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Local Roadrunners are everywhere like in the Rest Stop
Day 17 “Mi Casa Es Mu Casa
This was one of those days that you don’t want to have happen when you are traveling. Well, it could be worse but with a trailer when you have mechanical breakdown of some sort it puts up a big question mark. First of all, what is the problem, and secondly , how much time, energy and money will it take? We have not gotten past number one at this point.
We were sailing along in West Texas and looking forward to seeing El Paso and then Las Cruces, New Mexico and the nut plantations, a few miles north. We had a gasoline stop in Fort Stockton and had stopped for lunch at the rest area just after exit #55 on I-10. The lunch was the usual fare of a 1/2 sandwich , some liquid and fruit. Then, getting back into the car the motor would not start. Had good battery, but it just wouldn’t turn over. So we tried the usual things , check battery, all lights, and the oil. UGH, the oil! The dip stick showed dry so had the engine froze? Would it start with more oil? I begged, politely, some oil from a trucker and tried that , but to no avail. A man assisted me to try to “jump start ‘ the engine , but all it would do is “click, click” when the key was turned. He stayed with that quite a while. So it looked like we would be here a while (note this is Sunday and little in the way of auto maintenance is open) so we called AAA. The best move was to stay put at night and have AAA come in the morning to tow us in to the nearest Ford Dealer and hope that we could get a remedy. Meanwhile we were parked in the Rest Area on I-10, where the sign says “24 hour limit on use of the Rest Area.”. I called 6 different numbers. (your cell phone will dial the DOT state your phone is registered in automatically so I got the MI State Police.) After six different calls I did get the Texas Rangers in El Paso. They were “out of the office” and would call me later (They never did call) so I left a number. We will overnight here and pick up this story tomorrow. Will it have happy ending? As we often say, stay tuned. (This was late Sunday eve)
Next day Monday eve.---
Last night in the Rest Area the wind howled at 40+ mph and it actually snowed enough so when I went out late in the evening I could feelthe fine snow and sand on my face. It was a stormy night in the trailer on the hill.
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Day 17 “Mi Casa Es Mu Casa
This was one of those days that you don’t want to have happen when you are traveling. Well, it could be worse but with a trailer when you have mechanical breakdown of some sort it puts up a big question mark. First of all, what is the problem, and secondly , how much time, energy and money will it take? We have not gotten past number one at this point.
We were sailing along in West Texas and looking forward to seeing El Paso and then Las Cruces, New Mexico and the nut plantations, a few miles north. We had a gasoline stop in Fort Stockton and had stopped for lunch at the rest area just after exit #55 on I-10. The lunch was the usual fare of a 1/2 sandwich , some liquid and fruit. Then, getting back into the car the motor would not start. Had good battery, but it just wouldn’t turn over. So we tried the usual things , check battery, all lights, and the oil. UGH, the oil! The dip stick showed dry so had the engine froze? Would it start with more oil? I begged, politely, some oil from a trucker and tried that , but to no avail. A man assisted me to try to “jump start ‘ the engine , but all it would do is “click, click” when the key was turned. He stayed with that quite a while. So it looked like we would be here a while (note this is Sunday and little in the way of auto maintenance is open) so we called AAA. The best move was to stay put at night and have AAA come in the morning to tow us in to the nearest Ford Dealer and hope that we could get a remedy. Meanwhile we were parked in the Rest Area on I-10, where the sign says “24 hour limit on use of the Rest Area.”. I called 6 different numbers. (your cell phone will dial the DOT state your phone is registered in automatically so I got the MI State Police.) After six different calls I did get the Texas Rangers in El Paso. They were “out of the office” and would call me later (They never did call) so I left a number. We will overnight here and pick up this story tomorrow. Will it have happy ending? As we often say, stay tuned. (This was late Sunday eve)
Next day Monday eve.---
Last night in the Rest Area the wind howled at 40+ mph and it actually snowed enough so when I went out late in the evening I could feelthe fine snow and sand on my face. It was a stormy night in the trailer on the hill.
Mexican mountains after the night of wind and snow near El Paso
The wrecker came sharp at 8:30 after a “pre call”, and we loaded the Expedition on the flatbed wrecker. Ernst was very helpful and gave us some suggestions about insurance, AAA and the area. The dealership was one he recommended so we went with that. We were dropped off at 9:30 and then it was “wait out the day” . We had already sent up lots of prayers and many of you have said them as well, so we were ready for some really bad news. They have a lunch room in the dealership and that is convenient but we went across the street to a small Greek restaurant and we had a Gyro and a sub sandwich. More waiting in the afternoon until first, the starter motor was shot and replaced and then the battery wouldn’t take a charge , so they replaced the alternator. Whew!!! It runs! And, it ran well. Ron , the associate was as happy as we were. The associates were very helpful, and courteous and the fact that we “walked in” so to speak impressed us with the service at “Casa Ford” in El Paso. Note the motto at the top.
It was a treat to sit in a waiting room with 10-12 people all day with the only English spoken came from the TV. We remember that we are in El Paso where the population is 95% Hispanic (see last year’s letter on the Rio Grande River).
We pursued the “Fence “climate with the “El Pasoans” but will save that discussion for another time.
We pursued the “Fence “climate with the “El Pasoans” but will save that discussion for another time.
Then we returned to the trailer , hooked up, and left the bags we had packed for the “inevitable” overnight stay in El Paso” in the trailer and drove to Las Cruces and arrived just before 7:00 PM. We are in the Rally RV Park that is class A. A bit overdone for us as we won’t use the exercise room, pool, fireplace, etc. We will have the “guest” breakfast in the AM. We hope your day was a great one, and thanks for the prayers. Some of them were used up today!- Tomorrow it is on to Willcox AZ Love to all,----Jim and Ruth
Boy Scout Camp (Tatanka) at Buffalo Trails Canyon near Balmorhea (Lotss of Roadrunners here)
1 comment:
Hello Dad & Ruth,
I hope the rest of the trip will go better for you. Never a dull moment when traveling. We are supposed to get alot of rain later this evening and heavy too. Take Care.
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