0094 - Unadilla

So here we are in Unadilla, GA. It is the first time we've been able to use our RV timeshare membership to get a free stay since we signed up. Today's trek wasn't bad, it was only five hours, and tomorrow should only be around six.

We were (obviously) delayed a bit... don't know what it is about Florida, but it seems like all of our things break there. First the RV, then the truck. This time our radiator went kaputsky, so that prevented us from moving to the next campground and delayed us by a day. Then when they road tested it to verify that the new radiator worked, the water pump stopped working. Kiss another day goodbye. Our warranty company reminded us how much they suck. They look for the lowest price they can find, and that's what they pay. In this case they found a reconditioned radiator on the internet and authorized $539 for parts and labor when the shop quoted us $900 to replace it with a new one. I told them I want another dispute form, we were stranded and didn't have time to sit around waiting for something to be shipped... and what shop does business that way anyway? They don't order crap off the internet. It's stupid.

So we left this morning. Honestly, it was good that we did stay overnight at the campground. The blinds on the wall by the dining room table (where they replaced a wall panel) didn't stay up, our surge protector was missing (about $500), and the ring that protects our power cord from water (where it plugs into the RV) was also missing. Where these things went, we don't know. That's in addition to the fact that they removed our capture plate and we had to have them replace that and fabricate another piece of that that was missing. They replaced everything and fixed it, but we would have been supremely pissed had we left the park and then realized it. I guess it boils down to pride in workmanship and responsibility... once again it is an indicator of how lacking that is these days. And we did get two free nights in the park, so two of our three nights didn't cost us anything, just the one night we stayed in the hotel. They would have let us stay in the parking lot, but there were no hookups and the park had already closed so they couldn't pull us in that night.

Tomorrow we should be in Tennessee. Home. I look forward to seeing our friends, touring some houses, seeing the leaves all pretty for fall, and cooler weather. We were supposed to meet up with one of my former co-workers from NASA, but the delay made that impossible. We can try again another time.

I am extremely concerned about the upcoming election. People keep saying that one term isn't enough to accomplish anything, so we need to give Obama more time. The fact that he still has supporters shocks and mystifies me. Is Romney the perfect replacement? No. Is he better? He has the potential to be. I would rather take a chance on the unknown than continue down this road. I posted this on Facebook and got a lot of positive support, but here and there someone always steps up and dissents. They're entitled to their opinion as long as they express it in a non-confrontational manner... I just don't agree.

"Obama was our first multicultural president. He, more than any president in the history of our nation, had the opportunity to bring us together. Instead we are more divided than ever. Any dissension is called racism; apparently freedom of speech and thought has become nothing more than a racial slur. How many other presidents have faced opposition? All of them. It has nothing to do with race but he needs somewhere to place the blame, so in addition to Bush and republicans, his supporters have added the citizens of the United States to the list. He should have embraced the fact that he is biracial and squelched the racial talk altogether. He is a great disappointment to me."

I hope whatever direction the election takes, our country survives it. Guess we'll find out soon.