Joe & Wilma's Excellent Adventures

 Tuesday, July 24, 2024

Day 2 around Bozeman

So we spent another day homeless, with the RV in the shop.  We had to have it to the dealership before 8:00 this morning, so it was a long day. We stopped back by just before noon since no one ever calls us, and Joe went in and talked to the technician.  They had diagnosed the issues (need new A/C and water pump) so there was some progress.  They put the new water pump in today, but will have to order the A/C.  Our other bucket list item was a front window sunshade that broke when we left Vincennes in April, but it is not covered under our extended insurance policy so we will hold off on that.  Since we put up curtains right behind our driver's and passenger's seats, we don't have to have that shade.

Then we spent our time running errands.  After we dropped off the RV and had breakfast, we did laundry, then I got a call from the ortho doctor's office so we ended up going back there to pick up an order for a handicap placard and a copy of the disc with the x-rays on it. Then we went to the Department of Motor Vehicles just to find out that they only issue those handicap placards out of Helena, which is 90 miles away. I called Helena to confirm and it looks like we’ll be making a drive there tomorrow.  They usually mail them, but that doesn't work for us.

Then we just messed around for a couple hours.  We drove by the dealership to confirm that they had actually moved the RV.  I had seen a thrift store a couple miles down the road, so I persuaded Joe to drive back to it. We found a better cushion there, so we will be returning the one to Walmart, which makes that venture a net of a jar of mustard.

Then we drove out to the mountains.  He really was curious to retrack my route when I got lost yesterday.   Joe forgot to fill the gas tank, so he kept that to a short drive.  Then we had lunch, and stopped at Ace Hardware for a couple of little things on Joe's mind.  In Ace Hardware they have a suspended chair with a sign "please do not sit." I told Joe I was pretty sure they put that sign up there just for me after my episode at Rural King in Vincennes a few years ago, but right now I couldn’t climb that high.  

Then we drove back to the dealership -- no one had ever called us.  The RV was sitting outside, so we went in to find out if they were done for the day.  Our service writer was on a zoom phone call, so the guy beside her, Bruce, helped us.  That's when we found out they had replaced the water pump.  He told us he would get the A/C ordered and hoped to get it in tomorrow.  Joe told him to "please call him, because no one else had."  He assured him he would call and text, which he or Niki did.  As we left, our lady, Niki, tried to tell us how busy they were.  I just told her we had been homeless for 2 days and walked out.

So we got back to the campground.  I didn't get lost this time, but I had my GPS on, and I tailgated Joe.  But when we pulled in, a pick-up was parked in our spot, and they had a backhoe right next to it digging a hole.  I parked the Jeep and told the guy that was our space.  He hemmed and hawed, then moved his truck.  He said we would have new internet tomorrow.  We hope so, because we have not been able to use this one on our TV. 

The RV was really hot inside since it had been sitting in the sun.  We finally left to get something to eat and let it cool down.  By the time we got back, it was beginning to get tolerable, and by the time we went to bed, it was good.  It takes a long time to cool these "boxes" down.

We hope we will be taking the RV back on Thursday to install the new A/C.  They are supposed to call and schedule as soon as they get everything checked out that comes in.  We will hope!