CRATER LAKE - RV REPAIRS - HAIRCUTS - MOVING ON

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2013

We wanted to drive around Crater Lake but the day was extremely foggy with intermittent rain (the high point had flurries) and it was that kind of cold that gets into the bones.  We went to the visitor's center and got our passport stamped and watched the film about how Crater Lake was formed. What I found most interesting was this area gets an average of 44' of snowfall and the water in the lake is not fed by any rivers or steams, just rain and snowfall.  That accounts for the pristine, clear blue water.  Did you know it's the deepest lake in the US and the 7th deepest in the world?

Crater Lake overlook

The island is a small volcano

It was 7,700 years ago that the volcano erupted in almost a perfect circle

We decided to go back to the cozy, warm coach and watch a movie. We dubbed the TV mini-series House of Cards with Kevin Spacey, have any of you seen it?   Our friends, Terry and Sharon were coming into Crater Lake later in the day.  We gave them our site number and invited them to stop in when they arrive. We had a nice visit with them over a hot cup of tea to take the chill off.  They're taking the trolley tour around the lake tomorrow and we're heading to the RV repair shop.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

This morning we had the challenge of getting out of our treed site.  Denis did a lot of back and forth moves and managed to get out of a very tight site without mishap.  A quick stop at the dump station and we were on our way.  We pulled into Henderson's Lineup, which specializes in Workhorse and Banks here in Grants Pass, Oregon.  We found a place in their parking lot with electricity where we can spend the night until the technicians get here tomorrow morning.  After settling in, we took a walk around the neighborhood and found a barber/salon with $10 haircuts that we'll need to visit tomorrow.

5 Stars for Henderson's Line-Up - Knowledgeable technicians, excellent service and customer relations

$10 haircuts and $15 senior pedicures

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

This morning the employees starting coming in around 7:30 to start their day.  We had a good night's sleep in their parking lot.  They took the car in to check the alignment and balance the wheels to make sure the tires wear evenly.  That took them a couple of hours and the job is finished.  They have Banks parts coming in tomorrow but we're not sure our insurance will cover for the upgrade from Workhorse.  Hopefully, we'll know more by the end of the day.  The beauty salon seems to be closed on Mondays.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2013

Another night at Henderson Lineup and we're not the only ones.  There's a great big Newmar Essex and a Patriot Thunder spending the night with us.  Henderson's Lineup is a family-owned business and fellow RVer, John Mitchell, referred them to us.  We left the Henderson's to do their thing while we ran some errands, got our hair cut and went for lunch.  We went to Home Depot, Walmart and Albertsons with our Out of Milk app to keep us on track.  I used Yelp to find a nice place for lunch and found the Circle J Cafe.  The decor was described as funky, the food and service rating was almost five stars.  Denis had the smoked salmon Caesar salad and I had the Angus burger with fresh pesto, mozzarella, onions and tomatoes.  Their sweet potatoes fries were the best. We'd recommend this place for it's quirky decor and good food.

Circle J Cafe

The good news is that the repairs are finished and we'll be able to leave here tomorrow morning. With another day of rain, we are both looking forward to finding a place with full hookups and sunshine.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

KEEPING BUSY

Thursday morning we got kicked out of our RV home at 7:30 in the morning and told not to come back until 4:00.  We had to figure out what we could do in the area.  After breakfast and computing time at McDonald's we decided to tick off some items on our Out of Milk app.  If you're not familiar with this app, you can go to Play Store and download it for free on your smart phone.  It's a great app for keeping shopping lists by store name and the best part is that it can be shared with another phone (hubby's can no longer say they forgot what we wanted at the store).

Costco was our first stop.  The camera we bought from Costco just four months ago has quit on us and we were hoping to get a refund or replacement.  Unfortunately, we need to return it to a Nikon dealer.  I think the wild salmon, organic chicken breasts, grapes and avocados at Costco are the best quality.  We had to scoot back to the RV glass repair shop and they let us into the bay to put our food in the fridge.

