Born Again RV Virgins

Our grandson just celebrated his 4th birthday, which means it was 4 years ago that we were summoned home from our first long RV journey by his mother, who had been put on bed rest for the last 3 weeks of her pregnancy.  Choosing to opt to be our grandson's primary daycare providers, we put off our travel plans.  Just when we were about ready to start to think about hitting the road again, along came Grandson #1's brother.  We put in another 15 months as Grandma and Grandpa Daycare when our daughter found a "regular" daycare that met the criteria that she, my husband (Kim) and I were happy with.

We started formulating plans to leave March 1st, planned the itinerary, and started making lists.  I had forgotten how much work it is to load up the rig.  I'll let Kim post about all his work in prepping the rig itself.

Day One - We actually departed on time, waving good bye to our house sitters who were there to make sure we cleared the driveway without running over the boulders that line the driveway.  We had a short drive to Kelso, WA.  We stayed at a nice little park called Brookhollow RV Park.  Easy access about one mile off I-5.  $35 a night for full hook up.  We had stayed there on our way home four years ago.  You can see the pictures and read my review of that park here:

http://rv-virgins.blogspot.com/2010/02/back-in-washington.html

A couple of snags the first day.  The ABS light came on in the truck.  It is something that we will check out when we get to the Santa Cruz area where we will be for 5 days.  Research showed that even if the light comes on, the brakes are still working.  The other thing was that the propane sensor decided to shriek.  Not sure why this happened and there was some relief in remembering that it does this from time to time.  Perhaps it was just annoyed that we woke it up after a 4 year nap.  Who knows.  It stopped after we pushed the mute button, and we turned off the propane furnace just to be safe.  Thank God for space heaters and electric hook ups.

Day Two - We left only 5 minutes after our planned time of departure.  I was pretty proud of myself.  I'm the straggler.  I'm up early, but by the time I've done my morning spiritual reading and journalling, had some breakfast, and am starting to get ready to think about showering and getting dressed, Kim is up and chomping at the bit.  Oy vey.  Aren't we on vacation?  In an effort to keep the peace, I did a few things two months prior to our departure that I hope will help.  First, I cut off my hair.  This was not a big deal for me.  I had worn my hair very short for years.  In my late 40s, I decided to start growing it out.  A mid life thing?  Not sure, but I did it.  Even when it was long, there was not much styling involved.  There was, however, lots of time involved in washing and drying.  I am now sporting a short wash and wear hair style.   That cut (pun intended) about 30 minutes off my prep time.  The other thing I did, and I'm kicking myself for not doing this years and years and years ago is waxing.  I'm almost 60 years old now, and I experienced waxing my legs and underarms for the first time in January.  OMG, what a difference.  Not having to fuss with that aspect of my morning routine is such a blessing.  My first wax experienced lasted close to 2 months.  I'm sure part of that is my age.  The older you are, the slower the hair on your legs grows.  I wish I could say the same of underarm hair.  The underarm waxing lasts 2-3 weeks for me.  So worth the momentary discomfort of the waxing experience.  I'm glad I tried it out early so I knew what to expect.  We should make it to Phoenix before I will be looking for another wax job.

So groomed and on the road with a happy husband (not only that we were off pretty much on time, but the ABS light was no longer on) we headed south on I-5.  If you are going through the Portland, Oregon area and have no reason to stop in Portland, take I-205.  It bypasses all of the downtown area and its awful traffic.  (Does every big city have awful traffic?) It is so much better than driving through Portland.  We stopped for diesel just south of Salem, paying $3.99 a gallon at a Flying J station.  The drive was very relaxed and smooth.  Roundabout Rhonda (our GPS) took us on a different route from the one I had intended.  She took us off I-5, down Hwy 99 E (yes, I know, odd numbered highways should go north and south, but this is what it was called), to Hwy 36, then connecting with Hwy 126 into Florence. Oh well, we saw places we wouldn't have seen otherwise.  Lots of sheep farming followed by some delightful tree lined two lane highway, with very low hanging branches.  Very glad we cleared them and our AC unit is still intact.  It was a very pretty drive.  We had done it before, just picking up Hwy 126 in Eugene.

We arrived at Heceta Beach RV Park relatively early, before 3pm.  We had stayed here before as well.  You can read about our experiences by clicking here:

http://rv-virgins.blogspot.com/2010/02/fortuna-and-florence.html

It is much the same as I remembered it.  Nice check in experience.  $36 per night for full hook up.  We couldn't get the DirecTV dish to cooperate, so we utilized the free TV cable so that I could watch The Oscars.  Ellen DeGeneres did a great job of hosting, and the musical numbers were great.  I am definitely going to have to watch The Dallas Buyers Club here sometime soon.

It was rainy and windy when we arrived.  Not a surprise if you are from the Pacific Northwest.  We are on the coast and it is March.  It would be more shocking if it were anything but windy and rainy.  What I love about this park are the pyimydalis arborvitae shrubs between the sites.  Great for privacy and in this case, great for wind block.

Tomorrow we are off to Crescent City.  This will be about 185 miles straight down Hwy 101.  Hopefully, an easy day.

Home Sweet Home

Well, we made it.  Completed our first 4 months on the road.  A few lessons learned - primarily the awning and the wind.  A few unpleasant surprises - the electrical problems and the stuck open slide, but all in all, I think we did okay.

