Comedy of RV errors

Brenda, Arizona, next to Quartzite, Arizona, is the middle of nowhere desert land. I chose to stay here a few days because the Good Sam RV parking app said it was "close" to hiking and attractions. Of course, "close" is relative. It was going to be over an hour to a ghost town, with the last 7 miles being a dirt, rocky road "best for ATVs"!! So no ghost town.

I did manage to learn a little trivia, though. Did you know the U.S. Army actually wanted to have a camel operation in the desert?

So after a few days of hiking in the desert behind the RV park (they have a 9 hole desert golf course I will post pictures of when I figure out how to get them off my tablet!), it was time to head into Apache Junction for the "girlfriends from Indianapolis" weekend!

Comedy of errors: The park's water pressure decreased. Then the park's electrical went off. I thought both of these things were unique to SueCanDo so the anxiety started! But back up LP Gas kept the refrigerator going, I just couldn't make or heat up my coffee - not a good start to the day. I started my packing up, placing everything where it won't move during the bumpy, pot-hole interstate system's "dash to Phoenix".. .I swear the I-10 between California and Phoenix is like the autobahn! But I couldn't get the truck to connect. Then when I finally muscled my way through those steps, I couldn't get the gear shift to disengage the drive shaft - important if you want the truck tires to role freely as it is being dragged down the road. So another 20 minute of try-this, no that, it finally disengaged (this step has NEVER been an issue before). I really wish I had my coffee...

I stop at few rest areas to waste time because you can't check in too early at some of these RV parks, they aren't ready (how much of a gravel pad do you need to prepare to make it "ready" for the next guest? No bathrooms to clean, no sheets to change, no carpet to sweep...). Each time I use my RV bathroom instead of the rest stop - an advantage of having your own bathroom and bed sheets!

Then I battle the Phoenix traffic with my 38 ft SueCanDo pulling my 4-door pickup... we are about 58 ft total so stay away from this "Foreign Female Student Driver"!!!! Then we slow to 10 mph, then 35 mph, then back to a stop. Not good for diesel gears! LOL

I check in and the lovely couple with name tags that say "security"lead me in their golf cart to my space - and help me back in after disconnecting. Yes, had to disconnect what took me forever to connect so I could back my rig into a beautifully large gravel lot with a paved patio, tucked in between all the full-timers from Minnesota, North Dakota, Spokane.... who haven't headed home yet. My security team was patient, very helpful and Floyd said "I'd back you in any day - I used to train drivers and you were great!" YES - Sue CAN Do!

But then I went to connect the electrical, water and sewer. This is when I realized my water hose wasn't long enough, so had to attach my emergency 8 foot hose which didn't have a washer so managed to spray myself and half the gravel pad. Found a washer in the tool box (thanks to my brother who months ago told me to keep some in there!!). OK, water fixed.

Then to connect the sewer. Oops. Earlier in the day, I apparently didn't completely push in the lever to stop the blank tank flow. So when I removed the "cover" to attach the hose.... all the rest stop planted debris came flowing onto the beautiful gravel. Back to the water, disconnect to fill a couple of buckets to clean the area under the sewer connection. Reconnect and sewer fixed.

Then I go to let Isabella out she nearly falls off the last step. I realize that the leveled SueCanDo on this wonderful gravel lot means the front is higher than the rear and she can't get her 140 lb body catapulted off or up the steps. I put out the ramp, which she hates, to get her back in the rig and off I go to find a steel-reinforced step. 20 miles to Camping World and $65 later, I now have a step which she likes slightly more than the ramp!

And that was only day 1 of our Apache Junction adventure!

The evening ended much better with the high school gals from Indy coming to town where a large group (my friend Mary who lives in Scottsdale arranged for surprise guests and some of her family members to join us) went to HandleBar J's and danced to live country music on a wonderful dance floor. What's next for the weekend no one knows. There is a Spring Training game in the picture for Sunday though! And just being with friendly fun familiar faces will be very rewarding after the past few months!!

More to come...