Trouble Ahead, Trouble Behind

    

Horton Creek Camp

Some days just don’t go as planned. While getting Biggie Moms ready to move on to Mono Lake the landing jacks’ switch stops working. Now just by chance, our site at Horton Creek sloped significantly so when we leveled the trailer on arrival we had to drop it all the way down to the bottom of the jack legs—it looked like the front edge of the trailer was almost on the ground. So now that it’s time to leave we need to reverse the process and extend the legs all the way back up. I click the switch to extend and it moves a little bit and then nothing. I smell that electric train transformer burning smell and know something has gone wrong. Uh-oh. If you can’t hitch, you can’t go anywhere. I google it on my phone and am reminded about the existence of a hand crank. Luckily, we actually have this funny looking little crank that doesn’t look like it could do much of anything. But we begin cranking. An hour later with aching wrists and arms we raise the trailer high enough to hitch. We are amazed that the little hand crank works to lift that big hulk of a trailer.

Annette using the Hand Crank

Thinking it would be wise to get our problem fixed before we move on, we drive into Bishop to Eastern Sierra Propane and RV Service for help. We’d been there already earlier in the week to refill our propane tanks. Jason greets us warmly and then sets to work with a current tester to identify that we do indeed have a faulty switch. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have any switches in stock. One of the cool things about small towns is that everyone knows everyone else and everyone else’s business so he sends us off to try and find an extend/retract switch. “Go to the place right across the street from the Jack in the Box. I can’t remember the name of the store. He might have this switch. He has a lot of stuff.” Lynn drives us the few blocks down Hwy 395 and we see that the shop right across from the Jack in the Box is a Western Saddlery store. We’re confused but we go in and walk past the saddles, cowboy hats, halters, etc. and tell the gentleman at the counter about our dilemma. To our amazement, he does have a matching switch. He used to have an RV so he carries some RV stuff. $15 for the switch and $5 for some duck treats for Shug (eclectic mix of merchandise!) and we head back to try it out. Jason is busy with another customer so we pop the switch in ourselves, give it a test extend and a test retract and high-five each other. Jason tells us no charge since we have done all the running around and replaced the switch ourselves. The folks at Eastern Sierra Propane hold a warm spot in our hearts and that Western Saddlery store deserves a visit if you’re in the neighborhood.

Kristy Showing how far we cranked Biggie Moms

Problem solved, we head North on 395 to the small town of Lee Vining and Mono Lake.  Approximately a mile before Lee Vining we turn left off of 395 onto Test Station Road. About 300 yards later we find a place to park Biggie Moms in a little open area on the left.  It takes some cranking and some backing and forwarding to get Biggie Moms in and settled, but she winds up being as level as a pool table and we are happy. Lynn and Cupcake sidle up next to us and we all settle in to our new spot. Finding out that this site has decent cell phone service makes us even happier.

Our next problem surfaces later that evening. While straightening some clutter inside I reach into a low cabinet and realize that the bear spray canister that we use for backpacking has leaked. We keep the bear spray in the cupboard right by the door just in case a bad guy comes knocking. When I pick up the pepper spray an oily, orangey substance gets on my hands. Not thinking, I hand the bear spray canister to Kristy remarking that it feels lighter than normal. Kristy shakes it and agrees that it feels lighter than it should. Now we’re both tainted. The seal around the top had leaked and just the brief contact with a small amount of the oily residue makes our lips, eyes, and skin burn. A bout of coughing and feeling kind of nauseous follows. We both wash our hands in soap and baking soda multiple times. Powerful stuff that bear spray--it burns the skin on our hands until half way through the next day.