UP AND AT EM

12/05/2011

MONDAY

THE DEALERSHIP OPENS AT 7AM

SANDY, NOT BEING A MORNING PERSON, THIS WAS DIFFICULT FOR HER.

I WANTED TO BE AT THE NAVISTAR DEALER WHEN THEY OPENED, I KNOW FROM 40+ YEARS OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE THAT THAT IS THE BEST TIME TO ARRIVE.

SANDY WAS A TROOPER THIS AM AND WAS UP AS ASKED AT 6AM.

I PROMISED HER THAT SHE COULD STAY IN THE MKX AND NO ONE WOULD SEE HER HAIR, IT WORKED. SHE HAD TO DRIVE THE MKX AND FOLLOW ME TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT WAS ABOUT 3/4 MILE AWAY.

WE LEFT THE HOTEL AT ABOUT 6:30 TO RETRIEVE THE MOTOR COACH FROM THE FRIENDLY CONFINES OF THE 500 UNIT SEMI PARKING AREA.

FIRST, LAST NIGHT WAS DAMP AND COLD SO THE MKX WAS COVERED WITH FROST AND IT TOOK FEW MINUTES TO THAW OUT.

WE WENT OVER TO THE COACH AND IT HAD NO FROST ON IT AS WE LEFT ONE OF THE TWO THE FURNACES RUNNING TO AVOID FROZEN PIPES

THE CHASSIS BATTERIES WERE A BIT LOW SO I RAN THE GENERATOR FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO CHARGE THEM AND THEN THE BIG MAXFORCE 10 NAVISTAR ENGINE

CRANKED BACK TO LIFE.

499 SEMIS KISSED THE KNIGHT GOOD BY.

I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE COACH ABOUT 15 MPH UNTIL IT WARMED UP AND THEN IT WOULD ONLY GO 10 MPH.

WE ARIVED AT BRATTAIN INTERNATIONAL AT 7 AM. I WAS GREETED BY PAUL COOK A

SERVICE ADVISOR. OUR SAGA ROLLED OUT FOR HIM AND HE SAID THAT THE SCHEDULE DID NOT LOOK TOO BAD AND THAT THEY WOULD GET A LOOK AT IT SOON.

[WHAT EVER THAT MEANS IN AUTOMOTIVE WORLD] MAYBE "SERVICE ABOVE SELF".

THIS MORNING I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS FROM MONACO COACH CUSTOMER CARE AS WELL AS OUR SALESMAN IN FRESNO CA. ALL WANTING TO LOOK AFTER US AS BEST THEY COULD.

THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE NAVISTAR DEALER TO ASSURE THEM THAT THE FACTORY STOOD BEHIND ME AND THEM.

IT IS 11:30 AM HERE AND THE FOG IS STILL THICK, TRAFFIC REPORTS MENTION THAT BLACK ICE IS AN ISSUE IN SOME AREAS AND BRIDGES.

WE WILL STAY N THE ROOM FOR A WHILE TODAY.

AN OREGON OBSERVATION:

THERE ARE PRETTY MUCH NO RUSTY CARS HERE, I SAW A 1965 FORD LTD AND A 1956 FORD F100 AS WELL AS 60S SOMETHING PLYMOUTH AND MANY OTHER ELDERLY CARS AS WELL = GUESS WHAT = THEY USE SAND AND NOT SALT.

THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS = THE BAD NEWS IS THAT FOR THE WINTER THEY USE STUDDED SNOW TIRES [REMEMBER THOSE] AND OR TIRE CHAINS.

THE STUDDED SNOW TIRES DO AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE ROAD SURFACE AND THE ROAD NOISE FROM THAT IS TERRIBLE. YOU THINK YOUR TIRES OR WHEEL BEARINGS ARE BAD UNTIL YO HIT A FRESHLY PAVED SPOT.

AH THE QUITE!