Back in Tennessee in time to VOTE
Well, it has been a long and eventful time since I last updated this Blog. While in Arlington, TX we spent quite a lot of time visiting Loretta's aunt and uncle and playing Joker with them. They treated us to several delicious meals and we checked out several nearby restaurants and shopping facilities. I also discovered that the metal on the underside of the trailer was sagging a bit. So Gil and I put a support under that and I refastened some loose bolts. I also straightened one of the stabilizer jacks that is too far back and always getting bent. In fact, it is bent again so I think I will have to see if I can move them forward when I get where I can get underneath.
We left there on the 30th of September so I could plan my duties at the Fleetwood Travelcade Club rendezvous in Elmendorf, TX (San went Antonio) before attendees arrived. However as we neared San Antonio, the engine alarms went off and the temperature gauge into the red. We pulled off the roadway and called Road Service. I thought the fan clutch had failed - expensive. They arranged a tow and when the Towing company called we were told a wrecker would be to us in 5 minutes. He had one of the Big Rig wreckers and got our rig on the hook and took us to AA Wrecker Service where we unhooked the trailer. He even got us an electric hookup. Then he took the truck to Santex International a short way back. By the time I got it checked in, he had unhooked and one of the night mechanics was already checking it out and said that the fan clutch was operational. The wrecker driver took us back to their yard where we spent the night. Next morning I called Santex International to find that the thermostat has stuck shut and had been replaced along with lost coolant. This was upsetting as I had just had the thermostat replaced before leaving New York. Later I called Boyle International in Jamestown and was told that and adjustment would be arranged if possible. Haven't had time to follow up on that but nothing from them in the mail here.
After the shop sent a car to pick me up, I returned and got hooked up for a very short trip. We then got set up at the RV park and I arranged for help on Radio Talk In. We had a good but very small rendezvous with excellent entertainment and meals. I represented the Tennessee unit in the business meetings and took in some of the seminars. Our good friend Gary Wheeler with MorRyde from Elkhart, IN was there and we enjoyed one meal with him. We also as usual shopped and dined in the area. I took in the tour of Brooks Army Base also. Even though she walked quite a distance from our parking spot to the hall, Loretta didn't feel that she could handle any of the tours and we also opted out of the Travelcade following the rendezvous even though we were on the list.
From there we went to visit our friends Craig and Paulette near Kaplan, LA. We had a great visit with them on their cattle farm. Craig has a grain hauling semi, and I rode with him several days. I also assisted him on replacing the shock absorbers on the semi tractor. We also spent one Saturday installing watering tanks and gates on some pastures and repair some fences. I also assisted most days in feeding and watering some of his stock. We didn't tour the area this time mostly due to high fuel prices. But we did shop some and Loretta had her blood test done at the hospital in Kaplan. We also dined out a couple of times with Craig and Paulette as well as the meals they served us. Saturday he was moving almost all of the herd to another pasture. In addition to his horse trailer, 5 others arrived along with 3 more horses. It was quite an experience to watch them work the cattle even though I wasn't a lot of help (did get a lot of pictures). When we unloaded the calves last, they gave them shots before releasing them to find their mothers. Also the bull calves were cut (made into steers), which I had never seen before either.
When we finished unloading, Craig treated us all to some good Cajun food at a Bazaar that the nearby Catholic Church was hosting. Then back to secure the trailer for travel and get hooked up to travel. After farewells, we got on the road stopping in a few hours for a nap and lunch. Then on to a truck stop near McComb, MS where we got supper and spent the night. Sunday morning we proceeded to the Flying J at Pearl, MS where we fueled, dumped tanks and had lunch. The fuel there was cheapest we had seen in ages with diesel at $2.95/gal. (This morning it was $2.77 there. From there we took a relaxing ride up the Natchez Trace making one stop at a visitor center along the way. Before we got into Tennessee, the Trace was closed. Instead of taking the detour, we went to Florence, AL where we spent the night in the Wal-Mart lot as it was quite late. When I went for a walk in the morning, I discovered that the rubber roof on the trailer was torn in several places and branches had scrubbed on the side of the trailer. I could think of no place that could have happened except at Craig and Paulette's where I had to back around a large Live Oak tree.
It was chilly there and the trailer batteries didn't hold up so I ran the truck part of the night so we could get heat from the furnace. So when we stopped at the Wal-Mart in Pulaski, TN for Loretta to get a prescription and shop, I had them check the batteries. Both had dead cells and had only been in about a month. They furnished replacements which I installed. Then on to Circle P Farm (Loretta's daughter's family). There we have been catching up on visiting and back mail. I checked the roof damage and called Camping World for repair supplies. UPS outdid themselves as it was ordered Wednesday and ground shipping got it here yesterday. I did clean up for patching and patched some small holes already as well as getting ready to patch the large ones. May need help with those?? Right now I am using the WiFi connection at Country Kitchen in Pulaski as the dial up at the farm is very slow and no cell phone service. I had an external antenna but the trees wiped that off too. We had to come into town for some errands and I bought some additional supplies for repairs at Home Depot. I also called Craig and he said that we had not done the damage on the Oak tree at their place. So since talking to him, I have searched my mind as to where it could have happened. I finally decided that it must have happened when we stopped at the Visitor Center on the Natchez Trace. I didn't think there were any trees hanging over the roadway, but must have been. Also quite a dip getting into the driveway there and that is probably where the stabilizer jack got bent again.
