Service area is a very busy place. We arrived on a Saturday and were given a place to park with power and water until they could get us a full hookup site in a few days. We moved on Monday to a full site with about 100 other people trying to get service. Tuesday the scheduler came around and gave us two choices, sit here for 6 to 7 weeks to get into a bay for service or wait for a few days and get work done by 2 men for 3 hours each. We elected for the express service.
Not quite sure why but we got a call on Tuesday afternoon to pull into a bay. We moved into the bay and spent about 1 1/2 hours there fixing some small things we needed repaired. They send all rigs back to the campsite in the evenings with instructions to be back at 7:00 AM. We did this and part way through the repairs they said "sorry but your time is up". They changed the ice maker in the refrigerator and did a few other repairs. We paid for what they had done and moved the rig back to our site.
The next day Dick walked back to the repair area and told them the ice maker was not working. They had us move the rig back into a bay and decided to pull the refrigerator and not only fix the ice maker but change the fans on the back of it. Not an easy job to pull the refer and get it back into that little hole.
When completed we asked for the paperwork so we could pay and they told us not to worry about it. Don't have to tell us twice. Three guys for three hours should have cost us a few dollars.
The next day we took a tour of the factory and while there the tour guide convinced us to go talk to Bob Tiffin the owner about another problem we had. When they built the bus 6 years ago they put a thick plastic or vinyl coating on the front below the window. Through the years it has failed, making the front look like it was covered with bugs. We asked Bob what Tiffin could do about it. He reminded us that the 3M product had a 3 year warranty that expired 3 years ago. He did say he would take care of it and for us to go see the service manager in the morning.
Remember we are now looking at 6 to 7 weeks wait to get into a bay for service. First thing the next morning we visited with the service manager; he had received a call from Bob Tiffin to get us fixed up. When we asked about a schedule he picked up the phone and when he got off he told us to move our rig into a bay. It took about 3 1/2 days for them to remove the 3M material and repaint most of the front. We talked them into sanding and repainting the area above the window and split the cost. They charged us $150 for all the extra work and got us out in 4 days. We had received an estimate from another company of $1,500 plus the cost of removing the 3M coating.
We spent several evenings playing cards and games with old friends who are still waiting to get their new bus fixed. We also did day trips with them to see the countryside. One of the areas that the locals told us to visit was the Worlds only Coon Dog Cemetery. Off we went to this area out in the woods and yes there is a very large Cemetery there for Coon Dogs only. It was started in 1937 and has a few hundred dogs buried there.
Quite a large area complete with picnic tables and shelters.
This is just one of the many stone headstones.
When we finally got out of Red Bay we headed to a Corp of Engineers park in the little town of Forkland Alabama. This site must have been over 100' long and take a look at the next picture...
for a view out our front window. This was really a great park so put it on your list of places to stop.
A change of plans (or a wrong turn) find us now in Florida in the town of Milton in the panhandle area. Being this close to the gulf of Mexico we had to head for the beach. Here white sands with bright sun casts our shadow while walking together.
As we said the sands are really white with hardly a person to share our time together on the beach; little or no oil here.
Jackie with shoes in hand letting the waves splash her feet, maybe we should just stay here for the rest of the winter.
Just a picture of the pier jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico with the afternoon sun glistening on the water and a shore bird finding a small island of sand to rest on.
We met a couple from our old car club in Washington who have been living in this area and had a great time seeing them and sharing a bite to eat at the Hog's Breath restaurant. Thanks Tom and Karen for sharing part of your day with us. It was great seeing you guys again after all these years.
Out for a walk the other day we ran across this sign in the front yard of a local home. Not sure what kind of eggs that a yard can produce but the price looks good.
Wednesday we head out to New Orleans so if you have any suggestions of good places to see in the area please drop us a hint.To be continued...
1 comment:
I'm literally red with envy at the beach photos. Oh, and at the fall color photos. And, even the coon hound cemetary. I for one am enjoying the pictures and travel blogs but, at times, I must remember to not covet what others have!
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