It happens

Well now, what would a journey be with out a little detour? The detour we are taking is to Campers World. Today we are rolling west and then south to  the Shenandoah Valley for the first East Coast Vintage Rally. It promises to be a great time with 45 registered units coming to the KOA near Staunton Virginia. Everyone is very excited to go, for all of us have made "Airstream Friends" that we have not seen in a while and it will be nice to rekindle those friendships. Old Aluminum trailers does not hurt either. So yesterday I fire up the Dometic to get it ready for all the food we will take along. She fires right up as usual. A few hours later she is nice and cold. I look under at the flame and can see that some sort of debris has fallen down and is blocking some of the burner. Oh, my, can't have that. So I get a long screw driver and gently flick the debris out of the flame. Now it is burning right again and all is good. Then I hear a "click" and the flame stops. I re light the burner by pushing in the button, then lighting the starter flame. Big "click", burner fires up, and I smile, 30 seconds pass and "click" out goes the light. I  do this for almost an hour not knowing why it keeps going out.

What I did not know was that I had damaged the thermocouple when I cleaned out the debris. The little piece of metal in my fingers sits on top of the burner and directs some of the flame back down so the eye can read it. I don't know these things, I am a freakin carpenter! So after sending emailed photos  to Rob Baker so he could show them around at the Rally and numerous calls back and forth it was determined that Yes, I had a bad thermocouple. Yes, I had broken it. And yes, I would have to change my plans slightly to go to a Campers World and get the new part. Rob was trying to send me to Mannassas where there was a Campers World. The problem with that is that it would mean getting on 95 south then 495, the dreaded Washington Beltway, and the route 66, which has nothing to do with the real 66 except the asphalt they are both made with. All three of these roads are hell anytime you drive them. Rush hour lasts all but two hours a day. But, lookie there, a Campers World is in Winchester Va. We were planning to go right through Winchester on our way. A one mile in each direction detour is all we will have. On top of that, they have an appliance service center there. Sometimes you get lucky. Well, I need to go get some ice for the coolers, had better cut this off so we can hit the road. Good luck y'all and see you down the road.