would be closed at 5:00 p.m. and they could not help me in tonight. They would try for an early morning appointment the next morning. 

I called the Abilene KOA and they did have a space open for the RV. We limped into the KOA about 7:00 p.m. that night. After setting up the RV, we immediately went to the swimming pool! Caitlin and Madeline are closely related to fish. They love the water. In less than five minutes, Caitlin met another camper with a Mermaid swimming suit. This eight year old was named Madeline as well! They became best of buddies.

The next morning I popped the hood and loosened the clamp on the cool air blower hose. I slid the hose onto the intake manifold. I just tightened the clamp and the hose slid off again. I tried a second time and the hose slid off. I took a blue towel and wipe the hose and the intake manifold clean. I said a prayer. I tightened the clamp a third time and the hose slid off again. With frustration and failure near, I pushed hard on the hose and tightened the clamp while calling out to the Lord for help. The hose stayed on. I tugged on the hose to double check. Yes, that was holding.

After saying goodbye to Caitlin’s friend we headed out. Just as we were approaching the Interstate 20 from the campground I noticed a Mermaid swimming suit on the road. I pulled off and picked it up. The suit looked like Madeline’s, Caitlin’s new friend. So we called her phone number. Sure enough, last night they put the suit on the tailgate of the pickup truck to dry. Her Mom had later gone to get some groceries and had forgotten about the fin suit. Her Dad quickly came and retrieved the mermaid suit and thanked us for the recovery! Then we headed west!

Driving with the sun high over head about fifty mile west of Pecos, Texas, the scorching heat (About 115 degrees) was cooking the barren plains (desert?). I was cruising about sixty-five miles an hour when I noticed the temperature gauges for the water and the transmission were both approaching the red line. I immediately slowed to forty miles per hour and carefully and continuously watched the gauges. They slowly returned to normal. 

I was most fortunate that I detected this before a red line. You have got to keep moving to keep cooling for if you stop the latent heat will peaked you into the red zone and you will have had major problems. I could creep up to fifty mile per hour, but anything higher would raise the temperatures on the gauges. 

Through El Paso, then into New Mexico and finally as the day turned to night and temperatures dropped we could gain some speed. Then, around ten p.m., the Arizona Monsoon came with the heavy down pours of rain. All the traffic on Interstate 10 was going ten to fifteen miles per hour. The rain was sporadic and the roads were wet, so caution was our ally.

At 1:30 a.m. we arrived at the girl’s home in Green Valley.  Jason and I carried the sleeping beauties to their beds. It was July 22nd, and Caitlin’s birthday. The birthday girl was home safe and sound with her little sister.

I then drove to the nearest Walmart (less than a mile away) to sleep for the rest of the night. That day I visited with my son-in-law and granddaughters. I investigated repairs to the RV. Lazydays in Tucson, Arizona was going to be significantly less expense than Camping World in San Bernardino, California. Jason offered the use of the 2004 Conversion Van while the RV was being repaired. 

The Reche Canyon Mobile Estates could not accommodate a conversion vans so I would need to stay in a motel for the week while repairs were completed. On Saturday, there was a birthday party for Caitlin with the attendance of her family and friends. I took the conversion van to the Brake Max to see why there was trouble starting the van. A new battery and some other repairs were required to make it road worthy. On Sunday, I headed west to California.

On the way through the desert the heat was 115 and the heat from the exhaust started to melt the ground effects. When you’re hot, you’re hot! Other than that there were no incidents.

There was a problem with processing paper work with human resources at Loma Linda University Medical Center and I was unable to officially start work on Monday, July 25th, 2016. I did get to explore and learn more about the Hospital. Friday, I returned to Tucson, Arizona and visited with my Son-in-law and granddaughters while picking up the repaired Fifth wheel RV. On Sunday, I drove to Reche Canyon Mobile Estates in Colton California. My GPS sent me over a small road with construction and 90 degree turns that made the journey a challenge but we made it with no damage.

The RV park is just three miles from the Loma Linda University Medical Center. Not a long journey to work each day now! I can almost walk to work! This is climate wise a desert with temperature in the 90’s every day and no humidity. They say it never rains in southern California. The song is correct!

One flat tire, two blow outs, two mechanical breakdowns, and a lot of hot weather but my granddaughters and I made it across the whole country. From East Coast to West Coast in less than a week! This westward ho trip was challenging, but without injury except to the pocket book. The memories will last a lifetime.

So that’s how we moved from Chester, South Carolina to Loma Linda, California, with a little help from my family, friends and a lot of help from God. The journey of over 2,330 miles was truly an interesting study in modern travel.