Our daughter did not deliver before we arrived home, so we are happy about that.  We are parked in her driveway.  We've got water and electricity, and a place to drain the gray water.  It's the black water that will be interesting.  We do have a macerater pump and have pumped directly into the toliet before, but it really smells up the house.  It was one thing in the late summer when we could open the winds to air things out, but it won't be an option for now.  Kim has purchased some big plastic barrels, which will fit in the back of the truck.  It will work a bit like a "blue buddy" as I understand it.  You pump the black water tank into the barrel, and then take the barrel the dump station.  That way you don't have to move the 5th wheel.

I'm excited to stay put for a bit.  I've got my books and 'stuff' out - like my Lakshmi and Ganesha statues, my crystals and stuffed animals.  I've got lots of people I'd like to see during my stay in the area, and of course, I'll be busy with Grandma Duty.

I'm a big believer in taking a Play Day each week, and I hope to do some touristy stuff in my home town.  A bit of a stay-cation and I will post from time to time for those of you that haven't been to the Seattle area so you can see what there is to do around here.

Our general plans are to take off sometime in September 2010, and head east to Montana, and then south through Utah and Northern Arizona, eventually winding up in Yuma and maybe Palm Springs.  Stay tuned for our further adventures!

Back in Washington

We took Highway 126 from Florence, Oregon, over to I-5 at Eugene.  This is a 45 mile stretch of road that is absolutely lovely.  We hooked up with I-5, and decided to try the I-205 route around Portland.  OMG - I can't believe I've never taken this road before.  If you are driving north or south on I-5, and don't need to stop in Portland, this loop around the city is a must!

We pulled into Brookhollow RV Park - another gem - in a lovely setting with large paved, and level pull through sites.

We hadn't unhooked the truck from the rig since we left Jamul.  Today was the day because we wanted to look around the area.  My grandparent's home was here and this is where my dad grew up and attended high school.  Things have definitely changed since I was last here in the 1960s.

Fortuna and Florence

We spent the first night on our journey up 101 in Fortuna, California at the Riverwalk RV Park.  This is a nice little park and we'd stay there again.  I know I took pictures of this park as well, but they are not on the camera.  Maybe I am my mother's daughter.....My mother travelled through Europe taking pictures with her finger over the camera lens.  I think maybe I was pushing the power button, turning the camera on and off.  Yes, I am a blonde.

The next night, we stayed in Florence, Oregon at the Hecata Beach RV Park.  I have always said Heck-ah-ta, but the gal at the park pronounced it Ha-zee-ta.  I had to look it up.  The area is named after a Basque explorer who was sent to investigate the area.  His name was Bruno de Heceta y Dudagoitia.  His name was pronounced Ha-zee-ta, although the Heck-ah-ta pronunciation is also accepted.

This is another nice little park.  Spaces are large, and easily accomodated our 33' rig with 3 slides.  There were hedges and trees between each space.  It was very quiet and we would definitely stay there again.  It is a few blocks walk to the beach.

Our site

An empty site next to us.

I slept 9 hours and woke up to lovely blue skies!  Next stop - Kelso, WA.

Heading Over to 101

When we found out we were heading home sooner than we had originally planned, the first reference I checked was the Farmers Almanac.  I wanted to know what the forecast was for snow in the Siskiyous.  We were in luck and it appeared we would be able to get by without having to worry about snow or incliment weather.  Okay, we'll go I-5 all the way.  But wait, you are apparently required to carry chains when going over the pass, not only for the truck, but also for the trailer.  Quick pricing looked like we would have to spend over $200 on chains that we probably wouldn't use.  There we were, caught in the Catch 22.  We had to have chains to take I-5, but if we needed chains, we wouldn't take that route.  So forget I-5, we are going up 101.  I've never been on that section of 101, and I was really looking forward to it, but I was also concerned about the road - I'd heard it was curvy and twisty.

Well, let me just say, as I repeated to Kim over and over and over - Oh My God - I am so glad we came this way.  Each part of the drive, from the short section of I-5, over Highway 12, and then a series of weird interchanges on a bunch of interstates (thank God for GPS), we finally were on Highway 101.  It was absolutely beautiful.  The wine country, rolling hills, and into the Redwoods.  Really, I can't wait to go back and spend some time just driving around this area.

Here are some pictures I snapped from the car on the drive. 

Too bad there were cars behind us on this section - I'd have just asked Kim to stop so I could get a good picture.  It was a nice long section of canopied redwoods.

Ah, the Pacific.  I did miss you!

We had just passed a herd of elk in a large field, and came upon this straggler, all by himself in someone's front yard.

By the way, both Kim and I had expected 2 lane, rough road.  We were pleasantly surprised to find 4 lanes of well paved road almost all the way.  I just loved this drive!

Next Stop, Manteca California

When we headed south, for me, the most boring part of the drive was coming down I-5 through the Imperial Valley.  This surprised me because years before when we had driven from Washington to Alabama, I had really enjoyed this section of I-5.  Perhaps it was the difference between driving down in June and driving down in November.  I talked Kim into taking Highway 99 all the way up to Manteca.  The drive was much more interesting as far as things to see and changing scenery.  The highway gets a 7 out of 10 rating.  Most of the road was good to really good 4 to 6 lane highway.  We did notice that often times the road wasn't as well maintained as it went through the various towns and cities.  Our guess is that those city budgets did not have extra funds for maintaining the highways.  It was pretty bumpy and hard on the bladder.  This was not the day to have 3 cups of coffee!

We had elected to stay in the Stockton area because Kim's brother had recently moved to the area for a new job.  We wanted to stop and see Tom and have dinner with him.

