Part 4 – Full of Surprises

The RV was successfully retrieved, without incident, from storage area on the NC intercostal waterway. Theresa had reserved 2 nights at Carolina Beach State Park just 45 minutes back north from where the RV is stored. This destination would allow exploration of the area both for future camping stays as well as investigating what that beach community has to offer.

The campground was small with a few very nice full service sites. There were several trails throughout the park that connected group campgrounds, the marina and the visitor center. One short .5 mile trail promised viewing of the Venus Flytrap plants that are native to the area. Theresa was intrigued to seek out this rare flora. The temps were warm with no air movement at all and with recent rains the mosquitos and other flying annoyances were out in full force. Stopping to ID plants on the trail was just an invitation to contract Zeka. No Venus flytraps were spotted at the rapid pace in which the tortured hikers covered the designated path. The following day the two campers escaped the wooded infestation and explored the beaches in the area. The CB and Kure Beach area had wonderful ocean as well as bay water views which were very impressive.  At one end of CB you could drive your 4 wheel car on the beach.

After a quick lunch stop, a mandatory trip to the Seaview Crab Co was made to stocked up on fresh Tuna and Trigger fish for the trip south.

Several route options to reach the next destination near Charleston, SC were identified by Google maps as well as Nora (the RV GPS).  Kevin selected the scenic (slow) road thru Myrtle Beach to see what that beach community was like. The main road thru town was lined with large resort hotels and arcades that were sure to be packed wall to wall during the summer and school breaks. The short (170) mileage day would still take 4+ hours to navigate the high traffic areas with lots of stop lights. Mid-afternoon arrival and check in left time to walk the RV park’s 'Lake' Trail. The trail indeed started by the lake but soon led deeper into dense woods surrounded by swamplands. The air was again very still and humidity was just right for another 'Zeka' attack! The 1.5 mile trail was traversed rapidly around the swamp while swatting the relentless bombardment of the flying pests. After that encounter Kevin would not be suckered into any trail hikes without at least a 10mph breeze to keep the vermin at bay. The remainder of the evening would be spent in the safety of the RV with AC on. Kevin again tried the satellite TV for more than 1 hour with no luck. The information displayed indicated satellites were found but there was no signal. This was now defiantly on the growing list of repair items for the Alliance Service Center in Wildwood, FL.

A 10 am exit from the site at the KOA was made and the RV was stationed at a place where the Toad could be hooked up. With the car all set, Kevin rounded the RV for his final walk around.  As he passed the right rear of the RV he noticed the outer tire of the dual axle was low. He then reached in to check the inner tire.... CRAP! it was flat flat flat!

Roadside assistance was called and estimated a 90 min ETA for a truck with a replacement tire to get to the KOA location. In addition to emergency roadside assistance, the Smitanic also had Tire failure insurance that should cover a new tire, should it be required. Calls were made to initiate the claim for that as well.

The Toad was disconnected from the RV and parked in an open parking spot. Kevin went into the KOA office to inform them of the situation and to seek guidance on where they could park the RV out of the way and in an area where the service vehicle could set up shop. The staff informed him that the park was full so they could not guide him to an empty site. The staff then suggested he drive the RV to a Walmart and have the repair accomplished there. Kevin made it clear that the RV was not going out of the KOA grounds and onto busy roads with a FLAT. The staff called the Manager who had not yet arrived to work to get permission for the Smitanic to remain in the entrance/exit road until after repairs. Permission granted.

The service truck arrived about noon and the slight statured mechanic rustled the massive tire off the axle. He then extracted the tire from it's rim faster than a TNR roadside bike flat change. He then checked the interior and exterior of the tire for any punctures or objects. Tire looked good! 

He then removed the valve and in his inspection, found that it was corroded and concluded that was the source of the leak. The valve was replaced and the original tire was remounted on the rim. The mechanic then used his on board compressor to re-inflate the tire. He walked to the front of the RV while the inflation was in process. Kevin was observing and noticed that the tire made a sudden jerk then POW it exploded and jumped 3 feet in the air! The entire park turned to see what had happened! The mechanic returned to the scene and noticed the side wall of the tire was indeed week and could not handle the inflation pressure. Good thing this was discovered now rather than in the middle of I95 at 65MPH. 

A new tire was then mounted to the rim, successfully inflated and remounted on the axle. It was about 2pm and the next planned stop was the Coastal GA RV resort in Brunswick, GA still 4 hours away. The plan was to hang at that location for at least 2 nights and get the ducks in line for repairs at Alliance as well as visit to Kevin's Mom and Sister.

The team then placed a call to Alliance who informed the them that they could not get the Smitanic in until Thursday.   The decision  was made to just chill 3 more days at the Coastal GA RV resort. This would allow the viewing of the election returns on the provided Cable TV (since satellite TV was not working). A last ditch effort to diagnose the satellite TV was made which involved climbing up on top of the RV, removing the dome and inspecting the antenna as it searched  to observe any obvious damage or malfunction. After 30 min or so on the roof, it was concluded that the antenna was functioning as expected and would need the expertise of a Winegard specialist to correct or replace.

With a bit of spare time, Kevin tore apart the AV center to determine what was causing poor reception in the rear and external TVs. After narrowing it down to the switcher box. Kevin hooked it all back and wouldn't you know it all the TVs were working better. Awesome, leave well enough alone.

