Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Driving north for 4.5 hours put us in Pittsburg, New Hampshire. We drove through gorgeous country all day, but the more north we drove, the more remote it became. It started to look like Canada, and in fact, we ended up right on the border.
We drove some back roads looking for the only fly shop in the area. It was a shack in the front of a house. No one was there. Now entering our destination, Lake Francis State Park, took us up rough, gravel roads. The GPS didn’t know we were pulling a trailer. We came to a covered bridge with a 3-ton limit. I stupidly drove across. The bridge took out my air conditioner and damaged the roof.
After checking into the campground, it took us two hours of cutting wires and sawing screws to get the busted unit off the Airstream. I was sick at my stomach for what I had done. Then we cleaned up the mess, cut out a piece of plastic from the top of the air conditioner and attached it over the hole with duct tape. The plastic skylight was also badly damaged, so we pushed it out the best we could and taped it.
I called National General Insurance, talking to a very nice lady in North Carolina, who took all the information. She told me Jaime would be calling me to get the details. My head was spinning, readjusting to the conditions. Curtis Jansen had a quote on his mirror at his house in California. It was from a book by Spencer Johnson about adapting to changing events in life. “You have to move with the cheese. The cheese moves.” It helped me in this terrible time. If I let myself focus on my stupidity and what happened to my beautiful Airstream, I just wanted to scream and throw up. I had to move with the cheese.
The closest Airstream dealer was in Lebanon, Maine, about four hours away. Kelly called Paul at Profile State Line Superstore. He was helpful and very nice, but said it would be three weeks before they could get to it. Head still spinning, I thought of Martha coming in less than a week for two months in Newfoundland. I just couldn’t compute. One step at a time. Fix the Airstream takes first priority.
I called Martha and told her the story. She took it pretty well, but I knew she was sick too. We finally fixed a drink and tried to sort out what to do next. Move with the cheese.
Greg, Praying for you..when you think of all the miles you have traveled this is a tiny blip and you are safe. Jim
Thank you so much Jim. You’re right. No one was hurt, and the Airstream can be fixed……..for a lot of money!
I know it will all sort out Jim. Sure is tough at the moment though.
how awful!!!! hope it all gets better – just keep plugging along – I got sick last week during trip to Wisconsin – very bad upper respiratory/ear infection – finally got to doc to get correct anti-biotics, but it goes on and on, and I leave in 6 days for Big Trip to North Pole…. just keep going, plugging along
Yuk! I hope you get to feeling better soon. You’ll need it for the Big Trip!
Greg, I am so sorry for the damage to your Airstream. Perhaps the Airstream dealer in Maine could let you use a “loaner”. Best of luck in your travels, and move with the cheese.
Thank you Don. No loaners or rentals from them, so we’ll just have to go the old fashioned way.