Laundromats, Beauty Shops, and Tow Trucks

So, what do these three things have in common? I'm thinking of two things actually...

Ah Come on, don't give up yet...

OK, I'll give it to you.

1. When you need one, you need one!

2. Finding a good one is hard to do!

We have often talked about how hard it is to find good laundromats and beauty shops over the past couple of years on the road, and recently we discovered the same is true of tow trucks. Since the last entry, we have had THREE more tow trucks attached to the front end of the motorhome ... and I hope to never see another!

When we were about 85 miles from Springfield on Interstate 44, the engine light came on, just as quickly, the engine gave a couple of good backfires and quickly lost power. Sound familiar? It was just like last time . Mike maneuvered to the side of the road and we were lucky enough to be within a half mile of an off ramp. We limped to the top of the ramp and found a safe place to park. Yep, you guessed it - the calls started again. Since we were traveling with the Lyons and there really was nothing they could do - heck there was nothing we could do - we said goodbye and sent them on their way to Indy. This was late morning on Thursday.

Coachnet finally decided where we should be towed and by whom. We told them there was a Workhorse dealer in Eureka, just outside St. Louis (it would have been going in the right direction, too), but they had other ideas. When the tow truck finally came, it was into the afternoon and we were bound for Lebanon (back west).

When we arrived, the tow truck driver and Mike agreed that the chances this place was going to be able to help us was pretty slim. It really was a tire shop with all open bays (never a good sign). They did have one larger bay and at one point they actually measured it to see if we might fit... (never a good sign).
It seems the owner of this place goes to auto auctions and buys used cars to fix and sell - probably the only way they get any work! After a couple of very frustrating hours, during which both Mike and I thought they were going to blow up the engine, the fellow finally says that he has "no idea" what might be wrong with it. By now, it is 5pm - closing time and we are sitting, towless, in their lot. After yet another phone call and finally a call from the owner of the shop to Coachnet saying he can't do anything, we are told to wait till morning and we will be towed to... Yep, you guessed it - back to Springfield to Reliable RV, a real Workhorse Shop.

Just an aside here - Lebanon, MO has a beautiful library and very caring people work there. A lady told us to park in the bus parking area overnight and then she told the folks inside to keep an ear to the radio as storms were predicted that night. I was having a hard time staying calm by this time, so I went in search of a beauty shop - when all else fails, do something to look good is my motto! The hairdresser at cost cutters was so nice, she actually gave me a free hair wash and scalp massage - I think she felt sorry for me. Anyway, $12 later, I looked better and felt better, too.

The rest of the evening was uneventful with just a little rain. The next morning, as we await the next tow truck, I discover a wisteria in bloom - they smell wonderful. I even convinced Mike to go down and take a smell - told him it was calming...

I don't think they have these in the Midwest; at least I have never seen them there and they smell wonderful - better than lilacs!
So, 8:30 comes and goes and we decide to call Coachnet one more time... they hadn't even requested a tow truck - good thing we called or we would still be sitting there waiting...

Sometime after 10:00 on Friday, a tow truck shows up and Mike and I begin to worry... the long haired doofus driving the thing didn't really seem to know what to do. He couldn't really figure out where things went. An hour later and with both of us getting more nervous, he tries to lift the motorhome, and a seal breaks - oil all over. Mike says, "Put her down!"

I could just see this setup destroying our new front tires!
After a few more calls, a larger tow truck is dispensed from the same outfit. It is after 1:00 by the time he arrives. This time the driver is a true Ozark Redneck, complete with missing teeth and a goofy grin. He seems to know what he is doing and within an hour, we are finally underway ... back to Springfield. Here Mike is saying, "Here we go, one more time."And what a trip it was. This jerk actually drove 70-75mph the whole time with our motorhome swinging and swaying in back of him. When Mike passed and slowed down to give him a hint, the bozo actually passed us! But, we made it to Reliable RV in Springfield before closing. A quick diagnosis was done - they think it is a fuel pump so one was ordered but they will do more checking next week. In the meantime, we are safe and sound at the campground they provide for customers. Yesterday, I did laundry at a very nice facility and today, we went to church and had a relaxing day - Mike went to Bass Pro to check out fishing stuff and I sat in the sun and read and took pictures of this fellow playing in our "backyard".

We will probably be here a few days so Indy will have to wait for another year. We will miss our friends but it will be good to get to MN for Mother's Day - hopefully!