Theresa got laundry done and a bit of cleaning inside the RV. It was nice to be stationary for a bit and get these chores done in a leisurely pace. The park was a decent size and had cement pads with picnic tables and full hook up including cable TV and internet. The park also had a nice pool that was surprisingly still open as well as a fenced dog park. The premium sites were along a small lake with a dock and club house.

Election Results were tuned in on Tuesday night. As results started coming in Theresa's anxiety was growing and her internal digestive system was feeling the stress. When the outcome was official the next morning Theresa could not even stand without extreme pain, she had a severe case of 'Election Indigestion' the results of either was unbearable.

A Wednesday arrival at Alliance would insure that a campground site would be assigned and allow for an early Thursday morning check in for the planned maintenance. The maintenance (minus the satellite service) could be completed by Friday just in time for a weekend arrival at the Recreation Plantation RV Resort(RP). 

Interesting sign at RP pool.  Can you find what is wrong?

Theresa had made a 2 week reservation months ago. She had tried many times previous but the park was always full. So she was looking forward to using all the amenities such as pickleball, pool, spa, and work out room. And it was just 3 miles from the facility where Kevin's mom and Torreen live! This would be perfect!

On the way to Alliance, Theresa mentioned to Kevin that she smelt ammonia. Kevin concurred and thought that it was perhaps coming from one of the industries along the road that had been passed. The smell went away so nothing more was investigated. The check in at Alliance went smoothly and a camp site was assigned for the night. Kevin validated a 7:30 AM appt the next morning with Mike, the service advisor, who knows the Smitanic well.

In the morning, Kevin went over all the items on the list and Mike indicated he would get Greg (the technician/mechanic) to get going on it. Awesome, all is going as planned! Kevin and Theresa then headed out for a quick lunch before Kevin would head to see his mom and Torreen that afternoon.

Lunches frequently yield leftovers, so as Kevin was putting the container in the refrigerator he detected that the temperature was quite warm. Hummm.

Later that afternoon Theresa was putting things in the freezer to discover all the items were thawed. And the ammonia smell was back! Kevin ran in to tell Mike who exclaimed, 'turn it off immediately! And do not let it go into LP mode!'

Turns out there is a history of ammonia, which is quite flammable, causing RV fires in leaking refrigerator units of RVs.

Theresa emptied the contents that were not spoiled into 2 soft side coolers. Good thing the recently purchased fish was still cold but it would have to be used in the next few days!

The extended warranty should cover the Refrigerator and possibly the satellite too, however the claim could not be submitted until Monday. Mike (the service manager) informed Kevin that he found only one location that had one last replacement part for the refrig. He also informed Kevin that the part would take a full week to arrive. Mike asked permission to order this part prior to approval from the warrantee company. Oh and it costs $3,000 plus shipping. The Smitanic needs a working refrigerator so approval to order the part and have it arrive as soon as possible was given. Theresa suggested that the reserved site at RP be used for the weekend and return on Monday for a day or 2 to await the claim submission and required inspection. Kevin was OK with this, as he knew that he would be spending most of his time with his Mom and Torreen and that way Theresa would be able to use the facilities.

Upon arrival at the service area campground Kevin began validating all serviced systems. The generator started but then died. He pulled the generator tray out to see the oil dip stick lying partway out. He then checked the oil level, it was empty. He was able to report the unfinished items to Mike as he was leaving for the weekend. Mike was apologetic and insured Kevin that it would be resolved first thing on Monday. Greg even offered to stop by our RP campground to add the oil, but Monday would be fine.

On Monday, a claim with the extended warranty co was made, and indeed it did required an inspection. Subsequently, the Smitanic could not leave the service place until the inspector showed up. 'They should do the inspection within 24-48 hours', was the estimate from Toni, the Alliance Warranty Claim person. Theresa was anxious to get back to the facilities and friendly environment at RP. Wednesday came and still no inspector. Thursday an inspector came for another coach but did not have time for Smitanic. Calls were made by Kevin, Theresa and Toni to get some sort of commitment. Friday at 8:30am was promised.

Alas on Friday the inspector came in the AM and submitted his findings to the insurance co. The next step was to await an approval for the warranty coverage. That could take until Monday.

Theresa succumbed to the fact that the Smitanic nor she will get to enjoy the RP facilities. Kevin and Theresa returned to RP gathered up items left at that campsite, with the hopes of a prompt return, and pleaded for a refund on any unused days. The Smitanic was destine for temporary residence at the Service campground until ALL repairs were complete!

Monday of Thanksgiving week, Toni reported that both the refrigerator repair as well as the satellite dish replacement was APPROVED! Next was actually getting all the repairs completed before everyone exited for the long 4 day weekend.

The refrigerator took an entire day to complete. That was Monday. During that process Greg had broken the ice maker shutoff valve, oops. Just need to find and replace that part. Next was the Satellite antenna. When Kevin went to start the Smitanic on Tuesday it just would not turn over and required a jump. That issue was investigated and not only was it determined that a solenoid needed to be replaced but a Hydraulic leak was discovered from one of hoses that supply the jacks. Really more warranty items to claim??? When will this end?

The satellite was installed on Tuesday, but when Kevin went to confirm its operation he found it not functioning. Theresa did some Google queries and discovered some similar situations described and one of those situation was resolved by ensuring that the cables from the Satellite to its power inserter were properly wired. Kevin called the satellite manufacture to see if maybe they could shed light on the install and to confirm that the set top box works with the new satellite. Kevin called Mike to come out and see the situation and to have his team correct it based on Theresa’s research. The experts all suggested that the Direct TV set top box was the issue, and they had a new one to test. Kevin would not allow them to install the new box and firmly requested they follow Theresa’s lead on how to solve the problem. Sure enough, once the cables were swapped the configuration was successful! Yeah one issue complete. Kevin commented on the fact that Alliance claims to have RV satellite experts. Well after Theresa properly diagnosed the problem with the installation that their expert performed they can now proudly make that claim. 