We used our RPI membership to stay at the Thousand Trails Turtle Beach reserve for $10 that night..  We got in just before sunset and only had time to do basic set up before Tom arrived.  This reserve is another nice setting.  Nice wide spaces - enough for the rig, the truck, a picnic table and a tent (if we had one).  I know we'll come back and spend more time here later in the year.   I only wish we'd had time to walk along the delta and explore a bit.   My only complaint would be the 2 mile road leading to the resort.  It is very narrow and I'd hate to meet another big rig coming the other direction.

I could have sworn I took pictures of our site, but I can't find them on the camera.  It was a long day, maybe I just thought I took pictures......

Pio Pico - Jamul, California

After a wonderful week in Yuma, we moved west to Jamul, California.  We took I-8 to Hwy 94.  This may be the time to mention that not only am I a 5 star resort camper, but I'm also a back road wimp.  While I-8 was a typical interstate through the desert, Hwy 94 wasn't really made for a truck towing a 5th wheel.  In fact, there was a sign that said vehicles over 40' were prohibited on that stretch of highway.  We were already committed to this route when we saw the sign, with no place to turn around, so we continued on.  The road was a little twisty for my tastes, and there were spots with drop off areas on the passenger side (my side) without guard rails.  There were tons of border patrol cars on the road - about every 4th or 5th car was border patrol.  Not sure if that was the norm for the area, or if there was something going on.  It was interesting, nonetheless.

We had made reservations at the Thousand Trails Pio Pico reserve, using our Resorts of Distinction membership.  I had made the reservations 90 days in advance, requesting a full hook up.  We arrived and were told that full hook ups were not available, and that we could camp in the north part of the park that had water and 30 amp electric.  Oh, and the water was not drinkable.  Oh, and by the way, there is no cell phone service nor Verizon air card service.  However, we could go choose our own spot, come back and let them know.  Every morning at 9am, we could report to the ranger station and see if there were any full hook up sites available.  I was not happy.  Okay, I can dry camp for a night or so, but any more than that, we would have to change campgrounds. 
We found a good sized back-in site so that we had a nice view out the back of our trailer.  It was a bit of a challenge as many of the sites had black garbage bags over the electric polls.  I was a little bit happier at this point, because scenery wise, this was a very lovely campground.

Our site at Pio Pico

Other campsites

The view out our back window

We decided we would spend the night and re-evaluate in the morning.  The next morning, we lost power briefly - sort of.  The UPS (unlimited power supply) alarm went off at 7:30am.  The power wasn't completely lost, but the voltage had dropped below 100.  We speculated that it was due to the rest of the park all waking up and turning on their electric heaters, hot water tanks, etc.  Because of the problem we had with the electric system in the rig while we were in Phoenix, and the cost to replace all our electronics, we do not like to take chances.  When we started running water to wash dishes and take showers, it was all milky - and not the air in the line kind of milky.  We made the decision to move on the next day, but for that day we had made arrangements to have lunch with my friend Leila in Carlsbad.  Lunch with her was the best part of that day.

In the meantime, once we got into cell phone range, I found a message from our daughter.  She is pregnant and due in March, but was having some serious contractions and there was concern she would deliver early.  So much for taking our time heading home.  We called and learned that the contractions had stopped, and the doctor felt the baby would not be coming now, but nothing was guaranteed.  We don't wait to miss the birth of our first grandchild, so we knew we'd be packing up and leaving the next morning.

We returned to the rig after spending the day in Carlsbad.  Double checked the amperage and it was still low, so we went to the Adult Lodge to use the park's wifi.  The Adult Lodge gets a 1 out of 5 stars in my book.  It needs updating and an interior designer.  We plotted a route home, deciding to come up I-5 to the Stockton area,  and then make the decision about whether to take I-5 or 101 up to Washington.  We wanted to avoid the Siskiyous if there was any chance of snow or ice.
The next morning, we packed up and headed out.  Next stop, Bakersfield, California.

San Diego to Bakersfield

We left Pio Pico, taking Otay Lakes Road into Chula Vista, California, where we picked up I-5 heading north.  Not much to say about this drive except that I hope to never do it again, towing a rig!

We had made reservations at Bear Mountain RV Resort in Bakersfield.  I had checked http://www.rvparkreviews.com/ and found good reviews for the park.  We had stayed at Bakersfield RV Park on the way down, and enjoyed it.  However, it was off Highway 58, and a bit out of the way.  We wouldn't have a chance to enjoy its resort ammenities, so we decided to try another resort.  Bear Mountain gets a high rating from me, if you are looking for a park just off Highway 99, and need a place to sleep.  The park manager was very nice.  The park was plain, but very clean and well maintained.  And $25 per night was great for the budget. Nice big and spacious pull through sites.   It was quiet and an easy in & out.

Our site.

Dog run and view of other sites.

Office, restrooms and laundry.

Next stop, Manteca, California.

Cocopaugh RV Resort in Yuma, Arizona

We spent the week at Cocopaugh with our friends.  Here are some pictures of the resort.  I thought it was one of the prettier resorts in which we have stayed.

One of the nicest pool areas I've seen.

Shuffle Board Court

Grounds near the tennis court

Part of the 2.5 acre pet area. 