From there we went to Walmart and I bought a small crock pot and a handheld food saver, two items that I've been wanting for a while.  I needed some sneaker socks and a pair of sandals to replace my worn out Crocs and found them at Dicks.  Tick those items off my list and the last item was a new bathrobe.  Macy's was just around the corner and I found a 100% cotton light-weight spa robe in a size extra-small.  Mission accomplished and Denis was so good about hanging with me for the day.

I mentioned to Denis that our last stop was a grocery store but it was nearing 3:30 and he just couldn't face one more store and I was pretty worn out too.

The new windshield looks great and we settled in for another night in their parking lot.  The next morning we got an early start, stopped for our groceries and then drove about 90 miles to Crater Lake National Park.  This is our first visit here and it's probably a little late in the season but we did have clear enough weather to see the beautiful lake on our ride along the rim to the campground.

Drove into the North entrance along the rim to the South entrance

The campground has limited electrical sites and we wanted to snag one because the temperatures are dropping and we like using our electric fireplace instead of the propane.  We found a nice wooded site but it was a real challenge backing in between the trees.  Denis did a great job without mishap and we tucked in for a nice quiet night without cell, Internet or television.

The temperature dropped to 31F last night and this morning we appreciated our fireplace.  Just as predicted today is foggy and rainy.  I feel sorry for the bikers that came here to ride along the rim. We got in the car and drove a few miles along the rim looking for cell phone and Internet. We're both sitting in the car with our laptops literally on our laps taking care of business.  The fog is pretty thick and I'm glad we got to see the lake and views yesterday because it's not looking too good for today. Guess we'll check out the movie at the visitor's center.

We'll that catches you up on the last few days.  We are still up-in-the-air as to how and when we'll get the coach repairs done but at least we're heading in the right direction, that is, south and to, hopefully, warmer temperatures.  What we know for certain is that we would never recommend Guarantee RV Service in Junction City, Washington and here's why.  Customer's relations and communications is the worst we've ever experienced.  They let you stay across the street in a large parking lot with electrical hookups and they seem to forget you're there.  If you're looking for an overnight place to stay for free, this is the place for you.  However, if you're looking for RV service, I'd stay clear of this place. They have have the fluff but nothing to back it up with.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

THE JOYS OF FULL-TIME RVING

Yesterday we left the park and headed to our noon appointment to replace the broken windshield. Were we surprised that they were backed up and couldn't get to us until the next morning?  Of course not, at this point, I would have been surprised if they took us right in.   They showed us where we could park with electricity for the night and we got settled in.  After dinner, we took a walk into historic downtown Coburg.  I got to try out my new sneakers.  I can feel the difference in my balance and the alignment of my knees, back and hips ... interesting.

Trying out my new sneakers

This is the place to go if you need RV glass replacement - very reasonable 

The crack was getting longer every day

Have any of your read Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett or seen the mini-series?  I read the book a while back and when I found out they made a movie, we got the DVD.  We've been watching it for the last few nights.  This is the second time we've watched it, that's how good it is.

This morning at 7:30, the RV technician picked up our coach and said to plan on coming back around 4:00.  That surprised us because we were told it takes about 3-4 hours.  So here I sit at McDonald's checking emails and typing up this blog.

We plan on hitting a Costco and then getting outside to enjoy the sunshine.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

SAND DOLLARS, BLOODY MARYS AND TEVAS

We had a lovely afternoon walking the beach, shopping in town and sharing an appetizer.  We love walking along the soft, warm, sandy shore.  Most of the shells on the beach arrive in bits and pieces and that's why I was happily surprised to find an unbroken sand dollar.  We walked for about an hour and then went into town to walk some more.

We shared the seafood platter at the Beachcombers Pub and Grill.  We choose this restaurant because it overlooked the marina and we could sit out on the sunny patio.  I've been craving a spicy Bloody Mary made with clam juice.  The waitress made my drink from scratch with a nice fresh stalk of celery, cocktail onions and green olives.  It was delicious.  The seafood platter was all beer batter fried with an assortment of calamari, shrimp and razor clams.  It was perfect, light, crispy and not greasy.