On Wednesday, Theresa found out that the claim for the hydraulic leak was submitted and approved. Another victory! However the leaking part would need to be removed, measured then manufactured and then installed. This would not be accomplished until after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Theresa set up camp for the long weekend. The camp rug was unfurled, grill set up as well as 2 reclining chairs. Ah home sweet home!

Kevin would spend the next several days visiting with his mom and sister while Theresa took care of the dog, did her workouts, made special reservations for their 41st wedding anniversary, and started knitting projects. For Thanksgiving, the team grilled steaks and enjoyed a relaxed evening in the Alliance Parking Lot. As Saturday evening approached it was time for the determined couple to go celebrate 41 years of marriage! Reservations had been made at Theresa's favorite Villages location Grand Oaks Bistro. This is in the heart of a massive horse ranch, carriage museum and RV park. The night also featured a favorite performer, Joe Hand. It started as a casual celebratory evening but then Kevin received a call that his Mom was being admitted to the hospital for general weakness and respiratory issues.

The majority of the night was spent in the ER. With his mom resting, Kevin would return in the AM to check in.

Kevin's mom was diagnosed with pneumonia as well as a UTI. She was pretty much bed ridden and in need of lots of help with everything. Kevin would spend time in the morning with her then come back to the RV to check on that status and grab lunch with Theresa, then head back to the hospital for the afternoon.

After the long holiday weekend, RVs began to roll in for seasonal repairs and maintenance. Soon there were no sites left in the campground and the lobby was bustling with impatient seniors wondering when and how much their repairs will be. The Smitanic was pulled into the service bay and the hydraulic line was removed. When the RV was delivered back the campsite instructions from Greg called for no use of the Jacks. Theresa asked if the slides could be put out? Greg affirmed that they indeed could. Yeah, she went work, connecting the water, putting out the slides and setting up the satellite. All was in order when Kevin returned from the hospital. When retrieving ice for his beverage, Kevin noticed that the ice maker was not dumping ice into the bucket. Crap now that is not working!

The ice maker was added to the ever growing extended warranty claim and submitted and approved on Wed. Wednesday the new hydraulic line was installed and the jacks could now be deployed. The Ice maker parts were in stock so the replacement was done on Thursday.

Ffinally done? The bill was added up and reviewed. Thank goodness the Extended Warranty covered the cost of all the parts but only 1/3 the cost of the labor for the repairs! And it took 3 weeks to get it all done!

Meanwhile back at the hospital Kevin's mom is not doing that much better. She still was weak and finding it very hard to eat. The pneumonia was improving, but she would need to stay in the hospital until she regains some strength. It is good that Kevin was able to spend a good portion of each day to ensure she was getting what she needed.

The plan is to get a site at Grand Oaks for at least Friday – Monday and hope that Kevin's mom will continue to improve so she can return to the Assisted Living facility ASAP. 

The part 5 of the he Smitanic plan to head West is a bit up in the air at this point so stay tuned.

Part 3 - Back in the USA and home.

Kevin requested that the return route south NOT include the hills nor windy roads of the northernly route used to get to Toronto.

With that input Theresa used her go-to Trip Planner from Good Sams Club site to plan a 4 day approved trek as well as potential campsites along the route. The path would guide the Smitanic back west and south around Toronto and back into the US at a Niagara Falls entrance, then head directly south thru NY, PA, MD(avoiding Baltimore and DC), VA, then back into NC. The stops included the new state of VA to the brag map on the Smitanic slide out.

The exit from the campground was around 10AM in order to time for minimal traffic around Toronto. The entry back into the US included a lengthy 1hour wait as well as having a boarder patrol guy board the RV to be sure there were no rogue Canadians being smuggled back in. All clear.

The fall colors were in full swing as the trail followed the scenic banks of the Susquehanna River in VA. Kevin was pleased with this route and relieved to be away from the mountainous areas experienced in the Northernly route.

Theresa sent a note out to warn the Tasman Ct neighborhood of the impending arrival of the Smitanc for cleaning and restocking. In one day, the Smitanic was unloaded and cleaned then resupplied with items needed for part 4 of the Nomadness! The next day's trek was to park the beast in it's coastal storage area near Holden Beach, NC.

The Sunday drive to the coast was as monotonous as usual. Theresa unlocked the storage gate and drove the disconnected CRV into the area, while Kevin followed with the Smitanic. To their disappointment another very large boat on a trailer was occupying the once vacant stall next to the Smitanic home. There was no way that the RV could be safely parked and allow for the other boat to be maneuvered in and out. Several calls were made to the HOA management Co to let them know the situation. Since it was Sunday, they were closed, so a descriptive message was left. 

With no more time to wait, an executive decision was made to park along the back fence blocking 2 additional stalls, but leaving room for all currently stored vehicles to be taken out and in. That would just have to be OK. Halfway back to Cary the HOA management co returned the call. They confirmed they would relay the situation to the HOA committee and would call back if there was any issue. The Smitanic only needed a home for the next 3 weeks while the nomads took care of the Tasman home front as well as a visit to Snaggy in Boone to do some maintenance there as well. Then onto Part 4 of the Nomadness which heads South to Florida for Thanksgiving.

