A descriptive look at traveling and full-timing with our second RV, a fifth wheel toyhauler.
Laura and Sasha started this adventure in April of 2005
for a two week vacation in a truck camper.
October 2010: At Different Places on the Road Trip!
We got pictures and things that we were doing. I used Facebook for my diary at that time. Lots of things going on, especially headed back East for the Fall, and all the places we were. Lots of pictures and lots of fun:
October 1st: 3 different kinds of Texas brisket from Rudy's, with all the fixin's. To go. Outta Site! Highly recommended!!!!!!! Me: LIKE LIKE LIKE - very happy with the food. Carolyn Steele Segrist We've eaten there. I agree. Wonderful!! Chris Peterson oh my! Did you take any pictures. Ya know you could start taking carry out menus from all these cool places you go and in couple of years put out one of those "coffee table" books. Laura: I must say, this is an interesting idea...But Sasha says: No physical menus for us as we live in an RV. Death to clutter. Menu is online.....
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October 1st: We love our new state of Texas, the rest stops are amazing, with each one having a different theme. This one had the Route 66 theme, so we took a picture. |
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Leaving Amarillo TX tomorrow AM - October 2nd, been here 2 days already, time to roll! Sam Lish Where to next Sasha? Back to Utah? Sasha Jevtich Nope. Back east for fall, splitting time Williamsburg and DC. Yvonne Jevtich Batal yah!!! cant wait to see u both! Sasha Jevtich did about 501 miles today we were in Arkansas. 75 miles west of Little Rock, AR on October 2nd at 9:30 pm. We drove quite a bit on that day!
October 3rd: BLOW OUT! We are fine, but one tire is in shreds. Happened unexpectedly just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. We were on I-40 going East-bound. The tire monitor was on and working, and Sasha had just checked it not more than 10 minutes before when we stopped at a rest stop. I was driving, going about 50 miles per hour as the roads here SUCK - concrete with potholes out the wazoo!
So this blowout happened on October 3rd: Got tow company to change the sunny side trailer tire with our spare and are now at a Tire company. They are not open on Sunday, but surprise surprise, we hope to be their first customer tomorrow.
Our rig is fine too, probably because I was going so slow, the tread did not ruin the side of the rig. But tons of trucks, while on the side of the highway, is never fun. Again, we are OK and having dinner now at the tire place.
Other comments:
Amy Metroka Wow, scary. Glad you guys are ok!
Me: We can also check the tires real time and all systems said it was OK. It was just a catastrophic failure.
Me: Thanks Amy, I was really calm which was amazing.
Bo Jevtich Sweet potato! Did you guys have your helmets on?
Bo Jevtich a la The Jetsons...:-) seriously, glad all is well and able to have dinner (and watch football...;-)
Emma Kavanagh Holmblad Oh my goodness... I am glad to hear that no one got hurt!!!
Judy Gill Smit How scary for you Laura. Good thing the roads are in such disrepair, otherwise you probably would have been going faster. I'm glad you and Sasha are fine. Enjoy your visit in TN, and get home safely. :-)
Me: Thanks Judy! Bo, no helmets on, we were listening to a book on iPod called Closers by Michael Connelly. At first thought I thought it was something in the book reading, but then Sasha said pull over when safe. Then saw pieces of tire on the road.
Bruce Scott Glad to hear you're fine, if you're not first in line tomorrow I'll think you probably slept in.
Me: Sleep in until 6:59 am maybe...
Catherine Spahr Walchle Hey! So happy you guys are OK and I'm wondering if you're heading towards Atlanta? And if so, we should get a coffee or dinner or something!
Me: We are in Memphis, heading north, but thanks so much!
Alicia Namoi McGraw I'm glad you guys are alright. Stay safe out there and yes that part of I-40 is in need of repair.
Me: Alicia, so true. Thanks. Hey Emma, thanks for the thoughts. Yes, no one was hurt, we were just amazed it had happened at all.
Pattie Guglielmi-Agosto Glad you are OK!
Me: Thanks Pattie! All well that ends well. We are now in Tennessee near to Virginia border on October 4th.
Sasha also put it up on Facebook, and he had more technical answers than I could have so here it is:
Sasha: OK, here is the result of today's tire blow out on our 5th wheel trailer:
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Sasha: These "G" rated, 110 PSI tires were put on brand-new on 11/09, when we bought our new rig. First thing we did-all brand new. The tires themselves were 4 months old-checked the DOT codes to confirm.
Sasha: See the black sensor on the valve stem? Thats a TPMS transmitter- it sends PSI and temp data to the receiver in the cab of our truck. Minutes before the blow out, all systems normal. Then POW!!!!
