We were told that we'd be able to leave by noon... we left at 3:15pm, but we are back on the road! After checking with the mechanic, the shop owner, and the manufacturer, we were reassured that we could drive at speed on the interstate freeways without harming the new motor. The RV is running well and drives far more smoothly and quietly than ever before. We made excellent time heading south down the I-95 through Georgia. As evening began to set in, however, we realized that something must have been missed in the reassembly of our front end and engine as we no longer have the use of our headlights! The running lights, signal lights, etc. are all functioning, but not the main headlights. We rarely drive in the evening or night, but as the Autumn weather truly develops, we are likely to encounter situations and conditions where the use of our lights will be necessary. It's frustrating that we didn't notice it until it was too late to have those responsible remedy the problem... especially since the final bill was $129 more than the estimate, making the total cost $4756 US (we'd originally purchased the RV for $4650 CDN)! Adding to our frustrations and financial woes, we discovered that we'd been misinformed by Bank of America staff on several points so that how we proceeded with transferring funds actually incurred the very fees we sought to avoid and did not save us any on currency exchange. Their poor advice wasted our time, my father's time, and our money. In any event, we have not only left Bluffton, we have driven 275 kilometres to Jacksonville, Florida where we enjoyed some nice take-out Thai food.
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After being promised that the new motor would arrive on Thursday morning, it did not come until late on Friday. We were then told that since the shop was closed all weekend, they'd have our RV repaired on Monday... they did not.
We decided to bike to McDonald's for coffee and wifi, only to discover that this time it was Lisa's bicycle tire that was completely flat. We pumped it up and it lasted long enough for us to cycle the two miles to the bike shop. We killed a lot of time in both McDonald's and Moe's Southwest Grill today, but still managed to get absolutely filthy riding in a downpour. Locals continue to prepare for Halloween and we keep waiting to continue our travels.
Ironically, shortly after posting a blog entry about being the luckiest person on Earth, our luck, and engine, ran out. We were on route towards Savannah, Georgia and making great time. We stopped for our free morning McDonald's coffee and were feeling very pleased as we got back on the highway under an hour from our next destination. Minutes later the engine began to rattle (a lot) so we slowed down and pulled over just as smoke began to come out from under the hood. Both oil and radiator coolant were flowing out below our engine. Apparently we "threw a rod", which means that a rod shook loose and pierced right through our engine block, requiring us to replace the entire motor. The estimate is roughly the same price we paid for the entire RV! We are now stranded in Bluffton, South Carolina, just 30 minutes from Savannah awaiting a new engine. We are trying to stay positive and make the best of a bad situation. We have been reading our books and watched another movie last night. Despite this setback, I do still consider myself the most fortunate person as I still have my health, my wife, my family, and my dog. Although I do require reminding about perspective, I am aware that the fact that my biggest problem is replacing a motor on a recreational vehicle in my early retirement means that I am very well off indeed.
I often have moments of clarity when I look at my wife and dog and realize how truly blessed I am. I know more love than anyone could ever earn or deserve. At these times, it dawns on me that I am literally the luckiest man on Earth; I am married to the greatest woman on the planet, and have the best dog ever. Then I begin to feel a little bit sorry for everyone who is not me, as they will never experience the ultimate joy of being better off than all others. Next, I wonder if other people are aware that they will never have this opportunity, as I have already become the most fortunate person on the planet. Wait... could they not only be unaware that I have already won and staked claim to the title, but might others actually be deluded enough to think themselves the luckiest people in the world? Could they really feel as blessed and happy as I feel? Finally, I realize that I sure hope they do! I hope that everyone knows love in abundance and gets to experience true joy. I wish that every person was in a position to consider himself the luckiest person alive. Could you imagine how much better people would treat each other if they were all not only satisfied with their lives, but immensely happy?
The end of today marks the halfway point of our RV odyssey; we have spent 46 days exploring the USA and have 46 more days of adventure ahead of us. At this point of our vacation, we have visited 31 states, driven 14 432 kilometres, and I have had 19 different types of beer.
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