Sunday, September 27, 2015

Changes in Attitude


These little guys are squirrels indigenous to the southeast part of Utah.  Nothing to do with this blog subject, but they were cute.  Refused to pose - almost had to get them on the run.

I recently did a longer-than-usual trip toward Albuquerque, New Mexico for the balloon fiesta next week. Along the way, I was thinking about how my habits have changed when I'm towing my 5th wheel.

Instead of checking Gas Buddy for the most reasonably priced fuel in my area, I drive through the area trying to figure out which gas station would be the easiest in and out when I'm pulling my rig. With the truck alone - no problem. I must have passed half a dozen stations before I found one that was easy in and had a vacant lot attached where I could park and go in the store. I've found that it's best to start looking for a station before I hit the half-full mark, depending on how populated the area is - or how desolate it is.

Another thing I've noticed is that I drive at a speed that I'm comfortable with, depending on the road conditions, grades and traffic. Just because the speed limit is 80 does not mean that's what I'm going to do. I try never to get over 60 when I'm towing. If I'm going down a steep grade and the speed limit is 60, I don't feel comfortable doing that. If it's steep and long enough, I'll put the truck in a lower gear. You don't want to wear out your brakes or burn them up trying to stop on that kind of a grade, if you happen to need to.

I'm always aware that I could have a blowout, and that keeps my speed down. I always look at my tires before a trip and check their air frequently. I've never had a blowout, but I've always made sure I have good tires and take care of them. My truck gets anything she needs to make her happy. Of course, she's good at letting me know what she wants. I believe in preventive maintenance, unlike some people who say "if it isn't broken, don't fix it!"

I've had huge rigs pass me going way faster than I am -hope they feel safe. I'm always glad it's not me.

 

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