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Published: June 24th 2016
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21 June 2106: Tuesday was a repeat of Monday's "Getting Ready to Go". At about 1600 I went to the storage yard to get the coach, I checked the air pressure, bleeding out excess pressure because the tires were hot. After parking it in front of the house, We started loading. I seems that no matter how much time your allow for preparation, at the end you are throwing all the odds and ends into a laundry basket and stacking it on top of everything else. OWhitney was a big help as Jeanne was limited in what she could do with her broken foot. North
22 June 2016: Departure Day! We were up at 0600, finished loading, got in the cab and left at 0810. Our route for the day was to take the I-10 West to US 51 North to the Loop 101 thence North to Flagstaff on I-17. From there we would briefly travel I-40 to the Country Club exit where we would get on US 89 North to Page, Arizona.
As we proceeded North on the 51, just short of the Bell Rd exit, BANG! a blowout. We pulled over and called our travel club and
spoke with Allie. She located a tire shop that could deliver and change the tire. It would be about an hour. In about an hour a nice young man showed up with our new tire I held an umbrella over him as he worked to provide some shade and when he was through gave him a tip. After about 45 minutes we were on our way again.
We got to the 101 and merged onto the 17 and were driving along when suddenly there was another BANG! Another flat tire! The first one was the right outboard rear dually and this one was the inboard one. Something is wrong on that side of the coach. When I inspected the area, I noticed the storage compartment directly behind the wheels was damaged and the front was bent up against the tires. This time when I called the travel club I told them I needed a mechanic first to cut away the front of the storage compartment and next another tire. After a brief hold, the agent came back saying, "You already got your tire". NO, I replied, this is a second flat tire! Another pause and then she came back
saying the mechanic would be about an hour and the tire (they're not the same people) would be about an hour and a half.
In about 45 minutes a truck pulled up behind us. It was the Arizona Highway Patrol stopping by to see if we were all right. I reported our status and he said he'd watch out for us throughout the afternoon and report on our location. Shortly thereafter, our mechanic showed up and cut away the offending part of the cargo compartment with a reciprocating saw. I had taken everything out of the compartment while waiting and placed it in the back of the Jeep.
After about another hour, I called the travel club again to report that our tire had not showed up yet. Allie checked and reported the truck that was sent had itself broken down and needed to be rescued. It would be an additional 20 minutes. Finally, the same young man who had changed the first tire arrived. It was 1445. I did not have to hold an umbrella this time as he was in the afternoon shade. I stayed in the cab. we apologized for not having the right amount
of cash to tip him. It only took him 23 minutes to replace that tire. After he left, we exited the highway at Anthem Way to get some sorely needed soda and a 10 pound bag of ice. Then it was North to Flagstaff and on to Uber Phunphenhabenhausen. To allay any suspense and anxiety on the part of the reader the rest of our trip was uneventful.
I need to stop here to explain that while going up to Lake Havasu in March 2015 we had gotten a blowout. That had caused some initial damage to the cargo compartment which appeared solely cosmetic. When I had the coach in to Camping World for generator service and installation of MCD shades this year, the service technician reported that the cargo compartment was in danger of falling apart and that there was no place to attach the mudflap I had ordered. Well, I knew better, even though I am no mechanic. I asked him what was holding the current mudflap on to which he had no reply because he had not seen it himself but relied on a report from an underling. I was also swayed by the fact that YELP had 34 comments on this repair facility most of which were unfavorable and I was unhappy that after 5 weeks, the needed parts had not arrived. Why does it take so long to get parts for an RV? They had ordered shades without mounting brackets so had to order the brackets. So I was unhappy and even though I inspected the compartment prior to departure I saw nothing that would pose a threat to the tires. I can't say for sure what caused the first blowout but am pretty sure the cargo compartment caused the second one. It looked much worse than it had when we left.
Just about 1715 we spotted the San Francisco Peaks on the horizon surrounded by puffy white clouds. We were nearing Flagstaff. We transitioned to the I-40 and got off at the Butler exit for gas and something to eat next to the Little America hotel. The thought had crossed our minds to spend the night there so we could cool off, re-hydrate and get some rest but what self respecting RVers would spend the night in a hotel? Besides, Page was only 127 miles away. We left Flagstaff behind at 1830.
The trip between Flagstaff and Page is punctuated by many waypoints. First, we descend about 12 miles on a two lane straightaway, then past Sunset Crater and a little later, Wupatki National Monument. Then we pass the Babbitt Ranches, Gray Mountain until we arrive at Cameron. WOW! We were surprised by the amount of improvements made since our last trip through there. Huge Interstate quality lamps lit the road and a turnaround had been constructed. At the edge of town we crossed a bridge over the Little Colorado River. Next we pass the intersection of highway 89 and US 160 leading to Tuba City and Kayenta. Next comes Willow Springs, the junction of 89 and 89a leading to Jacob's Lake, Cedar Ridge and Bitter Springs. We then ascend through a mountain pass, the top of which is located a scenic overlook where you can see the Vermillon Cliffs and buy Indian jewelry. A short drive brings with it a view of the lights of Page, Arizona. Turning right onto Haul Rd we drive to the intersection with Copper Mine Rd and cross it right into the Page Lake P
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