Monday morning we left Texas for New Mexico. Bev almost didn’t make the trip as quickly as Jim.
We were about 75 miles south east of El Paso -- the middle of nowhere -- when Jim thought he got an error message on our brake system and pulled off onto the shoulder of Interstate 10. I went to the back of the rig to get the owner’s manual while Jim went out to the tow car. Then I grabbed my set of rig keys and went outside to help Jim. When I got to the tow car, I didn’t see Jim ... but I did see the rig starting to pull back on I-10. I ran to the rig’s passenger window, pounded on the window, and Jim looked a me like he was seeing a ghost. But he did stop the rig.
Luckily for us, once we got back on I-10 we both started to laugh ... especially when we saw the next road sign, which read “Prison area. Do not pick up hitch hikers.” It would have been a long 250-mile walk.
Sorry, no photos available.
Laughed Out Loud. Really, funniest story I've heard in a long time.
ReplyDeleteTom and Ginnie in FL
The day we left Ohio, our trailer suddenly started to bounce and I immediately pulled off the road. I checked everything imaginable and couldn't detect a problem. Started up again, slowly, problem still there. So quick call to our dealer who suggested several things to check. One of the things he suggested was to make sure the electric trailer brakes were engaging and releasing properly. So Ginnie should use the brake controller and I should kneel down by the wheels and listen for the magnet clicking. Then we should drive slowly while I ran along side performing the same test. Mysteriously the vibration stopped, and we went on down the road. Then Ginnie called the dealer and said, you know when Tom was running along side like you suggested, I ran over him! Instead of laughter she heard a big silence. She had to say, "Only kidding."
That's our story from the road, but yours is a lot funnier.
Jim thought your story was funnier -- maybe because he would have had heck to pay if he'd really have left me behind in who-knows-where Texas. Also, I was going to tell you that I (Bev) stepped on a fire ant hill. OMG. Unfortunately, we did not have any bananas with us. I'm going to do a post on it at some point. Glad no one really got run over.
ReplyDeleteOh Bev! I’m glad that you are safe, but just think of the story that might have been. Think of how you could write about living for days in the West Texas Desert on the flattened remains of Armadillo and Rattlesnake found by the side of the road. How you hid from the prison miscreants. How (and this is standard fare in any Horror Movie that’s worth its popcorn salt) you would run up Interstate 10 frantically waving your arms as car after car slows down looks at you and then speeds away. Finally, you find yourself crawling across the desert towards the prison, prepared to turn yourself in, and live out the remainder of your life in the Texas Prison System. Of course the story would not end there, remember Jim, he is 500 hundred miles down the road when he finally notices that it is Cooper, and not you, sitting in the passenger seat. (This is not a criticism of Jim, it is just that it takes the average man about 500 miles before observing that he is missing his wife.) But now how does he explain to the local authorities that he lost you somewhere in the desert? The first suspect in these kinds of cases is always the spouse, and you know that picture of him with the Charlie Manson eyes is going to resurface. Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! So off to jail Jim goes. And, as luck would have it, he arrives at the prison gate at exactly the same time you are crawling up to it. What a reunion that would be, you are saved, all charges against Jim are dropped, and the two of you are featured on Dateline NBC. Not to mention that, while dragging yourself across the desert, you rediscovered the Lost Dutchman’s Mine……….and the Lindbergh Baby, grown up and living a happy reclusive life as an “Indian Trading Post” clerk. Bev, now aren’t you disappointed that Jim slowed down enough to let you jump on the running board.
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, the chances of you being left behind are only going to expand as you and Jim migrate deeper into your senior years. Fortunately, for you, OSHA has identified this as a growing problem in America and has issued a finding on RV safety. (Having been a victim/benefactor of OSHA reviews, I know how helpful these findings can be.) OSHA finds that you must institute a lock-out tag-out procedure when exiting and re-entering the Rig. I think this would go a long way towards allowing you to travel the West actually sitting in the passenger seat as opposed to seeing that beautiful scenery from the running board. Unfortunately, upon further reading of the OSHA findings for RVs, I discover that there are a number of areas in which you are not compliant. You are required to provide stairs to get into and out of all the doors of your rig and the stairs must have hand rails capable of withstanding an elephant sitting upon them. You are required to install a grounding wire to be used while fueling the vehicle. And, the ladder on the back of the Rig must be removed until a four foot high safety fence is built around the top deck. (I have purchased some wood for this project and Jim and I can take care of this the next time you are in Ohio.) Of course there were many other areas in which your safety would be found at risk by OSHA, but I think that if you took care of the items I have mentioned, we could keep your fines down to a manageable number.
I know that this comment was long and detailed, but these are important issues that must be addressed.
Travel safely, with both of you on the inside of the Rig. Carl
Carl: New plan. From now on I just send you my drafts, you can edit/embellish and then send them back to me. On second thought, that is way too dangerous. Jim appreciated your OSHA suggestions, especially the lock out tag out procedure. We need something to add to our reasons of why we can't seem to actually be on the road before 10 a.m. Let us know how much the wood costs. Love to you and Sandy.
ReplyDeleteI know I got carried away. But, in my own defense, Sandy is supposed to stop me when I get out of control.
ReplyDelete