This has been sitting on my computer for about 4 days since it all went down, and a more up-to-date post will be coming soon...
First off, I never really planned to drive at night, if I could help it, but a series of unfortunate events lead us to the eventuality of driving toward Kingman, AZ at nightfall, and of course bad things happened.
The day started off well enough, woke up at beautiful Nellis AFB, NV with the intention to grocery shop to fill the fridge and head out to Hoover Dam and beyond in preparations for our trip to see the Grand Canyon. Kids were dawdling and just wanted to ride bikes and play at the park all day, but being the slave driver that I am, I instead gathered them up, we hit the grocery store and got what we needed, unhooked the RV and got ready to go.
We headed around, north of Vegas and finally hit the east side and the highways leading south. The roads to Hoover Dam were fairly uneventful, but when it came time to make the turn, the road did NOT look RV friendly. I am driving with the car in tow, and didn’t want to risk not being able to turn around so I decided to keep going and wait to see if there was a safe place to disconnect and go back with just the car. Such a place does not really exist near the Dam on the AZ side. We ended up driving about half an hour south, and finding an interesting place to stop.
Items of potential interest include the ability to shoot machine guns, and the availability of both helicopter and monster truck rides. It’s called Arizona Last Stop and they were kind enough as to let us disconnect and leave the RV for a few hours so we could tour the Dam. They even brought out a battery charger and jumped the Honda for us.
First off, I never really planned to drive at night, if I could help it, but a series of unfortunate events lead us to the eventuality of driving toward Kingman, AZ at nightfall, and of course bad things happened.
The day started off well enough, woke up at beautiful Nellis AFB, NV with the intention to grocery shop to fill the fridge and head out to Hoover Dam and beyond in preparations for our trip to see the Grand Canyon. Kids were dawdling and just wanted to ride bikes and play at the park all day, but being the slave driver that I am, I instead gathered them up, we hit the grocery store and got what we needed, unhooked the RV and got ready to go.
We headed around, north of Vegas and finally hit the east side and the highways leading south. The roads to Hoover Dam were fairly uneventful, but when it came time to make the turn, the road did NOT look RV friendly. I am driving with the car in tow, and didn’t want to risk not being able to turn around so I decided to keep going and wait to see if there was a safe place to disconnect and go back with just the car. Such a place does not really exist near the Dam on the AZ side. We ended up driving about half an hour south, and finding an interesting place to stop.
Items of potential interest include the ability to shoot machine guns, and the availability of both helicopter and monster truck rides. It’s called Arizona Last Stop and they were kind enough as to let us disconnect and leave the RV for a few hours so we could tour the Dam. They even brought out a battery charger and jumped the Honda for us.
Oh yeah. Unfortunately, when we
disconnected the Honda, the battery was dead. Not sure how, I guess I didn't
double check well enough, but the cable that keeps the braking system charging had
disconnected and was just loose and therefore, dead battery. There is something
about the Honda set up that makes it so that when the battery dies, the radio,
Navigation and back-up camera quits as well. It has happened before, but when
the battery is reconnected/recharged, it starts up again, but this time, it
didn't. Poop!
Ah well, we can find our way back to the Dam, and the lack of radio was not tragic, so we made due, with the only real issue the lack of power to the car charger for my phone. We went, we saw, we threw coins off of Hoover Dam, then headed back to hook up again and hit the road. I had an RV park in mind in Kingman, AZ and had called and they had openings, but I did not make a reservation. Figured I’d make my way there when we got there, she said we’d be fine without a reservation. Sweet. Until…
Ah well, we can find our way back to the Dam, and the lack of radio was not tragic, so we made due, with the only real issue the lack of power to the car charger for my phone. We went, we saw, we threw coins off of Hoover Dam, then headed back to hook up again and hit the road. I had an RV park in mind in Kingman, AZ and had called and they had openings, but I did not make a reservation. Figured I’d make my way there when we got there, she said we’d be fine without a reservation. Sweet. Until…
About 15 minutes outside of
Kingman, about 25 minutes from our destination, the engine started making a
different noise, a slapping noise, as I accelerated or engaged the engine.
That’s not good. But, I found a sweet spot that was slightly below the speed
that I wanted to go, but it kept the engine from making that horrid noise. I
threw on the hazards and slowed down. Cruising is good too, right? Although it
was starting to get a little dark in that desert, but at least we were still
moving, right? Until...
Oh yeah, the sweet spot
disappeared and all of the sudden, the check engine light started a slow flash,
like every 20-30 seconds it would pop on, then off again very quickly. Not
good. So not good! But wait, we’re
almost to a town. With lights. And services. Surely we could make it there,
right? Wrong. I passed a highway interchange, and all of the sudden, really bad
noises, loss of engine speed and the check engine and Low Oil Pressure lights
both lit up. I pulled over to the side and onto the embankment between the
onramp from the interchange and the highway.
