Saturday, September 14 (continued)
Heart of the Hills Campground shows remnants of the windstorm now known as the Hannukah Eve Windstorm of 2006. Hundreds of trees fell in the campground.
Okay, today we have to deal with the fridge not working.
Right after breakfast and after a walk around the campground loop, I hitch up the Best Little Trailer and secure the interior. I had found out earlier by phone that O’Reilly’s Auto Store in Port Angeles has Optima yellow-top AGM batteries. The crew and I head into town!
Everything goes along smoothly.
Well, I have a moment of doubt whether I’m choosing the correct battery so I call Mick in Tennessee. He confirms I should get a yellow-top. I walk around the interior of O’Reilly’s gabbing and laughing with the phone at my ear, something I swore I’d never do . . . talk on a cellphone in a store, that is.
A young man removes the old battery and connects the new.
It fits into the battery compartment with no problem. Cost? $243.89 ($224.99 for the battery and $18.90 tax).
Immediately I unlock the BLT’s door. I turn on the refrigerator, wait a moment for the ignition, and bingo! The fridge is working again!
I drive around Port Angeles, familiarizing myself with the streets and shops.
You need to be alert in this town because of the one-way streets. I drive along the wharf. A big ship sits in Port Angeles Harbor. Fog hangs over the water and clouds block sunshine, so I don’t stop to take a photo. When rain starts to fall, I drive back to camp.
The campground is a wonderland after a rain.
The leaves, moss, and small plants peeking up through the moss take on a bright, yellow-green glow.
Inside the BLT, Bridget and Spike hop into bed willingly and nose around in the covers. That’s the signal for me to make sure they’re tucked in well under the quilt.
The rain on the roof acts as a sedative for the crew.
I peel some potatoes and put them in a pot to boil. I’ll have taters with chicken tenderloins for supper. I grab my book and join the crew under the covers.
Sunday, September 15
After yesterday’s rainy day, I feel it’s best if I find a place to plug in my laptop in order to post on the blog. I’ll avoid using the BLT’s 12-volt system until the solar panel has plenty of sunshine.
Where do I go for power?
The laundromat! I sort two loads of dirty laundry to take, leaving the rest of the laundry behind. That way, if the cloudy days continue, which I suspect will happen, I’ll have more laundry to justify using the laundromat’s outlets. A delightfully devious plan . . .
After the laundromat, I toodle on over to Rudy’s Automotive.
I noticed this establishment yesterday because it has lots of customers. I ask the man behind the counter if they could put in a resistor for the HVAC blower motor. I explain that I’ve already had it in a shop and received the diagnosis, but I was traveling and couldn’t come back the next day to have the resistor installed. He tells me I can come in tomorrow at one.
I ask how much the resistor will cost.
The man tells me fifty-four dollars and change. “Whoa!” I ask him if he minds me bringing a resistor in for them to install.
“It’s okay with us . . . if you can find one. Just let me know as soon as possible whether you want the one o’clock appointment for tomorrow. We’re filling up,” he replies, looking at the shop calendar.
“By the way, how much labor will the job be?” I ask.
“We charge $84.50 an hour for labor.”
“But it’s not going to take an hour to put in the resistor. It’s easy to access.”
The man asks for details about the van and then taps some keys on his computer. “It’ll take four-tenths of an hour.”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll be right back.”
I zip on down to the NAPA store and buy the resistor.
It costs $31.64 ($29.19 plus $2.45 tax). I immediately drive back to Rudy’s and confirm the appointment.
From there the crew and I go a few blocks east to Willie’s Laundromat.
At first I let the crew come in with me. Usually they sit or lie down nearby while I load the washers and type on the computer. Today they’re restless.
I put the computer back in the PTV and walk the crew up and down the street. Then they go in the PTV, so I can finish blogging inside the laundromat without being distracted. I expect the dryers to do a poor job since it’s another damp day, but I’m happily surprised when the laundry comes out hot and dry.
I hope you don’t mind today’s mundane topics.
I like to write about our adventures in their entirety. Being a full-time vagabond is fun and exciting and sometimes hilarious. Other times it’s batteries, resistors, laundromats, cloudy days, and regular stuff that we all have to deal with.
