Too many last minute things to do - I felt like I was never going to get everything out of the house.
And, of course, I packed too many clothes, books and sewing projects. I arranged to have a cleaning service come in and give the house a good cleaning after I leave, but I am still very tired from all of this moving and purging and organizing.
I didn't want to throw away, give away and donate absolutely everything. I figured I could work on the hand sewing projects during the dark winter nights. I will have to purge some things along the way.
Anyway......................
Just a few minutes from my house, I was getting onto the tollway at the unmanned toll booth on 95th Street going South (to meet up with I-57).
I was concerned about my I-pass working properly, I registered the RV with the tollway but this was the first time I was using the I-pass with the RV, I saw the sign for I-pass on the left and went through the left lane, big mistake. I should have stayed in the right lane. My right outside mirror hit something, it folded in as it is designed to do, but the glass shattered.
I got off the tollway at the very first exit to come up and pulled into a truck repair lot. They were very helpful, we called around for a replacement. None available and its a weekend, too. They rigged up a mirror for me, nice bright red duck tape holding it on. Now at least I can see what is on the right side and when I am backing up.
I had called my brother to help, I wasn't far from his house. I thought we would have to drive to an auto parts store to get a mirror. By the time he arrived they were adjusting the mirror. I drove to a nearby Ford dealer, my brother following me. The Ford dealer said its an "after market" mirror and not a Ford part, so I will need to contact some RV dealers. I called one that is about 10 miles away but their parts department is closed on weekends.
I went back home, I will leave in the morning and get the mirror replaced somewhere down the road.
I made some calls and was told that the parts need to be ordered directly from Winnebago and it could take a week to get the parts. I talked to the service department at Camping World in Little Rock, Arkansas - they can place the order on Monday, using my VIN#. I'm hoping that they will have received the part by the time I get down that way.
I am, of course, totally frustrated with myself. I have driven the RV over 5000 miles from Florida to Illinois and from Illinois to Texas and back without doing something like this.
Bright and early Sunday morning, I will try another attempt at takeoff.
Tomorrow, I will get on the tollway at 127th and Cicero.
