But not without a glitch:
Way back in September, when leaving Charbonneau Corp of Engineers Park, we noticed a fluctuation in our voltage causing the alternator light on the dashboard to flash on and off. Cummins Northwest in Pendleton was right on our way, heading south on Highway 84 in eastern Oregon, and we were able to schedule an appointment to get it checked out, figuring with the age of the MH, mileage, etc., it would probably need a new alternator. All power systems checked out fine and we were told it might be a loose wire (like finding a needle in a haystack) or a faulty gauge.
When preparing to leave the Orange Grove RV Park the other morning, and still idling in our site to get the air pressure up, the light came on and we lost power completely. Dead as a door nail...nada. We knew it wasn't the batteries or the alternator, so Howard pulled out our wiring diagrams and proceeded to trouble-shoot as far as he could. He finally narrowed it down to the ignition assembly but at this point we had to get help.
There are only a few mobile repair facilities in the Bakersfield area and we fortunately found Don at Price's Truck Repair. Don was out within a half hour of our call and within 2 hours, aided by a phone chat with a Country Coach tech and a quick trip to Cummins Pacific for a part, found and fixed a faulty solenoid in the ignition relay. Labor ~ $200, solenoid ~ $30. By then it was too late to get on the road, but we did have a chance to visit the grocery store for a few staples to tide us over for a few days until we settled into "our spot".
Our home for the holidays:
This is the same site we were in last year. We absolutely love it. The only thing wrong with this picture is no jeep! The views are panoramic, the sunsets brilliant, the internet seems better than in year's past. We are happy campers!
We have no plans nor schedules We'll stay as long as it feels good, and leave when the time comes. But for now, this feels like a great place to call home!
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