Well, if this isn't long enough, don't know what is, HI. And Loretta just called.
GOD Bless
Andy and Loretta
We left there on the 30th of September so I could plan my duties at the Fleetwood Travelcade Club rendezvous in Elmendorf, TX (San went Antonio) before attendees arrived. However as we neared San Antonio, the engine alarms went off and the temperature gauge into the red. We pulled off the roadway and called Road Service. I thought the fan clutch had failed - expensive. They arranged a tow and when the Towing company called we were told a wrecker would be to us in 5 minutes. He had one of the Big Rig wreckers and got our rig on the hook and took us to AA Wrecker Service where we unhooked the trailer. He even got us an electric hookup. Then he took the truck to Santex International a short way back. By the time I got it checked in, he had unhooked and one of the night mechanics was already checking it out and said that the fan clutch was operational. The wrecker driver took us back to their yard where we spent the night. Next morning I called Santex International to find that the thermostat has stuck shut and had been replaced along with lost coolant. This was upsetting as I had just had the thermostat replaced before leaving New York. Later I called Boyle International in Jamestown and was told that and adjustment would be arranged if possible. Haven't had time to follow up on that but nothing from them in the mail here.
After the shop sent a car to pick me up, I returned and got hooked up for a very short trip. We then got set up at the RV park and I arranged for help on Radio Talk In. We had a good but very small rendezvous with excellent entertainment and meals. I represented the Tennessee unit in the business meetings and took in some of the seminars. Our good friend Gary Wheeler with MorRyde from Elkhart, IN was there and we enjoyed one meal with him. We also as usual shopped and dined in the area. I took in the tour of Brooks Army Base also. Even though she walked quite a distance from our parking spot to the hall, Loretta didn't feel that she could handle any of the tours and we also opted out of the Travelcade following the rendezvous even though we were on the list.
From there we went to visit our friends Craig and Paulette near Kaplan, LA. We had a great visit with them on their cattle farm. Craig has a grain hauling semi, and I rode with him several days. I also assisted him on replacing the shock absorbers on the semi tractor. We also spent one Saturday installing watering tanks and gates on some pastures and repair some fences. I also assisted most days in feeding and watering some of his stock. We didn't tour the area this time mostly due to high fuel prices. But we did shop some and Loretta had her blood test done at the hospital in Kaplan. We also dined out a couple of times with Craig and Paulette as well as the meals they served us. Saturday he was moving almost all of the herd to another pasture. In addition to his horse trailer, 5 others arrived along with 3 more horses. It was quite an experience to watch them work the cattle even though I wasn't a lot of help (did get a lot of pictures). When we unloaded the calves last, they gave them shots before releasing them to find their mothers. Also the bull calves were cut (made into steers), which I had never seen before either.
When we finished unloading, Craig treated us all to some good Cajun food at a Bazaar that the nearby Catholic Church was hosting. Then back to secure the trailer for travel and get hooked up to travel. After farewells, we got on the road stopping in a few hours for a nap and lunch. Then on to a truck stop near McComb, MS where we got supper and spent the night. Sunday morning we proceeded to the Flying J at Pearl, MS where we fueled, dumped tanks and had lunch. The fuel there was cheapest we had seen in ages with diesel at $2.95/gal. (This morning it was $2.77 there. From there we took a relaxing ride up the Natchez Trace making one stop at a visitor center along the way. Before we got into Tennessee, the Trace was closed. Instead of taking the detour, we went to Florence, AL where we spent the night in the Wal-Mart lot as it was quite late. When I went for a walk in the morning, I discovered that the rubber roof on the trailer was torn in several places and branches had scrubbed on the side of the trailer. I could think of no place that could have happened except at Craig and Paulette's where I had to back around a large Live Oak tree.
It was chilly there and the trailer batteries didn't hold up so I ran the truck part of the night so we could get heat from the furnace. So when we stopped at the Wal-Mart in Pulaski, TN for Loretta to get a prescription and shop, I had them check the batteries. Both had dead cells and had only been in about a month. They furnished replacements which I installed. Then on to Circle P Farm (Loretta's daughter's family). There we have been catching up on visiting and back mail. I checked the roof damage and called Camping World for repair supplies. UPS outdid themselves as it was ordered Wednesday and ground shipping got it here yesterday. I did clean up for patching and patched some small holes already as well as getting ready to patch the large ones. May need help with those?? Right now I am using the WiFi connection at Country Kitchen in Pulaski as the dial up at the farm is very slow and no cell phone service. I had an external antenna but the trees wiped that off too. We had to come into town for some errands and I bought some additional supplies for repairs at Home Depot. I also called Craig and he said that we had not done the damage on the Oak tree at their place. So since talking to him, I have searched my mind as to where it could have happened. I finally decided that it must have happened when we stopped at the Visitor Center on the Natchez Trace. I didn't think there were any trees hanging over the roadway, but must have been. Also quite a dip getting into the driveway there and that is probably where the stabilizer jack got bent again.
Well, if this isn't long enough, don't know what is, HI. And Loretta just called.
GOD Bless
Andy and Loretta
posted by Andy W2UCZ @ 1:15 PM
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