WE BROUGHT OUR TRIPLE E COMMANDER HOME TODAY:))
Had myself an exercise in frustration this morning. After week's of waiting for a phone call to come pick up the Motorhome Don phoned this morning saying, "Motorhome's done & ready for us to pick it up". Great news:)))) Only one problem, Kelly had headed off to Goderich about an hour earlier & I could not remember or find the cell phone number to call her. I knew we had a big rain front headed our way & time was important if we were going to get over to Cambridge & get the rig back before the rain nailed us. I didn't want to start off by having a big road grime clean up job on the coach.
OUR BIG RV PARKING AREA IS FILLED & OUR DRIVEWAY IS LOOKING NORMAL AGAIN
I searched high & low for that darn cell phone number but to no avail. Nothing written on piece of paper near the phone, nothing in my little book I carry, nothing in our phone address book. We had changed cell phone companies before leaving Congress & I just never remembered to write it into my shirt pocket book. Fortunately Kelly had stopped in at Deer Park Lodge & before heading for Goderich she phoned home. Soon as I told her the Motorhome was ready to be picked up she made a U turn on the highway & headed back. Twenty minutes later we were in the Jeep happily heading for Cambridge.
SHE’S IN HER SPOT
It was about 1:25 in the afternoon when we reached the campground where the rig was parked & Don was outside laying out the attachable sunroom to show us how it all went together. We did a walk around off the coach as well as Don explained all the workings. There is a lot more to learn with this coach because of all the upgrades & accessories. Even though we have been RVing (Snow Birding) for 8 years we had not come across some of the systems & features this coach has. I felt like a Newbie as Don pointed out this & explained that. In the coming days & weeks I will take photos & try to explain how things work. Good luck AL!!
SUN ROOM LESSON
We had noticed in the past weeks that several times we contacted Don he was at opposite ends of the country. One time Vancouver & a short time later he was in Halifax. We couldn't figure out what kind of job this fellow had. We guessed a company owner & President. Maybe a traveling CEO. With Don's meticulous nature, obvious intelligence, inventive nature, & particular attention to detail & overall handyman/craftsman skills I figured his job had to be something special. And I was right. Kelly finally asked Don what he worked at & when he told her, all those above things fell immediately into place for me. I understood right away why the coach was in such great condition. I understood why Don has done all his own maintenance including the installation of the whole solar system. I remember him telling us he does all the work himself because he wants things done right. In Don's line of work all things have to be done right & he has to be meticulous with a keen eye to attention & detail. No room for doing things half right. In other words no room for error. Don is a pilot who flies from one side of Canada to the other for Fed-Ex. I meant to ask him what kind of plane he flew but I'm assuming it's one of those big Fed-Ex jets like we've seen parked at the Indianapolis Airport when we used to go by there on our way south a few years back.
We did a tour of the coach's interior going over all the systems etc. Paperwork was done, I put the hitch on the back of the coach, wheeled it out & hooked on the Jeep. With a handshake & hearty Hi-Ho Silver we were off. But we didn't get far before we totally embarrassed ourselves. And that embarrassment began with me misreading one of the instrument panel gauges for starters.
DON SIGNS OVER THE OWNERSHIP
Pulling out of the campground onto the paved road I glanced down at the fuel gauge & saw there was a quarter tank of gas in the rig. I knew that was not enough to get us back to Bayfield. We had spotted a Flying J on our way to pick up the rig so about 5 minutes later that is where we stopped for gas. But.......try as we may we could not get the locking gas flap open. We were familiar with these types of locks, had the right key but we could not get it open. Both of us tried & tried. Nope!! Well how embarrassing was that because now we had to call Don & hope he wasn't too far away. He had just opened that gas flap for us not an hour before. Don said it would take him about 20 minutes to reach us but was befuddled why the door wouldn't open. In the meantime I had moved the coach away from the gas pump. We both continued to trying everything we knew until Kelly finally tried putting the key in only part way......and that worked. Feeling rather silly we called Don back & said we were Okay. Well actually we weren't & in few minutes we were again feeling like the Boobsters.
