On The Road

“I’m on my way from misery to happiness today, aha, aha, aha, aha…”  The Proclaimers

In some ways, every day is a day of discovery. Unless one has an all-seeing crystal ball, one never really knows what the future will bring. While it can be comforting to stay cocooned at home, not until we get out of the box can we more fully discover and experience the beauty and complexity of our world. This post is about Betty and my current out-of-the-box adventure.

It must be said that our present travels are not without trepidations. It has been almost exactly a year since my last post. Health issues sidelined us, requiring the rental of an apartment in Winnipeg to rest, recuperate, and undertake many medical appointments. Our wonderful adult children donated back enough furniture so we could live comfortably, and we were most fortunate for support in finding a well-maintained, quiet, friendly building for the recovery period. 

My oncologist, rheumatologist, and family doctor have all given the green light for our travels, but on the road we will still discover whether I can sustain the rigours of our planned adventure. My most recent bone scan, CT scan, numerous blood tests, and colonoscopy were all encouraging (although I wouldn’t encourage anyone to have the latter unless absolutely necessary – LOL). The docs have prescribed enough medications (with the exception of a new arthritis drug) to last for the next six months. However, because of our missing crystal ball we have chosen to maintain our wonderful, furnished apartment, in case I need to curtail travels and make a speedy trip back to the cocoon. 

Health is not the only marker on our road to discovery. Readers of this blog may recall that our old motorhome gave us quite a bit of grief on our last few adventures. A number of times we lost substantial power going through the Rocky Mountains, and spent many thousands of dollars to keep it roadworthy.  Over the past summer we finally got our three slide-outs functioning properly (yeah!!) and had our fuel pump replaced. Our friend Gordie at Town & Country campground replaced the motor connected to our automatic steps so they fully extend and retract. It could have been catastrophic if we tried to drive off when they hadn’t retracted. We are so thankful for Gordie’s expert ability to replace and repair a number of issues with the motorhome and Smart car. 

Just as we don’t fully test our own limits until we get out in the world, Betty & I took our motorhome on a couple of short trips during the summer to check its performance. It had been parked for over a year, so we ventured out for an enjoyable weekend at Winnipeg Beach Provincial Park, and to a Family Motor Coach Association rally in Austin, Manitoba. One of our hydraulic levelers failed to retract at the Austin campground, and a fellow FMCA member was able to get it working again. That is exactly the kind of problem you don’t want to discover when on the road!

Another issue to discover relates to our ability to communicate. No, I’m not talking about Betty and my deliberations – that is a lifelong journey! LOL. While in Winnipeg we reduced our cellular service, as we had good wi-fi at both the apartment and the campground. But on the road we would need extended coverage. Betty & I upgraded to Canada-U.S. cell phone plans, with the hopes we could effectively communicate with family and friends while away. So far we have discovered that Betty’s cell service is connecting, but unfortunately my newer phone is not connecting to the cell service. That, and a number of other electronic bugs are still to be resolved.

We transferred some funds in our bank account from Canadian to U.S. currency, and topped up our U.S. bank account. However, Betty’s U.S. updated debit card didn’t arrive until after we left, and mine didn’t seem to work when I tested it at a U.S. atm. So that’s another issue that will need addressing when I get cell service again. In the meantime, our U.S. Mastercard seems to be working just fine…

Since most of us have become so reliant on Internet access, we stopped at a Verizon store in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and reactivated our Verizon jetpack. It provides 100 GB/ month so we can map out our route and Google possible campgrounds and other points of interest along our journey. When it comes time to prepare blog posts, I transfer pictures from Betty & my cell phones to add to the shots taken with my Nikon camera. This works fine in most places, but we are currently situated in a very picturesque but isolated Kentucky State Park, with little to no cell service, and definitely no Internet access. Having grown up without such conveniences, it’s not the end of the world – but it means that this post won’t be uploaded until we re-enter civilization again. LOL.

Our travels have been most enjoyable to date. We left Winnipeg on Oct. 14/23 and had an uneventful border crossing (thank goodness, as one never knows what the focus will be!) After restocking our fridge with fruit and vegetables, we had a quiet night in the Grand Forks Walmart parking lot.  Yes, this was only a short drive south, but we have decided that a three hour drive each day is just fine. Why rush, we’re retired!

