Wednesday, September 13th, 2023 - Second Post Today.

Tirade 1:  Ms. Shawn arrived this morning, crashed for a couple of hours, and then we launched the rig and headed North/West up towards Roanoke, VA.  We hadn't planned to actually make it to Roanoke, and we didn't. Not because we couldn't, it was more because of the Google BIB.  If you know "BIB" laugh, if you don't, don't ask.  We were an hour out from the big "R" when she tried to send us down a cow trail road which I refused to accept and turned around and now we are back down on a nice highway (Rt 58) at a Mom & Pop RV Camp, and the owner told me there is a much easier, more major road (Rt 220) to big "R" just seven miles away.  Moral:  Never trust the BIB and be willing to refuse her directions if they just don't feel right.

So tomorrow we will make it to big "R", locate the Cummins Dealer, check in, and confirm our 15th appointment, and decide where to stay that night hopefully and possibly right there at their facility.  We may also find a Wal-Mart and stock up on victuals.

Tirade 2:  I bought a $600.00, 8 sensor EezTire TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and at this time I am completely upset with it.  (Translation:  pissed at it) It keeps "losing" tires.  They drop out, and drop in, and the monitor never stops beeping because of it.  Interestingly, this is a 30-foot RV, and the tires aren't that far from the dashboard so the optional "signal extender" should not be needed. To add insult to injury when I have the monitor in the dinette, as I do while writing this, all the tires are picked up perfectly.  So, tomorrow I am going to mount the darn thing up higher, perhaps on the driver's window and see if it works any better.  Now, to add even more insult to the injury, the darn thing has an automatic "Dim" mode, so it won't be too bright at night, and it tends to go dim even during the day, AND THERE"S NO WAY TO OVERRIDE IT!  So, half the time when I look at it it's totally black/dim.  Having spent the better part of 40 years designing computer systems, I am beginning to really, really, really hate clever young engineers.  As my father used to say, "They don't have the sense God gave a goose."  Amen, Dad!

Tirade3:  We stopped at a big gas station on a small road, primarily to let the 600 cars that were stuck behind us get past us, and to get gas which we were sorta needing, and there was a small cafe there that had a sign that said, "Good American Home Style Cooking."  And me being hungry, we went in for lunch and on the way out I crossed out the word "Good."  OK, not really, but I wanted to.

That's enough venting for one day.  Please forgive.

Yours in frustration,

Rusty Pistons.