Adventures on the Bourbon Trail – Part 1
Our next adventure would take us to the heart of Kentucky.
Our final destination was the Kentucky Horse Park Campground in Lexington,
Kentucky—the perfect home base for exploring the famous Bourbon Trail,
beautiful horse farms, and everything that makes the Bluegrass State so
special.
Of course, if you've been following our travels for very
long, you already know one simple truth...
Getting there is half the adventure.
Unfortunately, this journey included another one of those
"BOAT" days. (Bring Out Another Thousand.)
As Susan put it best:
"Well darn it, another breakdown. Our two-year-old
front passenger-side airbag failed. Finding a replacement was challenging and
very expensive, but once again we are rolling. What strikes me is that when we
are broken, I've got the best DIY person on board. He was able to troubleshoot
and diagnose the problem. I feel badly that he is very limited in who he can
call to get help and support when things go wrong. (And yes, he gets as upset
and stressed as you do when things go wrong.) We concluded that several big
potholes probably destroyed the airbag. They just don't make them like they
used to.
Don't expect to find this part sitting on the shelf, even
in the Indianapolis area with all of its heavy-duty truck suppliers. Online,
the airbag was about $140—but every source was out of stock. We finally located
a large Freightliner/RV parts supplier that could overnight one... for over
$900! The mobile mechanic arrived well prepared and had everything replaced in
about two hours. We were happy to be back on the road... just another BOAT
day."
She's right.
No one enjoys unexpected repairs, especially when they
happen hundreds of miles from home. RV life has a way of testing both your
patience and your wallet. Thankfully, years of turning wrenches and refusing to
give up have taught me how to diagnose most problems before calling for help.
Sometimes that's enough to save the day. Other times, it's enough to point the
mechanic in the right direction and get us back on the road a little faster.
While on the way, our generator stopped. You guess it, the belt broke.
Fortunate we carry a spare. Even though it is an old one.
Meanwhile, our youngest traveler seemed completely unfazed.
Mocha Teal wasn't concerned about airbags, parts
availability, or repair bills. As far as she knew, we had stopped at another
exciting place where new smells needed investigating and every passing person
was a potential new best friend.
Perhaps there's a lesson in that.
While we humans worried about schedules and repairs, our
little chocolate co-pilot reminded us to enjoy the moment. A wagging tail, a
short walk, and a few belly rubs made the whole world right again.
Eventually, the repairs were complete, Gus was riding level once more, and we pointed the windshield toward Lexington.
Stay Tune for Part 2
Happy Journeys and Travels
Susan, Tilly, Mocha, me and of course Dakota guiding us until Mocha can take over.