The only challenge we had in Yuma was that when we arrived, one of our slides wouldn't open.  Kim and I managed to push it out.  Kim did some research and visual inspection, and determined we had probably shirred one of the bolts in the hydaulic system that opens the slides.  At least I think that is what he said.  He is supposed to write up something for those of you that understand this kind of stuff.  I just know that we had to push it open ourselves, and then when it came time to pack up, some of the resorts escorts and maintenance crews helped get it back in.  We dropped it off at CJs RV repair, and 1.5 hours later, less $90, we were on the road to California.  Nothing but praise for CJs from me!

We had a great time in Yuma, much of it thanks to our friends The Luques.  Next year, we will come back and stay longer.

The Best Part Of Camping - Eating!

Oh - surely you didn't think I meant cooking.  No, I meant trying out different restaurants in various areas.  Yes, I have a few campfire recipes that I really like, but today I'd like to focus on eating out in Yuma.  Thanks to our friends locally, and some suggestions from Facebook friends, we've sample 3 great restaurants in Yuma.

First is Brownie's Cafe.  This is a good old fashioned diner.  If you were born after 1980, you probably don't know what that really means, but it refers to good old, almost as tasty as home cooked, food.  We had breakfast at Brownies.  I had the Maggie's Special which was home made corned beef, 2 eggs and hashbrowns.  It was fantastic.  Kim had waffles and eggs - the Belgian waffle kind, and he gave them a two thumbs up as well.  If we had more time here in Yuma, we'd go back for lunch or dinner as I hear the Brownie Dessert is to die for.  As it was, I was stuffed so I didn't try dessert.  Hey - there's nothing wrong with dessert with breakfast!

The next day, we were treated to Kneaders for lunch.  Soup, salad and sandwhiches - oh and desserts!  Are you sensing a pattern here?  This was a 'wheat cheat day' for me.  I do try to avoid wheat, but the bread at this restaurant smelled so good, I just had to give in.  And then there was the cannolis.  I had the turkey feta salad, broccoli cheese soup, a slice of Russian Rye bread and the aforementioned cannoli.  (Not as good as the cannoli I've had in the French Quarter in New Orleans, but well worth having.).  Kim had a toasted cheese sandwhich - I think there were 4 kinds of cheese in this double decker treat.  Again, we will return the next time we are in Yuma.  Hint - go early for lunch.  There were only 2 people in front of us when we arrived at 11:50am.  When we left 45 minutes later - the line was out the door.

And of course, you can't eat in Yuma, so close to Mexico, without sampling some Mexican Food.  We joined a group of friends at El Pappagallo.  Most of them ordered The Sampler-taco, tamale, enchilada, burrito and tostado.  I understand the enchilada was particularly good - cheese, sour cream and onion.  Must have been, because no one offered me a taste.  I had the carne asada and it was wonderful.  Great salsa and guacamole. 

If you are in Yuma, I would highly recommend anyone of these restaurants.

Now if you are reading this, and hoping for a camp recipe, I will share one of my favorites.  It's cooking in foil, and makes clean up a snap.  Take a large piece of aluminum foil (double layer if using the small regular size foil).  In the center spread out some sliced onion - I use 1/2 onion, but I love onions.  On top of that, a ground beef patty.  I like to mix my meat with some barbeque sauce, but you can also just top the meat with a generous glob.  Next layer with sliced potatoes, sliced carrots and sliced mushrooms.  Top with a pat of butter, or some olive oil.  Season for taste.  Wrap it up tent style - Bring the edges of one side together and fold over a few times, then crimp  up the sides - leaving some air/breathing room.  Put on the barbeque, right over the coals, medium heat, close the lid and cook for about 20 -25 minutes.  Yummy!  We eat this 2-3 times a week sometimes.  Easy to make.  Easy clean up.  What more could you ask for!

Yuma and Specialty Diets

We arrived in Yuma last Wednesday, the day before all the heavy rains and tornado watches.  They say this kind of weather happens only once every 20 years or so.  Good thing, because I really like the area, but the ground around our 5th wheel was covered with 3 inches of water for the better part of 2 days and that was not so good.  Yuma has green!  The Colorado River makes the area very good for agriculture, and we've seen fields of all kinds of produce - all kinds of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, etc.  The skies are brilliant blue and the sun is warm most days.  I could see spending winters here very easily.  Yuma is large enough to have decent shopping, but small enough to make it feel home-town.

As I've mentioned before, Kim and I try to maintain a wheat free, dairy free, soy free diet, and finding the foods we eat can often be a challenge.  I'm happy to report that we found Sunshine Herbs N' More on Fortuna Avenue.  They stock the rice bread we use, the rice cheese I like, the coconut milk yogurt too.  If they get deliveries from those companies, I'm sure they can then order the other things I like (especially the coconut milk products from the Soy-Delicious Company).

Happy Travelling!

Traveling By Air - Now Feels Weird

We are back at Pioneer Park in Phoenix, after flying home for the holidays.  The last few years, I had flown hither and yon on business and pleasure, so much so that it got to be routine, and no big deal.  Now it just feels weird.  No fear or anxiety, but just not right.  I guess I am liking this whole RV thing.

We were treated to a beautiful sunset on our first night back!

 The coyotes were surely howling last night.  I guess they appreciated the sunset too! Rumor has it the javelinas have returned but I neither saw nor heard them.

This morning the sun is out, the quail are on parade, and life is good .

Electronics - Really, Really, Fingers Crossed, The Rest Of The Story

Headed back out to Pioneer Park today, hopefully to stay, until we fly home to Snohomish for Christmas.  The insurance inspector, the RV tech and electrician have all been out to look at what happened.  Kim has run all the test checks, and we are going to try it again.