Month stay in the greater Toronto area (GTA)

The focus for the month was to work in as much time with the Kiehl & Madison as they both started their new jobs at Nordstrom's. So whenever they had a day or more off, some sort of activity was planned, either in Toronto or out at the campsite.

Some of the city sites included: the CN tower, market, subway, Toronto waterfront, as well as just chilling at the newlyweds' new digs.

Joint adventures at the campground included: shoreline walks along Lake Ontario, hikes around the park trails, seeing huge steelhead Salmon jumping up stream and just chilling around the campfire.

On some days Kevin and Theresa were left on their own to explore. Theresa had researched the Waterfront bicycle trail that meanders from one waterfront park to another along Lake Ontario. It is part of the larger cross-Canadian trail that is 15,000 miles from coast to coast. Several sections of the waterfront trail, as well as the cros Canadian trail were explored with Kevin on his Touring Bock with Zin in tow and Theresa on the Green Machine (willed to her by Steve Cope after his epic cross USA trek where Kevin and Theresa surprised him and joined him for the last 1/3 of the journey).

A 10-15 mile section of trail was picked for each days trek that normally was an out and back route. Unlike past excursions, the mission was not to cover any great distance, but instead to enjoy the nice scenery and sweat a bit. Mission accomplished! The trails were quite nice and well utilized by bikes as well as pedestrians. The parks that the trail traversed were some of the best the two have ever seen! Some spread out for miles and were well manicured with lots of picnic tables and benches as well as play areas for families.

There were also lots of community shared facilities for soccer, hockey as well as other sports including (to Theresa's delight) Pickleball!!!! Theresa discovered the 'Abilities Center' that would allow guests to come and play Pickleball. Kevin and she managed to attend the open play on two days during their stay. Canadians love the sport and play it year round indoors and out.

The weather for the stay was amazingly perfect for late Sept thru mid-October in Canada (well above normal). Sunny days were perfect for biking or hiking and the cool nights were spent by a nice campfire! The last few days turned a bit chilly as the grill was cleaned and all outside items were once again stowed for the return trip home. The park was also preparing for its closure for the season at the end of the month. No doubt the Smitanic will return to this park on the next visit north.

Although Canada is very close to US in many respects there are some subtle nuances that were noticed on the month-long visit:

• kilometers vs miles (so it was good to have run many races to help with this translation) 
• $ca vs $ us was about $1CA = $.75 US so good thing most places take cards (not Costco), though the banks will charge a fee 
• Large Grocery Stores are amazing such as Loblaws much like a Wiegmans
• Booze and wine and beer are not sold in grocery stores, there are LBCO and Beer stores much like ABCs in NC 
• One can earn Air mile points for purchases at most stores including LBCO 
• Drivers are very bad, cut and turn in front of you, are very impatient, do not stop at stop signs / lights, will jump yellow lights 
• Signage & information is lacking, got to be a good guesser 
• rules are not for everyone ... bikers were on hiking trails that noted no Bikes allowed, hikers went on trails marked “do not enter” guess it's just a guideline... 
• A Hwy Collector is a 3-4 lane pre-exit for several upcoming exits, so you better know in plenty of time when to enter the collector to then get to your exit 
• bathrooms are called washrooms 
• Excuse me is Surry (vs. sorry) 
• no 'on your left' when passing a cyclist or walker... a bell is used. 
• you wait in a Queue not a Line (however if you leave even the slightest gap folks will butt in) 
• Canadians seem to be in there own zone. They do not notice if they are blocking the way, they stop in the middle of an aisle or trail or road and do not move. But generally one on one they are very friendly and helpful. 
• And in Pickleball once the game is over all players exchange fist bumps rather than the US tradition of butt of racket bumps.

Nomadness Part 2 – Toronto bound

In late July, Kiehl and Madison made a momentous move from the lights of LA to the seasons of Toronto, Ontario, Canada! Theresa quickly researched campground that were even remotely close to the city center where home would be for the newlyweds. The Glen Rouge campground was locked within 12 miles to Toronto center. Theresa called and reservations were confirmed for late September thru mid Oct. Theresa then set on a mission to plan a route for a 4 day Northern route to avoid I-95 and the DC congestion. 

Day 1

A night before departure one last pickleball session was held with several Tasman Court neighbors in attendance for the send off.

The next day the Smitanic hit the road north by 9 AM. The selected route would wind thru the VA hills. Kevin thought he could hear banjos playing in the distance as he navigated the mountainous curves and elevation changes. As he released the gas and applied the engine break heading down hill he proclaimed “It's all about the momentum, downshift, keep the RPMs high and on the up hills...watch the engine temp rise.”

Traffic was light on this post Labor Day weekday. There was no set destination, nor any campsite reservations. “Make it up as you go Nomad-style”. Theresa scoped out 2 possible stops. Kevin was feeling pretty good and opted for the further destination choice.

The Summersville Lake Retreat in WV was high on a hill above a lake with a lighthouse for a landmark. The site was nice with a great view of the lake, but not level. It would work for the one night stay. Theresa seared the ahi tuna obtained from the Willmington-based Seaview Crab Co and put it on a bed of fresh greens. What a treat! The temps were perfect to set outside and enjoy gazing at the stars and the fire flies as the sunset over the lake.  This added another state to the Smitanic Brag Map.