It’s nice, though, to come home to a cozy abode in a rainforest!
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON THROUGH MY LINKS!
Here’s a few of the neat items recently purchased by readers:
Nesco/American Harvest Dehydrator
Oster Professional Fast Feed Clipper with Adjustable Blade
General Tools Digital Sliding T-Bevel Gauge
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS 12MP Digital Camera
Wilson Electronics 75 Ohm Wide Band – 700-2500 MHz Directional Antenna
Think Tank Speed Demon V2.0 Waist Pack
“It’s nice, though, to come home to a cozy abode in a rainforest!”
And a working fridge… is it not?
Oh, definitely to a working fridge! Haha! Love my groceries . . .
Paul says you may want to have the brake fluid flushed and refilled sometime in the next several months since it was probably degraded when your brakes overheated. Thought I would mention it since you’re having work done. If some mechanic tells you that your brake fluid needs to be flushed they’re probably not trying to rip you off.
Two weeks till we hit the road for a month…but who’s counting? I am. I’m ready to run away for a while. Love the pictures of the PNW and the day to day adventures, trivia, etc. Stuff does need to get done and you will enjoy the AC when you head back to Arizona.
I appreciate the advice on the brake fluid, Reine. Thank Paul for me.
So you’ll be on the road for a month. I’m curious where you’re going… a rally perhaps?
How about 4 rallies with state parks in between and a visit to Paul’s mom in Austin thrown in? We’re sort of doing a loop around Texas. Some time visiting with old friends, making new friends and some alone time just relaxing, hiking and enjoying God’s country.
You can do a REAL BIG loop in Texas!!!!!!
RVSUE:
Usually your blogs are just flawless but today you forgot something – you forgot to post MICK’s telephone number for the rest of us.
My favorite blogs are your mundane ones, the simplicity.
Phyllis in Oklahoma
Hi, Phyllis,
Interesting that you enjoy the ordinary days. I’ll continue to write about them!
Yeah, everyone should have their OWN Mick (not mine!). 🙂
Hi RVSue,
Haven’t posted in awhile, but check in to read every day. Have to chime in that the mundane is a nice read for those of us considering the full-timing RV lifestyle. While it’s great fun to read of your travels, and the beauty you are experiencing, it’s the day to day that is…well…educational. I think I may have said it in a post a few months ago (if I didn’t say it, I was thinking it :-), you have quite an audience, and you are affecting lives here. Good on you. Safe travels.
Eileen in Phoenix
Hi Eileen,
I’ve strayed from writing about everyday things like I used to. I appreciate the feedback and will keep it in mind in the future.
I didn’t see this exchange.
Mundane chores while on the road are a little less mundane to us folks still sitting. With your lifestyle played out on this blog some people might forget that it’s not all ferry rides & sitting in the chair at the river reading.
Crescent lake is not too far down the road as I recall, it was a pleasant place.
Hi Rob,
I’m looking forward to Crescent Lake as I’ve heard it is breathtaking.
Your first paragraph touches on a concern I have for some of my readers who plan to full-time. That’s why I include stuff that’s not so much fun.
I’m having such a great time… due to serendipity, good luck, the Good Lord, some say karma … that I hope a “follower” doesn’t develop unrealistic expectations. My long run of incredibly good experiences doesn’t mean one (including me) won’t have a spate of bad stuff happen.
And on that down note, have a nice day! 🙂
Lake Crescent is one part of the peninsula that I hope you can see in the sun. Spectacular!
Lake Crescent was unforgettably beautiful. Each and every campsite is gorgeous. The ranger told us that there was a spotting of bobcats “over the ridge.” Well, that’s fine with me, because I’m happiest if I have something to worry about!
$225 for a battery!!! Holy moly, you can tell it’s been a looooong time since I bought a new battery. LOL
Hi, Nancy,
Ah, but this is the creme de la creme of batteries!
Wow..that much tax!! In Oregon, we pay no sales tax…just sayin…
we’re vacationing in Oregon right now, and am LOVING the ‘non-tax’ items we’ve bought…a computer and tires among other things 😀
I’ll probably buy tires in Oregon, too!
