My Christmas Vacation

[Retired and Happy]

We just got back from Cherokee NC... and that was the good part. Around Dec 16th we were ready to take off in our motorhome for Mobile and a family gathering prior to Christmas Day. Backing up the drive to go get propane there was a whine and an engine rev. I let it roll back to the fence and tried again. This time...nothing but the engine rev. I'm guessing the transmission, and hoping I'm wrong.

We tried for the rest of the day to rent a large van around Atlanta for the trip, but were unsuccessful due to the holidays. We transferred as many presents and clothing as we could stuff in a minivan with the 5 little angels, forsaking most of the food we were to carry, and took off the next morning. Just outside Montgomery, and just before dusk, the engine overheated and the battery light came on. Braking and steering were suddenly very hard. Fortunately we were near an exit and only 5 miles from my mother's house. Inspection showed a broken alternator bracket, so the alternator was just hanging there, and the belt was wrapped around the back of the fan.

A single phone call to a random dealer in Montgomery found us a 15 passenger van. Our Good Sam ERS picked up our van and moved it to my mother's driveway for the weekend. We transferred our stuff to the larger van and resumed our trip to Mobile. While we were in Mobile my brother in Montgomery arranged for his mechanic to do the repair and Good Sam came through with another tow.

By Thursday morning I was informed that my van was ready. Thanks to my brother's influence, they had moved it to the top of their service chart. I took the rental van back to Montgomery, picked up my van, and returned to Mobile, thankfully without further incident.

Sunday we traveled with a daughter and her family toward Cherokee. After a minor problem in their Blazer with a nail in the tire at a rest stop south of Montgomery, we finally returned home to pick up our cargo trailer with our three wheelchairs, oxygen and medical supplies, and extra heavy clothes and food for a week in Cherokee. They towed our trailer since they had a tow package on their Blazer.

We had a nice three bedroom house in Cherokee, and used that for a base of operations. A trip to Maggie Valley was enjoyable, although there was no snow except on the tube slide. In fact the whole area experienced a "heat wave" with temps staying mostly in the upper 50's and 60's. And we planned this trip based on cold weather expectations.

A couple of trips into Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge reminded me why I wouldn't want to live in the mountains. They're nice to look at and visit, but I'd sure hate to drive in them all the time.

Anyway, we got home yesterday afternoon with enough light left to unload the van and trailer. Glad to be home. Now I have to find out if a '96 Ford E4OD transmission with about 50k miles is truly shot, or if it's something more minor. Here's hoping... After $2000 in new tires and $8000 in wiring repairs this summer, we're about due for some good news.

[Retired and Happy]

We just got back from Cherokee NC... and that was the good part. Around Dec 16th we were ready to take off in our motorhome for Mobile and a family gathering prior to Christmas Day. Backing up the drive to go get propane there was a whine and an engine rev. I let it roll back to the fence and tried again. This time...nothing but the engine rev. I'm guessing the transmission, and hoping I'm wrong.

We tried for the rest of the day to rent a large van around Atlanta for the trip, but were unsuccessful due to the holidays. We transferred as many presents and clothing as we could stuff in a minivan with the 5 little angels, forsaking most of the food we were to carry, and took off the next morning. Just outside Montgomery, and just before dusk, the engine overheated and the battery light came on. Braking and steering were suddenly very hard. Fortunately we were near an exit and only 5 miles from my mother's house. Inspection showed a broken alternator bracket, so the alternator was just hanging there, and the belt was wrapped around the back of the fan.

A single phone call to a random dealer in Montgomery found us a 15 passenger van. Our Good Sam ERS picked up our van and moved it to my mother's driveway for the weekend. We transferred our stuff to the larger van and resumed our trip to Mobile. While we were in Mobile my brother in Montgomery arranged for his mechanic to do the repair and Good Sam came through with another tow.

By Thursday morning I was informed that my van was ready. Thanks to my brother's influence, they had moved it to the top of their service chart. I took the rental van back to Montgomery, picked up my van, and returned to Mobile, thankfully without further incident.

Sunday we traveled with a daughter and her family toward Cherokee. After a minor problem in their Blazer with a nail in the tire at a rest stop south of Montgomery, we finally returned home to pick up our cargo trailer with our three wheelchairs, oxygen and medical supplies, and extra heavy clothes and food for a week in Cherokee. They towed our trailer since they had a tow package on their Blazer.

We had a nice three bedroom house in Cherokee, and used that for a base of operations. A trip to Maggie Valley was enjoyable, although there was no snow except on the tube slide. In fact the whole area experienced a "heat wave" with temps staying mostly in the upper 50's and 60's. And we planned this trip based on cold weather expectations.

A couple of trips into Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge reminded me why I wouldn't want to live in the mountains. They're nice to look at and visit, but I'd sure hate to drive in them all the time.

Anyway, we got home yesterday afternoon with enough light left to unload the van and trailer. Glad to be home. Now I have to find out if a '96 Ford E4OD transmission with about 50k miles is truly shot, or if it's something more minor. Here's hoping... After $2000 in new tires and $8000 in wiring repairs this summer, we're about due for some good news.

[Bushman512003]

I think You do need a little good news and also a new rig.Best of luck to You.If You keep the old rig stay close to home.And keep the tow insurance paid up.It's no fun broke down been there done that! John

[Johnny]

1996 is old? Uhh, OK...

(Then I guess I shouldn't have gone on 1000+ mile trips in a 33-year-old RV?)

[Bushman512003]

Johnny Uhh O.K.