Mexico City?

 There's been quite a bit of rain in Mexico City, and since nothing is flat, there have been some landslides and flooding.  I bet you wonder how I know that?  But first .........

I wish I had seen this sooner.  This is the Railroad Museum being towed around the country by one engine and a flat car.  It apparently spent some time in Tucson before heading West.  I've heard of it before, but this is the first I've SEEN it.  Sadly, I can find no information on it at all.  Maybe someone knows what it's called?

I breathed a big sigh of relief once I was through Tucson, although traffic never is very bad this time of the morning.  There seems to be an epic flower bloom, which doesn't show up at all in this image.  It's hard to take phone pictures when you're trying to keep your rig on the road.

My first stop was in Casa Grande, taking my usual exit to Jan and Bills house.  But WAIT ... there's a sign that says it's CLOSED.  I took the first one I came to.  I knew I was in trouble when I saw the roundabout with way too many streets spreading out like a wagon wheel.  

It was too late to plug an address in to my GPS, so I asked my phone to help out.  That's always dicey since it doesn't know how BIG I am.  Just as I drove up to the house, they drove in the garage.  Perfect timing!!!  I only get to see them about once a year, so there were lots of hugs around.  

In an hour, I had to hit the road again.  Winds were coming up in the afternoon that I didn't want to run into.

But of course run into them I did.  I cruised along nicely down the Phoenix bypass road until I hit Hwy 10.  I hit a headwind which soon turned into a side wind.  Have you ever had one of those days that just doesn't end ... and every crazy driver in the world seems to be on YOUR highway?

Ninety miles to Quartzsite ... and every 15 miles, traffic came to a screeching halt.  It wasn't a problem for me since I usually drive below 60 mph.  Let's just say my hazard lights got a really good workout and there was lots of truck rubber left on the asphalt.  No pictures, I kept both hands on the wheel.

Besides a ridiculous amount of traffic, THIS was the problem.  There were four highway patrol and four pilot cars taking this huge building (I think) down the freeway.  It was wider than two lanes ... and this particular highway only HAS two lanes.  Thank goodness they pulled over to let traffic by, but that didn't stop the stop and go!!

Totally exhausted and with yet another check engine light, I pulled in to Park Place RV Park.  Look who I found!!!  There's nothing better than a wiggly butt greeting by this sweet face!!  I mean Gibbs of course, not Patsy or Bill ... although I always get great hugs from them.

The Park Hosts here are just the best!!  They let me pull through to a 50 amp space where Bill helped me unhook.  

We chatted for a bit before I headed to the recliner.  But of course I had to feed and play with Cooper for a bit first.  Hey ... let's turn the TV on.  No channels would come up at all.  No problem, I just need to authorize this receiver.

That's when it began.  The four hour marathon to turn on the idiot box.  It seems Dish Network's App isn't working at all.  No problem, I'll call.  That's funny ... the menu is completely different, even with a different voice who said my account address was mo, or maybe it was duh.  Nothing worked.  I finally got on the internet and tried that.  Nothing.

At long last, frustrated like no other, I called back and got in line for the 45 MINUTE WAIT!!  No kidding ... I plugged my phone in and listened to their terrible music as I played games for over an hour.  At long last ... a voice in the dark.  

Buenos Tardes!!  I laughed ... mostly because in the background was the loudest barking dog I've ever heard.  We talked for a bit before I asked where he was.  Mexico City he said, working from home since Covid had closed their office building completely.  

So what's going on?  Apparently ALL of their servers have crashed.  I told him it was probably Russia.  This happened exactly one month ago ... and they still have not been able to get them back up and working.  That's why the app won't work and they are getting a million phone calls.

You know me .... well, how's the weather in Mexico City?  He said it was bad because his daughter had to go to the second session of school and come home in the rain and flooding.  I secretly thought to myself ... someone is waiting an extra 5 minutes because of this conversation.  But we kept talking ... mostly because I thought he was being railed about the TV problems and it might be good to just be nice to him.

At any rate, he sent out not one, but TWO activation signals to my receiver, and FINALLY ... just in time to go to bed .... I had TV.  I said buenos tardes and wished him luck.

Just another day of problem solving I could do without.  I'm looking forward to some puzzling today and lots of rest in my recliner.  Oh ..... and some wiggly butt loves from Gibbs!!