Hi Sue! Les Schwab Tire is GREAT place in the PNW to buy tires. Good prices and excellent service. Wish we were close to one now, need tires for Geris TrailBlazer.
Thanks, Chuck.
I know, Jan. That’s the way it goes… the battery died in Washington.
Miss Sue?
You have probably noticed the Les Schwab Tire companies around… they are a west coast company. They are a REALLY good source in the west for tires and such… Just sayin’. They are really good at backing warranties and are all through OR and WA. Of course you may choose a more national group since you are all over… just wanted to let you know they are really good.
Glad you got that cream puff battery installed (how do they DO that?) and all is good.
Hugs from Hoquiam!
Barb
Thanks, Barb. I have seen that company. I appreciate any advice re: tires…. They are so important!
Have to say I go with Discount Tires. They’re great in all the same ways as Schwab, but the have a much bigger selection, amd frequently have sales or rebates. I believe Les Schwab only sells their own proprietary tires. (Correct me if I’m wrong).
On lonely Hwy 50 we blew a tire on our trailer an hour east of Fallon. We went to Les Schwab and they were great to work with. Recommend them if you need tires on the west coast.
Thanks, SFM.
Hello Sue,
From one adventurer traveler to another I want to thank you for sharing your life with us. I first found your blog researching Casita campers a couple of weeks ago. I started at the beginning and am currently in August of 2012 around the time Buddy finds his new home. Your adventures and insight have been a wonderful, quite the inspiration. I am a GA. girl too. My Father and Grandparents are from Winder. I live in Rabun County now and hopefully in the next year or so I won’t have a year-round physical address. My plan is to take my family (wonderful husband, outstanding daughter(9) and brilliant son(6)) away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life; in a Casita! I want something more… for them (and me). Your blog has been an invaluable resource! I would like to share with you a few of my favorite and MOST special places.
Slough Creek Campground in Yellowstone – small primitive- no generators- wake up at 4 am to follow rangers east to find wolves
La Push Washington (not quite boondocking but the scenery is worth the human interaction)- don’t go in summer
Petersville rd AK – go to The Forks Roadhouse turn right- 2 miles on left- best view of McKinley without the crowds
Hualapai Indian Reservation – South Rim Grand Canyon – Hwy 66 to Buck Doe Rd to Plain Tank rd.- we were in a Jeep last few miles pretty rough- A view of the canyon with no one around
From Chama NM off hwy 64 East near Brazos Peak great place to see Elk I just can’t remember the Rd name- will get my other half to help later if you would like… I was lucky enough to see a bull elk 100 yards away
Once again thank you for sharing I hope to meet you on the road one day.
Ivy
Whoa, 4 people in a Casita. 🙂 🙂
You know the saying… “Less is more”. We like being on top of each other, that we won’t miss anything.
Whoa — these children won’t be 9 and 6 forever — go ASAP — and make precious memories and laugh many years later about how one person had to step outside so the other one could step inside! And there is no magic like home schooling! It is an honor to be your child’s schoolteacher! Been there — bless God — done that!
That’s what I thought. More power to them, if they can make it work.
Hi, Ivy,
I so glad you found my blog! Welcome!
Wow… Winder is close to my old house in Athens. In fact, a few days before I hit the road to pick up the BLT in Texas, I sat in the Winder Burger King saying goodbye to a friend and co-worker over a dish of ice cream.
Thanks for the many suggestions. I’m sure my readers will appreciate the tips,too.
You must have a close-knit, adaptable family to consider living in a Casita together! Best wishes to you . . . I hope to hear from you again.
Thank you for the welcome. Our family is quite close. We did 15 nights out of a Suburban touring Yellowstone/ Jackson this summer as a ‘test’. At the end no one wanted to come home. The only complaint from the kids were that the they missed their dogs. So I guess I’ll have to find room for a german shepherd and dachshund. I plan that the Casita will be the kids bed and schoolroom (and our emergency shelter). We will also utilize the back of an f-150 including extra bed for my husband and I.
Thank you again Sue for being an inspiration. Better get back to reading can’t wait to see what is in store for you over the next year.
