Upon leaving the big hole we headed south to Flagstaff for a Monday am appointment to get the air springs installed on the magic bus. After about two hours my good friends at camping "just another grand" world, informed me they had ordered the wrong part. You know that really didn't bother me all that much. I just figured hey we'll just motor on down the road and the next camping world city we come to we'll get them installed there. So Jed packed up the coach and headed back up north to Page, AZ and Lake Powell and the Glen "Campbell" Canyon. We never got a real good feeling about ol' Lake Powell so we pulled the atlas out and said let's go north to Arches National Park and hit about three more National Parks. That one year membership to the National Parks was paying off big time.
To get to Arches you first have to go south and then north. So by lunchtime we are in the middle of the Navajo Nation near Kayenta, AZ. We ate at the Blue something cafe, when I saw Monument Valley was just down the road on RT 163 about 20 miles. I looked at Matt and said hey let's check it out, or maybe it was we're going to see this. He said fine but also wanted to go to Four Corners. I know to the UNC fans that means something completely else. This place is where all four states touch. Do you know which ones? I'm not naming names but initials are like, AZ UT NM and CO, I think.
So with a full tank of gas, we head down RT 163 into monument valley. This place was pretty cool with all these huge individual rocks (monuments). At just about the Utah state line I figured it was time to turn around and head for four corners. I spotted a large gravel lot ahead with a motorhome parked there and eased on off the road ( ok maybe 45 mph is not easing), when the right side wheels hit the gravel we heard a big pop. Being the wise, astute RV driver that I am, I swung that coach around and put her back on the highway headed south. Two miles later we heard a bang so loud I just knew the Navajo's had gotten ahold of drone and were taking out the white man. So now I really eased the magic bus off the road onto the shoulder. Wow a blown rear tire on the inside with alot of damage to the storage compartment, wires ripped out, piece of metal frame pointing at the tire and the entire contents inside the compartment just exploded.
I'm not saying I freaked out or panicked, well ok I did. I literally have a thousand thoughts going through my mind from, let's drive real slow on one tire to town, to my God there is no cell phone service here and we may last 4 days max. You know in the middle of a crisis, when the bullets are flying there is always that one person who just seem oblivious to it all? Well that person is not me, but I swear it is Matt. He was fine just firing up the generator and chilling with the TV until somebody showed up. Me, I'm calling emergency road service 25 times with all the calls that faded out panicked they will never get our location. To make a long story short, a great guy, Harrison, showed up, had to make 4 trips back and forth to town for tools and about 10.30pm our spare tire was in place and we were rolling again. We spent the night at Kayenta, left early this morning to reach Camping World by 8.30 for the privilege of spending a weeks income for one tire.
Adversity- I guess it's one of the lessons I'm supposed to learn on this trip. Considering my failing grade yesterday, I have a distinct impression this lesson is going to come again. Maybe the next time I can get a passing grade. God Bless, Art
To get to Arches you first have to go south and then north. So by lunchtime we are in the middle of the Navajo Nation near Kayenta, AZ. We ate at the Blue something cafe, when I saw Monument Valley was just down the road on RT 163 about 20 miles. I looked at Matt and said hey let's check it out, or maybe it was we're going to see this. He said fine but also wanted to go to Four Corners. I know to the UNC fans that means something completely else. This place is where all four states touch. Do you know which ones? I'm not naming names but initials are like, AZ UT NM and CO, I think.
So with a full tank of gas, we head down RT 163 into monument valley. This place was pretty cool with all these huge individual rocks (monuments). At just about the Utah state line I figured it was time to turn around and head for four corners. I spotted a large gravel lot ahead with a motorhome parked there and eased on off the road ( ok maybe 45 mph is not easing), when the right side wheels hit the gravel we heard a big pop. Being the wise, astute RV driver that I am, I swung that coach around and put her back on the highway headed south. Two miles later we heard a bang so loud I just knew the Navajo's had gotten ahold of drone and were taking out the white man. So now I really eased the magic bus off the road onto the shoulder. Wow a blown rear tire on the inside with alot of damage to the storage compartment, wires ripped out, piece of metal frame pointing at the tire and the entire contents inside the compartment just exploded.
I'm not saying I freaked out or panicked, well ok I did. I literally have a thousand thoughts going through my mind from, let's drive real slow on one tire to town, to my God there is no cell phone service here and we may last 4 days max. You know in the middle of a crisis, when the bullets are flying there is always that one person who just seem oblivious to it all? Well that person is not me, but I swear it is Matt. He was fine just firing up the generator and chilling with the TV until somebody showed up. Me, I'm calling emergency road service 25 times with all the calls that faded out panicked they will never get our location. To make a long story short, a great guy, Harrison, showed up, had to make 4 trips back and forth to town for tools and about 10.30pm our spare tire was in place and we were rolling again. We spent the night at Kayenta, left early this morning to reach Camping World by 8.30 for the privilege of spending a weeks income for one tire.
Adversity- I guess it's one of the lessons I'm supposed to learn on this trip. Considering my failing grade yesterday, I have a distinct impression this lesson is going to come again. Maybe the next time I can get a passing grade. God Bless, Art
MONUMENT VALLEY
PART OF THE WHEEL WELL DAMAGE
sounds like a real epiphany moment. two things come to mind. one is the first roadtrip i took to nyc with a couple of friends many years ago. i will post a "reply" entry about it on my tumblr blog. the 2nd is the immortal phrase stamped on the cover of the hitchhikers guide to the universe (not the novel by douglas adams, but the actual guide referred to in the novel) - DON'T PANIC!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had one of those "The Hills Have Eyes" moments out in the middle of nowhere...Glad it all worked out ok.
ReplyDeletethanks guys I appreciate it!!!!
ReplyDelete