February 9-16, 2014

RV Dreams Boondocking Rally

Arcadia, FL

DAY EIGHT  -ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

On our final day of the rally we slept in a little later than we had been all week. The Solo Café was closed for business so there really wasn’t any incentive to get up early.

When we finally got dressed and went outside we joined a group that had assembled.

 

As the morning wore on people made the rounds to say goodbye. 
It had been an awesome week.

 

 

 

 

Little did we know what was in store for us in the late afternoon!

We had an appointment scheduled for the following morning at RV Merchandising in Englewood to have new landing gear installed.  Our rig had come with CHEAP ones and rather than have them replaced with the same type we opted to spend a little more money than the extended warranty gave us and have good ones installed.  We had gotten an estimate of $400 out of our pocket.

Rather than go back to the park where we have a site we chose to spend the night in the parking lot of RV Merchandising.

When we arrived we noticed the parking lot was very small.  Monte cut the edge of the parking lot too close and we ended up in a culvert. 

OMG

This was like one of my worst nightmares coming true!

What the hell are we going to do?

We couldn't move forward and we just didn't have enough power in the truck to back out.

I was getting ready to call AAA when a couple pulled up in their pickup truck and asked if we could use assistance.

Preston and Vicky (I hope I spelled their names correctly) have just begun full-timing (Why was I not surprised to be getting help from fellow RVers!)

 

 

 

 

 

We sure had a guardian angel looking over our shoulder!After they pulled us out of the culvert, I reached into my purse looking for a pen and paper to write down their information.  I wanted to repay them in some way (perhaps a restaurant gift card) when Preston said he was going to be real upset if I was reaching in my purse for money to pay them. 

I have to say that more and more lately as I listen to the news, I have been getting depressed by the cruelty that human beings are capable of BUT then something like this happens and my faith in humankind is restored.

When we finally got situated in the parking lot, Monte began assessing the damage. 

The bracket on our Steadyfast stabilizer on the passenger side was bent.  (Monte ordered a replacement part)

The stairs were bent. (Monte had to remove the stairs because we could not close them without force. 

 

 

 

 

 

He pounded them and re-installed them and, although they still look crooked, they work fine.)

 

 

 

 

It appears that the axle hanger on our independent suspension system is bent.

(When we spoke to the tech where we had the suspension system installed at Mor/Ryde they suggested we get an alignment and not to worry about the bent axle.   WHAT?

I had made plans with my Mom and Dad to pick me up so they could drop me off at the RV Park where I had left my car.  I wanted my car with me because I didn’t want to be stuck just hanging out at the repair place waiting for the work to be done.

After they dropped me off I went to pick up Monte because we were invited to my brother’s house for dinner.  We had a wonderful time.  When we got back in my car it started up fine but as we backed out of the driveway it conked out.  At first we thought it was the battery.  My brother tried giving us a boost with no luck.

He suggested we leave the car with the keys and he would try again in the morning.  Luckily my parents hadn’t departed yet so they gave us a ride back home to the parking lot where our rig was parked.