A Lesson Learned.

November 20, 2016

We have been lucky as far as things going wrong in our home on wheels. Even the first year out when we had a tire blow on I 85 just East of Atlanta, GA we were close to an exit, and besides a slightly scratched wheel there was no damage to the Crusader. Plus we had an extremely nice gentleman come out on a Saturday night to help us. Even though as he explained, when Tom asked what do we owe you, I am not sure I don't change tires. I have a tow service but I could tell you really needed help and couldn't leave you stranded.

After looking at several motor homes in the area, Tom's constant research, we talked, and made the decision to head to Texas. The "plan" was to be somewhere near Tallahassee, Fl Sunday evening.

That plan ended in a blink of an eye as we pulled out of our RV site. I mentioned in the previous post we both had second thoughts about pulling into our assigned site but we made the decision to go ahead. (The office was closed on Sunday and we did not want to set up in a different site and then have to move the next morning. Hindsight says, that would have been a much better decision.) The sites were very tight. No more then two feet between our's and the next RV's slide. On our left was a board, between two posts, with the electrical boxes attached and the way this was positioned it was going to be even tighter to pull out of the site. Of course, now we realize Tom should have backed out of the site but after thinking about it we both really thought it would be tight but he would be able to pull out to the right. I was on the right watching the large cement pads we where hoping to avoid. We both thought there was enough room to miss the electrical board and by the time I realized we didn't have the room it was to late to get Tom to stop. We didn't do any damage to their electrical set up but I will include pictures of what it did to the Crusader. Now Tom had to make a tight turn to avoid a tree and not re-connect with the pole and board as he backed up. I was standing behind watching his progress when I heard a loud pop. Yes, that noise was the trucks back window.  At this point he backed up and made the decision to go up and over two of the cement pads which again hindsight says we should have done right from the start.

Now we are out on the highway looking for a place to stop and every time we go over a bump more of the window falls out. Yes, again hindsight says why didn't we just tape the window right away and that is a good question with no answer. After some fun at a Walmart we could not fit into and a one way turn we finally landed in Medical Office parking lot and called the insurance. The next step was to find a place to park and stay for at least three days until the window could be fixed. After some searching we found the park we are at now, Zephyr Palms RV Park in Zephyrhills, FL. We were able to get here using back roads which was the priority when selecting the spot. So we took a leisurely Sunday ride down Florida back roads and because of no back window had a nice breeze and did not need to use the air conditioning. It really was a nice ride and I never even took one picture. (Side note: this is a nice park and is on our list if we are back in this area.)

Our insurance did their job and someone was here Tuesday and the window was replaced and only cost us about half of what we thought it would. After several calls we were able to take the Crusader in for the body work estimate and the insurance will cover it minus our deductible. So in the end we learned a valuable lesson and it did not cost us an arm and a leg.

With everything that happened we have decided to stay here until we head back to Michigan and celebrate Christmas with our daughter and her family and then downstate for New Years with our son and his family. In the end this is a better place, distance wise, for the trip back. The "plan", I do love how we keep making plans this year, was to go back to watch our son receive his Masters on the 10th spend time with them and then head to our daughter's for a few days. It ended up that graduation was his National Guard weekend and he will not be walking. So we decided to still drive back but for the holidays instead. When we get back the "plan", because we are those optimists, is to head west.

"Good Times become good memories.

Bad Times become good lessons."

~unknown