That Little Switch in my RV
Posted on Jun 03rd 2015
Recently, I traveled to Louisiana to help with the Hurricane Isaac disaster relief effort. I had decided to drive my big rig, a 1992 Monaco Dynasty, so I could bring my cat with me. The rig had sat for 3 years before I purchased it, and it still had some minor issues; but I fell in love with it at first sight and cannot part with it. She is worth the trouble.
The roads in Mississippi and Louisiana leave a lot to be desired. All kinds of things were shaken loose during the trip down; and I spent a fair amount of time putting things right again. I had the brilliant idea that since I had access to a decent shop, I would take care of the generator muffler that fell off on the rough roads on the way down. I also thought, hey, this is a great time to get my brakes done as well! Normally, I am an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kind of guy. In hindsight, I realize I should have stuck to that philosophy like glue.
It took them a week to get the repairs done. Being an early retiree gave me the time and energy it took to be unexpectedly “stranded” somewhere. But after seven days of patience, I prepared to leave. I began walking down to the service garage which was only a couple of blocks from my rented bungalow. Sleeping on a “real” bed had done nothing good for my back; but that is a story for another day.
Suddenly, the RV repair shop called me on my cell phone. They had gotten ready to test drive my rig after the brake job and the transmission line let loose. It dumped transmission fluid all over their driveway. So, needless to say, I was not going to be able to leave on schedule. They told me to wait another week, because they had to order the parts. Great, I thought. A cold beer and a sandwich tastes just as good anywhere, I suppose.
When I picked the rig up the following Monday, I was more than ready to head home. I had been in Louisiana for more than 2 weeks, and I was tired. I tried to crank the generator and nothing happened. This did not make me a happy person. No generator means no AC for the drive home! After futzing around with things, I decided that the whole rig needed to go back to the shop. I called them on my cell and arranged to have someone follow me to the shop for a ride back to the motel.
A week later, it was déjà vu all over again. I had been in the shrimp boat state for 21 days. I might as well be like Forrest Gump and find Bubba to start my own business. After almost crying over the repair bill, I manage to start the rig and pull out. Strangely, there is absolutely no "get up and go" when I press the gas. I notice there is no reading on my Booster gauge. I limped back to the shop at 15mph. They tell me my generator issue is propane related and they can't work on it, and my turbo issue is beyond their abilities as well. Now I really AM in tears. I am NEVER going to get out of the state at this rate!
Looking for the place they recommended to have the turbo serviced, I happen to look down and notice that my PAC brake switch is in the ON position. I immediately turned it off and ZOOM! I was was outta there like a rocket! I called the first shop and told them problem solved. When they asked, I simply said, “Operator error.” I was NOT stopping after seeing that puff of smoke behind me and feeling the rig take off like a jet. It was a long trip home, but I didn't slow down until I was miles outside of Louisiana!
The moral of my story: You can't get anywhere if you run with your brakes on!
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