WE ARE VERY, VERY HAPPY CAMPERS:))))))))))))))))))))
I had motored the coach back up to the pump again & we had not locked the gas flap in case we would have trouble again. Kelly does the pump thing with her credit card & all I have to do is screw off the gas cap & pump some fuel in. Simple eh, well nothing’s ever simple for this guy!! Gas cap would not come off!! Both of us twisted & turned that dam thing but no way was that cap coming off. Oh no, how embarrassing is this going to be if we have to re-call Don back. Then I noticed a very small hard to see rectangle in the middle of the cap. Holy smokes it's a locking gas cap as well. Spotted another key on the key ring beside the key that said gas. Tried that other key & sure enough it fit the slot but we still had to fumble & bumble for another 20 seconds to get that cap off. Of course you realize everything is normal with the coach so far & the problem is not with the rig, the problem is with the Clampetts who just bought it. Everything has a knack to it & we will just have to get our knack in line with rigs knack & we will be just fine. So.....were we fine now?? Nope!!
KELLY WORKS ON FIGURING OUT HER SUN VISOR, MINE IS AUTOMATIC…NEAT-O:))
I decided to put in about $70. I didn't want to fill it & have the rig sitting at home with all the weight of a full gas tank (75 gallons) for the next month or two. Soon as I started pumping gas & put the handle all the way in the pump would click off. Awwww nuts now what!! It kept doing that as if the gas tank was full. You know how it automatically shuts off when the tank is full. I did manage to get my $70 in though but it took me a little longer than usual to do it. Had to keep manipulating that squeezy trigger. We had a Ford Class C way back in late 04 that had some kind of a problem to get fuel into & this reminded me of that. Now you would think I would have clued into something rather obvious by now right? Wrong, & it wasn't until a few minutes later while sitting in the coach waiting for Kelly to return with a cup of Flying Jay coffee (mud) that I happened to glance at the fuel gauge again. What the !!!!!!!!! The gauge was now showing full. How could that be???? Then I saw my mistake:((
YOU CAN SEE HOW PRECISELY ORGANISED DON WAS & THIS IS JUST ONE OF HIS FILE FOLDERS
NOPE NO EGG SALAD SANDWICHES FROM THE GALLEY YET
STOPPED ABOUT A MILE FROM OUR PLACE & UN-HOOKED THE JEEP…BOY ARE THOSE 2 VEHICLES EVER DIRTY FROM THE WET & RAINY ROADS
The gas gauge in the Jeep reads full on the right & empty on the left which means the needle shows it's full on the right side & empty on the left side. I think the Winnie gas gauge might have been the same. I had mis-read & confused the gauge with the Jeep but something else contributed to my mistake as well. In all my years of buying vehicles (well over 40 now) nobody had ever left anymore than a quarter tank of gas (if that) in any one of the vehicles. My brain being pre-programmed to that just automatically & hastily saw that gauge with only a quarter tank of gas remaining. Good thing I'm not a pilot eh. And speaking of pilots you can see how Don had thoughtfully left the rig with over three quarters of a tank of gas. A responsible pilot like Don would never leave an aircraft with a quarter tank of gas knowing another pilot was coming to fly it. Happened to singer John Denver though & that is how he died. So a big thanks to Don for being so considerate but oh how foolish Kelly & I felt & especially me for making such a dumb mistake. Anyway we finally rolled out of the gas station & headed for Bayfield. With very sheepish looks on our faces I might add……………………….
