#58 About 30 miles down the road the black tool box with all the sports gear littered the Hwy

Unexpected overnight stay at a friendly gas station.

As we left Bluewater State Park we got on the highway and went about 30 miles down the road. I saw somebody was pointing at us and gesturing you better look here. That usually means something's wrong so I took the next exit which was kind of a rest area place for truck drivers to park and sleep. I got out and looked and the ropes holding the black toolbox that had been destroyed back in Barstow had come loose. It had fallen and all of its contents had been strewn all along the interstate and the black tool box itself had been pinned under the RV. It got scraped until the friction of the highway melted it down to just a little black blob.

I knew that some point I would have to go and try to find all this equipment all along the highway and maybe clean up my disaster a little bit.

As I was dealing with all this, I knew I needed to move to anywhere else and I heard a funny sound. It was kind of like when I pressed in on a brake it was grabbing, locking up. I disconnected from the camper and thought I would see what was over there in terms of help.

The truck was drivable but scary when braking. I rode around really just looking for a mechanic shop. I saw a building that looked like part of a public works department.

I asked one of the guys if they could help and they said the rules of the city of wouldn't allow them to work on my vehicle. He said he thought there was a retired mechanic guy not even a half mile away. I thanked him, rode down the road and pulled in front of his house and knocked on the door. I told him I was in a bad way and could he just maybe listen to my sounds and help me diagnose it. He was so friendly, and he just hopped in the truck and rode around with me a little bit. He thought that maybe part of the problem was a U-joints, but he was retired and couldn't really help. He gave me the name of a mechanic that was about 20 miles down the road.

There were no other mechanic options nearby, so I just went back across the bridge to pick up the camper.

Gas station

I made the decision the best thing to do is to get to a safer place than the interstate so we will gas station / restaurant.

I went in to speak to the staff and told them something was wrong with my truck front brakes. I mentioned I may need to park overnight and would that be okay. They said just stay out of the way of the big re- fueling trucks when they pull in. Of course, I did and was really grateful. They also have a short order grill and we ate there the same evening.

The next morning, I was nosing around, and some guy came by and saw my hood was up. I thought it was the automatic braking system computer locking up my brakes. The guy spoke to me and asked if I needed help.

He mentioned a guy back towards Grants and gave me the number I called, and he was busy. He told me that I needed to call a buddy of his down on the reservation. I was not in any position to argue so I took the name and number. I gave the guy a call and he said yeah come on down and we'll take a look at it. As I was going back towards Grants, I realized I was visiting a couple of Native American mechanics. All I could think of was real live highway robbery. If I were them this is how I would get even for 400 years of torment from people who look like me. I will just tell you right now I've never been so overwhelmed but the kindness of strangers. Somehow even though I am that guy and right for fleecing they treated me beyond fair and solved my problem and had no need to get even.

He said let's take a look and he found out that there's an assembly for the steering that attaches to the wheel on the right side and the bolt had fallen out and so it was just a big mess. He didn't have the bolt as it was a special thread, special OEM all that bolt. He said let’s swap the lower for the upper and in that way, we worked with the natural inertial forces of braking. When braking instead of spreading apart and locking up it would close tighter and cause no problems at all. We put the only good bolt in the top side and the inertia would allow it to work until I can get another bolt.

While I was waiting for the guys to do their work a disturbing thing happened. A lady came by to chat and she was also native. Trump had just been dealing with the access Hollywood video during the latest news cycle. The tone of her conversation made it clear she was an always Trumper. Instead of being appalled at the video or being ashamed of her undying support she said the following. That video they found on him is pretty harsh. I’m telling you he better get a handle on this before this messes up his poll’s numbers. The mechanics were split. One agreed and the other sheepishly said to me I not really into Trump like those folks.

I actually think Hillary’s a pretty good choice. Don’t see why they hate her so much. I said I’m with you man.

I gladly paid him some reasonable amount and he told me we would probably have to go to Albuquerque to pick up the bolt.

I wanted really to try to find some of my objects that have fallen out of the black toolbox for two reasons. One because it made me a litterbug and because I wanted my stuff back.

On the way back from the mechanics shop I kept staring at the shoulder for any signs of a debris trail. I finally saw something that looks like a snorkel or scuba fins or something and I felt this is like the right area. I parked the truck and walked backwards and literally started picking up my stuff off of the highway. I got 3 giant handfuls of stuff, but I was walking along the highway in the dark with a flashlight and people were going 75 miles an hour. I was a little creeped out about the whole thing and stayed on the other side of the guardrail for the most part so I wouldn't get myself killed over this thing. After I get my parts I headed back to the camper and of course the next morning we left.

These mechanics were the nicest guys ever

Black Mound Service 345 U.S. Rte 66, San Fidel, NM

Randall Cothren posted this review It's 2021 and these guys saved me back in 2016. So I'm a little late in writing this. I would give them 10 stars if I could. We were traveling in an RV and my tow vehicle was a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 dually. When I pressed the brakes they grabbed and vibrated like the world was going to end. Here is what happened. I was stranded at a gas station. The next morning, I was nosing around, and some guy came by and saw my hood was up. I thought it was the automatic braking system computer locking up my brakes. The guy spoke to me and asked if I needed help. He mentioned a guy back towards Grants and gave me the number I called, and he was busy. He told me that I needed to call a buddy of his down on the reservation. It was Black Mound service. I was not in any position to argue so I took the name and number. I gave the guy a call and he said yeah come on down and we'll take a look at it. As I was going back towards Grants, I realized I was visiting a couple of Native American mechanics. All I could think of was real live highway robbery. If I were them this is how I would get even for 400 years of torment from people who look like me. I will just tell you right now I've never been so overwhelmed but the kindness of strangers. Somehow even though I am that guy and right for fleecing they treated me beyond fair and solved my problem and had no need to get even. He said let's take a look and he found out that there's an assembly for the steering that attaches to the wheel on the right side and the bolt had fallen out and so it was just a big mess. He didn't have the bolt as it was a special thread, special OEM all that bolt. He said let’s swap the lower for the upper and in that way, we worked with the natural inertial forces of braking. When braking instead of spreading apart and locking up it would close tighter and cause no problems at all. We put the only good bolt in the top side and the inertia would allow it to work until I can get another bolt. They charged me for an hour and sent me on my way. I am always filled with emotion such that they could have taken me to the cleaners but instead treated me with true kindness and great mechanical skills. Best guys ever. Randall Cothren