Ivy
Hi Sue,
Good job on the Resistor and the diagnosis on the fridge/inverter/battery problem. Glad you got it all fixed up.
I am a bit surprised that you chose an auto parts store for a battery. They tend to be a bit pricey. A friend recently saved 40 bucks buying his battery at Sams Club instead of your AP store. And they did the installation also.
I have been buying the T145 6v golf cart batteries there for several years. They are the least inexpensive. I run 4 of them in my MH to handle the boondocking.
I’m so proud of you checking out the labor cost and sticking to your guns on providing the part. Hope that goes well.
Mike
Hi Mike,
You’re surprised I didn’t go to a Sam’s Club? The nearest Sam’s Club (of which I’m not a member) is in Seattle!
That brings up an important point about living on the road. One can’t always do things the “best” way. One has to do things the most expedient way. When I pay more for an item or service (like high prices in a grocery store), I may grumble a bit, but I chalk it up to the cost of living the way I do.
I figure I’m coming out way ahead.
I appreciate the compliment in your last paragraph. Unfortunately, I don’t believe it’s going to go as well as you hope, as I’ll explain in a blog post.
Ohhh that is an ominous statement… concerned!
The gas prices in WA are all over the map-but there are some ways of ‘gettin’ round it’. Not sure if you are a costco member, but there are several on I-5 between Lacey and Eugene–easy on and off spots… If you get gas at Safeway, be careful, they sorta ‘hide’ the 10cent fee in some places–which looks good can be ‘not so good’. Arco seems to be great here in the harbor, depending on if you pay with debit,etc. Any transaction on a credit card adds 10 cents. And of course when you get to OR you have to let them pump for you… very weird now even for a gal who learned to drive in OR!
I LOVE to hunt out problems on vehicles… mechanics have said I have x-ray hearing when it comes to a ‘ting’.
Good luck with the AC. I can’t imagine not having it–I am so spoiled in my car!
Looking at RAIN this weekend here on the coast. Sad to say. The harvest moon has been fabulous. My own garden blessed me with nearly 30 artichokes (from 2 plants!) and multitudes of roma toms. I am trying to get the courage to make friend green tomatoes with Romas. They are sure small! LOL
Hugs from Sunny So FAR! Hoquiam,
Barb
Don’t you just love the rain forest on a misty damp day? So many tourists come in summer, and they do get good weather. But they don’t get to experience that green/gold glow. So glad you’re enjoying it it.
So you know what I’m talking about with the rainforest glow! It’s magical!
I want to see the PNW rainforest glow!
I have been reading your posts for about a year now, and when you entered Washington (my home state) I have been having so much fun reading about your experiences. I love my state and am excited that you are experiencing the beauty of the Olympic Penninsula….my favorite place in the whole state. I am loving your pictures as well…we live in Central washington (Ephrata) and retired here to escape the constant rain of the Snoqualmie/North Bend area, but seeing your pictures has made me nostalgic. I can smell the air…the trees….the ground……that is what i miss. I dont miss the almost constant rain, but the beauty of the area can’t compare. take care, and I can’t wait to see where you go next!
Hi, Barb,
Oh dear… running out of charge on my laptop. I’ll have to write later.
Okay, I’m back. It’s a sunny, almost cloudless day… Hip hip hooray!
Glad you’re having fun, Barb, reading about the places you love. . .
My husband & I love the Port Angeles area and reading this post reminds me of our good times there. A cozy trailer in a rain forest is so appealing to me and your life is one so many might envy.
I am glad you were able to solve your trailer problems, that things are working as they should and that I’ll be able to read even more about your journeys. “…a cozy abode in a rain forest.” Be still my heart !
Hi, Kathy B,
It’s my pleasure to share the Port Angeles area with you. There is so much to see and do here. I’ll only touch on a small slice of P.A. life. I’m writing this as I sit in the PTV with a view of Port Angeles Harbor in front of me.
Now be still, your heart! 🙂
The wet weather does make for beautiful pictures for us to look at. Not great for the person who lives it.
