We have lots of cousins in Idaho!

Salt Lake City, Utah to Idaho Falls, Idaho (visiting cousins)

July 18 - July 19, 2016

The morning we were to leave SLC we started out with a flat right front tire.  Definitely not a good way to begin the day. We lucked out though because a nice family pulled into the camping spot next to us and he had all the necessary stuff to pump up the tire right then and there.  Once that was done we were on our way.

I need to back up and explain that we bought a tire pressure monitoring system which I finally installed when we were in Manila, Utah.  All went well except that our dog, Barney, was completely freaked out by the beeps made by the system.  We don't know exactly why but we've had other items with similar sounding beeps and when he hears them he starts shaking, licking his lips, crouching and moving to get as far away as possible.  Long story short ... as we first arrived in SLC (three weeks prior) we went through a Blue Beacon Truck wash to get the motorhome cleaned off.  A truck wash consists of about a half a dozen guys with long high pressure wands who spray everything down with water followed by soap followed by a water rinse.  It's fast and furious!  When we were finished our right front tire was flat.  Apparently the high pressure spray had unscrewed the extension on the tire valve just enough that we lost all the air in the tire. 

Most of you have probably never been through a truck wash but let me just say that they don't want you blocking the exit while you diddle around trying to figure out what to do. They want to move trucks through as quickly as possible.  They told us there was air available across the street at a truck stop so we gingerly drove over there on the flat, got it re-inflated and headed to the campground.  We stayed 3 weeks and during that time I had tire covers on the tires to protect them from the sun so I didn't notice that the tire had gone flat.  The extension on the valve stem was a bit loose so I figured the same thing had happened again.  I tightened it, my neighbor inflated the tire and presto we were on our way.  

Because the dog was so freaked out by the beeps from the tire monitoring system I decided not to use it.  I also disregarded Laura's suggestion what we stop and check the tire occasionally.  Big mistake!

We headed north out of Salt Lake City toward Idaho Falls and we were about 2 hours along when the tire blew and pieces of rubber were flying past Laura's window.  I managed to slow down and pull to the side of the road as she is screaming at me about why didn't I listen to her and stop and check the #$(@ing tire.  About two hours later we were on our way again thanks to Good Sam Road Service.  It was a scary and sobering experience.

Not a pretty sight is it?

We got settled in Idaho Falls for the night and went to pick up our new spare tire in the morning.   With the spare tire safely stowed under the motorhome and the pressure in all the tires checked, we headed over to see my aunt Joy.  We had lunch and a nice long chat with her before we headed east to Tetonia and Driggs, Idaho to see my cousins (i.e. her children). In all the stress over the tire we forgot to take a picture of Joy!!!  For someone who recently broke her hip she is doing amazingly well.