Shakedown trip

[HueyPilotVN]

We have not moved the Class C that we recently bought. Tomorrow we are taking it down the river to River Island State Park for a few days.

We have spent the last several days making lists and loading things into the RV. This two day shakedown is to make sure that we have what we need for a three month trip to Minnesota starting next month.

Minnesota has cooler weather in the summer than here and Renae really misses the grandkids.

One thing that has not changed is that Renae will use my jeep to follow the RV. My jeep is set up for towing but I very much doubt that it will be towed at all on this 4 to 5 thousand mile trip. She was in an accident years ago and she likes to always be the driver, but not in bigger vehicles.

At least we are not towing the Stacker trailer with two additional cars in it.

Maybe by the time we return home if the Fall it will be safe to have friends visit us here in LHC.

River Island is only 25 miles down the river near Parker.

It will be good to get back on the road.

 

[Journey]

I sure hope you will enjoy this trip better than the Q trip with the leaking roof. Have fun and be careful. Look forward to seeing you again next winter.

 

[SargeW]

Good luck Bill! At least if you forget something, it's a short drive to pick it up!

 

[Rene T]

Bill, you said you’re going down River. I thought you bought a class C not a boat.
Good luck and enjoy. Say hi to Renae from Lucille and me.

 

[jackiemac]

Have a great time and be safe you two.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I think that the road, (AZ95) from Lake Havasu City to Parker must have an Indian curse or something. That is where I lost the brakes on the Stacker trailer a few years ago.

Wednesday morning heading down to River Island State Park I was hit by an oncoming vehicle. We basically touched side mirrors, but at a combined speed of 110 mph. Sure got my attention. I lost the upper mirror but it could have been much much worse. A few inches more and he would have side swiped the entire drivers side.

Now that was the excitement part of the Shakedown trip.

The park is really nice. Wide space between sites, beautiful mountains on either side, nice beach in a cove and an island out in the middle of the Colorado River.

Very relaxing couple of days.

I just ordered the replacement parts for the mirror.

 

[ziplock]

my goodness.

Did the other guy stop after you guys hit each other?

What did he say? What did your wife say? Was she riding or following?

 

[HueyPilotVN]

Here are a couple of pictures

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I stopped as soon as I had room on the side of the road. He kept going. I did not even see him/her and my mirror was gone so I could not see who or what hit me.

Renae was following and she saw debris flying up but not the collision.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I drove the Jeep into Parker to see if the RV parts store might have something. They did not. I wanted to find at least a temporary fix to get home with. I could not see any passing cars or tell if it was safe to merge.

I then saw a fellow parked in a field off the highway with a sign for fixing windshields. He gave me a great suggestion.

The O'reilys car parts store has a temporary mirror kit that can be cut to fit. It was only $9.95. I then attached it with Velcro and put black tape around the edges. It is not a high quality mirror but at least I could see cars passing me. I also discovered that I have cameras in both side mirrors that activate when the turn signal is on.

 

[jackiemac]

Life is never boring, so glad it wasn't serious!

 

[UTTransplant]

How frightening! I am so glad you are ok.

 

[jackiemac]

How did the rest of your trip go Bill?

 

[malexander]

Ha. My left side mirror fell out on the way to Branson last year. It was hanging by the heater wires, till I got stopped. I keep a roll of duct tape and electrical tape with me at all times, so I taped it back in place. I think it was more solid then than when it was being "barely" held in with the clips.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I finally got the mirror fixed.

I ordered the mirror from a local Velvac dealer. I got the wrong one and emailed the dealer back and forth to finally identify the correct one along with the actuator motor.

I had to remove the bottom convex mirror to get to the screws to remove the back plate. Of course it was glued in so I broke it.

Called and ordered a new convex mirror and after it was sent I put it all together and remounted it.

The first mirror, ( the wrong one ), was about $50.00, the top mirror was a little over $50.00 and the motor was about $150.00. I had to reorder the wrong convex mirror for another $50.00 for the bottom for a total of $250.00. I should have just bought the entire mirror head section for $500.00. Anyway it is fixed and the RV is safe to drive now that I can see down the drivers side.

 

[malexander]

I finally got the mirror fixed.

I ordered the mirror from a local Velvac dealer. I got the wrong one and emailed the dealer back and forth to finally identify the correct one along with the actuator motor.

I had to remove the bottom convex mirror to get to the screws to remove the back plate. Of course it was glued in so I broke it.

Called and ordered a new convex mirror and after it was sent I put it all together and remounted it.

The first mirror, ( the wrong one ), was about $50.00, the top mirror was a little over $50.00 and the motor was about $150.00. I had to reorder the wrong convex mirror for another $50.00 for the bottom for a total of $250.00. I should have just bought the entire mirror head section for $500.00. Anyway it is fixed and the RV is safe to drive now that I can see down the drivers side.

Sounds like some of my luck.