Many thanks to Ken, Tom and Cathy for putting up with us for the last few weeks.  We will miss playing pinochele each night.  I do have dibbs on the 'good' chair when we come to visit next.

And now, here's the rest of the story, according to Kim:

The rest of the story....


Previously, we experienced an electrical problem that ruined our day as well as several pieces of electronic equipment; ie: LCD TV, DVD/Surround Sound System, UPS, Printer and most importantly the ac/dc converter. The converter keeps the 12 volt batteries charged which run most of our lights, the refer control panel and the furnace fan and it's been darn cold at night lately.

We thought we had found the problem in a shorted water heater element and as the water heater can also be run on propane we replaced the burner out ac/dc converter and thought we were set to go.

Not to be. The new UPS started beeping, just like the previous one did just before Armegedon struck, and the new ac/dc converter made a hissing noise and emitted a puff of smoke just before I could get to the main circuit breaker to cut the power.

I called the RV repair technician and told him what occurred and he returned the next day to look deeper into the problem. He finally located the problem as a loose neutral wire in the receptacle in the trailer where the power cord plugs in from the campgrounds power box.

Instead of causing an electrical surge and tripping the circuit breaker the electrical current found a different path back to the breaker panel and combined it's 120 volts ac with the 120 volts ac already there and became 240 volts ac which the electronics didn't like.

We have a new converter installed and I test ran everything yesterday for several hours, running all the heavy power users, electric space heater, toaster, electric tea kettle as well as all the normal things like lights, refer and furnace.

We will be moving back into the trailer today. We've been at the campground for just over two weeks now and only stayed in the trailer for 3 days. Its been fun staying at my brother's house but it will be nice to be back in our own 'home' again.

Playing The Waiting Game

Here I sit at Kim's brother's house, a week and one day after the electronics incident.   Why do these things happen around long weekends/holidays?

We did get an electrician out to confirm that the problem was indeed with a short in the water heater.  We have filed a claim with the extended warrenty insurer, and are waiting to hear back about how to proceed. 

We went ahead and ordered a new converter, so Kim is out at the park installing that, assisted by his dad and his youngest brother.  I'm playing the waiting game at Tom's house - which is a pretty nice place to be.  I'm having a love/hate relationship with Farkle, and probably drinking too much coffee in between snacking on Thanksgiving left-overs.

Allegedly, once the converter is installed, we can recharge the batteries.  I forget what the batteries run - the lights I guess.  We can heat water using propane, and I believe the refrigerator is okay to use with electric (and if not, propane is available). 

Keeping my fingers crossed that we can move back out to our 'home' later today.  And with any luck, the insurance adjustors are working today, so we do not have to wait until Monday or Tuesday to hear about the other things that we damaged in the incident.

Smoking Electronics - The Rest Of The Story

One cross threaded water connection causes major damage.

As they say down south, 's@#t happens'. Last Thursday evening as we were preparing dinner, our UPS (uninterruptable power supply)that we have our laptops plugged into, beeped a couple of times which usually indicates we lost power. It stopped beeping but I went out to the power pedestal to double check and our surge protector was still showing everything was good. About 15 minutes later, the UPS started beeping again and I went over to it to see what was going on and saw smoke coming out of it. I immediately unplugged it and as I turned around I saw more smoke coming from the cabinet where the DVD player is. I opened the cabinet and smoke was roiling out of the DVD player. I quickly unplugged it and the other equipment plugged into the same outlet. I went to the breaker panel to turn off the circuit breakers for those outlets and more smoke is coming from the converter. At this point I ran outside and turned off the power at the pedestal. The trailer has a 12 vdc system that powers several lights, water pump, furnace fan and a few other essentials so we weren't totally in the dark.

With the smell of burnt electronics hanging in the air, we decided it would be best to head into Laveen and spend the night at my brother's house. So after assuring ourselves that nothing was still burning, we packed up some clothes and neccessary items, told our neighbor and the park office what had happened and left for Laveen.

The next day, after calling around, I was recommended to a local rv repair business and after contacting them I had an appointment for later that day. He showed up around noon. He switched modes of transportation from his truck to a pair of crutches. He had recently broken his foot.

Between the two of us we checked circuit breakers, wiring, appliances, etc. and at that time couldn't find the what had causes all the trouble. Using an outlet tester, a device with 3 lights on it that indicates any problems with the wiring depending on which combination of bulbs light, and a multimeter we checked the power coming into the trailer and going through the breaker panel and out to the different outlets and appliances.

At one point we were seeing 240 vac in the breaker box were there should only have been 120 vac. That would have fried the electronics all right, but where is it coming from?

Using the process of elimination, we started turning breakers off or on in different
combinations and determined the circuit labeled 'water heater' was the culprit. Looking at the water heater, I discovered the wiring was all wet and found that the source of the water was a cross threaded connection on the water heater inlet that is right above the wiring box. It probably hadn't been leaking at first but since we put about 1,800 miles on it in the past two weeks all that vibration and jarring down
the highway must have loosened it enough to let out the occasional drip.

The wires being shorted out were feeding 120 vac back through the ground wire and, without going into more detail on how, adding to the 120 vac already at the breaker panel and giving us the 240 vac. After disconnecting the wiring to the water heater all the voltage readings are back to normal. But in the meantime the TV, DVD, Satellite receiver, UPS, HP printer, converter, refer control circuit board and water heater have all bit the dust all because someone cross threaded the water inlet connection to the water heater.

