The time had come. The quilt was done and I didn't want to overstay my welcome, even though I know Ray and Cindy would have let me. Mr. Cooper gave me his shy don't-take-my-picture pose before we loaded up and packed up. Actually, he's weird. He washes his eyes and face like a cat does, licking his paws.
One last look at the pear tree and the beautiful garden before I unplugged and headed out. Of course, only because Dave said he had a RATTLE, there was a RATTLE I could not figure out. It didn't help that the medicine cabinet wasn't quite closed and half the stuff fell out on the toilet. That was the first stop.
Second stop ... I STILL could not get the doors to lock. It's crazy. Apparently it is a child safety thing that even if the doors are all SHUT, you still cannot lock the doors when the engine is running. I turned it off and the doors locked. I think I've finally got it. Turned the engine back on and we were finally on the road ... in construction.
For Ray ... this time my GPS took me over to Hwy 111 and North. You see, there's no way to get to the freeway going south unless you drive WAY north and catch it up there. Soon we were on the Salt Flats.
The THIRD stop was me kicking over Cooper's completely full water bowl. It dispensed it's cool deliciousness all over my shoes and the floor. It took almost an entire roll of paper towels to clean it up. Big sigh.
In spite of the 80 mph speed limit, I cruised along at a nice 65. Of course that darn LANE ASSIST thing turned on again, which caused a lot of problems. There was construction with those big orange barrels, pushing you over into the white line. The lane assist thing went crazy, trying to push me back. The rig was going back and forth, back and forth! Finally I moved over to the rumble strip, which was AWFUL!! Past that was MAYBE 12 inches for that tire to ride without running off into the sand. Stressful to say the least.
We finally made Wendover where I decided to stop for something to eat. I was starving!! I found a gas station and pulled in, to find a nice parking spot. Oh yeah .... DONETTES!! They are terrible and dry, but the sugar fix I needed.
Okay Cooper ... let's go! The rig would not start. I took the parking brake off. Nothing. Foot on brake, push button ... key fob in pocket. NOTHING!! Oh but wait ... the doors lock!!!! I threw that fob to the back and grabbed the one in my purse. It finally started.
I slowly pulled out of the parking space but it would not go. It said the parking brake was ON. NO IT'S NOT!!!! I pulled it up and released it again. Nope ... we are not moving forward. BIG SIGH! At last it decided the brake was released and I drove right out the IN lane, making a nice man very unhappy. At last ... back on the road.
These are cool ... crossovers for deer and critters so they don't get hit by cars.
We went along fine until Elko. Time for fuel. I took the wrong exit. No problem, I'll just keep looking for a station. FOUND IT. A nice Shell station with a creepy guy in the lane next to me who walked SLOWLY around my whole rig taking a hard look. I just kept pumping fuel.
Finally done, I jumped in and locked the door. Phew!! Foot on brake, push button. NOTHING once again. I could have screamed. It's 103 inside, I'm sweating like a luau pig and I can't get it to start. I tried the second key fob. It kept saying it did not see the fob. "Put in on the hidden spot on the dash". WHAT hidden spot?
Please Lord ... just let me get back on the highway! I googled it. It appears the key fob battery may be dead. It's brand new ... how could it be dead. BOTH of them - dead. I found the hiding place, slammed the key fob into the hole and VOILA it started. It's a good thing, because I was about to give it to the guy still walking around the outside. So I guess now I'll have to find batteries for BOTH key fobs, but at least I can get the thing to start.
The drive is long and boring. Not much traffic and I was getting pretty tired. Finally ... at long last ... we were in Battle Mountain, not far from Winnemucca.
What should happen now? It started RAINING. Anyone have a clue how to turn the windshield wipers on?? Me either. I had accidentally hit the little knob on the end and they worked once, so I just kept hitting it until I was out of the rain. Good grief ..... what next?
Thankfully ..... nothing ..... at least not yet. I am happily parked in an RV park with the AC screaming as it's 96 degrees out. And then it rained once again. The good news is I MAY have figured out the AC. It doesn't work like normal units. I'll get into that later.
And so in a short time I will be off towards Reno. Please PLEASE don't let anything else happen. I admit, it's all stuff that I just need to learn about this rig ... but MAN OH MAN ... what a learning curve!
Look at it this way, at least you will be back in time for Bingo!
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha oh yeah ... you are SO right!!
DeleteSounds nerve racking.
ReplyDeleteSafe travels home!
Frances:)
It was not exactly fun, but I'm stubborn!
