Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Heroes in Tow Trucks



As dawn broke in Porterville, I prepared for the rest of the drive to my assigned campground.  Deciding it would be a good idea to walk around the car and motor home and check for any vandalism that might have occurred during the 2 hours I actually slept, I discovered that one of the car tires on the tow dolly, was no longer secure, and the safety-web/tie-down was lying on the dolly beside the tire.  I suspected that the ratchet latch was defective, as we had determined everything was tight before leaving the rental facility, and Hwy 99 is a ridiculously pot-holed freeway much of the way, which could have shaken it loose. I re-secured it, grateful that the car had at least stayed on the dolly.

After checking directions one last time, I started the final leg of the journey to my summer home.  Once I left Porterville, the drive was beautiful, but the small highway soon turned into a very winding road, requiring that I slow to 25-30 mph.  I also discovered that I had absolutely no cell phone service.  This winding road went on forever, before I finally saw my turn off, up what appeared to be no larger than a driveway, which I was to follow for 4 more miles.  There was also a sign that said “gate closed” and all my fears of driving up a narrow road, and getting stuck at a dead end seemed likely to be realized.

I went anyway. 

This road was very steep, winding, narrow, with no shoulder, and nothing but some flimsy flora to separate your tires from the cliff if you mishandled a turn.  I crossed a cattle guard (Cyndi) and kept going.  After about two miles, I noticed that the engine noise was different, struggling more than usual. Although I was driving 10-15 mph, the RPMs were high, and forward movement was slowing.  Smelling smoke, I slowed to a stop, then realized I was in the middle of the road, and tried to move closer to the cliff-side.  Instead of moving forward, the motorhome started rolling backward -- with a loaded tow dolly that doesn’t go in reverse! 
I put it in park, set the emergency brake, turned off the engine, and opened the door to see what I could see.  Clouds of smoke erupted from under the hood, so I grabbed Bella and the fire extinguisher, and exited.  After determining there was no actual fire, I looked back down the hill, and saw a thick black trail of transmission fluid going back as far as I could see.  I put Bella back into the motor home, and went to unload the car from the dolly.  AGAIN, the tie-down on that tire was off the tire, and lying on the trailer.  AGAIN, I thanked the gods that the car had remained on the dolly despite the sharp turns, and potholes.

Once I had the car free, I loaded Bella, and my other most valuable belongings into it, and continued up the road, hoping that there was someone on duty at the camp ground with a phone.  Nope.  I got out of the car, and sat for a while, breathing some really fresh, 4127’ altitude air for a few minutes while trying to conquer my panic/anxiety about my situation.  I needed the motor home to live in, in order to work for the summer. I did not have time nor money for more repairs on it, and even if I did, I had no place else to stay. 

Mind spinning, I arrived at no conclusions as to what my final plan of action would be, so I decided to take it one step at a time.   I drove back down the hill, and began unhitching the tow dolly from the motor home.  Naturally, a truck and trailer headed downhill, arrived, needing to get past me.  “Sorry, I’ll move,” I said.  “Please do,” was the terse response. After approaching them and explaining the situation, the man decided the quickest way to get me out of their way, was to assist me with unhitching the tow dolly, and moving it down the road where there was a slightly wider area, that would allow vehicles to pass.  Then, I started up the motor home, put it in neutral, and coasted backward, downhill, into that wider area.  It was terribly close to the edge of the cliff, but at least I could leave in good conscience, as traffic was beginning to pick up in both directions.

As I drove down into the nearest small town, it occurred to me that the best solution was to have the motor home towed the remaining two miles into the campground, and park it there for the summer.  That would give me a place to live while I worked, and hopefully, earned enough money to solve the transportation/dwelling problem by the end of summer. 

Still having no signal, I stopped at a Forest Service work station.  They graciously allowed me to use their phone to call my insurance company, which eventually found a tow company willing to come all the way from Porterville, to tow the motor home those last two miles.  Wallace Towing, is owned by one of the kindest men on the planet, and it was himself who arrived to rescue me.  After much hard labor, he got the motor home hooked up, towed up that ridiculously narrow, winding road, and situated at my host site.   Then, being the amazing person that he is, he hauled the tow dolly back down into Porterville and dropped it off at the U-Haul for me, at no charge, and also pointed out places where I could purchase groceries.

I have always been resistant to asking for help, or accepting help, from anyone.  But I have learned in the past three weeks that “anyone” just might be a hero.   

More Later…

3 comments:

  1. Oh Tammy... I can feel your anxiety from here. Been there done that.AND made it over the cattle guard! Good for you!!!

    Hey! do the nicest guy in the world a solid (and the rest of us) and put a service review on rvservicereviews.com. Back to reading...

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    1. PS: I think of you every time I cross my cattle guard.

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  2. Great idea! Thank you for the link!

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