From North Dakota Betty & I made our way to the headwaters of the Mississippi River, at Minnesota’s Itasca State Park. Our plan had been to more or less follow the river down to its mouth at New Orleans, where it flows into the Gulf of Mexico. But there are no roads that exactly parallel the river. We had written away and received maps of the Great River Road – “a National Scenic Byway Along the Mississippi River”.  For most of the way, the river forms the boundary between 10 states along its path.  A green “Pilot’s Wheel” designates the featured roads.  All have points of contact with the river, but most are also minor routes that significantly diverge from the waterway. Each state provides information about points of interest along the river.

Obviously, taking a boat would be the best way to discover this mighty geographical feature. We found the roads on either side to be generally well maintained, but after a few days the twists and turns, ups and downs, deceleration into small towns and acceleration after, became a little tiresome. For sure it is far more scenic than our previous Interstate trips straight south from Winnipeg to South Padre Island – our winter destination. But it became a much longer journey with a little more stress on our old bodies and coach. As a result, we have cheated a bit (don’t tell anyone – LOL) and have sought pleasant, non-Interstate, but more direct routes south.

From Itasca State Park we drove 3 hours to a Sauk Rapids, Minnesota Walmart, and the next day on to Nelson Landing RV Park in Wisconsin.

Our next segment took us to the Mystique Casino parking lot (another free stay) at Dubuque, Iowa, and then the next day to free overnight parking at a Litchfield, Illinois Walmart. From there we made another 3 hour drive to the beautiful Arrowhead Lake Campground in Johnston City, Illinois.

Betty and I are now enjoying Columbus-Belmont State Park on the extreme west side of Kentucky (our state number 44. Yeah!!). Our site overlooks the Mississippi River, and we can relax here for four days, before heading out on the next phase of our adventure. 

Betty & I are still in the early stages of this overlandish odyssey – on our road to discovery. But so far we are happy to sing along with the Proclaimers: “We are on our way from misery to happiness today – aha, aha, aha, aha.”

Cheers!

“…No I haven’t the need for the pain
No I haven’t got time for the pain
I haven’t got room for the pain No, No, No
I haven’t got need for the pain No, No, No
I haven’t got time for the pain
I haven’t got room for the pain
The time for the pain is over.”   Carly Simon

These days I’m in full agreement with Carly Simon: I haven’t the need for the pain!    Notwithstanding the constant “molten lava” flowing down my arm (as the Shingrix for Shingles commercial says), I haven’t got time for this pain! It’s been three weeks, and the meds I’m taking to combat it are leaving me dizzy & dopey. (Although Betty wonders if that isn’t just my normal self. Lol.)  And the pain doesn’t seem to want to go away…

Betty googled the contributing factors to Shingles, and they include age (check), compromised immune system (check), recent surgery (check) and stress (check). I didn’t ever think I’d get it, so never considered the Shingrix vaccine. The doc says I’ll have a natural immunity for the next year, but could get the vaccine after that. Among other vaccines, Betty will be looking for this one soon.

On the topic of our last post “Should we stay or should we go?”, the oncologist says stay, the rheumatologist says stay, my brother the doctor says stay, Betty the nurse says stay, our kids and grandkids say stay, and our friends say stay. And I say I can’t wait to get to the Arizona winter sun! Lol.

Ok, I’m outvoted, and recognize that my current unstable health condition would be very problematic if we were to go. 

Betty & I haven’t lived in an apartment since the 1970’s, and as recently as a couple of months ago, if you had asked either of us, we would have said no to moving into an apartment. Our home on wheels is our home, and we have been more than happy with the freedom it has brought.

But under the circumstances, winterizing our motorhome (which we swore never to do again) and moving into an apartment in Winnipeg for the next six or seven months is the better option. 

So the “Ramblin’ Reddochs” travel blog is going to have to go on hiatus for the next while. Since we started full-timing five years ago, I have enjoyed posting well over 200 entries about our overlandish odyssey. But for the next while our travels will be limited to uninteresting visits to grocery stores, doctors, and hospitals – definitely nothing travel blogworthy…

Here’s hoping that you haven’t the need for the pain, and can carry on enjoying whatever life brings your way!

Cheers!   

“Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know…”    The Clash

All year, Betty & I have planned on leaving the inevitable Winnipeg winter for the warmth of the Arizona desert sun, toward the end of October. Campsites around us are quickly emptying, and large flocks of Canada geese overhead constantly gaggle the message: It’s time to go.

We have already celebrated Thanksgiving, along with five October birthdays. A great time – including a delicious turkey dinner with full trimmings – was had by all at Andrew’s home. And Betty (Mom) gifted everyone with handmade, sparkling, brightly coloured Christmas socks, to be worn in December. Now it should be time to go!

On the other hand, I still have a CT scan happening today, and a bone scan scheduled for later this month. An Androgen Deprivation Therapy injection will come this week. Meetings with the rheumatologist and family doctor are booked for the next few weeks, and the oncologist won’t predict the need for future cancer treatments until after he sees the scan results. On top of all that, I came down with a painful case of shingles last week. And it may take up to a month to clear. Aahh, so much uncertainty!!

If we go there can be trouble, because my health is not stabilized and I would be unable to get travel health insurance. In the event of a health issue, I would either have to fly back, or we would need to turn our home quickly north. Uninsured health treatment in the U.S. can be bankrupting!

If we stay it will be double, because all Manitoba campgrounds close at the end of October. We would need to winterize our motorhome – which we never wanted to have to do again – and find a place to live until my health issues are resolved.

Can we find short-term, furnished accommodation (that accepts Charlie)? Or will we have to rent an apartment and ask our kids to move furniture in for us?  Can we leave in November or December, or will we need to stay until April? Everything is up in the air until I have a clear prognosis.! 

“So come on and let me know, should we stay or should we go…”

Cheers anyway!

“One thing can be to another
It doesn’t take any sacrifice
Oh, Father and Mother
And sister and brother
If it feels nice
Don’t think twice

Just shower the people you love with love
Show them the way that you feel
Things are gonna work out fine
If you only will
Do as I say

Shower the people you love with love
Show them the way that you feel
Things are gonna be much better
If you only will…”       James Taylor

I am struggling a bit with this blog post. Usually, the posts are written as a free flow of reflections on Betty and my uplifting experiences throughout our marvelous travel adventures.  The title and excerpt from a James Taylor song point to a fabulous evening we shared with our sons and daughters this week. For sure it is the highlight of this post, but there are other events that crowd my mind and try to focus me in a different direction. I could/ should choose to share the great, uplifting part, and ignore the rest. We might have to read to the end of this post to see which way I went. Lol

Last year (Sept. 2021 post), Betty & I had a family experience for the first time in decades. We forever love getting together with our adult children, their partners, and our grandchildren. With 12 to 14 people around the dinner table, there are always a variety of lively conversations as we catch up on everyone’s lives. But the dynamics are significantly different from our earlier daily meals with our four growing children. Those formative years created unique memories – good, bad, and otherwise – that can be shared again with the benefit of age, and hopefully gained maturity and wisdom. With 20-20 hindsight, we can now laugh at the seemingly earth-changing dramatic experiences we all lived through. And as our kids have kids, we can now see who is a chip off the old block. Or to put it another way: “What goes around, comes around.” Lol

I won’t go into detail about our reminisces, but suffice to say it was a calming, centering, peaceable experience to shower the people we love with love, and show them the way that we feel.  Truly uplifting for all of us!

Ok, that could be the end of a short post, but I would be remiss not to mention the recent, kind help from two fellow campers. We have had motorhome slide-out issues for almost a year now. A mobile RV repair guy in Nanaimo, BC spent much of last winter trying to fix our living-room slide problem, to no avail. I had been told in Twin Falls, Idaho that we needed a new slide controller, and had purchased one. A mobile RV repair guy in Winnipeg examined the slide controller connections – a real spaghetti mess of wiring in a very awkward location– and we lost control of our two bedroom slides. 

Thankfully, Gordie and Jeff were patient enough to trace all of the many wiring connections, and get our bedroom slides operating again. We still have an issue with our living room slide, but their time and effort was much appreciated!

