We left our Sherando Campground site a few minutes after 8 am on Tuesday so we would have time to dump our tanks before going to the RV dealer in Staunton to get our new, upgraded Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH) installed. That’s when I got a NEW surprise!
The pipe for draining our bathroom sink and shower was broken off and missing an entire section of piping. I have no idea when or how it happened. I know it wasn’t broken when I dumped a week ago, but here it is now, busted. And I can’t open the valve without shooting black and gray water all over the place because those two lines terminate in one dump valve.
I’m stewing and steaming for the entire 35 minute drive to the dealer, trying to figure out how I can get some new piping and fix the damn thing without shooting black water all over me while I’m doing it. When we pull into the dealer Cindy says “Ask them if they can fix it, and if they can just have them do it.” You know, she’s the best! I COULD do it, but it would take me a while (time we don’t have) and I’d probably get covered in poop like the late Robin Williams did in the 2006 road trip movie “RV” (if you haven’t seen it, you should).
Not really, (me covered in defecation) but we’d have to be set up somewhere for me to repair it and then tear everything down so we could go dump, which would be a LOT more trouble. This will be much easier (for me, anyway) if they can repair it.
Turns out they can! So, instead of an hour to get the new hitch installed, we wait about 3 hours to get both things done. They were very nice in allowing us to have Bella inside their showroom/store and gave her free treats and lots of pats and hugs. She felt like a celebrity and loved it.
The mechanic gave me instructions and also showed me how to work the new WDH. It is much easier than our old WDH and even feels much sturdier and like it is made of better quality materials and design.
So, it was noon before we pulled out of Staunton. By the time we arrived at Stony Fork Campground 3 hours later the pipe glue had enough time to set during our trip so we stopped at the dump station first before heading to our site to set up. I even got the new WDH disconnected without any issues. But what a day!
Wednesday morning we hiked a mile through the forest on a trail, though it WAS quite chilly for my thin blood! It’s really feeling more like Fall weather and we’re seeing lots of leaves turning color and falling. The hike was interesting as well. We came across the foundational remains of an old, old home in the woods. You can see it in the photos and the captions explain the history. The owner was apparently a renowned bear hunter who killed 99 bears in his lifetime. His family even took him out in a wheelchair toward the end of his life so he could kill his 100th bear, but he was unsuccessful in meeting that goal before he died.
Reports are that local bears were ecstatic!
Other than walking Bella each day, the next few days were quiet for us. We did laundry on Saturday and then Sunday it rained all day so it was a read, watch TV and stay in PJ’s all day long kind of day. Cindy and I started watching the old “Moonlighting” TV series that just came to Hulu. We had both watched it when it first ran in the late 1980’s, but that was before we even met so we wanted to watch it together. So far we’re enjoying it. I had forgotten there was so much slapstick comedy in the first season and that the late Al Jarreau sang the theme song.
Monday we spent getting things ready to leave the next day. Other than the “fun” at the beginning of this stay, it was a very relaxing time.
Thanks for following The Wandering Wetheringtons