The next days destination would be near Erie, PA.

Day 2

Due to all the climbs on the first day, Kevin did a pre-trip check that included the radiator and the hydraulic dipsticks. They were both low so he put a half a gallon of coolant in the radiator and a quart of oil into the hydraulic reservoir. He also noticed that the exhaust pipe had been bent when service was performed earlier in the week at triple T in Wilmington... disappointing :(

Todays route was more of the same: hills, curves, and more downshifting and engine break use. The traffic was lighter but rain added an extra challenge as the miles clicked away. Only 2 more travel days to make it to the designated Toronto campground. The nomads decided not to stay any extra days at any of the stops on the way, but to march on to Toronto and make an early arrival. Theresa got to work making reservations for extra days in Toronto campgrounds and the current night's campground, a KOA between Grove City and Mercer, PA. 

The Sparano's (current residents of the Smit Homestead) had texted that Theresa had received what was assumed to be a Jury duty summons in the mail (Steve got a similar envelope). After a short call, Carolyn sent a picture of the document so Theresa could fill out her excuse and get it in the mail. The Grove City Post Office was in the heart of the Town next to the Grove City College. Theresa confirmed that this was same college that was home to a team of 6-8 cross country cyclists that Kevin and Theresa met on their falls2fields trek several years back. Cool! It is a small world. 

With the letter successfully mailed, Theresa was sure that there would yet be another opportunity to perform her civic duty when she was not roaming around the country.

Day 3

The days destination was dialed into the RV's GPS(Nora). As Kevin navigated the beast thru a small town Nora indicated a right turn just outside of town. Thank goodness Kevin noticed a warning sign for 11ft 6 in clearance (the RV needs 13 ft) in time to avoid that encounter. Wtf. Nora was no help in finding an alternate route, every recalculation insisted on returning to the same low clearance road. Theresa needed some time to study the maps on the back up nav device (her iPad). A mobile home park had a road that appeared to be passible on the map, so Kevin pulled into the drive. As the rig with car in tow came to a pause a resident of the park came out to greet the seemingly misguided visitors. Adrian introduced herself and informed Kevin that she had just broke her arm in her mobile home. She looked maybe 70 ish or maybe a well weathered 55. Adrian then asked the obvious, “Are you lost? “. Kevin responded, “Well kind of” Adrian continued the conversation with “Where are you from?” and “Where are yo heading?”. She nervously passed in front of the RV several times checking it out like the Smitanic was some visitor from outer space. Theresa was frantically reconstructing a path back to a main thoroughfare on both iPad and gps that avoided the low clearance road. Nora refused to cooperate so the google maps route would have to do. Google maps of course does not have any clearance limits that can be noted on the routes. That would be a great upgrade to the mapping capabilities. 

A final wave to Adrian and the Smitanic circled the very narrow mobile home park and did a bit of off-road mudslinging as it rounded the back side of the mobile home park where a trench had recently been torn up. The Smitanic crawled along as branches from trees scraped the top of the RV, while rear tires spun mud up and all over the Toad. Kevin was relieved to be back on a truck route and with Nora finally in sync there were multiple alternatives to get to the major I-79 route. Nora was followed and finally the safety of a major hwy was secured. 

A much needed gas stop at the last pilot station was completed just outside Erie, PA. This gave all the RV occupants a much need break from the road as well.

Back on the road, Theresa's next task was to call Verizon to see what options for mifi could service visitors to Canada. She was informed that the current MiFi device would not work at all and any upgraded device and service would be very costly. This may put a damper on internet usage while out of the USA. Next ATT was called to change to an unlimited plan that would allow text, calling and data usage in Canada. The plan was pricy, an additional $70 plus taxes and partial month and change fees. The plan was to change back to a more economical plan once back in the States.

The nomads arrived at the Niagara KOA in the mid-afternoon. The park seemed familiar, Kevin seemed to recall it was a park used in the falls2fields trek. Theresa checked in and was given the assigned site. However when the park attendant guided the Smitanic to the site it was clear that it could not accommodate dockage for the massive rig. Entry into the site would require dodging another Travel Trailer in the adjacent site on one side and a large pothole on the other side. The attendant agreed and quickly pointed to another “upgraded site” that would be far easier for the entrance and exit. Nice. Next stop .... Canada!

Day 4 – Toronto Destination

An early rise was desired in anticipation of extra time needed at the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge Canadian crossing. The wait was about 30 min or so. It was a non-event! Even the Canadian bridge toll accepted the NC QuickPass! Traffic got heavier as the route skirted the eastern then northern suburbs of Toronto. It was about noon when all movement came to a halt. All 7+ lanes were wall to wall with lunchtime travelers. Gradually the crowds let up as the campground exit was made.

The Glen Rouge Campground was a Provisional park along the banks of the Rouge River. It featured nice flat, large grassy sites, next to the river, 30 amp & water however, no sewer. It was about 20 min to downtown Toronto, so weekly trips to the dump station would be more than worth the convenience of the location. 

Kiehl and Madison had the following day off and planned to take the “GO” train to a station that was just 3 miles away! This was a great beginning for the month long stay!

Red Bay we have lift off!

