I have another propane story for today. In fact, a couple of them. And it's why I am so late getting here to OPCNM.
First story is simple. I was at the KOA in Lordsburg, NM and as we know KOAs always have propane. I made sure I left during the time the office should be open according to their sign on the office window. I leave there at 1030 hrs and their office should have been open for 1.5 hours. But the office door is locked when I get there with a sign that says they will be back at 2 PM, So of course, I leave and hit the road.
The next story is when I get to the southern part of Tucson. I see an Arco gas station with a large propane tank. I park this RV by the tank and go in. I am told they will be right with me. The place was very busy. Around 40 minutes later, some gal comes out to fill my propane tank. She cannot get their machine started and I can tell she had no idea what she was doing. She never did figure it out. I noticed myself that she was using no adapter, and I looked inside their propane hose and I see there is no thingy in there to push in the valve thingy in my tank. I am not sure if that is how it really works, as this is the first time I took a close look at this stuff. An hour later, I still do not have a drop of propane added to my tank that is at around 25%. She tells me my RV tank has a problem as she just filled up another motorhome with no problem at all. Anyway, I am not sure about anything, but she tells me there is a U-Haul place right across the street that also sells propane. It took me another hour just to get there!! The traffic on that side of the street was ridiculous. I made the mistake of trying too hard to get there as I know there is propane sold farther south where things are not so busy.
So then I finally have my RV parked at the U-Haul place and again I am told I will have to wait a while because they are extremely busy with other customers. Another half hour later a guy comes to fill my propane tank. Fills it right up to the 80% mark without the slightest problem. So, then I get back in that traffic, more hassles. Anyway, after wasting a couple of hours in south Tucson, I was on my way here. At least there is no big hurry to get here, I could get in at midnight and all would be fine.
I looked inside their hose thingy at the U-Haul and I did see a thingy that looks like it will press in on the valve in my tank. So from what I can tell, something was missing at that Arco station I first went to.
But aren't those who pump propane licensed? Do they have to pass a test or anything? The guy at the U-Haul seemed to know what he was doing, but that gal at the Arco station didn't have a clue from what I could tell.
-Don- Organ Pipe Cactus Nat'l Mon., AZ