A Slight Delay

Yesterday I set out on my big trip to AZ and failed at finding a free campsite! I was in Tuscaloosa, AL and the Wal-Mart didn’t allow overnight parking and neither did the Cracker Barrel or even the Flying J Truck Stop! (Flying J didn’t allow RV’s) So I ended up at Sunset RV Park in Cottondale; full hookups including cable TV and good wifi signal and nice spacious sites for $29. Gosh that’s more than I planned to spend on the next 6 months of camping total!!!

As soon as I exited I-20 I heard my brakes making a terrible grinding noise….oh no! So early this morning I took the car to the Firestone dealer. I dropped the camper and took the car in, told the guy the brakes were making terrible noises. When they checked them out, they said the front brakes were in great shape but the rear brakes really needed replacing, they were almost down to the rotors. They also said my brake fluid was really dirty and needed changing (to the tune of an extra $60) When they add stuff like that I always wonder if it really needs it, or are they looking to make a little extra. There’s no way for me to know but now I have nice clean brake fluid. Oh and they didn’t hear any noises!!  Hmmm, how strange!

Well Princess Roxie and I sat in their waiting room from 8:20 until 1:00 and then I paid my $239 and hooked back up to the camper. As soon as I started out, there’s that screeching noise again. It was the TRAILER brakes, not the car!!  So now I need those too!! I just dialed them back on the brake controller so they’re not working now; I’m sure they can wait until I get to Yuma. Luckily my camper is light enough that it really doesn’t need brakes (until that deer steps out in front of me….) Well we’ll just hope that doesn’t happen.  I know I would not be able to find a trailer place to work on it on a Sunday, and I’m not going to waste any more time sitting around. I wanted Firestone to lube the bearings on the trailer but they said it had to be hoisted up and they didn’t have any way to do that with the trailer. (??) I guess that means I need to find a trailer repair place.

I only drove 180 miles today and it was raining the whole time. I really hate towing the camper in the rain. I found a Cracker Barrel that allows overnight parking, near Jackson, MS. I had my route all planned out but now I’ll have to do it all over again because of today’s low mileage. I think it’s also supposed to rain all day tomorrow so I’d better not plan on driving for a real long time; it really tires me out.

BUT….we’re on our way, just a little slower than I’d hoped. And a lot more expensive. Two people in the Firestone waiting room commented on how well-behaved Roxie is.  Haha, if they only knew what a demanding little brat she is at times!