A few crinkles in trip to Boston!

July 2, and heading to Boston, we encountered a truck fire on Rt 64, and were held up in traffic for 2 hours! A tractor trailer had rear ended another one, and had burst into flames.  We saw the smoke billowing before we got to the stopped traffic, and wondered where the fire was.   I ended up putting the coach in park, cutting the engine, and sitting on the couch to read!  We had food and a bathroom, of course, but hated to lose the time.  They finally started turning cars around and driving them back down the break down lane, which of course, the trucks and we were not able to do.  They finally let a line of us through, before re closing the road, apparently well into the evening.   

Now in hilly country, we were going up a big grade, and got an error message that the coolant was low.  Well, hoping not to have to stop along the roadway, I was pleased when it went away!  Of course, if probably was somewhat low, but the slope caused the issue, and we were not overheating, so we moved on.  Until the next hill, which was REALLY steep, and the engine cut out!! Clem wondered aloud why I was stopping!!  Not me.....the engine!!  I pulled it off the road, and waited a while, and the light went off, so I got us off the road, and behind a boarded up gas station, where, low and behold, sat the truck that had been rear ended!  Really young guy, and just sitting there!  Back of his truck was a real mess, tire blown out, dented metal, and  his cargo was protruding from the back.  Another guy was speaking to him, saying, at least you are alive, so  we tended to our issue.

Clem had coolant, but the way the engine is mounted, could find no way to put it in.  So he called a repair service, and the plan was to drive there to let them deal with it.  Before we left, I went and asked the young man if he needed anything, or if I could make him a sandwich, but he mumbled he was ok.  Nothing more.  Ah, youth!!  

So we set out and found the Freightliner shop, where they filled up the coolant and changed our air filter, then ran a diagnostic, probably not necessary, and took way too much time, but at least we know we are problem free...at least for now!

On our way into Boston, I had to wonder why , if we were not going to Portland after all, we were staying only a short time!  So Clem called and asked to extend to our reservation , and they worked on getting us one spot where we could do that and not have to move around like last year!

Traffic on the final approach is so heavy, we are amazed!  Took us forever to get through the line waiting to get onto 495, but we finally got there around 4, and let Chris know we were there.  We met the kids for dinner at 6 at a restaurant.  The girls have gotten so big since October and Emma has changed so much!  Great to see all of them, and we had a nice visit over dinner, and headed back to the coach.