Sasha: Driving on I-40 east, the right side of the rig is always in the sun. Guess where the problem was?
Sasha: Next upgrade: 17.5" wheels and "H" rated tires
Bill Banner .......Duuuude.........Nice wheels !
Sasha: Luckily, amazingly, the tire explosion did no real damage to the siding of our rig. It did loosen the trim, but I took it off, realigned it and screwed it back on.
Me: We will get the new stuff once we have gone to Williamsburg. The tires we get tomorrow will just be replacements for the spare and the tire next to it. It has a large chunk that was taken out of it when the tire blew (at least that is what we think happened. )
Charlie Kolb Glad you guys are alive!
Sasha: Laura handled herself cool as a cucumber, gently piloting our rig to the side of a busy interstate in what could of been a panic situation.
Yvonne Jevtich Batal wow guys..glad all is well! What is your WTA to my neck of the woods? Drive carefully.
Sasha: We are at a tire dealer now, getting 2 new tires of the same kind unfortunately, but thats the best we can do on short notice. When the back tire blew, it took a chunk out of the one next to it! While that tire held air, it is no longer safe to drive the remaining part of our trip....
Sasha: ETA to back east? Not sure, maybe 2 more days. We are going to park the rig outside Williamsburg, then go to OBX with the Capuanos. They have a place near Todd, hope to see him and Kimmy too.
Cindy Raider Donaldson Yikes! Glad it all went well. You be careful out east. It's not like here in the west!
Laura Capuano Jevtich Cindy you are so right! Not used to the traffic out here.
Yvonne Jevtich Batal oh cool..maybe Ill come down to OBX for a visit too! Bo's coming home the 16th..hope we can all get together when he gets here too.
Billy Banner said there is a HS reunion w your class this Sat night in Btown , FYI
Dana Crites So glad y'all are ok!
Sasha: @Yvonne- we will be there on the 16th and beyond
Yvonne Jevtich Batal ok thx Sash..kisses too laura
So there you have it, tires that should not have exploded but because of the sun always hitting them and (I think) horrible roads where we were, made for some major problems. But again, all's well that ends well. And while we handed over a bit of cash, peace of mind is more important.
October 4th: In Memphis, TN. Getting 2 new tires for RV at 5:26 am! Then at 7:51 pm: 55 miles South of Bristol, VA
Comments:
Bill Banner that's a BIG 10-4 !
Bill Banner Sasha-----There is a '75 Whitman reunion this weekend. I am going to it.----- In Bethesda, @ the Restaurant / Bar called Blackfinn , located at 4901 Faimont Ave. ( Starting at 6 PM )-----There will be many people you will know. If you are interested in attending.....Get in touch with me soon !
Laura Capuano Jevtich Hey Bill, We are going to be at the beach - OBX in Corolla NC with my parents this weekend. This is why we are trying to rush back before too long. But Thanks for thinking of Sasha.
Bill Banner OK..... Have a good time with Family. ----Love to see and catch up with you both and Bo, Yvonne and family in the upcoming weeks as I heard Bo's coming home for 3 days soon.
Bill Banner ........Right BO ??????? Breaker 1-9 for the Bo ?
Sasha Jevtich We will certainly be in DC when Bo is in town
Yvonne Jevtich Batal welcome home boys and girls
Michael Fannon Practicing for a Cannonball?
Sasha Jevtich ???
Michael Fannon The old Burt Renyolds Movie "The Cannonball Run" about a cross country race, I think you made it in good time from Texas to VA.
Sasha Jevtich Ahh,,,,,,,,,,that Cannonball.......I was thinking diving board stunt....
We left the late afternoon, 9/28. Our trip was from Canyonlands, Utah to Williamsburg, VA. We took 2 days off in Amarillo to play and get our motorcycles inspected. Then had a tire blow out drama in Memphis, so we lost a day there.
Our combined weight is 24K lbs and change. We keep it between 55 and 60 MPH. Up hills the turbo is singing and we might do 45-50!
October 5th: We are in Virginia. Near Charlottesville. Only 95 miles to Williamsburg. Will be coming "home" tomorrow, my birthday. What a great day that will be.
Got into Williamsburg, put the RV in storage and went over to my folks' house in Williambsurg, VA, just in time for a birthday dinner! Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, Had a great day relaxing and being with family. Ham dinner, baked potato and string beans, my favorite! And strawberry shortcake for desert - Yum!
Check out the next page, Family and Friends fun times!
Check out Next Month: November 2010 for pictures and for Expenses of November.