This is the first time in our journey that’s we’ve broken down and actually gotten stuck somewhere other than “home”.

I put “home” in quotes because we are currently living and working full time in our Airstream trailer. As the saying goes, “home is where you park it”, right?

I’m not 💯sure about that one yet.

We’ve been struggle with some emissions warning lights in our Ford F250 basically since we purchased it (used). We know a big and pricey fix is coming but we’ve been doing smaller things to buy some time. Well the truck said enough.

Diesel trucks are weird. Instead of just breaking down they go into what is called “limp” mode. A few nights ago we were driving to dinner with Jonathan’s sister here in Port Aransas Texas and the dreaded warning appeared “50 MILES UNTIL YOU MUST FIX ME”. I doesn’t say exactly that, but close. After 50 miles of driving, the truck reduces its power and performance so you can’t drive it until you fix it. First reducing to 50 miles per hour max, then 5mph max!

“What does FORD stand for?”

— FOUND ON ROAD DEAD

We are further than 50 miles away from “home” (Houston and/or the Texas Hill Country area is “home” ) so my first instinct was “How can we get home asap?” We can’t drive this truck. We have our Airstream and everything we own here at the beach with us. What do we do?

It’s not easy to rent a truck that you can tow a large RV with, but we figured that piece out (call Enterprise Truck division in case you are ever in this pickle).

Once that piece was in place, it was time to figure out how to get the SuperDuty “home” to the repair shop we trust.

We contacted a car transport company and the guy said “no problem”. He guaranteed he would find a transporter to pick up the truck that day. Well, PROBLEM. No-one took the bid, and the Ford was stranded here.

We booked another day in paradise (at our favorite RV Resort on the beach) to try to figure things out.

Jonathan got on the phone to call around for more shipping options, and found a guy who would take the truck to Wimberley for us (for big $$$), but in closing said “I could also just fix it”.

Hey, there’s a thought! Turns out he owned a shipping AND repair shop, so the truck is getting fixed 🤞as I type this.

“Do you know what it stands for backwards? (FORD)”

— DRIVER RETURNS ON FOOT

I know it’s natural but there is a comfort in “home”. In the familiar. Especially if things are going wrong. Home is where you want to be. We don’t know this city. We have our own mechanic back home. We have our friends and family there. If we are stuck, that’s where we want to be.

But it’s not really necessary.

There is freedom and growth from traveling outside of that comfort zone.

I’ve learned that lesson over and over again in this journey so far.

I know now that I don’t have to be in my “home gym” to get in a good workout.

I know now that I don’t have to be in my “home kitchen” to eat well.

I know NOW that I don’t have to have my “home mechanic” to get my truck fixed 🤣