Eugene, Oregon: Dear Readers, you all know we have been spending quite a bit of time (and moolah) on repairs and maintenance on our 13-year-old motorhome lately. From flying Brian down to Palm Springs in May to have a new inverter installed, awning repairs, air conditioner repairs, having four windows replaced here in Oregon, having Brian servicing our Aqua-hot, repairing our water hose, entry steps, and tweaking a few more things locally, to getting the annual lube, oil, filter on our Cummins engine. It is what happens when you have a house that drives down the road. All RVers have to deal with these things.
It was during the servicing last week (as I reported on 23 June) we learned our bus needs new brake pads. Our Cummins tech, who has been servicing our motorhome since we took delivery in 2008, and claims to love our bus, gave us the bad news. He does not want us driving the RV back to SoCal until the brakes have been repaired. (Apparently, he must love us as well.) Sad thing, Cummins does not repair brakes, and any brake shop within a hundred miles is so backed up with prior customers, no one can do the job until August... and they will need our RV for a week or more. Fun times!
It was time for an Executive Decision, and this time the Executive was DT. We are going to leave our bus with Louie at Premier RV Services, and drive back to our home in California in our car. Louie will get the brakes ready to roll (and stop) by mid-August... when we will reverse our route and return to Eugene to reclaim the Magna Peregrinus (and watch the Prefontaine Classic track meet).
In 30+ years of RVing, this is the first time we had needed to abandon ship.
This means we will not be visiting anyone else. No cruising over to Central Oregon, no sailing home down the Oregon coastline. With camera equipment, jewelry, computers, golf clubs, and all sorts of other things jammed into our car - we are making the 1000 mile trip in two days, spending one night near Sacramento with Brother Steve and Gina. Our belongings will be safe at their house (safer than in a roadside motel parking lot!).
Today found us going through every cupboard and drawer in the RV, deciding what we could leave here for six weeks and what needs to go back to La Quinta. After our inventory and making a packing list, we went to Fred Meyer (a one-stop Kroger) to purchase a few shipping boxes (for packing our things) and a big cooler for packing anything I can't stand to toss from the fridge.
Just what we did not need was another cooler!
Dinner tonight was yet-another "what can I cook that will use the most groceries from the fridge" meal. Street tacos - beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa - and the rest of the fruit.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. We are going to look like the Beverly Hillbillies when we head south.
Until my next update, I remain, your well-stocked correspondent.
Oh no… flexibility is an RVers middle name. How many miles do you have on the brake pads? Hope all goes well for you on the way back home.
When I read the header I thought it meant you were selling the bus! I always hate to hear that, so I’m glad it’s “only” brake problems that are making you leave it behind for awhile. Flexibility is the key I guess….it keeps us young?
WE shipped stuff home UPS that did not fit in car. Arrived quicky and safely.
Might be a option.
WE shipped what did not fit in car by UPS, arrived safe. Might be a option
Very sorry to hear this news. This is a nerve check for sure!
Sounds like you have a good plan in place. The valley is hot…… you’ll make
it just fine ❣️