Four Hours On The Road

We spent four hours on the road, or rather on the side of the road. We were going to Las Cruces New Mexico from Van Horn Texas. When I crested the top of the hill, all was fine. It was just seconds after I started the descent that my brake light from my brake buddy came on. I pulled over.

The front tire was smoking and I heard the second one going down. I tried not to panic. I couldn't figure out what happened. In emergency situations I try to figure out why before I react. When I realized that thinking was not the solution I called Good Sam Roadside Service. One hour later I received the call that a tow truck was on its way and would be there in twenty minutes.

The tow truck driver's english was so poor. He wouldn't talk to us, and when he did he said "take tires be back in 40 minutes. I was floored. I figured they would tow us.... somewhere..... anywhere but not leave us on the side of I-10 with no front tires.

I called Robert, Hannah's boyfriend. Not only did I received sound advice but just hearing his voice calmed me down. I called Good Sam and told him I was concerned about the brakes on the car. I told him about the tow truck driver poor english skills and then.... I lost it.

My children will tell you I am not the kind of person who cries.

The gentleman at Good Sams was so calm, he gave his credentials and told me what to do and how to do it.

An hour or more the tow truck driver came by with two new tires and he brought his boss. His boss was very calm, spoke in that wonderful thick accent that I love, and said "brakes are fine, braking system doesn't work."

The tires were then put back on and I drove carefully down the rest of the incline.

We pulled into a park in El Paso. All I wanted to do was level the RV, set up camp, then curl up in a fetal position with my blanky and thumb.

Then the levelers started acting up and I was so close to a nervous breakdown, I was thinking seriously about guzzling Surely Not's knock out medicine. My neighbor came over and he was so helpful. The hour I spent with him I learned so much about my motorhome. Then he asked me "was that you stuck on I-10?"

Then we spent another hour going through by braking system. He showed me how to dismantle the power cord and check the contacts, then he checked my braking buddy. He then picked up my braking system and explained how it works. When he was talking to me, it suddenly went off. If the clamp was on my brake it would have put the brake on. That my friends was the problem.

We are fine. The car will be going in for a check up this week, the braking system will be replaced, and we will be on the road... eventually.

Now I need to go find my blanky and curl up in fetal position. Internet is poor so it will be sporadic posting until we leave El Paso.