Morning Stop at AutoZone
We started the morning by saying goodbye to our RV park in Las Vegas and pointing the motorhome toward AutoZone. Now, normally when I stop at an auto parts store it’s for something simple — windshield washer fluid or a pack of fuses. This time, though, I was after something a little more high-powered: a jump-start power pack that I was hoping would shock our batteries back into working order.
The guy behind the counter handed me the pack with a grin that said, “Good luck, buddy.” Sure enough, when I got it back to the RV, I discovered it needed to be fully charged before I could even use it. So there it sat, a shiny new gadget that couldn’t do a thing until it had some juice. It reminded me of being a kid on Christmas morning, opening up a shiny toy tractor only to find out it didn’t come with the batteries. Only this time, I wasn’t eight years old, and the “toy” was supposed to keep my fridge from turning into a lukewarm box of spoiled groceries.
Rolling Toward Kingman
With the pack charging, we hit the road again. One thing about driving the motorhome is that I’ve learned to be patient. Back in my farming days, I could plow a field as fast as the tractor would let me, but an RV is a different animal. Sixty to sixty-five miles an hour is about all I dare, so while everyone else zooms past me like I’m standing still, I just keep lumbering along. It’s a little like driving a barn down the freeway — steady, slow, and not exactly aerodynamic.
The good news is, the trip to Kingman wasn’t too long, and before we knew it, we found ourselves parked in an RV park with the cords all hooked up to shore power. There’s always something comforting about plugging in and hearing the hum of the fridge kick on again. For a brief moment, it feels like the world is back in order.
Evening Experiment
Once the new gadget was charged, it was time for the big test. I followed the installer’s advice and gave the batteries a three-second jolt. In my head, I imagined sparks flying, engines roaring to life, and the RV suddenly lighting up like a Las Vegas casino. Reality? Nothing. The batteries just sat there, as stubborn as ever, refusing to cooperate.
It’s funny — I’ve turned struggling businesses around, built marketing companies from scratch, even hauled 16,000 tomato plants out of the ground year after year — but here I was, outsmarted by a couple of 6-volt batteries. I guess it’s life’s way of reminding me that no matter how much you know, there’s always something new to learn.
So tonight, the fridge and lights are running off shore power, the batteries are still sulking, and I’ve got a new jump pack that may or may not be the hero of this story tomorrow. In the meantime, we’re safe, comfortable, and one day closer to really starting our Route 66 adventure.