Monday, August 2, 2010

Before we even got on the road

This is the first day of our 10 day excursion.  We are planning on a trip from Michigan to Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana.  We have this fabulous trip planned and everything seems so easy.  We have it completely mapped out from renting the RV to every KOA campground and every monument/statepark we want to see.   My sister in law has talked me into this with our combined five children ages 9-14.  It seemed like a great idea at the time........

Day One:
Picking up the RV at 12:30 pm.  My beloved sister in law tells me we just have to watch a short video and then we are set to go. How fun is that???   We have the RV that sleeps seven people comfortably.  I think how easy and fun this will be.  In fact, I have told so many people about this that now I have to go through with this no matter what.  We arrive at our slotted time where our friendly 'Cruisin America' representative greets us.  We sit down and watch the video where my sister in law promptly falls asleep in her chair.  I on the other hand am trying to figure what the hell the 'gen adaptor' is.  This was way too much information for someone who has never driven an RV in her life.  My sister in law wakes up and ask our 'Cruisin America' representative to start the tape over where at that point I am ready to slap her!!!  We painfully watch the 20 minute tape AGAIN and are ready to walk the RV. 
We walk around the outside of the RV and learn what all of the plugs, outlets, pump outs were and mentally make notes of what we need asap - rubber gloves, bleach etc...   I never thought about the human waste component of this aventure.  I have got to have the gloves!!!
Onto the inside of the RV.  Open the door and the stench of  pee reeks!!! My sister in lawi starts gagging it is so bad!!!
We imediately tell our 'Cruisin America' representative that this RV is unexceptable!  We cannot even step into it without the smell of urine!!!  He tells us numerous time how he 'freebreezed' it.  I am sorry - that is just not good enough.  How about scrubbing the cushions???    He says it will be a couple of more hours before he can get the next RV ready.  There is no way we can ride for ten days in the pee filled RV. 
Our plan was to be on the road by 2:30 and now we are just picking up the RV at 4:30pm.  We still have a 40 min. drive back to my sister in law's house to load the RV.  We arrive and walk through the new RV to which the floors have still not been cleaned.  Our friendly 'Cruisin American' representative finally mops the floor with some gross mop and freebreezed,  then hands over the keys.  My sister in law promptly turns to me and tells me I am driving back to her house. 
I get into the RV, set the mirrors and off we go.  My journey begins on a 'under construction' dirt road.  It feels like I could have been in a covered wagon (not that I am that old).  It was shaking soooo bad.  I could not go over 55 mph without feeling like the RV was going to explode.  All I keep thinking is what has my sister in law has gotten me into.
We finally arrive back to my sister in law's  house at around 6pm and the kids coming running.  It takes us forever to load and ORGANIZE and RE-CLEAN(with bleach) the RV.   Neither my sister in law  or I are good at driving late at night so now we have decide to stay at her for the night and leave by 5am tomorrow.   We have not even started our trip and we are already behind!   Let you know what happens tomorrow!!!

1 comment:

  1. You are both crazy! Good luck tomorrow as you start your trip! I love being able to keep up with you! Maybe I will meet you on the road somewhere!

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