KELLY WAS HOME A MINUTE BEFORE ME & TOOK THIS PIC AS I ROLLED IN WITH THE BIG EEE
WITHIN SECONDS OUR EXCITED LITTLE PHEEBS WAS OUT OF THE HOUSE & INTO THE RIG…OF COURSE SHE WASN’T THE ONLY EXCITED ONE:))
I am soooooooooooooo pleased with how well this coach drove on the way home but I will write more about that tomorrow because it's getting late & when we arrived home around 6 p.m. tonight a message on our answering machine had me scrambling like crazy. One of the main reasons I was anxious to get this coach home was all the RV stuff piled up in our carport that had come out of the Winnie. We've been stumbling over & around this stuff for the last couple weeks or so. Wanted to get all this stuff organized & out of the carport into the Big EEE before the guys came to dig out our carport in preparation for laying in a concrete pad. Well guess who was on our answering machine?? Yep, it was the cement guys saying they would be here at 8 a.m. in the morning so have everything out of that carport. With distant thunder out over the lake & rain on it's way I hardly had the rig parked before I was racing around getting everything out of the carport. Motorcycle moved & covered, bicycles, garden tools, the Santa Fe, all the RV stuff had to be picked up & moved to the storage area. Hooked the utility trailer to the Jeep & pulled it out & parked it on the road out front. Left the Jeep out there too plus the Santa Fe. Moved the rig back about 6 feet so everything’s good for the morning. A late supper & here I am. And here I go.......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. An excited little Boy tucks himself in tonight with a wee smile on his face:))
SOON AS WE GOT HOME I HAD A CARPORT TO CLEAN OUT
GROANER'S CORNER:)) Most of us have a bad habit we are constantly trying to break. For me, it's biting my fingernails. One day I told my husband about my latest solution: press-on nails. "Great idea, Honey," he smiled. "Now you can eat them straight out of the box."
ReplyDeleteI can feel your excitement way over here on the west coast!
Your new rig looks perfect for the three of you.
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ReplyDeleteCongratulations on getting your baby home. You must be exhausted.
ReplyDeleteAfter all these years of following you, I know you pretty well! As I clicked on your site, I thought, if he got it I know what the title will be! Sure enough!!! I was right. And am very happy. Haven't even read about it yet. Fun to know that you and Kelly are happy!
ReplyDeleteI hope you now have that cell phone number added to the list! And no biggie with the additional fuel....just take a few short trips to use it up! ;)
ReplyDeleteCongrats Al, Kelly and Pheebs on your new home away from home. What a beautiful coach!
ReplyDeleteNot to worry, you will figure it all out, and have a bunch of fun doing it!
ReplyDeleteFantastic!!! I think I was almost as excited as you and Kelly as I read your post!!!!! I know you will sleep well tonight as you dream of all the new adventures awaiting you two in your new MH!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd as a pilot, to Don it made perfect sense that you would go top off the tank before taking off to go anywhere.... And it was good that you didn't have to call him the second time.... So you wouldn't have too much of the egg salad stuff all over your whiskers............ LOL
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new rig. Looks like you're going to be having fun all winter while you discover all the cool mods Don did. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWe're getting a late start this year but it's finally time to hit the road headed for cooler climates.
Congrats on the new-to-you rig! Was just wondering tho', is it a Class A or, since you're in Canada, a Class Eh? :)
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ReplyDeleteDeleted my post above because of all the typos.
ReplyDeleteThat's one beautiful rig!
ReplyDeleteOh my this is exciting !!!! You both look right at home and The Pheebs was tail-waggin happy !!! This is fun following up on all Don's details and finishing touches .... Says a lot 3/4 of a tank of gas in a rig like that as a send off hand shake .... Says a great deal about your purchase !!!!
Congratulations on your SWEEET RIDE !!!
All the Best, SallyB
Beautiful! I'm anxious to see photos of the coach's interior. Seems like a complicated job to pump fuel, but at least you won't ever have to worry about having it siphoned out by a no-good thief.
ReplyDeleteSeems like half the fun is figuring out all the little quirks and making it your own. Congrats on getting the new to you wheelestate home. Looks sweet.
