TucsonJim

Summer Road Trip Coming to an Early End.

Rate this Entry
Over the last couple of weeks, we visited Louisville KY, Nashville TN, New Orleans, LA, and now we're in Houston TX. We've seen the Louisville Slugger bat factory, Churchill Downs, some distilleries, Bourbon Street, the WWII museum in NOLA and many, many other great places across this country.

However, one of our biggest fears came to pass in Nashville. Normally, I'm the one with a heart issue, but this time it was the Mrs. She was having some chest discomfort and pressure. She rested for a while, but the discomfort didn't go away. We felt it was probably heartburn, but being safe, we felt it was prudent to visit an ER in Nashville for some testing. Fortunately, she wasn't suffering a heart attack, and all her arteries were fine. BUT, they did admit her for further testing. They informed us that she has a heart defect which needs to be addressed soon. So we're going to wind up our trip a couple of weeks early and start heading for home so she can confer with my cardiologist to confirm the diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. It's a very lonely feeling when you are 2000 miles from home and family, and your spouse is admitted into the hospital. It's nothing too serious, but still needs to be taken care of.

On a good note, the 337 is still holding up very well. Today it was 98 degrees in Houston, and the humidity was horrid. We hooked up to power at about 3:00pm and fired up the A/C. We met up with some friends for dinner, and by the time we got back to the rig, the interior temp was 72 degrees! This is with only one A/C (but dual pane windows).

The only new issue I've noted in the last 500 miles is a sticky gray water valve. The valve for the shower and bathroom sink won't seal all the way. So even when the handle is pushed in, there is a slow trickle of gray water. I just make sure we drain the gray water each morning before hitting the road. This prevents a big build up of gray water when i remove the end cap at the next campground.

I think I might also have the dreaded vent pipe that is stuck too far into the black tank. Now that we're getting into warmer weather, we're getting a pretty good "stink" anytime we flush the toilet, no matter how much chemical treatment we use.

I'll tackle these problems as soon as we get home next week.
Categories
Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Justaguy's Avatar
    Dang! Sorry to hear that.

    You still have a "fer piece" to get back to Tuscon. I was going to ask you about visiting Houston. . . in the Summer! You were asking for a whippin'. That place is like a sauna and the hotter it gets there the MORE humid it gets-- weird.

    You'll be passing through our neck of the woods...if you need anything, don't hesitate...will pm a phone #.

    We have been back a week and the heat is killing me...Red River, NM is calling my name. The high there yesterday was 67, 36 when they woke up!

    Will be interested in hearing about how you deal with that clogged valve.
  2. TucsonJim's Avatar
    Actually, I'm a heat lover. I don't mind 100 plus temps. It is humid here, but the single A/C is working remarkably well. I guess the dual pane windows play a big part. It's 90 out and very humid this morning, but it's 72 inside the rig. There is a constant stream of water pouring off the roof from the A/C sucking out the humidity. Really appreciate the phone number.
  3. TucsonJim's Avatar
    Okay, now it's really getting hot. Here in Houston it's 101 degrees with 50% humidity at our location along the San Jacinto River. We have the awning out and all the blinds closed. The A/C is working it's heart out. I've closed off the vents in the bathroom and bedroom, so that more air will come into the living room/kitchen. I've also closed the doors to the bath and bedroom. I'll open those up when it gets dark out. The A/C is maintaining 80 degrees which is quite comfortable since it's also dehumidifying the air. We set up a fan on the hutch to get even more air moving. If this is the worst Mother Nature can throw at us, we won't need to purchase that second A/C. I don't think I'd like it anyway due to the added height it would make the rig.
  4. WhittleBurner's Avatar
    I'm sorry to hear the trip is being cut short, but it's for the best . You 2 have had a long enjoyable time. Hope all goes well for your wife.
  5. mageorge's Avatar
    Jim, sorry to hear abt your wife, those issues are tough to hear while you are traveling. We are headed to Houston on Monday - I spent 4 months there a couple years ago having a bone marrow transplant. Get her well and we'll see you on the road soon again.

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.