[A/S] Trip Report (long and maybe boring)

[Mike Keith <mkeith@xxxxxxxxxx>]

For those of you interested we just returned from our first trip with our 
75 Argosy.  In total we covered around 1500 miles from New Florence, MO to 
Pittsburgh, Pa and back via Jackson Center, OH.  The first night after a 
late start made it to Terra Haute, IN and stayed at the KOA at exit 
11.  Really nice people and very accommodating and the price was 
reasonable.  First lesson learned, always lower the landing gear, the 
trailer rocked to much and made for a restless night.
Second day we left and made it all the way into Madison, PA and the KOA 
there.  This is a nice older campground with lots of spaces that are to 
close to suit me but it was livable.  It is a gated campground, you have to 
have an access card or a code to get in.  It costs $4.00 just to come in to 
visit so we didn't have the family over.  In all I felt the price for the 
camping was greater than the value received, but they are the only game in 
town.
Second lesson learned, make sure the hot water heater is not in bypass 
prior to trying to take a shower.  There is no mention of a bypass in the 
manual and even though I had read about it on this list and others and seen 
the valves I did not connect the dots until I was just dozing off. 
Thankfully there was enough water and antifreeze in the tank to keep it 
from burning out.
Had a great family reunion for my wife's family, both mothers and fathers 
side.  Leaving here sisters house we shredded a right rear tire, tore up 
the fender and mud flaps but no injuries.
Now comes the real downer part of the trip....
 From now on I will avoid Pep Boys like the plague.
We waited three hours to get two tires mounted and then they were the wrong 
tires, on size to small and load range "C" instead of "D".  When I pointed 
it out to them they told me that was all they had and then told me they 
were closed.  So, I went back to the campground and got set up to leave.  I 
noticed that one tire (the right rear) was low so I added air to bring it 
up to 50 lbs.  We left and started for Ohio, got into West Virginia and the 
truck got real sloppy handling.  When I pulled off at the rest area I 
noticed the right rear was almost flat.  For the second time in two days I 
put the spare on and looked for a service station. Put air in the tire and 
found out that the valve core was not tight. I called the manager at the 
store we got them from and his attitude at first was these things happen, 
after i verbally dissected him and his store he got the idea that I was 
unhappy.  He told me to go to the nearest store (Columbus, OH) and they 
would replace the tire.  I called ahead, explained the problem told them I 
was 1 hour out and need to get the tire and get gone as I had a 2 P.M. 
appointment in Jackson Center, no problem they'd get right on 
it.  Right!  We waited an hour and a half and still no help except being 
told to turn my generator off as the workers could not hear their music 
with it on.  Really pissed now I went to the manage and got the number of 
customer relations, he said he'd get right on it. I was remounting the tire 
on our truck when a kid walks out and says he is to look at the tire, and 
that is all he did, no replacement, no inside inspection, just a quick dunk 
in the water and return to me, would not even put it on the truck.  On top 
of that He argued with me about how much air to put in the tire (he claimed 
that 25 pound was enough)
Grrrr, no more Pep Boys for me.
On to Jackson Center, the club (got our number, 4503) and the factory.
I can not say enough good things about the people that work for our club 
(WBCCI) and the Airstream Factory.  The tour was great and afterwards the 
had a cookout for us, the President and VP did the cooking.  After eating 
everyone was invited to share the good, the bad and the ugly of their 
experiences with their units.  They were very receptive and seemed 
genuinely interested n problems and suggestions.  The only sour note is the 
Terra Port (campground) it seems that only one of two outlets or water 
connections works, but they promised to improve it as well as updating the 
area.
Next day on to home, was uneventful the rest of the way.

Total Airstream's sighted: 12
Total Argosy's sighted: 3

All in all we had a great time and can't wait to head out on the 16th of 
next month For our first unit rally.

Mike and Marianne Keith
75 Argosy 26' #4503

P.S got to see the new class "C" and got some digital photos of it.

MK