Chuck was very worried about the long-term effects of our sewage leak – corrosion, mold, odor etc. Naomi decided that the best plan was to call up Winnebago customer service and suggest that they give us a new RV.
To make a long story short, we called the dealer we purchased from, and they called the Statesville service department and walked them through tank inspection. The tank is not cracked. The sewer pipe detached from the tank, so that the sewage was flowing out of the bottom of the tank (yuck!). But the tank is sound. The pipe needs to be re-attached and then everything that was touched by the sewage needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Needless to say, Winnebago will not be giving us a new RV. However, we hope to be back in the RV by Monday at the latest and we will push for some type of compensation.
Chuck was very tired after all this, and perhaps also a bit under the weather. He spent a relaxing day in the hotel room, reading and napping.
Naomi cannot enjoy a day in a hotel room, and headed out with Rumple. Since she does not enjoy highway driving, she tried to drive to downtown Asheville following Google’s suggested walking route. It turns out that there is a steep ridge between the hotel and downtown Asheville. Even after going over the crest, with a clear view of the town center, she could not negotiate the twisting tiny streets on Google’s route, and ended up on the highway. Frankly, walking this route (which has no sidewalks) seems a bit dangerous, too. The streets are small and many unpaved, but visibility is poor for any cars that a walker might encounter.
The wonderful volunteers at the Asheville Visitor Center were extremely helpful in identifying possible dog walks both in town and around. Also of note: tickets to the Biltmore Estate (a primary attraction which is ridiculously expensive) are $10 cheaper at the Visitor Center.
With the temperatures in the 60s, Naomi decided that a hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway would be fun. She met a number of friendly hikers, both with dogs and without, who gave her advice on trails and eateries. Several hikers in their 60s had moved to Asheville in retirement – certainly it is a great place for outdoor fun and crafts.
She did two hikes – one along a gravel road that leads down from the Parkway to the NC Arboreteum and another that leads up from the same parking spot to a trail right on the ridge with views on both sides of the ridge. Unfortunately, even with the leaves off the deciduous trees, there are too many trees for more than glimpses of the view.
Despite making several doggy friends and even getting a treat from a friendly dog owner, Rumple finally refused to take another step forward. Since the Blue Ridge Visitor Center and Crafts Center were both prominently advertised at the trailhead, Naomi decided to hop in the car and visit them. Unfortunately, she neglected to check Google maps for the mileage, which turned out to be further than she planned to go. However, at the point she gave up, she turned out to have rejoined the highway just about a mile from the hotel.
We both had some work things that needed to get done, and that plus dinner and our TV show (Madame Secretary) completed our evening. And yes, Chuck was feeling better after his rest.