Since the forecast called for rain on Friday (our planned departure day) I lobbied for a Saturday departure for the sake of maintaining the shiny exterior I had worked so hard to achieve... but Suzanne had her heart set on spending Friday night in the Shenandoah so we stuck with the original plan.
We didn't hit rain until we rolled into Front Royal - about 25 minutes from our destination. It wasn't a heavy rain - the heavy stuff had fallen the night before and thankfully had washed away most of the dirt on the roads. Still, by the time we arrived in Luray my shiny coach wasn't nearly as shiny as it was when we left the storage facility in Manassas an hour and a half earlier.
We arrived at the KOA around 5:00 pm, uncoupled from the car and slid into our premium pull thru site with a perfect view of the Massanutten mountain range to the west. Suzanne began organizing things inside the coach as I set about de-winterizing and immediately... there was a problem.
When I turned on the water at the post I saw water flowing out of the plumbing bay - the compartment housing the valves for draining the grey & black tanks, filling the fresh water tank etc.. There was a large crack running the full length of the "whole house" water filter housing. Apparently, I hadn't completely purged the system of water when winterizing. Water had settled to the lowest point in the system (the filter), froze, expanded and split the filter housing. We hopped in the car and headed for the local hardware store, arriving 5 minutes after it had closed. Whaa. We drove across the street to a Tractor Supply store where they had (or so it seemed) just what I needed. We excitedly drove back to the campground only to discover it was the wrong size. Whaa #2.
There is a Camping World located in Winchester, Va. about an hour drive from Luray and that's where we found the proper replacement part the next morning. We had no fresh water Friday night but hey.... it's camping!
After replacing the filter housing I turned the water supply back on and went inside to start opening faucets to purge the system of antifreeze. Surprise number 2, a diversion valve beneath the galley sink (connecting to yet another water filter) was cracked. Again, it was obvious that water had settled in the valve and froze. I quickly removed the valve, bypassing it, then went from one fixture to the next opening hot and cold faucets, running the clothes washer and dish washer, flushing the two toilets - long enough to allow the pink colored antifreeze to completely flush from the plumbing. All seemed well...
Until a knock came at the door...
A concerned neighbor had noticed water flowing from the bottom edge of the port-side full length slide. There was another leak!
I quickly turned off the water supply once again and opened the small exterior door that allows access to the rear of the refrigerator and the ice maker drain valve. I could see where the water had been collecting along the inside of the slide's exterior wall but it wasn't obvious where the leak was. I went inside, emptied the fridge and discovered the problem - another filter. This had been my first time winterizing this coach. We've never had a residential refrigerator in an RV before. It never occurred to me (nor did it state in the owner's manual) that there was a water filter in there and that it should be removed during winterization.
All set up - water issues resolved
With all the plumbing problems solved we were able to relax and look forward to spending the next three days in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. A trip to Walmart for food and other supplies, a supper of grilled steaks with baby potatoes and salad and it was time to settle in for the night and watch a little tv.
Suzanne relaxing in her recliner with a glass of pinot grigio
The next day we decided to hike to Kennedy Peak. We packed my backpack with some water, snacks and Travis' collapsible water bowl, hopped in the car and headed for the trailhead - which is about 6 miles from our campsite.
Other highlights of the trip included ice cream at Flotsie's, our favorite soft serve vendor...
A carillon concert at Luray's "Singing Tower"...
A run along the Hawksbill Creek...
Afternoon margaritas, burgers, evening fires and a cigar...
Despite the initial plumbing complications it was a fun five days in one of our favorite places in the world. The fact that it is located just a couple of hours from our home is a bonus!
Stay tuned for more adventures On Tour!