It wasn't me, this time I'm innocent.

The RV Honeymoon Is Over

I suppose it was not realistic that we could just not have a single problem ever with a rig.  Well, we had the whole thermostat issue, where the heat wanted to set itself at 94, but that was nothing compared to what happened the other night.  Thursday night, we were sitting in our recliners, watching TV, minding our own business, when the lamp on the wall started flickering and the UPS (uninterrupted power supply) to our computers started beeping.  The UPS will beep anytime power is cut, no matter how briefly.  It gives you 15 minutes to shut down your computer(s) and not lose any data.  Usually it happens when we've overloaded the kitchen breaker - like the space heater, the tea kettle, and the hair dryer.  Or when we lose power because of weather, etc.  Nothing was going on that night.  We re-set the power supply, and took a look at the other rigs around us.  They all  had power.   Must be gremlins.

Less then an hour later, boom, it happens again, accompanied by a big pop.  Next thing we know, there is smoke coming out of the dvd player and the UPS.  We quickly unplugged the computers and the dvd player.  Kim flipped the main electrical breaker so we were just on battery power.  Now smoke is coming out from the converter box and the water heater.  WTF!  I'm outta here! 

We called Kim's brother Tom and invited ourselves to spend the night.  We told our neighbor Gary what had happened, and left a note for the management.  We packed up a bag, grabbed out computers, unplugged everything and headed to Laveen.

Friday morning, Kim called Pioneer Park for a referral to a local repair person.  He was not an electrician, but he and Kim did do some checking of 'stuff' and concurred that an electrician was needed.

Saturday, Kim and his dad, Warren, went back out to the park and did some more tinkering.  Long story short, we think the hot water tank was leaking and caused a short, and that 's where I quit understanding what Kim was talking about.  Something to do with 110 and 240 and batteries and grounds.  I'll let Kim do the detailed explanation.

As I write this, it's Sunday morning.  We are still at Tom's.  Hopefully we will get an electrician out to the rig tomorrow to fix it.  Very thankful for our extended warranty.  I'm crossing my fingers that it will cover the electronics that are now toast (dvd, flat screen tv, UPS) not to mention the converter panel, the refrigerator and the water heater. 

Pioneer Park in North Phoenix

After visiting a number of parks in the Phoenix area, we decided to take a spot at Pioneer Park for two months.  Kim's parents had lived here in their own motor home and then in a park model for a number of years, so we were familiar with the park.  It is a 55+ park, and so we are some of the youngsters here.  We picked a site so that when we backed in, our main living room windows looked out onto the desert.  The recliners we have are swivels, so we can turn and look out at the view, or we can turn and look in at the TV.

We do have neighbors on both sides, but we just close the side shades and leave the back ones open.

And we finally have the awning out!

Our view, looking toward Anthem.

And the view toward the northwest.

We have fun watching the quail, the roadrunners, and the bunnies each day.  Still waiting to see (or hear) a coyote or the havalenas.

I think we will like it here at Pioneer.  There is an indoor/covered pool, hot tub, card room, pool/billards room (with at least 4 decent tables), a big rec hall and lounge.  There are 2 laundry rooms with regular size washer and dryers and also commercial size.

There is shopping within 5 miles, going north to Anthem, or south to Happy Valley.

We will be here for 2 months, which hopefully will give us time to do some exploring.  I want to get back up to Sedona, over to Cottonwood, Prescott, Wickenburg, Superstition Mountain, and down to Tuscon.  I'm giving Kim a week or so to get settled before I start in on, "Let's go here" today....

The Reader's Digest Condensed Version of the Past Week - Buckeye, AZ

On checking out of the Colorado River Oasis in Ehrenberg, I learned that the nice spots on the river with the grass are saved for the Western Horizon members.  Even though we have affiliate agreements through ROD and RPI, unless the park was empty, we would not be able to enjoy those spots.  I even asked if there was a premium payment we could use to, but apparently not. 

Still, I would consider staying there again for convenience sake, but I would check out the site first for the sewer plug and the cement pad.

On to Laveen, Arizona, to spend the night at Kim's brother's house.  We had a family get together that night.  Kim's folks, his youngest brother David, sister Cathy, Tom and his partner Ken were all there.  Ken barbequed some wonderful pork chops, Cathy made potato salad and asparagus.  And we stuffed outselves.  Then on to pinochele.  We play by Mingo family rules, which means cheating is possible.  Code talk across the table, substituting a club for a spade in a slug, etc.  One must keep his or her eyes peeled!  And the best part of the evening (okay - second best - family comes first) was a long luxurious soak in the garden tub!  It was heaven.

After 3 loads of laundry, and Tom taking us to the Whole Foods Store in Tempe, we headed out to Buckeye, AZ (about 30 miles west) for a week at the Leafe Verde Resort.  Nice check in reception, with an escort to our site, and help getting lined up.  The park is basically a parking lot.  Back in sites around the perimeter are occupied mostly by permenant residents, it appears.  There is an assortment of park models, motor homes, 5th wheels and trailers.  All the other sites are pull throughs.  There is one aisle that is devoted to over nights only.  Honestly, that is the worst thing I can say about this park.  There are a few trees.  You can hear some of the freeway noise from I-10 (east of Phoenix, just before Goodyear).  But really, it was a nice stay.

