Stuck in south Carolina 09-2012

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Stuck in south Carolina 09-2012,,,,,,,,

Well great plans, made without the consideration of what life has in store for you, always change anyway. So don’t get to attached to plans. My way across country to California was supposed to bring me up a little north to Asheville and then west. I wanted to get back into the mountains, into the forest and a little cooler climate. Fall in the mountains was always one of my favorite times to take pictures. The colors of the forest and light was beautiful and promised a good time.

I was in no hurry and had made plans with a friend to meet up in Asheville for some fun and photography. I still had a few days to get there and was only a few driving ours away so I explored the area of Lake Hartwell. I had chosen to go inland and drive the country roads along the Savannah river to find some nice places along the water. I crossed over the river at hartwell Damm from Georgia into South Carolina and choose a dirt road that brought me to a little picnic area down on the river. My dogs where in heaven they where running around exploring the area and had fun jumping into the clear river water. After spending the day and taking some pictures and had to start thinking about where to spend the night. Mike from the US core of enegeneers stopped at my bus. He was very friendly and informed me of camping possibilities just across the river. So I went back over the bridge and spent the night at this little park with a few campsites in the woods. It was $6 with self registration.

In the morning it was time to finally drive into the mountains up to Asheville. I was making my way back past the power plant and while I pulled into highway 29 I heard this sickening crunching noise accompanied with some jerking of my bus. That was not a good sound and I stopped immediately. What did just happened? The Transmission? Driveshaft? Oh no not again! With those thoughts in my head I tried to make it off the road back into the parking lot I just pulled out of next to the road. The noises from my buss sounded horrible and my heart sank. I was stuck!

I was about 8 miles from the little town in Hartwell Georgia and about 20 some miles from Anderson South Carolina. The Highway 29 was fairly busy but not to much traffic went back to the Power plant and the camping area below. I took out my tools and drained the oil out of the differential. I new what I was looking for… it was not the first time. Looking at the Oil running into the bucket I did not even have to Stick my finger up into the drain hole I already knew. My finger felt some big metal chunks and confirmed that I would not be able to make it off this parking lot on my own power.

About fife Years ago I was up in Dawson City, a little town on the end of the road and it was the end of summer. Back then I was on my way to Alaska but had stopped in Dawson and met lots of friendly people. Holly and his family had invited us to hang out at there property on the Westside of the river. Every attempt to leave failed because there was always an other party to go to or I had a flat when I tried to take off. I just was fixing my fifth flat when I noticed a interesting line on my differential cover. An exploratory surgery revealed a broken of tooth from my pinion. That was the beginning of my best adventure ever, up in the Yukon… back then it took me because of all kinds of unforeseen circumstances one and a half years to be back on the road… and now I was wondering how long it would take this time…

One thing was for sure I could not stay where I was. The police would not let me stay here and I had to find a way to get to a save place. It did not take long and a employee from the core of engineers stopped and had a little chat with me. He directed me to some possible help in the area. I needed to find someone willing to let me stay on his property till I got the parts I needed and I also needed to find someone that could pull my bus there. I was thinking about Bently who was pulling me last time with his Unimog up the road back to the little cabin we were we stay the winter in Dawson… but he was not here now.

Riding my bicycle toward the nearest town in search for help I had plenty of time to contemplating my options but there where not that may. I had to find a solution. I had talked to the local mechanic and several people but everything lead me to a dead end. No Tow truck and no place to stay. On my way back to my dogs and bus I saw Mike that had told me about the camping here and gave me an other tip to follow. He also said he would cover for me for a couple of days so that I would not get problems staying where I had broken down. His tip ended up in an other dead end.

Back at my bus I sat on my doorstep and tried to keep my spirits up. So far on all my travels everything always works out… something will happen… I was sure this time would not be different… my situation was not great since I only had enough money to make it back to California to get some work during the winter before I could get back to Alaska. The parts alone would cost more than I had but that was not even my biggest concern… getting part for my 1979 Mercedes was a challenge without all the extra difficulties. So I did what I always do in those seemingly hopeless situations I tried not to worry about it. Whatever happens, will be just fine! I cleaned up my bus and myself and settled in for the night hoping that the police would not show up in the middle of the night checking out why I was parking here so close to the power plant.