DeleteMr. Ed said frustration is fun isn’t it …please take the van back to the dealer and have them address all the issues that you’re having like teach you how everything works which didn’t happen when you picked it up At the same time, Have them readjust the side door
ReplyDeleteYou’re used to American vehicles and they’re pretty simple until you get into foreign there’s a large learning curve The hiding place for your key fob is designed to read the code on the key
Like my Beamer, you probably have 3 levers on the column (unlike American cars having 2 ) like a little kid in a candy shop it would. Do you good to Touch and play with them
As for the vehicles, GPS turn it off and use your phone
They make wireless charger Cup holder adapters for your (Apple )phones (Just don’t get the one the clips in the air conditioning vent to much moisture ) just set your screen display for continuous or 15 Minutes on
Your phone (Google map directions )will give you two routes. YOU pick the shortest one just don’t forget to Bluetooth it One time set up .it will bypass the vehicles GPS and run google not Garmin
Those little mini donuts, chocolate sugar and plain are the best with orange juice
There's two part to the rig. The chassis is a Mercedes problem. The rest is Pleasureway. The PW guys know less than me. Next time I go to the town 65 miles away with a dealer, I will stop in and see if they can fix the door. At this point, I don't know WHO owns the key fob problem.
Deleteon your van you have an autonomous brake system at low speed BMW and Mercedes used that system so that you don’t have to hit your break usually under 5 miles an hour going forward or backwards it works
ReplyDeleteIt’s called autonomous braking (it feels like the brakes are dragging like your emergency brake is on it’s a normal feature)
When driving forward or backing up at low speeds, the Low-Speed Braking Control System is designed to detect objects in front of or behind the vehicle, and apply the brakes to prevent a collision or mitigate its effects. The system functions when the vehicle is moving at speeds between 1 and 6 mph.
Its different but similar to your high speed braking when the cruise control is on you can’t get rid of them, but you could turn them off or reconfigured but they need to be redone again once you turn the key off and restart your vehicle
Yup I figured that out on the trip back. I don't like it at all when it hits the brakes and you have no idea why.
DeleteNancy I keep forgetting to tell you that in my MZB if you leave the key in the ignition for a length of time the doors will automatically lock. Keep a set on you at all times. Your rig might be different but just thought I'd give you a heads-up!
ReplyDeleteFrances:)
No ignition on this one. You keep the key fob on you all the time. To start, you just push a button. It's weird!
DeleteAs mentioned before, take it back where you bought it. Have them fix the Door Locks and the Fob Batteries, then have them give you another walk through, demonstrating all the gizmos so you will know what to do, like shutting off the Lane Assist.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe and Enjoy your sanity.
It's about time.
Well ... they did give me a walk through already. I think they know less than me. I'll have them fix the doors and the key fobs.
DeleteMr. Ed said this You should have …2… key Fob, when you purchased your vehicle, please Do not replace the battery the next time you go to a 👉professional 👈locksmith, not Lowe’s or Home Depot preferably a Mercedes dealer, have them make a duplicate metal key there’s a locking mechanism on the bottom of your key, fob pop it off you’ll see a metal key
ReplyDeletethat metal key, can be flipped out, put THAT new key in a piece of cellophane inside a hide a key little black box you can get them at Walmart … and put that key somewhere where out side where you can remember where it is.. they have a built-in magnet . Thats only used to opens and manually lock the driver side door
they’re all pretty much similar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmEvvc7lcME
I should explain if you take the battery out, you have to re-program the fob
Deleteif you don’t reprogram it, that’s why I suggested a Mercedes dealer . the vehicle will not start
DeleteYes, I read up on it already. By the way, I got FOUR key fobs!!! When I'm on the third one, I'll go to the dealer! LOL
DeleteThere are times when it feels like if it's not one thing it's something else, then there are times when it feels like everything is happening all at once and we just want to get behind the wheel and drive, oh hang on that's what you have been doing, silly me. I just want my body to stop moving all the damn time
ReplyDeleteJoanne you made me laugh!! I just cannot imagine how hard that must be for you. You are a strong woman.
DeleteJust caught up on your blog...missed four days...that's what I get for playing around! LOL I am going to have to find out what to do with that hidden key in the FOB myself. Major part of the rattle was the TV...I did not lock it in place (although I thought I had). We took it easy and only traveled 240 miles, from Amarillo to Las Vegas New Mexico, at Storrie Lake. It threatened to rain like cats and dogs, but it only became a small shower. It has been nice to take half the day off and to not be hot and humid! Hope you made it home safe and sound. We will be in SLC on Wednesday afternoon and evening, then off towards the west for our final push...
ReplyDeleteI'm happy if I drive 200 miles!!! These long trips are hard on the old body. Lots of bad weather coming in to SLC. Drive safe.
DeleteMy goodness, I'm frustrated just reading your woes! I'm sure it is a learning curve and I'm sure you're doing better than you think. PS, those Donettes look awful! Didn't they have chocolate bars? haha Keep on trucking, hopefully nothing else goes wrong. Bingo will be a breeze after this trip!
ReplyDeleteThose Donettes WERE awful! LOL. I'm getting it, it just takes a while.
Delete