On the road & trouble with Ms. Southwind!

I got up around 5 am and slowly got things around. yes, i know but I wanted to be gone by day break .. but as usual that didn't happen.

Finally around 6.30 am, Ms. Southwind was all hooked up and rolling out. About 10 mins on the road she started having problems. Ughhhh Struggled getting through PCB and onto Hwy 79. Backing up traffic for the morning rush hour. Just kept thinking it was just because the engine was still cool and I usually let the motor run while hooking up the tow and this am didn't do that, thinking maybe that was some of the past problem with Ms. Southwind.

With fighting the motor home, A turn was missed, luckily I spotted a nice large parking lot. Thinking Ms. Southwind is still fighting water in the tank problem from a previous trip. So get out the 3 bottles of heat and dump down the tank. It's a tight turn out of the parking lot, finally back on the road Ms. Southwind goes. Now back on track. heading down hwy 20.

Finding the right turn this time, off Hwy 20 and onto Hwy 331. There are hills and Ms. Southwind is getting worse! Ms. Southwind is sputtering, sluggish and back firing like crazy. Barely any power and all the faster she can go is 35. Approaching I-10 which is what is planned to take. Knowing there is no way Ms. Southwind can get on the interstate running like this. Nothing else can be done, except to pass the interstate exit and find a gas station that has a big enough parking lot for her to fit into and still get out of without unhooking the tow.

Finally, barely lugging along, I spot a gas station that circles around the store. Pulling in the back and making sure that traffic can get past Ms. Southwind. The job of un hooking the gas cans and buying fresh gas. Since a new fuel filter was installed in Florida on the engine, the dog house lid is taken off and the fuel filter there is checked to make sure it's not leaking and causing the problem. It appears to not be leaking, everything is put back and it appears all is go and it's time get on the Interstate and give it a try. Ms. Southwind starts out and appears to be running great. She gets up to 60 and on her way and then the gas pedel has to be to let up, as a lady coming onto the ramp. Instead of her getting her butt in gear and going, she only goes as fast as i could crawl onto the exit and instead of going ahead of her, Ms. Southwind is polite and lets her in.

Well big mistake ... because there goes Ms. Southwind sputtering, backing firing and crawling along the interstate! Nothing could be done, but to stay on the interstate and ride with the flashers, since Gabe is following along behind in the car , i radio for him to turn the car flashers on as well. Gabe helps to be like a blocker for Ms. Southwind. Finally a rest area sign and i radio to take the rest area exit. Ms. Southwind crawls her way into the rest area just past Milton FL, and i call my road side service assistance and they give me some names of places to go to for service.

I call and none of them can come out or even get Ms. Southwind in today! I call the road side again and the man ask if we can baby along and if it gets to where we can't drive at all they can then get me someone to toll Ms. Southwind. It's agreed to try this and so is the decision to change the fuel filter on the gas tank just to make sure it's not clogged. It has worked in the past.

Ms. Southwind heads out again, crossing the bay near Pensacola, FL.

Fortunately Ms. Southwind was able to get up to 45-50 mph without any coughing episodes.

Ms. Southwind gets through Pensacola and all is good and behold, here we go again. Ugghhh it's getting frustrating and by now the tempature is rising and because of all the problems I'm riding with out air! Afraid Ms. Southwind will start over heating as the engine is not running good and she is barely able to get down the road. Once again I try calling some local shops and no luck. Okay, it's time to pull into a Lowe's and check something else. Everything I know of is checked and even buying premium gas thinking that will help it. Let's try this again .. Ms. Southwind heads back on the road.

Here is a Bass Pro Shop that was being built. Then about 10 miles before getting to Mobile AL, Ms. Southwind starts having problems again. It's decided to just see if speed can be built up and make it through.

Here we are going across the bay in Mobile AL.

Here we are going through the tunnel. Ms. Southwind ran prety decent going through the tunnel.

We get a bit farther down the road and just pass up a rest area but Ms. southwind is running fine so far. Behold, no longer get past the exit and there she goes again. By now the dogs are so over heated, I'm hot and sweating and my stress level is beyond out of control. Turning off at the next available exit, a Wal-mart is spotted and Ms. Southwind is parked behind the store out of the way. The tank line is checked. It's time to climb under the front to see if anything can be seen. The problem may have been found!! A string is hanging down that is attached to a hose. It appears that a clamp used to be here and instead of replacing the clamp a string was used and from all the bouncing down the road the hose was barely connected. Ms. Southwind was not getting enough fuel to supply her motor. Hence causing the sputtering, sluggish and back fire. I knew it seemed to be some type of fuel problem and the repair shops i spoke to kept saying the same thing. The hose was secured back, the string used to tie the hose back in place.

I'm shocked that Ms. Southwind could even make it through Florida let alone the tunnel in Mobile, Al, fighting this problem. The rest of the trip Ms. Southwind was able to travel along at 60-65, at times she wanted to run 70 or faster. Ms. Southwind rode like a dream the rest of the trip. I believe Ms. Southwind is over being sick!!!! ... Yeppie



Here we are crossing the Mississippi line ... Yessssssssss


I was beginning to think Ms. Southwind and the team was going to be stuck some where in Alabama and wouldn't see Mississippi today.





















Finally Ms. Southwind arrives, get set up and the dogs and myself are very hot, grouchy and exhausted!

I rested a while and then cooked supper and sat outside and enjoyed the sounds of mother nature. Awww no city noise and the sounds of nature. It's so good to be back in the country evironment.





A 7 1/2 hr day turned into a 9 1/2 hour drive!

well I'm exhausted and gonna head to bed .. night all