After our snack we walked around town and bought some taffy for Denis and a small dish of Oregon Trail ice cream for me.  I've been keeping my eyes open for a quality pair of walking sneakers because the last pair I bought hurt my feet and Denis was sick of hearing about how my feet hurt every time I wore them so he threw them away.  We stopped at a store called On Your Feet With A Splash that carried Merrell, Keen and Teva.   The sales person brought out every size 7-7 1/2 she had in stock for me to try on.  What an experience!  I tried on six different makes and styles.  She was so patient and knowledgeable.  The winning pair was TevaSphere.  The manufacturer describes this shoe as a revolution on the trail -- the TeveSphere's spherical heel and support pods give you the natural motion benefits of being barefoot with the comfort and stability of a tradition shoe.  The sales person bought a pair hoping it would relieve the pain in her knee and it did.  I have the same problem and hope it works for me.  The shoes were pretty expensive but I figure it's a lot less than knee surgery.

We are still hanging around here because the parts to fix the water pump and exhaust manifolds have not yet arrived.  They tell us Workhorse parts are difficult to get since the company shut down.  I don't know!

Thanks for stopping in.  I'll post the pictures tomorrow.

HECETA HEAD LIGHTHOUSE

Yesterday was another overcast and drizzly day.  We drove along the scenic coast on US 101 with Kurt and Diane to the Heceta Head Lighthouse.  The lighthouse is 206 feet above the Pacific and has guided mariners for more than a century.  The headland was named for Don Bruno de Heceta who surveyed the Oregon coast for the Royal Spanish Navy in 1775.  Construction of the 56-foot-high lighthouse began in 1892. The stone came from the Clackamas River and the bricks from San Francisco. The assistant lightkeeper's house is now a beautiful bed and breakfast with a wonderful view of the coast.

Heceta Lighthouse

The prisms are beautiful

The U.S. Lighthouse Service first lit the five-wick kerosene lamp on March 30, 1894.  The light, amplified by a 392-prism, first-order  Fresnel lens, equaled 80,000 candle power.  Heceta is the only active British-made Chance Brothers lens of its kind in the U.S. and its the brightest beacon on the Oregon coast.  The modern 1,000 watt quartz bulb produces 2.5 million candle power.  Imagine this, the visibility of the beam is limited only by the curvature of the earth.

Damp and chilly

The assistant lightkeeper's house is now a bed and breakfast

Kurt and Diane drive a brand spanking new 41' Winnebago Adventure and the floor plan is what we dream of having one day.  We especially like the living room arrangement and spent some time last night reclining on the sofa watching a movie with full surround sound.  Very nice!

All settled in to watch a movie - view from the sofa

This morning our friends left and we said our goodbyes until we meet again.  We enjoyed hanging out with them this weekend and wish them safe travels.

Thanks for stopping in.

OUR NEW BEST FRIENDS

Even though yesterday's skies were overcast and gloomy, we had a lovely day.  Our friends, Kurt and Diane, joined us for a walk along the beach.  When we met them last year we didn't get the opportunity to get to know each other because we were leaving that day.  We exchanged emails and promised to put them on our travel blog.  They've been following us on the blog and knew we were heading their way and that's how we hooked up here in Oregon.  You know how it is, we all meet a lot of people on the road and some people you just connect with more than others.  I feel that way about Kurt and Diane.

Kurt and Diane Stewart with Bella

After our getting-to-know-each-other walk along the dunes we went back for an hour's rest before heading out for dinner.  We made reservations at the Waterfront Depot Restaurant in Florence for 5:30 and when we arrived, they couldn't find our reservation but found a table for us with a view of the river. The food, conversation and company was fabulous.  On Yelp, the restaurant had almost five stars and the comments were excellent.  The restaurant was converted from an old train depot, thus the name.

No, Denis isn't standing in a hole

It was a day to dress in layers

I took this picture to record a historic event - Everyone else is finished with their meal except Denis (for those of you who know Denis, he's usually the first one finished)  - Can you guess why he's the last?

