Hey y’all. Welcome to another wild ride on my amazing journey!
I got “bumped” by a tanker truck in NYC.
No matter where you live life, there will be challenges. Sometimes you zig right instead of left because you have to, but there is always a solution to every problem. AND a bright side if you just look for it! I have learned to not panic and to enjoy every detour.
The last few weeks have really tested me on this, but I am a work in progress and still love my Home Sweet Highway. It’s definitely right where I belong!
This must be a test, right? Four years I have been traveling around the country from coast to coast, from south to north and back. Sure, stuff happens, but I figure it out and always stay positive. This trip is getting me down.
I got “bumped” by a tanker truck in NYC, but hey, it was just a mirror.
I am flat towing my Jeep with a Blue Ox and braking system. What I have learned is referred to as the death wobble, has now happened 5 times this trip.
I am constantly prepared to stop in the middle of the interstate when roads get too bumpy, since that’s the only way to stop my car from violently jerking back and forth. People will wait on me right? You can see the last one on YouTube:
It was crazy! No one would let me back on the road once I finally got stopped!
I was leaving Long Island and it seemed like I was driving a different route than when I came in. I had been driving almost an hour down back roads and through city streets, and still had not found the interstate. I started seeing signs all written in Chinese, then I saw an NYPD car! That’s when I realized, that I was driving big ‘ol Irma, towing my car behind me, through China Town!!!
It’s now night-time and I am trying to watch my back end when I have to change lanes, and all of a sudden, the lights went out on the Jeep! But I was going slow and people could see the lights on my big rig (I hoped). I got to the first safe place I could stop for the night. (Cracker Barrel) and had an amazing breakfast waiting when I woke up. I made it to an RV Park and started trying to figure out the lights.
It took two days to figure out that it was the “pigtail cable”. It shorted out and wires melted because a screw from the assembly fell out on these dang bumpy roads. It’s ok. I cancelled some stops on my tour and found places to stay.
At my next RV Park, my jacks stopped working and I slept on a big slant with my slides in for two days so that I can find a new pigtail. I couldn’t drain tanks because I was tilted the wrong way. It’s ok. It’s just a few days.
I made it to the next park, Covert/South Haven KOA, only an hour away, in Covert Michigan. When I told them that I couldn’t figure out my leveling issue, the owner, Libby gave me the name of a mobile RV repair guy (Mike at Just Horseplay).
It was Sunday, but I thought I would just leave a message. To my surprise, he said that he could be there in 15 minutes! AND a new pigtail cable is being shipped here.
The RV death wobble, broke my hitch!
Looking at the bright side here, I am level enough that I can put my slides out and drain tanks. Plus, this park and the last one, were both full and still found room for me. As Mike was under my rig, trying to figure out the problem with my leveling jacks, he found something else wrong.
The proverbial straw? The last death wobble, broke my hitch! Like totally broken on one side and cracked on the other. I am so blessed that my car did not come off and kill someone! I know that I am blessed with an amazing guardian! But just how far can I really push this guardian?
Now I need to find parts, beg for a site in a park that is full, and cancel some book signings, but…. I get to see beautiful places and meet amazing people! Like the big family that just invited me to dinner! (If you find me on social media, thank you! I loved meeting you all!) My challenges were not over yet.
There is a fix for the death wobble, but neither of the two Jeep dealerships can get me in for over a week. I could not get a new hitch for 3 weeks and no welder would touch it! I now have a car that I cannot tow because I am unable to drive two things at once.
Once again, amazing people came to my rescue! Mike removed the hitch from my RV and so many people offered to drive my Jeep back to Florida or South Carolina!
This KOA offered to store it until my friend can pick it up next week. After two days of trouble shooting the leveling system, the problem has been identified. I have a bad shutter valve, but it will take days to get a new one shipped.
I got in my car and drove to Elkhart, Indiana to pick it up myself. I was treated to an incredibly beautiful, scenic back road drive! AND I got to help someone else at the park by picking up a part they needed. Everything worked out.
My leveling system is fixed, my car has a way home without me, I met amazing people, I added a new favorite KO to my list and I still have time for a little sightseeing! I will be back on the road tomorrow. You can follow my “Bumping Down Highways” journey on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and see it all. I hope to see you on the road!
Until then, I am still Bumping Down Highways with Faith & Courage ~ Jenni