The Smitanic was made ready for an early AM call to the Mechanical bay as indicated by the techs from the Express Bay. But by 10 AM it had not been summoned! Anxious to hit the road to get a jump on the 3 day trip back to NC, Kevin and Theresa walked by the Mechanical Bay and noted all 3 were occupied with other RVs. Theresa inquired with one of the Techs there where the Smitanic fit into the wait queue? “there is one more in front of you, you may get in today, but no promises.” The priority of repairs once again perplexed the two eager nomads. How can one go from first thing in the AM' to 'maybe today' ? Lunch was at a local Steakhouse that had a Wednesday lunch special of a hamburger w/side and a drink which was shared between the two. The waitress asked where home was? She approved of NC even if it had North in the name, “y'all are really southerners. Don't know what to do about the ones from New York', as she shook her head in disgust. No comment to that.

Still awaiting a call for a turn in mechanical, Theresa decided to kill time in the Customer Lounge working on a 1000 piece puzzle some other ladies had started while Kevin returned to the RV to catch up on emails, news and other triage. Finally, in early afternoon, it was the Smitanic's turn!

Once in the bay, four wheel jacks were locked in to the wheels of the rig. Then all lifted the 18 tons of machine about 6ft in the air. Kevin described the leak issue to the mechanics, Sandy and Kyle. Armed with mirrors and wrenchs they examined the underbelly and began to tighten up all suspect bolts and fittings. Kevin then described and issue he noticed with one of the leveling jacks slipping down a bit after a days drive. Kevin continued his description by saying he lubricates the jacks with silicon. As soon as Kevin uttered Silicon, both Sandy and Kyle in unison said, “Never Use Silicon!” Again T.9 BoeShield was recommended as the only thing to use on all moving parts on the RV.

Kevin continued on his list of mechanical issues and told them that another repair place had also found a small leak in the cooling fan. The mechanics teamed up to examine up in the the left rear of the bus behind the duelies. They then called Kevin over to show him the location of the leak and validated it was indeed a gasket around the cooling fan. “we got not parts for that”, “Chris over at the diesel shop can get it, might take a while, and between you and this small country boy I think he charges too much”, Sandy offered. “Do you think I can drive it back to NC about 700 miles?”, Kevin inquired. “Cant rightly say, you might be good to a long while, or you might loose all the hydrolics a block from here”, Sandy replied with confidence. Kevin pondered the options, he new the leak had been detected a few weeks ago and made an executive decision. Since it was a slow leak, it would be OK to get to NC to the Freightliner repair place so they could fix it and leverage the extended warranty to help minimize the cost. 

With Kevin's list finally exhausted of items, the Smitanic was lowered back to ground floor. Sandy, with the Smitanic paperwork in hand, escorted Kevin and Theresa to see one of the 'Ladies in the Office' who would take care of billing for all the repair work. Lisa quickly entered the pages of work items logged by each technician into a computer! This was the first evidence of business technology! It does exist! A detailed print out was handed to Kevin and Theresa for their validation. To their surprise the bill was about 1/3 of what was expected! Good news! Payment was quickly made before any discrepancy was found.

It was mid afternoon before a decision was made to check out of this parking lot and get down the road about 150 miles to a 'real' campground. The bill for the weeks worth of full hook up was only $120, not bad. Kevin and Theresa looked at each other and agreed this pilgrimage was a great value and would become a regular event! Just do not be in a hurry, and bring something to entertain ones self.

A call to Rick at Triple T Freightliner was made to validate they would be able to fit the warranty repair of the cooling fan leak into their schedule. Since the Smits were off to a wedding in LA, the Smitanic could be left at the Wilmington repair location. This would allow more than 10 days for the repair to be completed. Should be enough time. Awesome! 

The Smitanic slide into Triple T early on the 3rd day of travel. It was a Saturday and the service department was minimally staffed. “I had called earlier and talked with Rick who told me to bring it in before 11 am today”, Kevin told the technician behind the desk as Kevin handed him the extended warranty paperwork. “I will make copies and give these back”. The technician completed that task and said “You are good to go”. “Do you want my name or number?” Kevin asked. “Na, you are in the system.”

With the final (for this round) repair item pending, the Toad was loaded with refrigerator items, dirty cloths, electronics and the dog. Cary would be the final destination for the day. A break from the repair vortex and a promise of hot showers awaited the road weary travelers as they asked Siri to get them to Home.

This post will be the last one until early September when the next part of the nomadness gets underway.

High Anxiety

Priority had little to do with your sequential assigned number from 1 to 1000 (then repeated as new campers arrive) and was kept a guarded secret that only Wanda knows. Last Thursday upon the Smitanics arrival at Red Bay, the estimate was for a Monday or Tuesday Express Bay time. After waiting in line outside her office, on that promised Monday, Kevin and Theresa were summoned to the office to watch as Wanda thumbed thru an orderly stack of paperwork for all those who awaited repairs. After a pause Wanda then estimated “Maybe Tuesday or Wed'. “You have 6 ahead of you”, “We have only 2 express bays and can do two or three a day in each bay”. “You also have the need for some mechanical work that needs to be done”. “Once you are done in the Express Bay you will then be put in a queue for the Mechanical bay work”. 

“We had some folks that did not show up for work, and we have some folks that took vacation”. Kevin and Theresa did not recognize this as a good reason for a change in the estimate. All businesses plan ahead for employee vacations and unexpected illnesses.

This did not sit well with Kevin. Theresa recognized the signals of Kevin beginning a slow burn of disappointment in his mind. This information along with the fact that all work is planned using plies of paper and note pads. No scheduling software or computers had yet to be utilized added fodder to Kevin's slow burn of disappointment.

