“We can weather anything if we stay calm in the eye of the storm” -Lolly Daskal
The reality is, storms will always happen and usually when you least expect them!
Our journey home from Augusta had been planned for weeks. We had our route, we had our stops lined up, and we were prepping the rig for the trip home.
The morning of our departure was like any other! We were excited and nervous to hit the road. We always joke “does she even roll anymore” because the rig has been sitting stationary for 3 months! We went through our breakdown process slowly, checking and rechecking everything as we go.
Tire inspection and pressure checks were done and air was added to the tires that needed it using our Viair RV Air Compressor.
Next, we went to the CAT scale weigh station just a mile from the campground. Having weighed the truck fully loaded the night before, we wanted to know the weight of the trailer and all its cargo after 18 months of full time living. We hadn’t weighed in since day one of RV Life.
Truck Weigh-in 
Truck&Trailer Weight-in
Our numbers added up and we were heavy on the trailer but still under our max weight limit. We then finally hit the road with some assurance that we were hitting all our marks for a safe trip home.
What happened next, only 60 miles from our starting point, was heartbreaking and unnerving.
“It sounded like a bomb went off behind me, The Imagine quickly pulled the truck hard to the right as I looked back to see what just happened. All I could see was shrapnel blown off the side of the rig and smoke billowing our from under the tires. Then the stench of burnt rubber hit my nose.”
We had around 8K miles on these tires but knew that we had just became victims of the so-called “china bombs”.
We did everything right but could not escape the fait of Westlake tires.
Having only been traveling at 65mph, I was able to get to the shoulder and pull to a stop within 100 yards of the crime scene. That first look at the damage that was done will forever haunt our memory of this journey!
We didn’t have time to be angry. There were multiple problems that needed to be addressed and we needed to get to work! First, change the tire. Easier said than done, but with a little teamwork and a calm mind, we were able to get it done without complications. Next, rip remaining skirting off the rig. Using only the tools we had with us and a little muscle, that too came off fairly easy. Lastly, pull ourselves together and let go of the fear of once again hitting the road now knowing we were pushing the limits of our remaining tires and spare. The one saving grace, the Viair RV Air Compressor! If we wouldn’t of had it, we would have had to wait for roadside assistance to simply inflate our spare tire.
After making it to our first stoping point without further complications, we quickly got to work trying to get new tires for the rig. We ended up calling an RV dealer after multiple failed attempts to find in-stock tires, and were quickly redirected to The Tire Store. The Tire Store in Flowery Branch, Ga was amazing and got us in the next day!
I was then tasked with trying to make arrangements to get the RV repaired. More to come on this because RV repairs are a lengthy process.
We then invested in a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Tire Linc One Control TPMS was an easy instal and now allows us to know the tire pressure and temperature while driving.
After 3 days, we were finally ready to hit the road again. After a catastrophic event like this, getting back on the road is extremely scary. All we can do is reassure ourselves that we have done everything we can to make this rig safe enough to continue on.
Today, we will finish out the remaining 400+ miles to home. Once we are safely in The Barn, we can officially sign off on this 4th Travel Nurse contract.
RV Life is nothing less than one Grand Adventure!
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