So I’m not going to go into the depth of my distracted mind, but a follow-up with the oncologist last week suggested that the surgery in June may not have removed all of the cancer. Scar tissue from the operation caused a blockage from my bladder, and after removal of the obstruction I am now back to wearing a foley catheter. He is scheduling further tests for this week to see if the cancer may have spread into my bones, and is setting me up for hormone therapy, known as Androgen Deprivation Therapy, for the next few years, or indefinitely…

Betty & I are still hoping to travel to Arizona next month for the winter, but our plans keep getting clouded in uncertainty. We can only take life as it comes, knowing that we rest in the palms of God’s hands, and remembering the inspiring words of James Taylor: “Shower the people you love with love. Show them the way that you feel. Things are gonna be much better If you only will…”       

Cheers!

As Forest Gump might say: “The weather is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get!” Around the world we are seeing and hearing reports of extreme heat, droughts, floods, landslides, tornadoes, and all manner of other climate change calamities. Forecasts can change quickly, so it makes it a little more difficult to plan ahead for our travels. Fortunately for us, August in Manitoba has been quite a pleasant month – despite a few torrential rain storms that have temporarily flooded our campground. Here’s a bit of an update.

While there is much more that could be said about August in Manitoba, this gives a brief picture of what the month has been like. The leaves are starting to fall at our campsite, and we are preparing our home on wheels for a winter trip south. Forest Gump reminds us that we never know what the weather, or life, will bring, but our hope is that we can enjoy our times together with family and friends, wherever we may be found.

Cheers!

TO RECOVERY

To any who may be wondering (or wandering and wondering…) last month’s surgery to remove prostate cancer appears to have been a success. After a week in hospital with jello as my main breakfast, lunch and dinner intake, I was ready for real food again. Thankfully, Betty & I recently enjoyed the meal I had been dreaming about during that stay: lamb chops & prosciutto-wrapped asparagus on the barbie, topped in fresh mint sauce from our garden. Yeah, I’m alive again! We meet next week with the oncologist to receive the full pathology report, but all signs so far seem favourable. He wants to monitor my situation for the next five years, with initial meetings every three months, but I’m off to a good start on the road to recovery!

It’s been a tremendous blessing to have the support of our family and friends, especially in this past month. Each of our adult sons and daughters has stepped up to offer and provide help with the day-to-day issues that we otherwise take for granted, from installing our add-a-room to mowing our grass, to giving much-needed healing hugs. Friends have dropped by to help kick-start our air conditioning, replace the noisy muffler on our Smart, and take care of our yard work, ensuring the health of our plants and flowers. Evening campfires have provided warmth and encouragement, and favourite food drop-offs have contributed to accelerated rehab.  How wonderful it is to have these caring connections!

Betty & I have been blessed with good health for nearly all our lives. While purchasing travel health insurance has always been part of our trip planning process, the issue of health has never played a prominent role. When the insurance forms asked “have you ever…?” or “do you have…?” the answer has always been “no, no, no.”  Going forward, things may be a little different…

Until now, these have been the main trip planning considerations:

• Destination:  Where do we want to go, and what would we like to see along the way?
• Timing: How much time do we want to take, considering special family events & provincial and national requirements related to citizenship, taxes, and health insurance coverage? (eg.: no more than 180 days/year in the U.S. and no more than 5 months out of province.)
• Weather: What can we expect the weather to be at our destination and along the way? We prefer to stay close to 21c or 70f, so that gets factored in. I find the website weatherspark.com to be a helpful tool in trip planning. One can easily choose country, state or province, local city, and time of year, drilling down from average yearly to monthly to daily temperatures and other weather issues at each location.
• Budget: For each of our trips so far, we have registered odometer readings at the beginning and end of the journey, and compared those to the accumulated daily distance calculations between each of our proposed stops. So we have a fairly accurate picture of how far we proposed to travel, and how far we actually went. We have been able to compare those with proposed fuel costs, and actual costs, and have a fairly accurate sense of what the fuel costs will be (notwithstanding current fluctuations). Our accommodation costs have decreased as we have transitioned more from campground stays to boondocking, but our maintenance costs have increased as our vehicles have aged. As time goes by we have a reasonable expectation of what it can cost us for each proposed adventure.
• Health: As mentioned, until now we have taken our health for granted, and it has not been a significant consideration in trip planning. But our recent experience has underscored that – without good health – none of the rest is possible! Wow, what a revelation!
• Other factors: This isn’t an exhaustive list of travel planning considerations. Some can be expected, and others – for better or worse – are unexpected. That is why all plans need to be made in jello, with the journey contributing as much to the adventure as the destination.