Smart lady getting your own part! Lucky that you found a garage that would install it for you. Worked out for you!! Good job:)
Not great, maybe, for someone who lives here, but, as for me, I enjoy every day. I spend a lot of days in the desert which makes rain a pleasure, except for the solar panel!
I LOVE reading about your mundane stuff! Your life is anything but mundane, girl! Glad the electronics all worked out fine. What a survivor you are! Hip-hopping from one establishment to another; having the wisdom to notice the best repair place in town, etc. Thanks for the heads-up on where to get the blue top for my very little trailer (VLT) next spring. Enjoy the day!
Hi, Diann,
I’m aware of a sixth sense developing . . . the ability to spot an obscured potable water spigot, a hidden dump station, a busy auto repair shop, a place that sells propane, and, of course, roads the lead to great boondocks!
You probably would get a good deal on a blue-top from Amazon.
Bet Spike is running low on water soaks.
Spike is being soaked with rain instead!
A book I think you’d love, or your readers would love, is “the Curve of Time” by M. Wylie Blanchet.
It’s a memoir by a woman who, for many years in the ’20s and ’30s, packed her kids and dog into a 25 ft boat and explored the Britis Columbia Coast. This area is still remote now, but then it was practically uncharted. She was an independant self sufficient woman, singlehandedly she was skipper navigator and engineer.
Most importantly she is a beautiful writer of memoir (and nowadays I think she’d have blogged!). And definitely a kindred spirit.
There are lots of people who are “full timers” but living in small boats. I’ve never been a boat person, but her book makes you want to do it. You really experience what it’s like, or was like back then. It’s a riveting story!
I’m intrigued by this lady… No, I’m not a boat person either. I laugh when people call me brave and adventurous. I’m nothing compared to some women.
I think I may have to read the book “The Curve of Time”. I could be a boat person if I did not have to get out of sight of land. Hope to be full-time traveling in something that moves someday. I’m not picky; RV, boat, car, truck, whatever, just so it goes where I want it to go. I don’t comment much, but I am still out here reading everyday. If you don’t blog that day, I read comments. If there are no new comments I read old blogs or old comments. Love the pictures and the mundane. Be safe
Hi, Jean,
Glad to learn you are enjoying my blog to the fullest! LOL
Sue, it’s the posts about the mundane activities that keep your blog real and not just the Pollyanna ‘life is wonderful’ that some blogs tend to be. I appreciate your telling us about the everyday things, as well as the unexpected emergencies and difficulties. They give us armchair travelers a more balanced picture of what vagabond life is really like.
I just got home from working out in our 95 degree heat, and your photos are helping me to cool down and relax.
And isn’t it great to have someone you can call for expert advice? I’m slowly developing my network of experts – sprinkler system, electrical, plumber, etc – and it’s such a relief to find people you can trust and who charge reasonable rates.
Hi, Cari,
I forget that there are people in this country who are still dealing with temps in the 90s and above. I’ve been in cool weather for several weeks.
Yes, it’s easy to idealize the full-time RVing life. We vagabonds have problems and unexpected expenses, too. I’ve been blessed with a minimum of those, although I suspect I’ll get my share eventually. Enjoy the good days and cope with the bad . . . 🙂
I think the mundane are interesting for people that are considering this way of life. How to do the things that we take for granted when we live in a stationary home with a laundry here, big cupboards, big freezer and fridge, where you have space for every possible appliance if you choose to live that way. I’ve thought a lot about the things I’d give up if I lived small, and most of these discussions in my head started by reading something in your blog. It’s good to figure out some of the reality (don’t think it’s possible to know all of the reality till you’re in it) of full timing before you break out and make that big step.
Hi, Dawn,
I want to help people “figure out some of the reality” of full-timing on a budget… How to live on less and enjoy life more. It’s possible to get a lot out of life without a lot of money, but it does require self-control. I post my monthly expenses to help people understand how I do it.
Which reminds me… I need to get those reports caught up!
Thanks for posting the mundane & boring. We all know sh*t happens. As far as buying your batteries at an Auto Parts store, sometimes we are willing to pay for convenience?
I thought AGM was a brand name, but after researching…realized it was a TYPE of battery. AGM=Absorbed Glass Mat (sealed) battery. Thanks for the edumacation.
