New owner's first sighting of a TM

After looking for a year, and a visit to the factory, we located a 2004 3124KS (our model of choice) on consignment in Greenwood, SC. Some helpful person actually gave us the initial lead via this forum. My brother lives in SC (we live in the Nashville, TN area) so he actually went to Greenwood, checked the unit out, completed the transaction (I wired the $), and then towed the unit back to upstate SC and parked it in my Dad’s back yard. Frances and I went to SC in mid-September and headed home with the TM on a Friday afternoon. We had been on the road a few hours and afternoon had turned to early evening when I wondered aloud how long it would be before we saw another TM on the road. When we were about 50-60 miles from home on I-40 east of Lebanon Tennessee I saw taillights blinking on the shoulder ahead. We got close enough to see that it was some type folding TT and I told Frances, “that looks like a TM.” Sure enough as we got closer it was and I stopped a 100 yards or so ahead of it. Long story short – it was a guy in a Dodge Ram 2500 pulling a new unit (2720) to a dealer in Missouri. He had blown a right front tire and although he had a four-way lug wrench it would not fit the lugs to remove the wheel. I spent over an hour running him to Lebanon to look for one and then taking him back to his truck. He couldn’t find a lug wrench, but did get a 1 inch socket and ratchet at W/M. I suppose he got things sorted out and made his delivery, but wouldn’t bet on it. I’m sure that he was an independent contractor making this delivery. I wouldn’t want him working for me if he didn’t have enough foresight to carry something as basic as a lug wrench. All in all it was a strange way to sight our first TM.

BTW – this unit towed like a dream. I have a 2002 Tundra, Prodigy controller, and Reese WD hitch with 1,000 lb spring bars. I was able to run with the overdrive engaged about 75% of the trip. Took it off if we were climbing. Averaged just over 16mpg. Towing stability and gas mileage were BIG considerations in my decision to get a TM.