The Logistics
- Destination : Fairplay, SC (intended) | Marion, NC (actual)
- Distance: 15 miles
- Duration: 11/23/25 – 11/26/25 (3 nights)
- Campground: Mountain Paradise Waterpark
- Stay Type: Gravel lot emergency stop
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The Journey
We were so excited (and nervous) to finally officially be on the road with Zanzi after such a long RV renovation process. This was what it was all about! With only a few test miles under our belts, we planned a short first leg to ease in should we run into any problems. Unfortunately, just 15 miles in, we did—and our maiden voyage came to a literal screeching halt.
The Challenges
We had been racing the winter clock to get Zanzi finished and out of the high elevation and incoming freezing temps. This meant making some compromises on what we wanted to have finished before hitting the road and just going with a good enough version 1.0 of Zanzi. Piet had been working overtime on a rear brake job and a new exhaust brake to ensure the RV was mechanically sound enough to safely navigate the steep descent of our inaugural drive.
The good news is that we cleared the steepest grade without issue. The bad news is that right as we were starting to exhale, the front driver-side brake locked up and Piet had to make an emergency stop. We were incredibly lucky to be able to pull off into a closed waterpark with a gravel lot and a kind owner who let us keep the RV there for several days while Piet got the parts he needed to do a side-of-the-road brake job and get us rolling again, a little behind schedule but grateful that it wasn’t worse.
The Fun Stuff
Silver linings
Another stroke of luck in an otherwise unlucky situation—Shelley’s good friend Rebecca lives less than an hour from our breakdown site in Asheville. She opened her home to us so that Shelley could maintain her remote work schedule while Piet tackled the RV repairs. This was such an enormous relief and Becca managed to turn a stressful situation into a fun impromptu visit filled with lots of much-needed laughter and wine.
The Take
Breaking down immediately was a humbling reminder that while we value independence, even an unconventional life needs community. Between a kind stranger’s gravel lot and a friend’s open door, we were reminded that we can’t do this entirely on our own, and luckily, we don’t have to.
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