We did “hit the hay as planned after the tow-truck incident . . . but not for long. There came a knock on our door and Ron went to see who could possibly want us at 10 pm – another tow truck perhaps?

No, it was a police officer informing us that we could not park where we were.

“Well sir,” Ron explained, “we are not parked – we are stuck!”  The officer very kindly told Ron of all the campers and trailer trucks that had parked in the lot in the past, and how they had ruined the pavement, so Lowe’s had made the “no parking” rule.  He and Ron spent the next half hour just gabbing about busses, while I drifted off to “blanket bay.”  Everyone in charge agreed to allow the bus to remain where it was until repaired.

The next morning we secured a mechanic and with the help of a company that knows buses well, it was determined that the starter motor had died. We now know that they give no warning of sickness prior to death.  They just give up whenever they do!  Then we had to find a starter motor for an old bus, but God was in control, and before long, a company was found who would have one for us the next day, but it was necessary for us to rent a car and drive 130 miles to get it, and back again. Actually at that point, the side trip was a pleasant change.

Our mechanic came back, installed the new starter, and 45 hours after the starter dying, our bus ignition was turned and that old familiar sound of room-room was music to our ears!  On the road again!

We arrived at our destination, San Antonio, Texas, just in time to get a night’s sleep, meet the fellow who bought our bus (a 25 years younger version of Ron), give him a tour and a few pointers, and get to the airport for our flight home to Arizona.

Home looked oh so very good!  We are pleased to have sold the bus, albeit we will miss “her.”  The trip did take its toll on us – we are beginning to recuperate – and will head to our cabin in the mountains for the summer – well, sort of. There are several summertime appointments and much writing, editing and planning to do, but in between times, we will enjoy our daughters and their families, and the friends who come to visit.

Ours was a “journey” with a breakdown – oh well.  Remember . . . you can take The Journey of a lifetime. Look on the website for the information about it, see if there’s a group in your area – and head on into a life changing journey!