How to Handle a Breakdown without Breaking Down

by Maggie
(New Jersey)

My husband and I are both retired, and have been traveling about 6 months out of the year since 2008. In 2010 we took our
trip of a lifetime.. We traveled from New Jersey to California, then up the coast to Victoria B.C.

On the way home, the axle on our 30-foot 2007 Rockwood travel trailer broke. We called up Good Sam, and they towed us into the nearest garage that could handle the replacement of the axle, which was in Las Vegas New Mexico. You can imagine our horror when we were told that the new axle would have to be ordered, and that it would be two to three weeks before it would be fixed.

We packed up a few things and spent the first night at a Comfort Inn that was down the street from the service center. That night we decided to make the best of things, and at least stay somewhere interesting. We got on the Internet and found a very reasonable rate ($55.00/night) at the Santa Fe Suites. The room had a kitchenette, so that we could take the food out of our trailer and cook for ourselves, making the cost of the stay that much cheaper. The next morning we packed up everything that we would need for three weeks and moved on to the Sante Fe.

We had passed through Santa Fe, and had visited the Georgia O'Keefe Museum and walked through the beautiful center of town, but we had only spent a day there. Staying at a place for three weeks is an entirely different story.

We became familiar with the Frank S. Ortiz dog park where we would take our Old English Sheepdog for a run every night. We revisited the town a few times again, and found it just as wonderful as the first visit. We actually worked out and swam at the local Genoveva Chaves community gym for $3.00 each a day. By the time we left, we felt as if we really knew the area.

The moral of the story is: when these things happen, which they most surely will sooner or later, make the best of it and try to maintain a happy attitude. It really is just part of the whole traveling experience.