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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Getting Ready To Roll

Sadly, our time visiting our Missouri granddaughters is at an end, tomorrow we leave to begin our trip to the Winnebago Factory in Forest City, Iowa.  About 450 miles.  And, contrary to our usual way  of driving, we’re going to stretch the trip out into three days. Hopefully, I don’t disappoint my PDD Driving Club fans.  I just want to make sure to arrive at the factory service center on time without any problems, I had to make this appointment a couple of months ago and if I had to reschedule, at this time of year, it would likely be the end of summer before I could get another appointment.

A few items, a new driver’s side windshield, a new inverter, repair of that pesky slide leak, a check of the bedroom slide seal (sometimes we get a damp spot on the carpet in the corner of the slide after a prolonged heavy rain) and a couple of odds and ends.  Much of the work will be covered under our extended warranty and RV insurance policy, so hopefully the left over costs won’t be too bad on our budget. 

Why the factory service center?  I don’t think there is any better place to get the work done than by the very people that built the Journey in the first place.  Plus, they have the parts on hand, so we won’t be waiting for something to be shipped.  Best of all, they have free hookups for us to use after hours.  The preliminary estimate for the repairs is two days.  We’ll take the factory tour, of course and peak at some new models, but we have no intention of buying a new motorhome, we’re very pleased with our Journey after seven years of owning it.

Along with the usual pre-trip checks I do, I checked my tire pressures.  If you remember, I just had four new tires installed on the Journey’s rear axle.  I asked the installers to set the tires to my preferred pressure, 105 psi.  When I checked them this morning, a couple were at 100 psi.  Not a big thing, but I am a bit anal about tires so I dug out my air hose and tire pressure fill attachment.

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I don’t have to carry a portable air compressor because the Journey has a fitting that taps into its air pressure system.  It uses the air brake compressor on the engine.  I do have to run the engine, but it only takes a few minutes to complete the job.

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It’s a good thing having the installed air compressor fitting, because I don’t know where I’d carry a portable compressor.  When you’re a full timer, everything you have goes with you and you have to tuck everything away when you roll.

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Amazing how you can squeeze everything in.  :c)

Tonight, we have one last visit with DIL Amber and the girls. Ryan is already underway on his cutter for a week long or so trip up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers checking, repairing and replacing the navigational buoys.

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It’s been a great visit and it was wonderful to welcome little Charlie (Charlotte) to the family.  We hope to get back and see them soon.

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Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.

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22 comments:

  1. If as you head north and have time be sure and visit Mark Twain's and my hometown, Hannibal MO.
    Safe travels.

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  2. Hope all your repairs go as planned. Glad to see that you are taking a relaxing drive there.

    Charlotte looks like an angel when she is sleeping, hope she is like one when she is awake too!

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  3. You, anal about your RV?? What a surprise! (not)

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  4. That's a beautiful baby for sure. So glad to hear you will be taking your time. Let's see 450/3=150 miles a day. Now that's my kind of drive and I'm betting you will enjoy it a whole lot more. It's actually possible that you could be cured of PDD if you do this often enough. Safe travels!

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  5. I bet you are going to miss little Charlie and the rest of the family. Good to get those repairs finished so you can roll to the next destination!

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  6. Safe travels and I hope everything goes well with your RV repairs. I'd have a problem leaving little Charlie too - what a doll!

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  7. I totally agree with your line of thinking about taking the rig back to the folks who actually built it. They are the people who know & understand how things work. Had we kept our Winnie Wagon we probably would have dropped in there as well because it wasn't too far off one of the routes we use to travel back & forth, I would have loved taking that factory tour. Great way to clear up all those mysteries of how things are put together. Like what does a real black tank look like eh:))

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  8. What a nice visit you had! Hope all the repairs go on time and get done to your satisfaction. Stay on em and keep em hopping!


    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    Karen and Steve
    (Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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  9. We have done a couple of factory tours and just love seeing how they put together these rigs. Good luck with you repairs and travel safe.

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  10. That is just so very cool., your own air compressor on board from the engine? Pretty darn handy, I would say. Another nice thing about a big rig vx our little sweet MoHo. Still wouldn't trade it though. funny how we all get attached to our own rigs, no matter what they are, big or little, old or new, they are home.

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  11. The problem with those fully packed compartments is you always need the thing at the bottom:)

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  12. 3 whole days to go 450 miles??? I don't believe it...that's like doing the Krecklow Krawl!!

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  13. Never been to the Winnebago Factory so we will be waiting for a full report!! Nice to see you are taking you time on this trip. 150 miles per day is just a nice pace:o))

    Safe Travels and Happy Trails...

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  14. Enjoy the slow drive ... agreed that the best place for repairs is where the motorhome was born to begin with.

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  15. Glad you guys are getting out and about again, even if it's just a trip to the factory. Hope all your repairs go well.

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  16. You sure have learned to "tuck" everything in nice and neat to make it fit. Just how do you remember where everything is? Or, do you keep a list of what's contained in each compartment?

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  17. Hope all the repairs go smoothly and you're back on the road as planned. There are a couple of two-car garages in our neighborhood that look just like your storage when their big door is open!

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  18. That on-board air compressor is a real handy item.

    Safe travels to the factory and here's hoping they get those pesky water leaks all sealed up.

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  19. It's great that you're taking your RV check-ups really seriously. People don't usually do this, especially those who are out on the road for the first time, not realizing that it helps in avoiding breakdowns on the road. In any case, your Journey does look like it needs a tune-up. Those issues could turn out worse if unheeded, so it is best to address them now. Drive safely!

    Kathryn Weber @ Global Parts, Inc

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