We left Big Bend enroute to El Paso and our first real glitch of the trip. We got about 60 miles east of El Paso and the engine started sputtering and we couldn’t get above 25 mph. So we pulled over at an exit in the middle of nowhere with practically no cell service and called Good Sam, our roadside service. They sent us a “mobile repair truck”, which took an hour to get to us. I told them I believed the problem to be the fuel filter and to make sure he had one before coming out to us. In the meantime I removed the filter to try and help move the process along. He finally showed up in a small pick up with limited tools and do you think he had a fuel filter? Of course not. But he did make an effort to test the filter by putting his mouth on it and blowing through it. Not something I’d do but I’m not him. He said the problem was not the filter and from there obviously had no idea what to do with his limited resources. To make matters worse I, being the master mechanic I am, forgot which hose went on which side of the filter. So we both agreed he wasn’t going to be able to fix it and that I should get towed.

No problem, so I think. I call Good Sam back and they say that they just got off the phone with their “mechanic” who told them that I worked on the motorhome myself and supposedly it says in their contact that if I try to do any repairs myself they will no longer pay for towing. I told them that was ridiculous and it was their decision to send a mechanic who, by the way, showed up with hardly any tools and had to borrow some of mine. I asked to speak to a supervisor and waited on hold for almost 15 minutes before getting worried that it was getting late so I gave up. I called our insurance company, shout out to Progressive, who said no problem they will send someone to tow us.

It was now about 6:30 on a Saturday in the middle of nowhere and they called back and said they can’t find anyone to come get us. Fortunately I had already sought my sister’s help and she found someone in El Paso. I told the insurance guy this and he said set it up and they’ll reimburse me. Yeah, right. But I did and it was $1100 and they already sent me my check. Again, shout out to Progressive.

Needless to say we cancelled our Good Sam policy the next day.

So after waiting another two hours for the guy to come all the way from El Paso we finally got going again and made it to El Paso about 10:30 that night.

We dropped the motorhome at a Freightliner dealer, again thanks to Sue for finding one open on a Sunday, and headed to a Residence Inn using our Marriott points.

They looked at the motorhome the next day and concluded it was the fuel pump and also a lift pump, which provides fuel pressure to the fuel pump. Two days and $2300 later they got us back on the road. Whew.

Even though we had this setback it didn’t stop us from exploring. Jamie lived in El Paso from 8th grade through high school so Sunday we set out checking out the schools she went to and the “city” in general. Had dinner and called it a night.