The pics and story of your very well behaved doggies on the ferry was precious 🙂
Hi, Patti,
Of course, I have to do business where I’m at. Sometimes it means paying a lot more. So be it. I’m frugal but I don’t want to waste time fooling around trying to save a few bucks. There’s too much I want to see and do!
Thank you, on behalf of the crew, for the compliment. Bridget and Spike were at their best that day.
Hi Sue! Count me in as another who enjoys both the everyday mundane stories along with the exciting adventurous ones. As others have noted, it’s really helpful for those of us who aspire to follow a similar path. 🙂
I’ll keep that in mind, Linda. I have more blog space for the everyday stuff during the winter when I don’t travel very much. So stick with us!
Oh Sue that picture of the fallen tree’s gave me a flashback, farther north and a lil’ east of where you are now, I and some friends went camping once (a long time ago), we’d gone fishing and been enjoying a nice day a wind come up it got really loud in the trees (fortunately it was still daylight) then all of a sudden the tree’s started falling all around us, so many of them… That was soo frightening.. UP SHOT is noone got hurt and there was one lil’ trail road not blocked to escape from…
So enjoy seeing the foliage and all your pictures, can totally visualize and smell how you describe it after a rain, have not seen so many shades of green since living there…
You keeping it real is what is so wonderful about following your vagabond life (blog), look forward to every post!!! 🙂
T~
Tawanda! What a scare! I know the thunderous sound of a tree falling to the ground. One is terrifying… I can’t imagine if they were falling all around.
The “many shades of green” . . . another way of saying Pacific Northwest. 🙂
I love your enthusiasm for my blog… keeps me motivated.
Pacific Northwest /Canadian Southwest
(I exchanged your link, Rand, for one of mine.)
Wonderful corners of the world..
An artist that loved the area was Emily Carr.
Another good book recommendation;
“The Forest Lover, Susan Vreeland’s subject is the courageous Canadian painter Emily Carr, who traveled through native villages and wilderness of British Columbia in the early 1900s, often alone, on a quest to paint totem poles and other artifacts before the indigenous traditions died out and the poles were destroyed or sold. Vreeland’s Carr is deeply respectful of the people she meets, and is rewarded with their trust and their stories” quote from Amazon.
The Forest Lover
Hi, Rand,
Always nice to see you appear here. It seems like such a long time ago that we both camped at Fortuna Pond and you crawled under the BLT to ooh and ahh over her waste tanks. 🙂
I love to read about a person who has/had a single-minded purpose in life. Thanks for the suggestion.
Mundane is Ms. Minimal approved! I love all of your adventures. I do have a question. Do you have moisture issues in your camper staying in the rain forest?
Blog on, RV Sue & crew!
PS. That was one expensive battery!
Hi, Ms. M,
No, I haven’t had any moisture issues. Probably because it’s still warm enough for me to have windows open. Right now the percolator is perking and the windows are steamed up. It goes away quickly.
About the battery… You get what you pay for and you pay for where you get it. 🙂
Congratulations on the new battery & working frig, Sue! I agree with folks here–all of your blog entries are enjoyable! I like knowing how the Crew is (or is it are?) doing. Enjoyed your comment about living in a rainforest. We live at the end of the road on Camano Island (beautiful place NW of Everett) & one year while we were at Moclips over on the coast, I suggested we visit the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympia NP. I laughed when my husband reminded us that we lived in a rainforest! My Mom & Dad used to live down on the Oregon Coast near Lincoln City & one year they had 200″ of rain! It’s not inaccurate (or a misspelling) to tell folks we live in the Northwet! Take good care, Sue! Ear scritches to the Crew!
Hi, Dawn,
I’m going to look up to see where Camano Island is. I must be beautiful if it compares to the Hoh rain forest.
I can tell I’m going to get my Dawn readers mixed up, so be prepared. LOL
I’m glad you enjoy my blog!
Emily Carr is definitely another early role model for us vagabonds.
While her paintings are interesting, her lifestyle is fascinating,
Check out this photo of her in caravan!
http://tinyhouseontario.com/2012/02/05/emily-carr-another-tiny-houser/emily-carr-caravan/