On The Road Again

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Greetings from Hurricane Mills, TN. I’m 425 miles closer to Vegas. Things went smoothly today once I got on the road. Last year when I pulled into this campground with my 97 Miata in tow (on my way to Miata World II in Texas), I discovered one of my axle straps was cut from rubbing.

Everything went smoothly on the drive today. It wasn’t as bad as I expected having to take the detour up I-26 through Johnson City, TN to I-81 since I-40 is still closed near the TN line from the rock slide back in October, 2009. I-40 is scheduled to reopen next week so I’ll probably drive through the gorge on the return journey.

But I did have a ‘fun time’ yesterday as I was making final preparations for departure. When I checked the tire pressure on the motorhome mid-afternoon, I discovered the inside left rear tire was flat! I figured I had a nail in it from a new roof that had been put on recently. I tried to inflate it to head into town, but the seal had broken around the tire bead and it didn’t inflate. Fortunately with dual rear wheels I was able to drive it slowly and safely to a tire shop in Asheville.

Turned out there was a large screw in the tire, not a roofing nail, and the tire was unsafe to repair. So I now have a new tire.

Despite that minor setback I was able to get on the road before too late today.

No spectacular photos to share, but I did snap a couple of Taz on the trailer behind my RV. I’m parked next to another Tiffin motorhome - a new smaller rear engine diesel called the Allegro RED (for Rear Engine Diesel). I got to see one last year when I was at the Tiffin plant in Red Bay, AL. I hope to see the folks outside in the morning and talk with them.

Friday I plan to get to Ft. Smith, Arkansas area.

Thanks for checking in with Chessy and me.

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Photos

DB and Taz
KOA in Hurricane Mills, not too far from Loretta Lynn's Ranch and Coal Miner's Daughter Museum. On one trip through here I need to arrive early, stay at Loretta's RV park 7 miles off the interstate and visit.

RED and FRED
Here's a view of my row of campsites with RED (on the left) and FRED (my FRont Engine Diesel).