In the morning I sat back on my doorstep and communicated with my friend I was supposed to meet in Asheville and letting here know of the changed situation. I had a ok signal on my smart phone and also started to research parts. A few cars had pulled in to the road I was standing on but still no solution or even parts on line.
From out of nowhere a truck with Carolina Plates pulled in to the parking spot next to me and a friendly bearded face asked me if I was broken down. He had noticed me on the way in to town and when he mentioned it to the lady where he was getting his breakfast she confirmed that she saw me there yesterday. So here he was and brought me two egg muffins with bacon and coffee and even some water for my dogs.

This was like the first encounter wit the other kind... the friendly kind. I told him my story an what I was looking for an he was on his way to find out about the property next to his house and a possible towing. Unwrapping my presents I still was not sure what just happened… but the bacon muffin and coffee where real. I was sitting on my doorstep and was hoping he would return with some good news. A little while later Peter showed up again but this time with his brother Chris and was sure he could pull me by chain with the Dodge Pickup truck if he was driving in low gear. He said I could stay on his parents property where he lived and it was only a few miles up the hill. To disengage my differential I had to take out the free floating axels but that was easy and we made it without problems to his house.

They had lived there only for about a year and had been working on the renovation for a wile longer. It was almost done and the last little details where being taken care of while they where living there. I have seen projects more than once where people had moved in before it was finished but this one was beautiful and not at all like a construction site. It was a nice brick building with an elegant but simple interior with attention to details. Chris was a cabinet builder and all the woodwork was beautiful and in the matching stile and colors.

Now that I was in a save place and did not have to worry about getting into trouble being somewhere public I realized how lucky I was …again! In all my travels I broke down a few times and I was either able to get myself back on the road or I met people like Peter and Chris. I was contemplating a little why I always meet such wonderful people right when disaster strikes my little world. I had learned to embrace and welcome everything with open arms and open eyes. I realized that if you are in a situation where you needed some help some wonderful people would show up and help out in ways that made a big difference. I had made fiends with so many people on my travels and those that would lend a helping hand where the dearest to my heart. I also realized that the other kind I would not meet since they where not open to strangers or too busy with their own drama in life.

The property was located just a little above the lake behind some woods and had lots of need trimmed lawn around. The next store was about 8 miles in either direction but that was the least of my worries. I still had to find the parts for my buss and mad it my priority to get the task done. Luckily I had some internet access over my phone and was researching my little heart out. In the back of my mind I always was thinking about how lucky I was to find it last time in Montana. Finally I gave in to this nagging feeling of finding the information that for sure was somewhere in my paperwork. I had some calls in with other leads but then I found the business card I was looking for Brax Euro Parts in Montana.

After talking to the owner I could not believe that I actually found a whole axel that would simply bolt on. I did not have to worry about fixing the differential without the needed special tools. I was sure that that was what caused the differential to fail again after just a few years of driving. I had only put on maybe ten thousand miles since I repaired it in the Yukon. Still the Axel was quite a distance away but at least it was available here in the lower 48. It was not the exact same axel but it was actually a bigger and stronger version The Waiting begun and I has been a few days since I ordered the Axel. A call in to Brax confirmed it was on its way. I had some time to make some minor repairs on the bus and have a good time with the Brothers before the Axel was here and the big job was on.

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Photos

Diffeential Repairs
First time it broke in the Yukon

Putting it together...
Still in the Yukon... Fall was here and I was in a hurry to get over the mountains before first snow....

The hole in the floor
rotten and gone...

A cherry dorstep...
just needs a bead of silicon...

Comments

[Susan]

Just another speed bump
Good to finally learn of your whereabouts and glad you're safe. Hope will all go according to plan and you'll be on the road again soon. In the meantime - now that you're stopped....smell the roses!