This morning, I kept thinking about our lost reservations and had a thought.  I checked my recent calls log on the phone and, as I suspected, we made reservations but not at that restaurant.  Oops! Actually, it all worked out perfectly because from what I understand, people make reservations a week in advance.

It's raining this morning and we're on our way to church, so I need to finish.

That's for stopping in.

LOVE A HOT SAUNA ... AHHHHH!

Went for a walk last night to get the lay of the land at the campground and located the sauna at the adult lodge.  I prefer the dry sauna heat to a steam or a hot tub and jumped at the chance to give this one a try.  I liked the fact that the door was locked and you needed to get the key from the ranger. They have a private sauna in both the men's and women's restrooms near the pool.  Denis joined me in the women's sauna because it was hotter than his and it's more fun if you sauna together.  We spent about 20 minutes of sweat time and could just feel our muscles relaxing.  After a nice cool shower we settled in for the night to watch a movie.

Lots of trees and bushes at this campground

Some very tall trees

Today we went to check out the dunes, walk around the town for a bit and have lunch.  The sun didn't make an appearance today and the beach was on the cool side but completely deserted and just beautiful.  I totally forgot it was Friday and ordered a hamburg for lunch by mistake.  It was a no antibiotic or hormones black Angus hand-made burger and it was delicious. Denis got the clam chowder Florentine and a side of linguine with marinara sauce, also very good.

First time here

The sand was fine and wonderful to walk on

Pacific Ocean

We were saving a site for our friends, Kurt and Diane, because they were coming in around 4:00 today.  They have a 40' Winnebago and needed a site large enough to put out their four slides. They weaved their way in pretty good with one turn being a bit of a challenge but they're all settled in for the weekend.  We met Kurt and Diane last year in Arizona when they were walking their black pug, Bella.  We got together to make plans for tomorrow.

Ate outside on the patio with all the flowers

I ate the entire burger - can you believe it?

Took advantage of the sauna again tonight and now we're ready to settle down to a movie.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

WE ESCAPED

We escaped from our prison at the RV service center this morning.  They'll call us when the parts come in and we'll come back (it's only an hour away).  If the parts show up tomorrow, too bad, we're not going back until after the weekend.  We're staying at a campground minutes from the shore and look forward to checking out the dunes.

We have full hookups, cable, internet and 3G phone service.  We're tucked into a spacious, treed site and it's peacefully quiet.  The sun is playing hide and seek but is supposed to reveal itself tomorrow.

Here's a question for you, maybe we can take a mini-poll.  How many of you prefer to have breakfast fixings for lunch or dinner?  Personally, I'm happy with a cup of coffee and toast for breakfast.  I like making pancakes, eggs, homefries, toast for lunch or dinner.  For lunch today, we had scrambled eggs, homefries and english muffins.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

NICE DAY FOR A DRIVE

After all the rain we had in Washington, I've been looking forward to some nice warm, sunny days. Therefore, I'm not going to complain about how hot it is here in Oregon.  Thankfully, our coach air conditioning keeps us nice and cool.  But it really is too hot to sit in the sun.  

We took a drive and enjoyed learning more about the navigation, communication and entertainment systems in our Equinox.  This is the first time I got behind the wheel and I really like how it handles. The car has a lot of safety features and one of them was an eye opener for me.  I must weave when I'm driving because it kept beeping whenever I got near the middle line.  It was actually rather funny. I found the longer I drove, the better I got at not setting the beep off.

We were able to pair both phones to the hands-free blue tooth, it uploaded all our contacts and music. We played music on the XM radio and from our phone.  We set up the navigation system to a split screen which included the speed limit, time, temperature, next turn and the name of the song and artist we're listening to.  It makes you wonder how we managed to drive without all these devices.

We looked for a geocache but didn't find it.  We must be rusty from lack of practice.  We set our destination to a park hoping to find a lake or pond but we didn't find that either.  Well, it was a nice cool ride on a hot day.  

