As the weather was too bad to travel, we stayed an extra day in Westport; in fact the rain was so heavy we were beginning to think we should have bought an ARK.
On Nov 2nd we hitched up the dolly, drove the bug onto it, no easy thing to do and off we went. Driving along 101 S looking at the scenery which is beautiful. Really awsome. Then Tom notices that the engine temperature is very HOT almost on the red. So, we pulled off to the side.
The computer on the RV had been indicating "check coolant" we were also seeing a "change engine oil" message and consequently ignored it as computer error as we had earlier called the service garage having just had the RV "dewinterized". Incorrectly, we assumed they would have looked after everything under the hood. So...we decide the computer is correct, check the coolant resevoir - EMPTY! Take the car off the dolly and away Tom drives back to the nearest town to buy coolant for the engine. We pour the fluid into the resevoir, put the car back on the dolly, strap it securely, chains for extra safety and head down 101 once again.
In about 3 miles the engine starts to get way too hot so we have to stop again. We call AAA for road side assistance to hear that we were responsible for towing after which AAA will reimpurse us $200. The tow company would have cost $1,000 at least. AAA put us in contact with a Tow company who were unable to help as we were too big for them to tow; and "no" they can't recommend anyone.
It is now getting late and we are facing spending the night on the side of 101. We decide our only option is to drive back to town and buy more coolant so the car must come off the dolly again. As Tom is driving away I hear a chain noise as I realised I had left a chain around an axle so I run after the car as Tom drives away, thankfully, he hears the chain and stops; we unwind the chain from the axle - no damage done. While Tom is gone I re-read the instructions for the coolant and realise we should have added equal amounts of water. OMG. So I add the water and I pull out my deck chair and enjoy the scenery and resign to the idea that this is were we will spend the night. Tom arrives back with 3 more gallons of coolant and we pour coolant and water into the engine and decide to "limp: to the next campsite; we decide it is too much trouble to hitch the car up as we will probably just get down the road a few miles and will be stopping again. I drive behind Tom the rest of the journey and we make it to the RV park just as the sun goes down.
It looks like we have solved the problem all by ourselves.
We are on the road again tomorrow.....
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