The park is very, very clean and well cared for.  The staff friendly.  The one big compliment I have is that they do not cram everyone in side by side.  We spent a week there, and had 2 open spots on either side of us, with permanent residents in the next spots over.  So it went occupied, open, open, us, open, open, occupied.  That appeared to be the rule of thumb, unless you requested a specific spot or were travelling with other rigs.

There is a nice pool and hot tub.  We didn't use them, but they appeared very clean.  We checked out the showers and restrooms.  Again, very clean, with liquid soap provided in the showers.  My only thought would be that if your rig didn't have a head, you'd want to be parked near the office, as that is where the restrooms and showers were.  You would not want to be 10 rows away, and have to run for the restroom in the morning.  There is a lounge with a fairly nice pool table, and tables for cards with a small book exchange.  Nice clean washing machines and dryers - which I noticed they wipe out and clean daily (another plus).  They offer larger events, including weekly yoga, at the 'barn'.  And there is a small hair salon on site as well.  There was one small fenced dog run, and then at the back of the park, there is a gate that opens out onto an acre or more of free run area but it is not fenced.

There are lots of services within a mile of the park, including a Super WalMart, a Frys grocery store, Lowes, Staples, fast food, nail salons, a Cracker Barrel and a chinese restaurant.  The little community of Verrado with a quaint shopping area is just a few miles down I-10 toward Phoenix.

Look at that blue sky!  And all the space around us.

We finally got the picnic table cloth and the lawn chairs out.

This was our view to the north.  Fighter jets did do manuevers over the area occasionally and we fun to watch.  I wish I could have captured one of the pretty sunrises we were able to enjoy that week.

All in all, it was a nice stay.  We considered staying there for another 30 days, but instead opted to move out to Pioneer Park in North Phoenix, just south of Anthem.

Red Bluff to Bakersfield

This was a 400 mile day, so we left Red Bluff early, at 7:00am.  We drove to Williams for breakfast and ate at Granzella's, exit 577 (turn right and go about 4 blocks).  There is RV parking in the lot across the street from the restaurant, and behind the gift shop.  Great food.  Nice little deli with olive tasting.  We did not stop in the gift shop.  It was a beautiful day with the sun shining brightly, right in our eyes.  Note to self, make sure baseball cap is in the truck before leaving.  It saves a quick stop at the rest stop to retrieve cap from rig.

I know I have said this again, but there should be a law that the crops growing next to the side of the road be labelled.  I know we saw olives, almonds, pistachios, tangerines and other stuff.  We also saw many acres of unfarmed land.  There were signs along the way stating it was a "Congress Created Dustbowl".  I did a very little searching on the subject and apparently the Delta Smelt, a small fish, has been placed on the endangered species list, and thus water from the local rivers and aquaducts has been severely limited to the local farmers.  I have no opinion on this topic as I know very little of the facts.  It was just sad to see all this land going unused.  Last time we drove this section of I-5 was in 1990, on our way to Mobile, Alabama.  It was filled with a variety of crops being grown, which is when I first thought that crops should be labeled.  (Note - I'm not implying I was the first to come up with this thought - just that this was the first time it occurred to me that it would be nice to know what was growing where.)

Anyway, we continued on down the freeway, looking for a rest stop to pull into for a lunch break.  Many of the rest stops are closed along I-5 southbound.  I'm not sure if there were under repair or if it was due to budget cuts (like the rest stops in Arizona).  We stopped at the rest stop at mile marker 386.  There was a warning sign about rattlesnakes, so chicken that I am, I ran from the truck back to the rig, making as much noise as I could (stomping my feet, etc) to use the head, and make lunch.  Then I insisted on eating inside, even though it was quite pleasant outside.  (FYI, I've since learned that rattlesnakes are basically deaf, but they can and do pick up the vibrations created by people walking - on in my case running - nearby.  And of course, there were no snakes to be seen in the parking lot anyway.)

Next stop was for diesel at Harris Ranch, exit 334.  I'd been watching the price of diesel since we last got fuel, after crossing the California border.  At that time, I commented on what I though was a higher cost for diesel.  Coming down through the San Joquin Valley, I noticed the prices dropping to less than the cost of regular gas.  Woo Hoo!  It had been costing us about $100 to fill the tank.  Saving $15-20 in fuel would have been nice.  Not so at the Harris Ranch Shell station.  We paid $3.349 per gallon.  We get back on the freeway, and see a sign advertising diesel at $2.88 at the very next exit, Jayne Avenue.  It must be a new station because it was not listed in the 2009 Next Exit book.  Drat!  Hopefully just mentioning this will help someone else save a few bucks on fuel.  BTW, we have been using Shell because we have a Shell Gas Saver card.  It is supposed to work as a debit card, and in using it, you save 5 cents per gallon of fuel until the end of 2009.  We've found that at some stations it works, and at others it doesn't.  We are going to call Shell and find out why that is.  It could be the amount of fuel we are using.  It could be a trigger if you fill up more than once in a day.  It could be the station's equipment.  We aren't sure.  Unfortunately, it didn't work at Harris Ranch and we paid full price.

We love our GPS, and wonder how we ever did without it, but sometimes the route 'she' picks is not always the most convenient.  I call 'her' Roundabout Rhonda.  She had us take the Stockdale Highway exit, and then turn down a 2 lane road that parelleled the freeway.  The road surface was actually better, and the speed was the same - 55 mph.  (Note, if you are pulling a trailer, your maximum allowable speed on I-5 in California is 55.  Cars have speed limits anywhere from 55 - 70 mph, depending on the section of the road.  Anyway, Rhonda took us in what I thought was a very weird route, but we did arrive at Bakersfield RV Resort, safe and sound.