)insert swear word of choice(
This is not good.
Panic for the five seconds that I can allow it without freaking out the kids and start thinking about how badly I wish I had Good Sam roadside coverage. Wait, isn't roadside assistance part of my insurance dealio? Find insurance paper on counter that I have been meaning to file and yes, roadside assistance at $19/year IS a part of our insurance! Feeling pretty smart, I call them up. It is just before 7, and it is officially dark, with the exception of passing cars and the lights in front of me of some kind of power sub-station area.
The roadside assistance program worked as it should, and I took a few minutes while we waited to unhook the Pilot, which had, for some reason died again (the reason is that the charger that activates the braking system was not functioning and therefore the car was not recharging. Or something). Anyway, a State Trooper happened by and stopped to ensure we had help coming if needed, and that we weren't simply stopping for the night or whatnot (yeah, on the side of the highway, getting shaken by every single truck that went past. Sure let’s do that sometime). He was kind enough to jump start the Pilot while we waited for the tow truck, which would be there any second, right?
Okay, let’s be honest it was over an hour. If you've never seen an RV getting hooked up to a tow truck, well it is quite the process, which took nearly an hour to accomplish. Kids were waiting patiently in the car. No, they were screaming and fighting and fussing. They were getting tired, and hungry and done with being in a small confined space together, and once the tow guy hooked up the rig, he asked us to follow him to the Ford dealer so we would know where it was and so that we could lock it up. Sure, I’d love to!
When we got there, it was another half of an hour disconnecting the RV from the truck while I called around looking for an affordable hotel for the night, but the only room I could find in the first three hotels of choice was a two room King suite for $189+tax, no discounts available due to it being the last room. Um, no (as tempting as the idea of a suite was at the time!). He gets completely disconnected, we do paperwork, and I lock the RV up and we head to a fast food place and the Best Western hotel we had found. Exhausted, the kids still want to take baths simply for the novelty of baths after a few months of showers only and we finally get to sleep around 11.
Panic for the five seconds that I can allow it without freaking out the kids and start thinking about how badly I wish I had Good Sam roadside coverage. Wait, isn't roadside assistance part of my insurance dealio? Find insurance paper on counter that I have been meaning to file and yes, roadside assistance at $19/year IS a part of our insurance! Feeling pretty smart, I call them up. It is just before 7, and it is officially dark, with the exception of passing cars and the lights in front of me of some kind of power sub-station area.
The roadside assistance program worked as it should, and I took a few minutes while we waited to unhook the Pilot, which had, for some reason died again (the reason is that the charger that activates the braking system was not functioning and therefore the car was not recharging. Or something). Anyway, a State Trooper happened by and stopped to ensure we had help coming if needed, and that we weren't simply stopping for the night or whatnot (yeah, on the side of the highway, getting shaken by every single truck that went past. Sure let’s do that sometime). He was kind enough to jump start the Pilot while we waited for the tow truck, which would be there any second, right?
Okay, let’s be honest it was over an hour. If you've never seen an RV getting hooked up to a tow truck, well it is quite the process, which took nearly an hour to accomplish. Kids were waiting patiently in the car. No, they were screaming and fighting and fussing. They were getting tired, and hungry and done with being in a small confined space together, and once the tow guy hooked up the rig, he asked us to follow him to the Ford dealer so we would know where it was and so that we could lock it up. Sure, I’d love to!
When we got there, it was another half of an hour disconnecting the RV from the truck while I called around looking for an affordable hotel for the night, but the only room I could find in the first three hotels of choice was a two room King suite for $189+tax, no discounts available due to it being the last room. Um, no (as tempting as the idea of a suite was at the time!). He gets completely disconnected, we do paperwork, and I lock the RV up and we head to a fast food place and the Best Western hotel we had found. Exhausted, the kids still want to take baths simply for the novelty of baths after a few months of showers only and we finally get to sleep around 11.
Up in the morning, we clean up
our stuff, grab a decent breakfast that was included in our hotel price, then
head to the Ford dealership where we get not-so great news. “I’m not trying to
worry you, but the last time we had something like this in here, I think it
took 12 days to get back on the road. If you have somewhere to go, I suggest
you leave town and go somewhere more comfortable than a hotel.”
)insert swear word of choice(
Fortunately, my mother has seven
brothers and sisters and even more fortunately six of them live in the Phoenix
area just a short 3-4 hour drive south. I haven’t yet contacted them with a
firm idea of when we’d be in town, but now seemed like as good a time as any. Fortunately, my Uncle opened his home to us
and we invaded with a ton of energy. I think we’re here for a few days, then
perhaps share the love with another of my mother’s sibs, before we head back to
pick up on our journey.
Have I mentioned that it is raining? In Phoenix? Yeah, we’re looking for a little good luck and soon! Until next time…
Have I mentioned that it is raining? In Phoenix? Yeah, we’re looking for a little good luck and soon! Until next time…
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