Hummttling

     We have lost three tires and two rims in less than two weeks. The problem with a flat tire on a full time rig is that we have big old honkin’ 10 ply tires. A blowout is ugly and the ten ply tend to give us a slow leak rather than the explosion mid highway. That is the theory anyway, didn’t really happen that way the last two times.  But, as you saw from our last post, we worked through it. It was, to say the least, expensive.

     If I haven’t said it before, it’s important to know that the average, (aka in our price range) fifth-wheel isn’t intended for full timing. It’s meant to hold up to the kind of abuse that “normal” people give it. Every other weekend, three months a year is pushing it. So, things break. A lot. Like, EVERYTIME WE STOP. Here is our average accident report.

Monday: Slide went in, weather stripping did not.

Tuesday: Tried to drain the blacktank, there was a clog of toilet paper.

Wednesday: Left the Vent cover open, mechanism got stripped.

Thursday: Crushed my favorite hat in the bedroom slide…again….

Friday: Boys left a drawer open a crack, bounced and wiggled and broke off it’s track.

Saturday: The steps finally gave way and we need a welder.

Sunday: Sink handle breaks off in Aiden’s hand….mysteriously

     That’s one week. We are on week 53! So you can understand why Alan and I are on high alert when something sounds a bit off from the normal routine. And today, at 5:43 a.m. we heard a strange humming. Or was it rattling?  We’ll call it Hummttling.

     It was in my bathroom, (yes, we have two bathrooms, it’s my one indulgence, don’t judge me. Did I mention it’s the size of a phone booth?). At first I thought it must have to do with the Fonzie lighting. We “lovingly” call it Fonzie lighting because after you turn on the switch, you have to give it a loving punch on the wall just below the mirror, followed up with the iconic, “heyyyyy” to make it turn on. Yes, I am certain the Heyyyy is necessary, I’ve tested the theory. At any rate, I Fonzie-ed the light switch but the hummttling didn’t stop. I climbed up on the toilet and turned off the vent fan, (it’s REALLY HIGH!!!) but the noise continued. Alan raced around half awake trying the fan from the stove, flicking on and off light switches. Finally he shut down every port from the breaker and still the noise persisted. I had a brief flashback to the tell tale heart but then realized it’s been years since I had anyone hidden beneath the floorboards.  We both simultaneously realized it had to be something that was run on our battery, as the sound continued without shore power. Hmmmm, we returned to the bedroom banging on walls, flicking switches and still the Hummttling continued. I was filled with images of multi-thousand dollar bill repair bills, a faulty slide that wouldn’t retract or, even worse, an electrical fire when Alan started laughing like a madman. He opened up the medicine cabinet and pulled out his hummulting “electric” toothbrush. (Umm, isn’t that a misnomer?).  We both collapsed back into bed laughing hysterically, relief rushing over us that maybe this week it could only be a weld job on the steps, not a tear down behind the wall. Just as we started to drift back to sleep, the car alarm of the site next to us went off.

“I’ll fonzie the light and we can brush our teeth.” Ok, I’ll rig the coffee maker to reach the outlet, we’ll pack up and head out.” “Don’t forget, the bottom step is off, watch out.” “Don’t turn on the Microwave if the air is on.” “Got It”.

And we are off.

     (No, none of these pictures are from the BearMouth Chalet here in Rock Creek where we are staying, but they are lovely!)