On to Columbia Missouri

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July 1

David got up early this morning hoping it wouldn’t be as hot. It was cooler but in the bright sun it was still miserable to be out long. He got everything undone while I put things away and closed up the trailer, walked the dogs and got ready to hitch up the trailer. As they say in New Jersey, bada bing, bada boom we were hooked up and on the road to Columbia MO, about 300 miles. We were on I-70 the whole way except for last 8 miles in Colombia turning North to our campground.

Just as we were leaving on David’s last walk around the trailer he notice some scallop like indentations on the trailer tire, passenger side front. He was quite concerned but said we’d monitor it today and he’d change it tonight. So all day we worried about the tire.

Our trip took us right through Kansas City around 2:00pm and then the road to Columbia was in the worst shape we yet encountered. David thought the trailer tire was probably damaged from the Kansas roads and with every hard bump we’d worry more. The roads had so many pot holes and heaves on the seams that as hard as I tried they could not be missed. We swore we’d never come back after each jarring bump. At the rest stops David would check the tire but no change was noted so we ventured on. At our campground just north of Columbia MO, The Cottonwood RV Park, we found it was a busy place. In the office they told us this was their slow season. In no time we were parked and hooked up so we had air conditioning. It was really hot and muggy but thankfully we were shaded by big trees. The dogs were happy to get out but it was so hot they were panting and ready to get in the trailer after 15 minutes.

David came in and started reviewing the trailer manuals for changing the tire and lowering the spare from underneath the rear end. He was also waiting for a call from a mobile RV service to see if they would come change it. As night fell no call came with help. We walked the dogs and visited with the California neighbors briefly. They were touring the area looking for retirement place as they are sick and tired of paying taxes in California. We commiserated as we felt the same way when I retired in California.

We headed to bed and David said he’d get up early and deal with the tire but I was really hoping for help as these are very big commercial tires. David doesn’t need to be dealing with this at his age and I’m hoping we can get help. Like Scarlet O’Hara, I said I think about it in the morning.

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