The Adventure South, "Trouble Ahead"

   We left La Pine a lot earlier than the day before.  Lots of rain but the miles went by.  Fuel in Klamath Falls. Yummy burgers in Merrill.  Cruising through Alturas, Ca.  We began the lonely miles south hoping to stop somewhere near Reno.  About 40 miles out of  Susanville, there is the Secret Valley Rest Area.  A welcome stop after so many miles of nothing.  As we pulled in we both heard a screeching noise from the trailer.  Coming back from the bathroom I noticed that the back wheel of the trailer on the passenger side was discolored.  It looked a lot different than the other wheel.  I figured it was brown because of the road debris we encountered, namely pumice, so I thought I would wipe some of it off.   I touched it and the wheel was HOT !!  Trouble was here.  I figured it meant either brakes or wheel bearings. Both we not what I wanted to have happen.  However, the next minute I thought, "What if we hadn't stopped for a rest?  Even bigger trouble would have occurred."
Even now I shudder to think about it.
   Now what to do.  Driving further was out of the question.  I have Good Sam Towing so I called them.  I received an immediate response on the phone, but the wrecker took longer.  Because of the height of the trailer, they claimed they could not put it on a flatbed truck.  It would have prevented future problems but the story would not be as interesting.  Instead they sent someone "to repair the vehicle."  Of course that was not going to happen.
   Art, the wrecker driver worked hard and long; jacking and chaining up the axle and removing the wheel.  So, ready or not, we had to start the trip into Susanville with a three wheeled trailer.  We drove nervously down the mountain at 20 mph with the wrecker behind us.  The song "Three Wheels On My Wagon" playing in our minds.  About 8 miles out of Susanville, the longest of the leaf springs broke on the single tire.  Another long stop, more jacking, more bracing, more chains.
   We finally ended up 6 miles from Susanville in a wide spot in the road where the trailer is still parked waiting for Wednesday when the tow facility has a full crew.  Randa and I and the boys are in a motel in Susanville safe, dry and warm.  We are not sure how long the repair process will take so we are trying to be patient.   Stay tuned.