Focht Family Blog

By Mr. Toad I mean the singing stuffed frog in mom’s trailer. Yesterday was another adventurous day in the life of the traveling Focht family. We were making our way from Indiana towards Pennsylvania. In Ohio, about 20 minutes east of Dayton I felt a small bump while driving and then an alarm started sounding and the engine shut off. I looked in the mirrors and saw smoke billowing out of the coach. I coasted to a stop on the side of the road and Nathan jumped out to see what happened. I had the kids at the door to get out because I was thinking fire. However, it was oil everywhere and the smoke was from the oil on the hot engine.

We called Spartan and they sent a tow truck. We called Good Sams and they sent a tow truck for the trailer. I called a cab and had them pick me up on the highway and drive me back to Dayton where I picked up a rental minivan and I came back just as the tow trucks were ready to leave. I put the kids, mom and the dogs in the minivan with me and we followed the trailer. Nathan rode in the truck with the RV. About 15-20 miles down the road I am driving behind the tow truck. He is going 64 in a 55 driving in the left lane. All of a sudden sparks are flying out of the trailer and then the trailer runs off the road and into the median heading for oncoming traffic. I should mention at this point that the tow truck was still traveling straight on the highway. Apparently he had not hooked it up correctly and he didn’t even feel it when he lost it. Just as the trailer is about two feet from going into oncoming traffic, the trailer started turning back in because of the embankment. It came to a stop in the middle of the median. It is amazing that it didn’t flip. There was some damage but it looks like it was only about $500 worth and the tow truck company is going to fix it.

Unfortunately the RV isn’t so lucky. Looks like it has major damage and they said it will probably be at least five days before they know the extent of the damage. Spartan will cover the costs but it leaves us stranded in Ohio and we are all staying cramped in the trailer. We extended the rental of the minivan for a week and the camping for a week and I am hoping Spartan will cover those costs as well as some costs for all of the meals we are now having to eat out because there isn’t enough room to cook and feed 6 in the trailer.

I guess life is never boring….. My take on it is nothing flipped, nothing caught fire, and everyone is safe and okay. Everything else is just inconveniences! :)