Guess what happened to me today!

[MitchF150]

I'll just post the pic and I know you can guess what happened! ha, ha..



I did this fix at the rest area on I90 just after Cle-Elum going East... For those familiar with the area, you know where that is..

(this is not the pic from that rest stop, but when I got home today)

Seems I forgot to twist the lock tabs on the covers (yes, both top and bottom, but only lost the bottom one...)

It must have lasted at least some 50 miles after leaving Puyallup.

I noticed the drain tube flopping out in the wind from my mirror and thought... "well, that's weird... Maybe it's the slide gasket?. Well, we have the next rest stop in about 15 miles.. Will check it out there)

Nope, the minute I look, I knew exactly what it was and what I forgot to do leaving Puyallup, WA about 2 hours prior!

Rigged this up in the rest stop in about 15 minutes.. Worked great and the propane never blew out even with the cover MIA! It was running just fine at the rest stop..

Anyway, I have always carried cardboard and lots of zip ties, duct tape and a "ton" of other stuff on my travels and while I might not ever use it ever, I'm glad I have it when I need it!

I carry WAY too much stuff on each trip.. Full set of tools, jacks, jack stands, saws, you name it, I probably have it! ha, ha..

I've even dropped a gray water tank on my old Prowler TT several years ago and I was able to fix it on the road (well, in the camp site) with what I brought with me..

Folks say they don't pack 'water' to save weight.... Well, I carry water and a ton of tools and other stuff and I have people asking if I happen to have any tools at times they can borrow..

Anyway, just what works for me and I know I don't have to rely on any "road service" to rescue me for some basic things... Sure, a vehicle engine failure would cause some grief, but I'll deal with that too. 🙂

Mitch

[CavemanCharlie]

Thank you for a good reminder to check for that.

[down_home]

Bay right side came open, lost wife's quilting and a grill but no one honked a horn. Fortunately didn't hit anything with the open door.

[spoon059]

Pfff... that's nothing. Start a post on here when you forget to lock the awning arms on your dads class C that you and your wife borrowed. Lost the awning on I95 coming back from Florida. Thankfully there was a break in traffic and the awning fell into the road and skidded into the shoulder, nobody else was damaged...

[MitchF150]

Veebyes wrote:
First I thought it was a window. Been there. Lost that. Then I realised what it was. Yup, been there, lost that too. As you run up the miles stuff happens.

Yep, ran it the whole time on gas. The entire enclosure is made of that really thin panel board and it's closer to the flame than the cardboard cover would ever be. I had no worries. Mitch

[memtb]

MitchF150, Nice on the road temporary fix. “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”!

I fully agree with carrying lots of tools and emergency repair parts! There will always be repairs while on outings. Those that carry no to minimal tools and repair stuff/parts.....apparently camp only near cities or RV repair services. Over 30 + years of RV’ing I’ve done more than my share of emergency repairs.... from replacing a broken ignitor of the refrigerator (during a snow storm), replacing a complete brake /hub assembly ( in single digit temps), a broken spring in a truck stop lot ( temps in mid teens), to replacing broken hydraulic disc brake line ( 90 + degrees), and the list goes on. Anyone reading this should have noted the common denominator......weather! Things never break in “nice” weather! :B

And, like yourself.....traveling “without” water is incomprehensible! Some many potential uses/needs for water when on the road! memtb

[BarabooBob]

Did you leave the refrigerator turned on with the vent covered by the cardboard?? I would think that it would be a major fire hazard.

[Veebyes]

First I thought it was a window. Been there. Lost that. Then I realised what it was. Yup, been there, lost that too. As you run up the miles stuff happens.

[pasusan]

Same thing happened to us many years ago. Happened to see the fridge cover fly off as we were driving on a back highway. Turned around and went back to get it... I was getting out to pick it up when a tractor trailer came barrelling down the road - drove right over it and smashed it flat!

[MitchF150]

All I needed was some black paint and no one would have been able to tell the differece! 🙂

Might have to add that to the "just in case" list! 🙂

Mitch

[BobsYourUncle]

Well Mitch, that's downright creative of you!
Nice work, right down to the custom vent strips!
Nothing like a little roadside ingenuity!

I too have a rolling hardware store with me in my truck. I even have a 12' 6" brake up there and a roll of flat stock to make stuff with. And I've done many CG repairs for people over the years. Nothing like being prepared.
🙂

[MitchF150]

Close.... 🙂

Mitch

[down_home]

before I read let me guess!
you won the lottery and on the way to get the check you picked up two rich starlets and they invited you for two weeks on a cruise on their yacht

Am I right?,

[MitchF150]

MFL.. Well, lets just say that gets added to the "list"... 🙂

Already pretty old as far as I'm concerned... Ok, "only" 56 and my wife is 65, so yes, we are old... But, still have lots of life in us and still lots of mistakes to make! 🙂

That's what is going to make this whole thing worth it!

Mitch

[MFL]

The good news...you'll never forget that one thing again. Ya, it'll be something else, more frequent as you get older! 🙂

Nice fix though,

Jerry