April - Early May Update

Kider's "World Fair" Garden, Middlebury, IN

We're fine & in Elkhart, IN for awhile. We're in-between service appointments for the trailer - this upcoming one unplanned. And if you haven't guessed or read our history, it's hydraulics or at least something affecting hydraulics like a broken bracket or weld on our bedroom slide.

Now don't go beating up on Elkhart, IN. There's a lot of worse places to be "stuck" plus there's a lot of really nice places that if you get stuck, you're toast. No one can come help you. That's why we're staying here. Lippert factory service is 35 mins away. You just gotta get an appointment. We're currently scheduled for the 18th of May plus we're on the first-call list if someone cancels.

We'd had a good trip up from Virginia and visited an old repair shop in Lagrange, IN that's under new management to get a few things replace or repaired plus some general maintenance on the trailer.  Techs that worked on the trailer were great, but not experienced in a larger, multi-slide unit with hydraulics. When the work was finished, we went in to check the work before leaving. We were so excited to see & check things while the trailer was inside the shop that we forgot to level the trailer before doing anything. When Donna moved the bedroom slide there was a large pop. Donna retracted the slides, we leveled the trailer and reopened the slides. Didn't notice anything else wrong. The work that was done was excellent. We paid & left.  

We left the Lagrange/Howe area the next day. I had opened the slides the morning we left and noticed that the bedroom slide didn't full extend. I figured we had an air bubble which we'd work out as time went on. We we arrived at Elkhart, we leveled and extended the slides. I watched the bedroom slide as it fully extended, then retracted about 4 inches. Donna re-extended the bedroom slide and it retracted (per Donna) about 2 inches. The third time it held.

As were doing all of this Donna sees the temp gauge in the freezer indicate 74 degrees and it's not dropping (but we have ice). OK, we got two things going whacky. Guess we stayed RV full-timer & kept the trailer one year too long! Once, again, we're coming out of service, we're in Indiana and we're developing a cascade of additional problems. It's a recurring theme for us.

Turns out the problem with the freezer is a bad battery in the thermometer. Confirmed by placed a different thermometer in the freezer. A new battery and it's all going well. 

Bedroom slide becomes a problem. We cannot see if any fluid is leaking. the slide frame and hydraulics is completely hidden from view. Do we travel and take our chances or be late to our volunteer position at Grand Teton. We chose to be late. Not an exciting proposition for a guy who, when I say we'll be there, intends to be there. Kinda like you word is your bond - no contract needed. Fortunately, all the staff at Grand Teton is great. While we've thrown a small wrench into the staffing schedule & will miss training, we were told to be safe and get there when we can.

So we wait. Now to see if I can get camping reservations over Memorial Day weekend! Anyway, that gets you up to date with us.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us! David