The Day from Hell

Was not able to get internet last night but will make up for it now. I set the alarm for 7:00 as I wanted to get a fairly early start as we wanted to get through Houston on a Sunday with little traffic. Woke up at 6:30 turned the alarm off and promply fell back to sleep. Did get up at 7:30 and in the rush to get going I forgot to get a picture of the camp site we were on. We did have a Kodac moment later on that day. We were further from Huston than I thought so it was a long hard drive to get there and through town. We made it through with no traffic problems. The problem we had was finding a camp ground anywhere near Houston. I kept driving and driving looking for a camp ground sign and Gloria was checking the camp ground books. I saw a state sign that showed a camp ground so I pulled off. This is almost 500 miles from our starting point. I like to drive 300 and stop for the night. The 500 miles was killing me. I was burnt out. We got to the campground and I wouldn't let my dog stay there. It was a dump with a capital D. Got back on to the highway and noticed some problem with the truck. Just then a car pulled up next to us and the guy signaled that we should pull over. Now I definetly had trouble stearing. I couldn't figure what the problem could be as I have an electronic device that moniters my tire pressures on the truck and the trailer. It did not go off. Got to the side of the road got out and the drivers rear tire was flat. After 500 miles of driving finding a junk camp ground, and then getting this flat. Then when the tire monatering system not working I was not a happy camper. I got on the phone to have emergency repaire come out to change the tire. I was having a hard time hearing them on the phone when a tire repair truck pulls up next to me on the grass. The way the spare is mounted on my truck I have to unhitch the trailer to get the tire to drop down. These guys put some air in the tire so I could drive forward when I unhitched and they found that my problem was a bad valve stem. They jacked up the truck took the tire off broke the tire seal and installed a new one. They were done in 20 min. 3 miles down the road we found a decent place to camp. I was in bed by 8:30. Got up at 6:00 and made it to the Valley and into our campground by 11:30. 2 friends came over to help me get in and get settled. I was putting the final touches of hooking up the sewer hose when Gloria asked if it was OK to put the slides out. She went in and came right out and said that there was not enough room to open the slide. Talking with these other guys it never rossed my mind to look. I then had to undo every thing and rehitch and move the trailer over and start all over. I was still able to do all that and make Happy Hour. Post some more tomorrow.