Another very nice resort - boy can I pick 'em!  Easy check in, and a valet guide to our site.  Another pull through site, with grass between the spaces.  There are a minimal number of picnic tables spread around the resort.  Our site, #120, did not have one. 

The hook ups could be a little more toward the middle of the space.  We had to pull quite a bit forward to put out our slides, and not hit anything.  In doing so, it was a stretch for the sewer line and water hose.  Water may be on a timer as the pressure dropped suddenly during my shower.  Kim went over to the showers by the pool, and didn't have a problem.  The shower stalls are all private.  You have a locking door with a dressing area, and a regular shower with glass doors (rather than curtains).

The resort has a great restaurant and bar.  It was dark after we finished setting up, and after the 400 mile drive, we treated ourselves to dinner out.  We split orders of coconut shrimp, coleslaw and stuffed mushrooms.  If you don't want to come to the restaurant for dinner - they will deliver to your site!

This resort offers free cable and wifi so we watched a little TV after dinner before going to bed.  Although there is a major road outside the resort, we slept soundly.  We did hear a train early in the morning - maybe 5am or so, but we were already awake so it wasn't an issue for us.

This resort is pretty much as described on their website, http://www.bakersfieldrvresort.com/.  We paid $70 for two nights, using a Good Sam discount.

I've been surprised at how well we are doing on our first major trip.  In fact, I was a bit suspicious because things were going so well.  I should know better.  All of a sudden, all the sensors on our gray water and black water tanks are reading full.  We know this can't be so because we just emptied them yesterday.  The battery reads charged, so there must be a short somewhere.  Hopefully, it is something simple as Kim doesn't want to address it until we are in Phoenix.  In the meantime, we will empty the tanks (especially the kitchen and shower) each day, just to be sure.

We stayed an extra day here in Bakersfield, and were able to accomplish a few errands.  Roundabout Rhonda took us to Trader Joe's for some groceries, and to Wal-Mart for a spring tension shower rod to use to hang up wet swim suits.  It was a little too cool to swim today, but we are planning ahead. 

We also drove out to see the California Living Museum.  http://www.calmzoo.org/  

"California's Premier Native Zoo and Garden


Founded in 1980 and opened to the public in 1983, CALM displays and interprets native California animals, plants, fossils, and artifacts to teach a respect for all living things through education, recreation, conservation, and research."
 
I wanted to go to make some peace with the rattlesnakes.  We had a nice chat, and with the safety glass between us, I was comfortable.  I enjoyed especially the pelican exhibit, the roadrunner, and the fox exhibit.
 
We got back to the rig about 3:00pm and having been doing some computer work - our Verizon wireless card works very well here - and just taking it easy...watched a few early episodes of Gray's Anatomy, and then fixed dinner.
 
When we checked in, we were given a coupon for a breakfast deal - buy one, get the second at 50% off - so we plan to enjoy the restaurant one more time tomorrow morning.  They open at 7am, and then we head off to Laughlin for a few days. Tonight, we will catch the new CSI episode, and then I will flip a coin about whether to watch Project Runway or The Mentalist....probably The Mentalist as I can catch reruns of the PR episode tomorrow.  Now, you'll have to excuse me, I've got the gambling books out - I need to refresh my memory on playing 3 card poker and pai gow.

Day 3 - California Here We Come

After a great night in Canyonville, we depared at 9am for Red Bluff, CA.  Very foggy in the morning, and made the drive from Canyonville to Ashland a little scary for me....not that I was doing the driving, but still.  At some points, we could not see a truck length in front of us.  After crossing the border into California, we stopped by the rest area at the Klamath River for a picnic lunch.  Blue skies and warmer weather - probably in the low 70s.  Warning, however, the picnic benches are made of marble or marble like material, and our behinders got quite chilled.  Good Verizon cell service, so I put in a call to our daughter in Snohomish with good reception.

Kim by the Klamath River at the Rest Stop just over the border into California

 

We had a beautiful view of Mt Shasta on the drive.  These pictures were taken from inside the truck while we were driving.

We stopped for fuel outside of Redding and were surprised to find that the cost of diesel was higher than regular gas.  Diesel has been less expensive in Washington and Oregon.

We arrived in Red Bluff about 3pm.  Another 5 star resort here at Durango RV Resort.  Easy access off I-5 (or as they say in California 'the' 5). You can see the freeway from the resort, but the traffic noise was not bad at all.  You can hear it if you pay attention.  There must a train track near by, because we heard the whistles at about 8pm and then again around 4:30am.  Re the early morning whistle - I was already awake so I heard it.  It's not loud, and I think I would have slept through it had I not already been up prepping for an early start.   Beautiful grassy lots with cement pads.  Nice big pool and smaller sized jacuzzi.  We were in a pull through space #116.  They have a nice club house with TV, books, games and a computer station.  Restrooms were immaculate.  I did not get a chance to check out the showers.  Maybe before we head out this morning.

There is a nice pathway down to a walk along the Sacramento River. 

Across the street, is the backside of a strip mall, so there is no heavy traffic.  In the strip mall is a large grocery store, a few restaurants, a Hallmark store, a beauty salon and manicure salon.  Gas/diesel is available nearby as well.

The resort is exactly as described on their website, http://www.durangorvresorts.com/

Today, we are off to Bakersfield where we will be spending 2 nights.