Leave It to a Computer to Screw Up Our Launch Day!

We woke up Tuesday morning in the Camping World parking lot. The adhesive on the windshield rubber needed to cure, so instead of going back to the storage lot, we just stayed there. At 105 degrees at 5 PM on Monday, we were glad to have at least 30 amp power and be tucked up against the service bays where the shade helped a little. Still, we couldn't wait to get out of town and head for Morro Bay!

After getting the rig washed on Sunday it came as no surprise to hear rain on the roof when we got up :-)  So what, let's go!

Pulled out just after 9 AM with Bill driving the Jeep until we got fuel and had more room to maneuver (CW is packed!). I look down and have zero fuel. And the Check Engine light is on!

I knew we hadn't run our fuel out, but was so hopeful that both lights would go out when we filled up.

Nope, instead we got a new one on the data screen.! No J1939 Data. What the hell does that mean? Is it important? More than just the gauges being wanky? Is it more important than J1938 data?

Nooooo!

I'm now officially done. My heart is in my throat and I can't find the happy. Bill follows me back to CW where I just sit there. He has to talk with them, I can't move from the driver's seat.

He's back quickly. They don't work on engines. I vaguely remember it's a Freightliner thing, and they've given Bill the number of the closest shop. Oxnard. 45 miles away.

Someone actually answers when he calls, and we get directions. As long as the Stop Engine light isn't on we can just drive it there. We agree keeping the Jeep separate continues to be a good idea, and we head out.

I start getting used to the ever present reminder that we have another problem, and just try to enjoy the drive. At least we're headed in the right direction!

Velocity Truck Center is a nice, big, clean, friendly place. It is not where we want to be. 

Our new first stop

Over lunch we decide that being out of the heat makes all the difference. We're at the beach.  Bill used to live just up the road and can show me cool stuff if we're going to be here a while. I'm definitely feeling better. We make a quick stop for him to visit with an old friend, and then we go back and hang out in the service lounge. We all three doze off listening to the rain on the roof. This crap is exhausting!

If we have to wait.......

At three o'clock we get the news we're expecting. Not going anywhere tonight. I call and let the campground know not to cancel our space. We ARE going to get there!

After saying they don't allow people to stay in their rig on site, they do let us stay in the driveway just outside the gate. It's level, there's room for the slides, the Jeep fits too. We're asleep before dark.

The gate opens at 7:00 this morning and I move the rig back to the first bay door at 7:01. Debbie at the counter introduces a technician to Tessa. She laughs and has to ask my name. I'm used to it :-)

We have a wonderful morning. Breakfast at a little local café where we can sit outside. A quick walk on the beach (no dogs after 9 AM), and then a beautiful drive through Old Town Ventura up the back roads toward Ojai. We even find a cool little campground at Foster County Park with full hookups and spaces that would fit our 35 feet.

A nice spot to enjoy breakfast

If you're going to be stranded somewhere.....

So much better than a parking lot!
 

Because bikinis are not for swimming

Foster County Park in the old oaks
 

A rainbow fairy passes over and we learn the rig is ready!

At 10 AM Bill calls Debbie. Half Shell is on a test drive, but looks like we're ready to go! We waste no time getting back :-)  Bill takes care of all the paperwork and we hook up the Jeep to finally head North.

So what was all that nonsense about? The on-board computer :-(  Our rig was "missing" the last nine updates. Okie dokie.

It didn't cost us anything, and I hope it cost Thor a bucket load for the five hours of time it took for the techs to sort it out! I'm so grateful that they just kept at it, and made the calls necessary to figure it out in that time. Geeez!

So how happy were we to have the Jeep hooked up and be heading for Morro Bay?  You guessed it - VERY, VERY, VERY!!!  There might have been some giggling and bouncing up and down.

The drive was incident free, with the rig handling like a dream even in the winds that picked up in a couple places. One of the places I've been working with to get us in over the weekend called to say they couldn't get us in until Sunday. Since we had to leave our spot in Morro Bay on Friday morning I was going to have to scramble when we got set up.

But our day continues to improve. When I check in at Morro Dunes the lady gets a cancellation and we're in until Sunday morning :-) And they didn't charge us for last night's missed reservation :-)))))

Morro Dunes with the Rock behind us

We're all tucked in with Morro Rock within walking distance and nice ocean breezes. Now we can really say we're on the road........

 

Awwwwe....home.