We didn't hear from the RV service guy today (communication doesn't seem to be one of their strengths) and we plan on paying him a visit in the morning.  We're thinking of taking the coach to the shore and they can call us when they're ready for us. We'll see what happens tomorrow morning.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

TWO DISCOVERIES IN ONE DAY

The RV repair driver was at our door at 8:00 this morning ready to bring our coach into the service bay.  It didn't take them long to discover the problems.  Both exhaust manifolds and the water pump need to be replaced.   Looks like we're going to leave the coach here for what could potentially be two weeks (depends on all the "what ifs" that could happen).

We're thinking of taking advantage of a TT cabin while we're waiting.

Fortunately, we are having some beautiful weather and enjoyed sitting outside today.

Oh, by the way, the Dairy Queen junk food we ate yesterday didn't cause me any discomfort. Denis was kidding with me saying that's because Dairy Queen uses all organic, non-GMO fresh ingredients. Yeah, I believe that one.

We figured out why we were both getting stomach problems.  We make a fermented drink, Kombucha, with black tea, sugar and a scoby.   You can buy it in health food stores and some grocery stores or make your own for a lot less money.  When you make Kombucha it is important to have a quiet environment and our Alaska travels have been less than quiet over all those rough roads.  I think my scoby got sick and the last batch we made was contaminated.  We had to throw it all away and won't be making it again until we settle down this winter.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

This is exactly how I felt in school - math was a challenge for me, especially word problems

SORRY, I DON'T LIKE CATERPILLARS IN MY SALAD

Last night we parked in a big, empty parking lot across from the RV repair shop.  Our thinking was that we'd be up early and be the first in line.  In the morning the parking lot was filled with employee's cars. Come to find out the camping area for RVs being serviced was just behind us.  Denis got up first and played around with the hitch.  He figured out that we didn't need the extension that was newly installed, all he needed to do was turn the original hitch around and it did the trick.  We'll return it and get a refund.

We moved the coach to the camping area and plugged in.  They have fresh water and a dump station. I hope that's not an indication of how long we'll be here.  As far as a RV service station goes, it's a nice setup.  I was just happy to see the sun and enjoyed sitting outside for a while.

I discovered tiny green caterpillars in my flat of lettuce, ugh.  I picked off four of them.  The internet said they don't like garlic or cayenne pepper.  I made up a mixture and sprinkled it on the greens. Hope it works.  Darn, I really like picking fresh greens for our daily salad and hope I can solve this problem.

We haven't been to a Dairy Queen in ages and Denis wanted a Blizzard.  We hadn't had dinner and it was already 6PM so we went there.  I'm not sure we've ever eaten anything other than ice cream at a Dairy Queen before.  I tried the original cheeseburger and Denis got a grilled chicken sandwich.  Not too bad.  The Blizzard was just as good as I remember them.   I'll be curious to see how that kind of food settles in my stomach.  I always feel guilty when I eat junk food and usually my stomach has something to say about it too.

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.

GOODBYE WASHINGTON - HELLO OREGON

I was so tired last night that I fell asleep right away (which is unusual for me) and slept through the night.  I didn't even hear Walmart's loud parking lot sweepers.  Denis got up before I did and figured out how to install a plug for the brake buddy.  Unlike our old Saturn, when you pull the towing fuse on the Equinox it shuts down everything and our brake buddy wouldn't work.  So Denis fixed that problem before I woke up.

After a long, hot shower, cup of coffee and toast, I was ready to do some shopping at Walmart.  Denis went with me and we got the job done quickly.   We attended the 10:30 mass at St. Joseph's parish. and then drove about 190 miles to the RV repair shop where we'll spend the night.  We need to have the passenger side exhaust manifold replaced and have them look at the radiator which may have a leak. I think our motor home really took a beating during our Alaska tour.

St. Joseph's Parish

We noticed a pizza place close to the repair shop and getting pizza sounded a lot more appealing than cooking.

Vegetarian thin-crust Greek pizza is one of our favorites

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.