After nearly six months at home we hit the road again this morning for another whirlwind trip. We had Livvy at home a lot more prior to this trip (as Karen said, due to not sharing a driveway anymore), so we spent the time to ensure everything was in working order and ready to go. We spent the last day and a half getting everything packed and in its place. We had a few last-minute items to pack, then it was on to the fridge. Karen had that packed and ready to go in record time. We even got to sit and enjoy a last cup of coffee in our comfy sunroom chairs. We were good to go.
But not really.
The last thing I decided to do was to add some water to our black tank (as a reminder, the black tank is where the toilet flushes to) so that we could use our bathroom on the drive. I connected the external hose and turned on the water. It was a little frustrating to see some water dripping from below the hose, but that must just be a leaky gasket. Figured I will have to fix that.
Then I notice a LOT more water on the driveway than a little leak would produce, so I bent down to take a peek. There were four separate spouts of water coming out from the bottom of Livvy. That’s probably not good.
I turned off the water and went inside (where Karen was finishing up) and told her we have an issue. That’s when I noticed that the bathroom floor in Livvy was covered in water. Crap!!
Fast forward an hour – It turns out an anti-siphon valve under our sink failed over the winter. I had found a local RV vendor who had one in stock. We headed there first, purchased it, and were on the turnpike only an hour behind schedule. Whew! The worst was behind us.
But not really.
Karen drove the first leg. After our switch, I was driving in a construction zone in Indiana, following a semi. Single lane with cones on the right, and I had plenty of clearance. Until we heard a BANG from the rear passenger side. That’s never good. At the next break, I found that we had damage to the wheel well and door covering our generator.
Damn!! That’s two things already. And this one I took to heart because I was driving. Karen assured me there was nothing I could do (in fact, neither of us saw what caused the damage), but I still felt awful. At least the worst was over.
But not really.
We made it to our first overnight stop after a GREULING drive through Chicagoland traffic made worse by construction (“F”-Chicago was heard many a time). Our first campsite is at a Love’s travel plaza in Morris, IL. Love’s has started adding full hookup sites to many locations, so we decided to try it. We knew this one has a Naf Naf Grill inside (IYKYK), which made it even more attractive.
Once parked, we connected our city water line and started flushing the air out of the system inside Livvy. Bathroom sink – check. Shower – check. Kitchen sink – oh crap. Yup, the kitchen faucet is leaking after the winter. Three strikes and we’re out!
But not really.
After placing an order on Amazon for a new faucet to be delivered to our campsite tomorrow, a wonderful dinner from Naf Naf, and a drink, things seem much calmer. This was NOT the start we had hoped for, but we will manage. Everything above is a headache, but it has not stopped us. This is just the start of an amazing 45-day adventure and we have so much fun in store! We’re ready for anything.
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