That evening, prior to bedtime, Kevin optimistically set his phones alarm for 6:30 am in anticipation of a call to be at one of the Express Bays first thing in the morning.

Morning came, Kevin was sipping coffee before his alarm announced 6:30 am. 7 am came, 7:30 came, several RVs had already left the campsites to make their way to one of the 40+ service bays. 8:30 came followed by 9:30 am. Kevin as pacing and having a conversation under his breath. 10:30 came and went. Kevin had been calculating the number of RVs that could be serviced in the Express Bays just as a call at 11AM rang on Kevin's phone go to Express Bay 8. Express Bays host repairs that can be competed by 2 technicians in a 3 hour time frame. In anticipation of getting only the highest priorities completed in the limited service hours the Smitanic list had been honed down and prioritized to meet that limitation.

Like an Indy pit crew, the Smitanic team quickly unhooked all water and sewer lines, stowed items and were at the bay in less that 15 min! 

Kevin piloted the Smitanic slowly into Bay 8. Once the vessel had drifted into position, 2 technicians requested permission to come aboard. The shore crew then reviewed the list with Kevin and declared they would start at noon as it was just about the technicians lunch time. Kevin and Theresa decided therefore it was time for them to also grab some lunch. Customers are encouraged to hang around and watch repairs in hopes to learn, ask questions and advise on the priority of repairs. Kevin and Theresa wanted to absorb as much as they could from the 'experts'.

 

Promptly at high noon, Kevin and Theresa returned to the Bay. Adam and Sequoyah (yes his name) went straight to work on the top priority, the Fresh water indicator had quit registering since the new Wet Bay was installed last week. Armed with a flashlight and mirror the two experts could see all the wires and discovered that one wire had been pulled out of the assembly. A new wiring assembly was retrieved from the nearby parts dept and easily installed. Theresa noted to Kevin that a new repair tool should be added to the toolbox, a mirror, how handy! 

Next the two technicians split up to take on the next 2 items, Adam checking the batteries and Sequoyah replacing the exterior window seals. A Third dude, that looked remarkably like Theresa's nephew Mike Waldron, came inside the coach to inspect the AC.

Adam was done with the batteries and gave them a thumbs up thanks to Kevin's diligence in keeping the distilled water level full. Adam lamented, “On many occasions when we go to open the cap and look in at the level, the batter is so empty, you can hear your voice echo inside”. “If you keep the water levels up those batteries will last for YEARS”. He congratulated Kevin on being very diligent in his attention to not just batteries but his focus on recognizing and then getting items serviced as needed.

Next, after a swing by the garbage barrel for a spit of tobacco, Adam opened up the basement bays to inspect the driver's side slide. This had been previously repaired during the Smitanic Northern exposure in South Dakota and Montana last year. (Recall the 2 bit fix?) All looked good and Adam even sprayed some special lube, T-9 BoeShield made by Boing, on the mechanism as well. Kevin noted this must be added to the purchase list as well.

Inside the RV, Sequoyah reviewed with Theresa the issues with the day-night blinds. He reviewed how the blinds are installed and removed and advised her to go to Bay 29 and speak with Stebon (this was what they called Stephen with a wad of tobacco in their checks). “He'll give you some parts and you can fix those yourself”. Theresa then marched down to Bay 29 were Stebon was repairing a plastic refrigerator tray. Theresa interrupted his work and explained her mission. He generously grabbed a hand full of spare parts and put them in a container and handed it to her. She also asked his advice on how best to install these parts as well as reattach existing end-caps that had come loose. With new found confidence she returned to Bay 8 with her spare parts and assignment.

Back at the RV, the AC was given an A-OK and Kevin was assure it did not need Freon. Kevin remarked how the new RVs have 3 AC s to cool the space vs 2 so that must keep it nice and cool! Sequoyah remarked “the new AC s are not nearly as good as the ones you got here!”. Michael's twin chimed in “These older units are much better built than the new ones”. One more reason to resist New RV envy and keep the Smitanic even thought it is 10 years old.

Next Sequouya re-glued the frame on the dinning room window that had come loose and then headed outside to continue to replace all the window seals on each window. Adam inspected the slide seals on the slides where Kevin noted there had been some metal on metal rubbing. Adam determined that the gaskets should be replaced. As the two technicians went to work replacing all the Smitanic window and identified slide seals, Theresa was reminded of the Emerald City makeover scene before meeting the great and powerful Wizard! “Stuff stuff here, ... buff buff there, …. That's how they play the day away in the very own land of OZ!” 

The Smitanic was almost ready! It had only been 2 hours. Kevin challenged the technicians to consider replacing all the seals on each of the slides as he further identified other areas of concern. Upon further inspection the technicians agreed that they all should be replaced. A new order for additional seals was placed and once the parts arrived the team attacked the remaining seals.

One final item, a small Hydraulic leak, would have to be scheduled with Mechanical a different bay. The Smitanic physical paperwork was hand delivered to Mechanical, who indicated that they had completed all their work for the day and were completely caught up, so they might just be able to get the Smitanic in yet that afternoon. However looking at the clock it was very close to quitting time so perhaps it will be first thing tomorrow.

Kevin and Theresa shook hands with the Technicians and thanked them for thier wonderful effort for the day. The service was as top notch as claimed! Everyone worked together and were encouraged to answer questions, explain things and give advice. Even with a very non-computerized process they were very efficient and were able to address lots of issues in a very short time!

Hurry up and Wait

On Friday morning Kevin checked in with Wanda in scheduling and she reconfirmed the Monday or Tuesday estimate for the (Express Bay) EB. 

