A "brake" in our journey
Trip Start
Sep 27, 2010
1
7
34
Trip End
Mar 23, 2011
Olathe, Kansas
Monday, October 25, 2010
Our next stop is a kind of utility stop – let me explain…
When we picked Bree up in NH (not long ago in time – but far in miles – even further when we look at what we have already done) we were staying with our old friends Doug & Trish. They kindly collect our post for us and one of the letters that was waiting concerned a recall by Workhorse (Bree has a chassis built by them) and in September they announced a recall because some owners had experienced a seizing of brakes. Ours have got hot – so to speak, you may remember the episode in the Smokey Mts – but Malc is a driver who is acutely aware of how his vehicle performs and how his driving can affect that performance, so we have never had any trouble. (I have not received payment for this praise!) However, it was apparent that we needed to get this work done. We had tried to schedule this whilst we were in the Chicago area, but couldn't get a slot until December!! So we tried again down here in Missouri and luckily got a slot at a fairly local dealership in Olathe/Gardner over the border in Kansas. Hence, after meeting the inevitable road works on the way, we find ourselves parking on their forecourt in order for them to work on the brakes in the morning.
Olathe RV could not have been more helpful, knowing that we were 'on the road’ Craig, at the garage, plugged the rig in so that there would be no need to switch to propane to keep the fridge and freezer running. So we semi-dry camped overnight and left Bree to them the following morning whilst we took ourselves off to the local library to avail ourselves of their wi fi. Incidentally it is quite interesting how busy this library is, many people have come in to use the computers, mums bringing infant and toddlers in for the daily ‘Infant & toddler story time’ it is light airy and comfortable; a pleasure to use.
We caught up on some e mails and posted a blog. Then after lunch - I won’t bore you with the details of this meal, we went to look at Gardener Junction. This is the point at which the three trails, Santa Fe, Oregon and California split, remember we had been to the frontier museum in Independence where the trails began. It was I have to say underwhelming, which is sad when you consider what an important spot it was, it wasn’t helped by the fact that the ‘actual’ point where they split is about half a mile north of the spot that is marked! Still there must be a good reason for this; it’s just that we don’t know what it is. Quite fitting, as we imagined those pioneers setting off west, a train passed us by (as they do) on the Santa Fe line – goods not passengers, I counted 220 containers (each one would have been a truck on the road of 53 feet). The train was more than that though as I didn’t start counting ‘til the first few had gone by. I wonder what those pioneers would have thought, considering their struggles to just get themselves and a few possessions this way?
When we collected Bree, he was resplendent in his new callipers and ready for the road once more. Oh and we thought this was funny, it seems others have discarded old TV’s too, but they weren’t lucky enough to have a re cycling ‘event’ like we had in Springfield IL.
So from here we made our way to Highlandville, this took us back across the State line into Missouri once more. We took the back roads, nice to travel but they too have drawbacks
Every now and again Malc comes out with a jem of a quote, for example; whilst driving on a windy section:
We're definitely going to windward but I'm not sure if I'm heading up or bearing away..."
"sailing experience certainly helps with anticipating when to expect wind gusts but watching the trees is a bit different as they aren't the same clues as you get on the ocean..."
See - we are RV Sailing :) - but what the hell is he talking about?
Comments
Sail under the clouds there is always more wind there. Just keep heading up in the gusts and bear away in the lulls to keep her on course. Just remember to keep to the left of the double yellow line.
Ooops....I meant keep to the right of the double yellow line......seriously....I'm not trying to off you.
Suppose it depends if I'm "sailing" in the UK or USA - thanks for the hints and tips :)