Well we started off well enough in Checotah (OK), the morning chorus this time was the road – not any old road but the I40 – the main east west interstate. So it was trucks and cars etc all night gradually increasing in tempo until we had to join them.
The site here at Checotah was lovely, very friendly poeple and very clean etc. Shame we coundn’t stay or have the boys here for a few days. Oh well. Must be getting home sick.
So the plan was to shoot for the KOA just short of Memphis but still in Arkansas – something about wanting to stay in every state along our trip. Hmm. The plan is for just short of 400 miles.
Everything was off to a flying start, cruising at 65mph full of 91 RON gas (premium to you and me) and so we stopped to change drivers and er use the restrooms. Odd layout of restroom – the mens at the front was very very busy but the ones at the back were literally empty, quite clean too. Curious graffitti as always in these sorts of places.
We were sort of cuatious as I noticed the rear lights of some sort were on – we have about 4 levels of brightness in the lights depending on left and right and with brakes or not. Still couldn’t figure it out but oh well the brake lights worked (sort of).
Then it happened, leaving the exit Kate said the lights on, uh oh, the generator light, so we pulle dover, checked everything and all was ok. But the light was on, and then the voltage was low – about 11.9. Def something wrong. Panic - we’re on batteries and limp home. So we phone ahead to Roseville and the Autozone there (theme here notice) had what we needed.
Spent waay too much, changed the regulator no difference, hooked up all wires this time, no difference. Bugger. Played around with the brushes no difference. Bugger again. Ok into Autozone load up with all the tools necessary to change out a generator – 36mm socket, impact gun (electric) adjustable wrnech for the genny nut, vice grips for something, hand cleaner for the misssus, and some nice screwdrivers. Oh and a mirror on a stick and a magnet on a stick.
So off we set for the lcoal KOA where we would perform the surgery. But then on the way we noticed the volts were not dropping. Confidence boost. Decided to limp all the way to Memphis.
So 4 hours later, the volts still read the same and so we stopped one last time at the KOA checkin at Memphis West – this evidently was the last straw – she wouldn’t start to get to our spot. Tom the handyman had a jump start thing so we go to our site. Wrong site, borrowed the jump thing again and now at the right site. Lashed up a battery charger with all the electronics in the bus and we’ll see where we are in the morning. We”re hoping to limp another 4-6 hours to the next KOA in TN.
As before this is the gallery;