Monday, April 23 2012

Loading up

Ray and Kay's house

Heading out

Broke down on I - 17

Made it here

Buzzard

Should be safe

Our spot for a couple days (Marie having a beverage)

Could be worse!

We were out of the park at 9:20 a.m.  We are finally headed home.  Woo Hoo!!  There is something to be said about the feeling of "going home", it is good.
We had been travelling for about an hour and a half when a car passing us honked and John slowed the bus.   "We have problems" he said and that is when I could smell the unmistakable aroma of antifreeze.  I looked out the side window and there was steam billowing out of the engine compartment.  We were overheating.  Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  Our trip home has only just begun!!
John went to investigate and discovered that the hydraulic/power steering belt had blown, we had overheated and lost our coolant.  Well, isn't that just great!!
He got on the phone to Good Sam's road side assistance and four hours later, we were still sitting on the side of the road along Interstate I- 17.  No one could find a belt for the darn motor.  WHAT!!!
A highway patrolman stopped by to see if we were OK. We assured him that help was on its way - ya right!!
When we finally realized that there was no help for us tonight, John flipped what remained of the tattered belt over (hoping to get enough miles out of it to get us somewhere off the side of the interstate) and headed down the road.  We got no more than a mile before the belt broke completely but managed to find a large parking lot at the Agua Fria National Monument.  Once the belt broke, there was no more power steering and we took up the whole intersection to make the turn into the parking lot.  We made it though and found a nice spot to part for the night.  Hopefully, it will only be for the one night!!
While sitting along the Interstate for those four hours, John put up the satellite and got on line so that he too could search for the elusive belt.  He found one in South Dakota!!  Now that is pretty handy, don't you think?
Unfortunately, the shop is closed and the beloved belt can not be ordered until tomorrow. Good thing we didn't leave Sun, or we would have had another night here!
Making the best of a bad situation, we both cracked a beer and commenced to drinking!!  What else is a girl supposed to do?  John was busy watching the hockey game and I started reading my Kindle.  Another  highway patrolman came by to investigate us as this is not a designated rest area.  Once he learned we were broke down, he gave us the name of a repair shop in Mayer Az. where we could get the fancy dancy belt shipped to.
I had put a turkey breast into the slow cooker before leaving this morning so that is what we had for supper.  That along with potatoes, gravy and green beans.   Mmmm.  We might be broke down and stranded, but we do eat well!! And it is not as hot here in the higher elevation! Life is good!!