ReplyDeleteso happy that Big EEE is finally home!!! enjoy the process of getting everything where you want it!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new rolling house coming home. I never knew your name was Al Clampett, enjoyed that one. You will have a blast getting to know yet another rig with different systems and gas gauge.
ReplyDeleteNow you will also have a cement floor in your carport. What is next? A cement pond?
You are getting mighty fancy lately.
Congratulations on your new house on wheels, soon you be wandering about the country side with it.
ReplyDeleteHow Exciting! I bet you'll have as much fun "personalizing" the interior as you have had with your Congress house. What fun!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finally bringing her home! She's a beauty!!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear more about your new rig! There's always something different to figure out--we have to remember to put gas in our new one instead of diesel!!
ReplyDeleteOh sooo happy for you guys! Even with the fuel foul ups, you guys did great! so looking forward to your future blogs as you make the new rig "your own"!
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Karen and Steve
(Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
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Congratulations on your beautiful new coach AND your new concrete floor!!
ReplyDeleteWe bought a add-on room for our motorhome but only used it one season. We were rarely someplace for a long period of time that we wanted to set it up. Congrats on finally getting the EEEEE home.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting for you two! Can't wait to see the details on this very fine looking rig!
ReplyDeleteMetamorphosis Lisa
I know it wasn't funny at the time but your one problem after another made me laugh. Of course I already knew you handled them all. Clearly a great day for you. It's a wonder you could sleep at all. When's the maiden voyage??
ReplyDeleteLet the fun begin...the Bug EEE is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteSorry you had troubles, but it sure made for a great story and post!
Hope the garage floor is poured without any issues!
How embarrassing....the BIG EEE. Sorry!
ReplyDelete" I didn't want to fill it & have the rig sitting at home with all the weight of a full gas tank (75 gallons) for the next month or two."
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean that now you have it your not going to use it until you start south again?
It is probably just me but the VERY first modification I would make is to NEVER lock both the gas 'flap' and the gas 'cap'. Maybe never lock either of them. Double locks to get to the gas filler opening is a bit over the top for me.
I would be willing to bet that it only takes one key to gain access to the inside of the coach. But, with that much protection of the gas tank double locks on all doors including the basement storage areas would seem reasonable.
I'm so happy for you, Al. I'm famous for having days like your day. During an exciting time I can forget my name! What a nice fella Don is. I can't wait to see the rest of the coach. I remember how excited Rich (especially) and I used to be with each new coach. You are right...little boy with his toy. I wish you and Kelly many, many happy memories in your new "digs".
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing about your first trip.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Al, Kelly, and Pheebs! This one is definitely a keeper!
ReplyDeleteYour big E gets an A+ from me. It's a beauty and looks great in your driveway.
ReplyDeleteYou had me cracking up with the gas tank fumbles. I thought I was the only one that has those kind of issues with little things... ;c)
That is one beautiful rig. I can't get over how nice it is. I bet when you were driving home, you wanted to pack it up and hit the road again.
ReplyDeleteNow about forgetting how to do things or just things in general. It must be a nationwide problem because just a week ago I set out a tv owners manual for the lady that was coming to pick up my Sony regular screen tv. After we loaded the tv into her truck, I could not find the owners manual I had set out specifically for her and to this day I still cannot find it.
It amazing getting older....you can't pay for this kind of stuff....lol
I have a feeling that the smile on the "little boy's" face wasn't wee...It was a big Cheshire Cat grin!!! NO EGG SALAD YET?? SAY WHAAAAAT?
ReplyDeleteLoved your post. Reminds me of when I picked up my rig and ASSUMED that all the electrical plugs worked all the time. Made a hasty call only to find out I had to run the generator for them to work. Rookie mistakes!
ReplyDeleteYou and Kelly look right at home in the new rig. Bet Pheebs is going to love it too.
ReplyDeleteAl, is that a TEAKWOOD foot rest under Kelly's red shoes?? How chic.
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