She's Home Again

 

April 30th, a beautiful Spring day, and time to run up to London (Ontario) to collect Towed Haul from her Winter hibernation.

For the first time, I'd made an appointment to collect using CanAm RV's online system rather than by phone. The system worked because after a confirmation e-mail, we rolled up to the lot and while the old girl wasn't quite ready, we didn't have to wait too long before we could take her.

In that waiting time, we managed to drop $500 on camping gear to equip our new pop-up gazebo, and a couple of special fasteners to keep the window rock guards place, which I'd been meaning to buy for a couple of years. But heck, we had a good time looking.

We always have the dealer de-winterize and check the trailer before we get back on the road. This always causes me anguish because you never know how she's coped with being outside through the Canadian Winter. Today it was just a new Piezo ignition unit on the cooker, and a new knob to make it work, which is pretty good for a 2011 model.

Hitching up the first time of the season always takes a bit longer, and I had to mess around with the towing mirrors after replacing one side's mirror unit. Our hitch receiver on the car is looking very rusty, but as it's a modified item, I've been reluctant to replace it not least because it would necessitate a trip to London and most likely have to leave the car there while the work is completed. However, I did inspect it for cracks and failed welds, and it all looked fine. Indeed, it didn't flinch as it took the full load of the trailer, with the weight distribution system helping out, and performed perfectly on the 100Km return drive. The whole combo ran really well, and into a stiff headwind, too.

I'd decided to use Highway 3, the old Talbot Trail, for the run home as it's always very quiet and the speed limits help keep the gas usage in check. The road runs through some bucolic scenery and as you get into Chatham-Kent there are some sweeping views of the north shore of Lake Erie, and there is a bit of relief as you cross many steep sided, although small, valleys cut into the land as water makes its way to the lake. Compared to the run up to London on Highway 401, the freeway/expressway, choked at was with speeding trucks, Highway 3 was a breeze. Talking of breezes, naturally we were driving into a stiff headwind all the way home. When we've been camping on a weekend, particular a longer run, we'll drive into a stiff headwind on the way there, over the weekend the wind will change and then we're driving into a stiff wind on the way home as well. That's how it works. Sometimes.

It was all going swimmingly, but I hadn't thought about the fact that the exhaust pipe on the Sienna was blowing a little. The good people at the Toyota dealers had pointed it out but said that the cost of replacement was prohibitive and that I should visit the exhaust system shop next door to their place, where' they'd be able rig up a repair much more cheaply. Well, I hadn't done that, and driving back today with the extra load, the blowing pipe was blowing extra hot onto the underside of the car and it melted a plastic bag in the trunk area, a bag that contained a new camping blanket. The blanket was melted a little, too, and smelled horrible, but the damage was slight thank goodness. My first job tomorrow is to visit the exhaust shop and get that pipe fixed!

Melted blankets aside, we parked up on our driveway at home and had poutine and fries inside with our over-excited grandson, Charlie, just like we were camping. Towed Haul doesn't look too much the worse for wear after the Winter months, but my second job tomorrow is to get to wash and wax stuff and give her a good bath. 

Camping here we come... 

** Update May 3rd

Had the exhaust system fixed. The muffler was blown all along the seam, so it was no wonder the underside of the car was hot. New pipe, new muffler and everything is fine, and quiet, again.