The day was free to catch up on emails, FB and other social sites as well as publish the latest Mr opinion podcast for Kiehl. On Saturday a long walk, with cloud cover, allowed the team to meander the outskirts of town covering about 4 miles. The route consisted of a combination of rural acreages, small town family ranch homes and multi-family apartments. Very few roads had sidewalks but there was little traffic. Anyone who passed did it cautiously and always with a friendly wave! One older gentleman in a woody PT cruiser actually made a u-turn and slowed down just to strike up a conversation. “where y'all from?” as Mr Thompson introduced himself..”Who you goin' to vote for for President?” Not wanting any confrontation, Kevin replied “who knows, we are waiting for the debates”. “were y'all from” Kevin explained they were currently from NC however both grew up in the Midwest. “I thought so cus you got no accent” Mr. Thompson then advised both Kevin and Theresa to “make sure ya say Y'all once in a while so we can tell yr from NorrthCaroliinaa”. After a bit more small talk Mr. Thompson wished the team good luck on the repairs and safe travels. Later Kevin spotted a establishment named “Thompson Gas” and wondered if it was the same dude. More than likely “yes”.

Another must see novelty in Red Bay was the Rattlesnake Saloon. This establishment warned that you must park at the entry and let the 'taxi' take you to the saloon that was embedded in a cave! How unique! 

The drive was a mere 20 miles away and was well worth it. Shortly after parking, a truck with seating in the back bed pulled up and took the tourists down the steep dirt road to the saloon opening. 

Tables were set up under the cave overhead as well as a stage where a band was setting up for the nights performance. Each of the round tables seated at least 8 people, so Kevin and Theresa claimed 2 seats on an empty table with hopes to meet some others as the night rolled on. The menu was an assortment of artery clogging fried options. Kevin order the snake eyes and tails which was a combo of fried green beans and jalapeno peppers. Thank goodness the main entree, a rustler burger, was shared between the two. 

Just as the burger was finished a party of 2 couples approached the table asking if they could join the two tourists. Of course, but they may regret that decision as Kevin immediately began to banter with the new table-mates. As the band began to play, the conversation continued and covered not only the rattlesnake menu but technology, marital bliss and the obligatory kids and grand kids inventory. Awesome folks! Great venue and the band was good although country is not a preferred genres they were a nice mix of traditional with a touch of blues. Once all seated at the table were done with the evenings meal the checks were paid and the new acquaintances said their good-byes.

The weather on Sunday only allowed for a walk in the AM as rain moved in from the drenched and flooded LA area. This left the team confined to quarters to do mundane financial tasks and catch up on the Blog write ups and the final Mr Opinion Podcast for the session.

The team will be anxiously awaiting a call for their turn in the EB early in the week.

Kevin Shows Restraint

The technician arrived at 8AM and reviewed each item on the list. He quickly determined that the Express Bay (EB) would handle most of the critical issues. A few like the battery replacement would be deferred to the Mechanical bays if not covered in the EB. He estimated a Monday or Tuesday for the Smitanic turn in the EB. This was awesome news! Kevin and Theresa were comfortable with the time frame. Now all they could do is explore the area while they waited their turn for the EB.

One of the must-see local attractions, was a tour of the Tiffin manufacturing plant. This started at 9:30am. Kevin and Theresa were one of the first to arrive at the visitor center to check in for the tour. “please sign in and be sure to get your safety glasses” said the host, and in the same breath, “where y'all from?” Kevin immediately was tagged as a trouble maker remarking that he was a Winnebago owner. “Just kidding we have a 2006 Allegro Bus, can we get a discount on a new model?” They had seen his type before and were ready.

After 20 or so people gathered, a short film was shown with a greeting from the Tiffin family, a father and 3 sons, who still own and manage the company.

Next the group walked in to the woodworking shop where there were mounds of real cherry, oak and other hardwoods with very impressive sanders to mold all the interior cabinets and décor of each of the models of the Allegro line of RVs. Next was the assembly line where all those pre-constructed components were applied and affixed to the base chassis. First the plumbing, engine, electric, then walls, appliances, furniture and lastly the walls and slide outs.

Theresa and Kevin were amazed at the details. Each RV model was spec built. All of it's pieces down to the wiring was identified with the model. Work assigned to an individual was labeled with their name. Tiffin rolls out 12 completed units per day, so each station had 12 bins for the daily product quota. Theresa just could not imaging the analytics and detail that went in to planning each unit and all the components. It was also impressive how much handwork by humans that went into each step. Sanding, calking, wiring, polishing... all by hand. And quality was at every step, even on the more completed coaches, notes were left on the door about what punch list items needed to be addressed before the RV left the building. Very impressive! Good thing all these RVs were spoken for, otherwise Kevin would be negotiating for a trade in ;)

It was amazing that the tour took 20 some-odd visitors into and around the manufacturing areas in the mist of where folks were working. Occasionally the workers would look up and give a nod or a wave, but most were very engaged in their assigned task.

The tour guide did reveal that Tiffin employs 1500 and that the hours are from 6AM until 2:30 with a simultaneous 40 min lunch. She also noted that sometimes overtime is required to meet the 12 bin quota. See all the pictures here 

The only disappointment was there was no Tiffin family member spotting... may be next time.

Back to the campground to do some laundry, catch up on the blog and Mr. Opinion podcasts and cook dinner. And settle in for a long weekend of waiting.