Pauline's Happenings

Daphna and Allen was nice enough to allow us to live in our box in the back alley of their house from February 20, 2013 to April 2, 2013. It did not have sewage hook up’s and the power was only 20 amps (Ha!) and it was cold and too damn cold at time’s, but it was a great month plus for us.

We got to do some projects without worry of a park manager telling us “you can’t do that here” or whatever. They have a 40′ RV parking lot in their back alley, and once you close your eyes and just do it, parking there is easy.

Of course, if just 1 of the 3 obstacles (Garage roof corner, end of fence next to bamboo, and neighbor across the alley’s fence post.) I had to deal with was just 6″ farther, this would have been a breeze. But they are not 6″ farther, so I just did what I needed to do and closed my eyes.

I got in/out about 6 times total with only 1 mishap, I scratched the front bumper on drivers side by a 3″ nail no one saw sticking out of the fence. That is how close I had to get Ackbar to all 3 obstacles at one point or another during this adventure.

I learned a lot on just parking Ackbar in such a tight area. I am much more confident in driving and parking. Not too confident to get cocky, but confident enough I know for a fact, I can parallel park Ackbar, since I have done it.

Daphna and Allen will never know the appreciation we will always have for them allowing us this great honor of staying in the back alley. They have done so much for us already. It’s good to be Loved.

04/01/2013 – Everett, WA – Living in a box in the back alley of my best friend’s house. – Why yes I can parallel park a RV, why do you ask?

04/01/2013 – Everett, WA – Living in a box in the back alley of my best friend’s house. – Why yes I can parallel park a RV, why do you ask?

04/01/2013 – Everett, WA – Living in a box in the back alley of my best friend’s house. – This fence post was 1 of 3 obstacles.

04/01/2013 – Everett, WA – Living in a box in the back alley of my best friend’s house. – The left side fence post (front of red tarp) the corner of the roof on right side and the fence behind me (as I take this pic) are the 3 obstacles.

04/01/2013 – Everett, WA – Living in a box in the back alley of my best friend’s house. – Allen wanted to put the bridge outside our door to the fence gate. I said no.

04/01/2013 – Everett, WA – Living in a box in the back alley of my best friend’s house. – Don’t mess up the dirt pile.

We got out of bed at 5am, it wasn’t that hard to get up since neither of us really slept that much last night. Too warm, got to bed too late, was too wired, too stressed, too… everything.

However it was as simple as it could have been leaving this early. We did most of the prep work last night between 1130pm and 1am. All we had to do this morning was get out of bed, dress, eat, and go. And it all went really smooth. We wanted to get past Seattle before rush hour and we accomplished that, in fact we had no real traffic concern’s until we arrived in Portland around 9am and had to stop a few times.

We arrived at the dealership around 1030am and from 1030 to 2pm they worked on the issue which is the reason we are here and not 200 miles somewhere else. Our main worry was this was a newbie mistake, and we would be embarrassed within moments of arriving. However I wish that happen now.

The issue is, we have a “Tow Master Even Break” its a “box” that you put on the floor of the vehicle being towed, and it will pump the tow vehicle breaks when you use the RV breaks. I think I was told its a required system in 48 states.

Our issue was “Low Battery will not operate” and nothing at all would work. The service tech put a live wire from the RV to the Jeep so that would solve the issue. It did not. So he did all this work today, and we all thought it was accomplished, until we tested it.

The good news, it is no longer a “low battery will not operate” the issue is now “break pedal is depressed”…

Grrrrrr…

The tech called the manufacture, and they was more then willing to place 100% of the blame on Jeep. Mainly, the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. You know, the top selling Jeep of all time? Yeah, why would you want to have your system work on the top selling year/model of all time? Not like anyone has it right?

Anyway, the manufacturer is telling the tech we have manually disconnect the Jeep’s battery EVERY TIME WE TOW.

Just the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Yeah, why fix your product when you can blame someone else?

Right now we are about 50 yards from our dealer at a really nice RV park. We was going to leave in the morning for Southern Oregon/California, but now we get to stay another night, so we will be here until Thursday morning… If not longer.

This issue *MUST* be addressed.

$1200 system + $200 “add on” cost = It better freaking work.