After getting a new wheel we headed through Missouri checking our Lug Nuts every one hundred miles or so. We were a little behind schedule but were able to get across Kansas, stay the night in another Walmart and head into Colorado the next day. We were feeling pretty good heading around Denver and then we were heading into the Mountains. As we got outside Denver we headed up our first STEEP Grade. The truck pulled awesome. It was a beautiful day and I just love the mountains. As we were coming down after the first steep grade. I was having a little bit of a difficult time slowing down but the engine was down shifting well. We got down to the bottom in great shape. THEN...... I lost power. The engine was still running but I had absolutely no power. All the sudden the dash was lighting up with all sorts of warning lights. Really slowing down at the bottom of a steep grade in the mountains is CHAOTIC at best. All the semis are really "cookin" and cagers are also flying. I couldn't go anywhere .Stephanie was asking what was wrong and all I was worried about was getting OFF the Highway with a 44' Fifth Wheel in the Mountains. Once Again, the Lord was watching over us. There was an exit at a little Colorado Town of Idaho Springs.
I got off the interstate, made it around a crazy round-about and stopped directly in front of a McDonalds, off the side of the road in several curbside parking spaces. We were dead!
The truck would not start.
SO, I called my GoodSam Roadside assistance, several times, most of the rest of the afternoon. Finally we got a tow truck, ironically, from a towing company within a 100 feet of where we were. They towed the truck to a diesel repair shop called Bodacious Diesel (What a name) in Golden, Colorado . Then after some effort, we found a campground to tow the fifth wheel to.
I can't even tell you how stressed I was. I can't even tell you how depressed I was. We were only on the third day of our EPIC TRIP and we had a major issue for the second time. I was devastated. I also have to tell you how awesome my wife is. She is always the steadying force in my life. She is my rock, my anchor, and helps me know everything is going to be ok. I also need to share how awesome my granddaughter Hannah and her friend Kallee were. They never complained once about what was happening. They could have fun in the middle of a Hurricane. I am so grateful for the special time we had with them on this trip, even on these days!
The trip to the campground being towed by "Allied Towing" of Idaho Springs was one of the biggest adventures of my life. He attempted, and was reasonably successful, pulling my huge 20,000 pound fifth wheel through some amazing mountain roads with his personal F250. For those that don't know how big a deal that is, I was pulling with a HUGE F350 truck with a bigger motor, bigger frame, and better brakes. By the time we climbed to nearly 8000 feet, every warning light in his truck was going off and you could smell the smoke from his brakes. At one point we were in a Casino town and he was making turns around corners that I couldn't make in a subcompact. He knew what he was doing. God sent another awesome person, Jimmy Clark, owner of Allied Towing to help us get to where we needed to be. Not only did he get us there, he was a great guy and we built a great relationship with him over the next several days and weeks. It was his wisdom that identified the lack of full braking power coming from my fifth wheel. Yet, he had NO PROBLEMS using just the brakes on his truck. He was amazing.
So, here we were. We were stuck in a campground, no hook ups, no transportation. very weak cell phone service, and deep in the mountains of Colorado no where near civilization. Even so. God was good. We were safe. We had food, and we had had a great place to wait to find out about the truck . We were just a few short miles from Rocky Mountain National Park and the beauty of the surrounding were breathtaking.
The next morning I sat on a rock in the middle of a gravel parking lot, trying to reach an uber, rent a car, and contact Bodacious Diesel about the truck. The day was beautiful except for the ARCTIC type temperatures. It is amazing how the temps drop at elevation. I finally reached an Uber and was on my way to Golden Colorado to rent a sub compact for a couple of days. I got to the rental store and found out they had rented OUR car. The only thing they had left was a BRAND NEW 4 door 2019 Ford Ranger. God was intervening on my behalf. Little did I know this little vehicle would become our lifeline!
Once I got the vehicle we took advantage of the great day and decided to take a side trip to Rocky Mountain National park in our little Ranger. What a great way to spend the day while Bodacious Diesel looked into what was wrong with the truck. We had to cancel our Trip to Arches National Park, but this was well worth the time. We were finally able to have some FUN and see God's amazing handiwork.
We saw ELK really close up. We climbed the Rockies to the TUNDRA and we got to see the remnants of the winter snows. What a great and wonderful day.
I have to admit. I needed the distraction of the SIDE TRIP. My stress level was through the roof. We had spent two years planning this trip and all I could see was it crumbling before my eyes. I kept asking God, why? I bet God get's that question more often than any other question. Even though my mind was in severe distress, God wouldn't let me dwell on the problems. How could I spend time worrying about the truck and THE PLAN, when we were surrounded by ABSOLUTE PROOF of God? He was everywhere.
This was one of the most awesome days of the trip and it was a great example of God knowing what we needed, exactly when we needed it. In my life I can tell you God has perfect timing. So many times we have wrestled with his timing. Many times we don't agree on the when. But, I can always look back and see his mighty hand acting at JUST THE RIGHT TIME. All I can say, if you are in the middle of turmoil, TRUST HIM. He knows just what you need and he knows when you need it. He cleared my mind and made me more determined to come up with a plan to complete this trip, no matter what the obstacles.
The next day was a DAY OF DECISION!
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