LYFE IN TOW

I gave myself a few days to get down to Salt Lake City for my appointment at Airstream of Utah. I was anxiously awaiting this date, September 15th, for many months now. On this date (or so I thought), I’d have the answers to all my Airstream problems.

Over this time, I kept a log of all the things I needed the service team to look at. These were mostly small things, but the elephant in the room was the Truma. I didn’t have heat, and I didn’t have hot water. NOT COOL.

The lack of hot water was the main thing. Since cold showers are no fun, I had to ensure I found campgrounds with (decent) public showers…at least occasionally. Showers became a special treat, rather than a usual occurrence, unfortunately. This extra level of criteria narrows down the search of places to stay, and in turn, makes it more difficult and potentially forces me to stay somewhere that I wouldn’t usually. I digress.

When I first got to town, I had a lunch date with two friends from business school who settled in SLC - Eric and Devon. It was so wonderful to see them and catch up.

After a pleasant night in an in-town RV park (where they pack in the rigs like sardines), I was Airstream-dealer bound. The team took the first day to attack the bumper. The seams had to seal overnight, so I stayed in a hotel, as I expected. The next day is when the fun began.

Day #1 of troubleshooting the Airstream:

Diagnosis: None. The entire Truma unit was dismantled in order to get to the root of the problem.

What I did: Errands around town. Visited the Salt Lake Temple, which was under construction.

Accommodations: Hotel again.

Day #2 of troubleshooting the Airstream:

Diagnosis: None. Unit remained dismantled. Airstream team in touch with Truma team to join efforts in troubleshooting.

What I did: Visited Antelope Island State Park. About 1.5 hours from SLC, this activity was recommended to me by a few different people. It’s home to over 600 American Bison. I didn’t find it super impressive, but it was something to do, and Addie and I got some exercise on a few small hikes.

Accommodations: Hotel again.

Day #3 of troubleshooting the Airstream:

Diagnosis: None. Unit remained dismantled. Truma team consulting on the issues.

What I did: Visited Park City, about 30 minutes away from SLC. I had never been, but like most mountain towns, I loved it. Addie and I perused the streets and stopped for a beer and a veggie burger at Wasatch Brewery.

Accommodations: Hotel again.

Day #4 of troubleshooting the Airstream:

Diagnosis: The existing unit is broken to the point of no return. It needs to be completely replaced. However, the new unit will take about 10 days to arrive at the dealership.

What I did: Weighed my options. I would not hang around SLC for over a week waiting for the new furnace/water heater to be delivered. I decided to take the Airstream (broken Truma and all) and head down to southern Utah to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks while waiting. I’d return to SLC when the new unit arrived.

I toyed with the idea of having the unit sent to the Airstream dealer in Denver, allowing me to keep on my original route and “meet” the part in Denver. However, the techs in SLC were already familiar with my case. It also exhausted me to think about having to download yet another service manager on the situation. I was so over this.

I left SLC with some frustration, but there was nothing I could do to change the situation. All I could do was make the most of it, which is what I did. I embraced my change of plans and got excited to head south.

Oh, and by the way, when I initially purchased the Airstream, I bought an extended warranty through a third party. These repairs and travel expenses (hotel, meals, etc.) were all included in my coverage. The claim submission required a lot of paperwork, but I would get reimbursed in the end.