We were having a good run until Friday morning. About 7a.m. the water pump on the truck went out stranding us in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. We had to wait about 4 hours for a tow truck to come get us. That's when the fun really started! FedEx didn't want to transfer our freight for a number of reasons so the tow truck had to tow us 60 miles to our delivery, back us to the dock to unload, and then tow us to a TA truckstop in Bloomsbury, New Jersey for repairs. During all this towing I rode in the sleeper on the bunk with a rather large black dog named Rocky. I don't know what there is but most dogs love me. Must be my animal magnetism, I guess! Rocky proceeded to wrap himself bodily around me and go sound asleep for much of the ride. The rest of the time he was letting me know just how much he loved me. Finally we arrived at the TA. Good-bye, Rocky.
Our owner had made repair arrangements for us and he was told that the part was here. WRONG!!!
Ron checked us in and was told we would have to wait about 3 hours before they would be ready for us and they still had to check inventory to see if they had the water pump. In the meantime we went in for some dinner. The garage called us to say they would have to go out to get the pump and we had to wait until Saturday to get it since they were already closed. Wonderful! So we spent a night in a parking space with no TV- the satellite dome couldn't get a signal. That's ok, we watched a DVD and called it an early night due to stress. In the morning we checked with the garage again, someone was on the way with the part so we'd get a call when it came in. Meanwhile Ron discovered an oil leak. It seems that there is a hairline crack in the oil pan and when the engine warms up the oil runs out. When it rains, it pours and this must be monsoon season! The TA is able to fix the water pump but not the oil pan. While repairing the pump it was determined that the thermostats also must be changed to avoid further complications, but they have to order them and can't get them until Monday. In the interim, our truck is torn apart in the garage and this is where we're sleeping. The garage is open for repairs 24 hrs. a day. It doesn't bother me too much but Ron is a light sleeper.
This just keeps getting better and better!
When the thermostats arrive on Monday morning we should be able to get out of the garage by mid-afternoon. TA is going to try to find a way to stall the oil flow because we will have to drive about 40 miles to a Freightliner dealer to get the oil pan replaced. Who knows how long we'll have to wait before getting into the garage there. Nor do we know how long it will take to fix it once we're in. So Monday is pretty much a bust as well! I think I wish we were still back home. It's taking me some time to get acclimated to being back on the road without all of this ga-ga going on. Oh, well, I suppose this, too, shall pass. I'll keep you posted. Until next time . . . . . . .
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