Ok, for now I’ve had enough jello. The pain from surgery is subsiding and I’m on the road to recovery.  Starting to get to the preparation of being on the road to the next adventure on our overlandish odyssey. Our prayers go out for your health and happy travels through life also!

Cheers!

In 2017 Betty & I set a goal of visiting the 48 contiguous states and 10 Canadian provinces in 5 years. We sold our home in Winnipeg and went all in as full-time RVers – travelling in our 2005 Georgie Boy CruiseMaster and towing our little Smart car on behind. As chronicled in over 200 blog posts, since Dec. 27/17 we have toured 43 states and 9 provinces in what has become known as our overlandish odyssey. It’s been a marvelous adventure! 

There have been a few roadblocks and detours along the way. Most notably, travel restrictions related to the coronavirus meant that the U.S. border was closed for most of 2020 and 2021. From March 2020 – when we made a hasty return from Arizona, until April 2022 – when we crossed over from Vancouver Island into Washington State – our travels were all within Canada, which wasn’t a bad thing since there is so much to see and do in this vast country!

Our last few posts have told of problems with our motorhome and Smart car, which we hope are now largely resolved. The aging automobiles have carried us well on our journeys and (fingers crossed) they still have at least a few years left. Due to mechanical and health issues, we missed out on visiting Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming on our way back from Vancouver Island. So we look forward to covering those states this fall or next spring – either on our travels to or from our winter destination in Quartzsite, Arizona.

If anyone’s counting, that still leaves two states – Kentucky and West Virginia – to visit on a future adventure through the Great Smoky Mountains, down the Blue Ridge Parkway to a winter on the Gulf coast. On another trip, we hope to fly to Newfoundland and rent a type B or B+ motorhome for a tour of that rugged rock, ticking off the last of our 10 provinces and 48 states.

But as noted in an October 2021 post, our travel plans are best made in jello. There are many factors beyond our control that need to be considered. One such matter is putting us temporarily out of commission for a while: I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and am scheduled for surgery tomorrow to remove it. While I am expected to be out of service this summer, the prognosis is good, and we hope to be on the road again to visit the remaining states and province. 

These last few years have underlined for Betty and me the transitory nature of life on this earth. For us, we have not been content to finish our lives in an easy chair in front of a TV screen, watching the world go by. We have reached out to engage with our family and others on our planet – living to the fullest. Even if events put us out of commission for a while, our hope and prayer is that you and we can continue to experience a meaningful, joyous, marvelous adventure for years to come!

Cheers!

After leaving Twin Falls, Idaho, our plan had been to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, then head east to Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming (featured in the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”) and nearby Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, before heading north into Manitoba.

But due to unexpected delays in Idaho, we decided to head north and east on Interstate 94 through Montana, leaving the national parks for a future visit.

Our old friend, Norm Cartier, who Betty went to Sunday School with, and I shared a house with in Toronto, has been recuperating from a stroke in Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan. So after crossing from Montana into western North Dakota, we decided to head due north for a brief visit.

We were also aware that spring flooding had closed portions of the main highway from Grand Forks, North Dakota to Winnipeg, so avoiding that route was considered wise.

With our capacity to boondock, we generally have been avoiding formal campgrounds. But checking the map, we saw we would be passing through Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and there appeared to be two nice campgrounds in the park.

Even though Betty & I have travelled through Grand Forks and Fargo on the eastern edge of North Dakota many times, we had never ventured further west of Minot, the location of a Family Motor Coach Association rally a few years ago.

As we approached Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the terrain became more barren and rugged, similar to the Badlands of South Dakota.

We were amazed by the seemingly hidden beauty of this park, and enjoyed a very quiet night in Site 44 of Juniper Campground ($7./night for Seniors with our America The Beautiful pass).

The tiny border crossing into Saskatchewan was uneventful, and we had a pleasant visit with Norm and his wife, Francis, before heading east again.

One more night was spent beside the local arena in MacGregor, Manitoba, and we are now back at Town and Country RV Park in Winnipeg. It hasn’t stopped raining since our arrival, so we feel like we could be back on Vancouver Island, except without the elevations to shed the water.

Discovering Theodore Roosevelt National Park this week was like finding a hidden gem. We hope that you also have opportunities to find unexpected joy in your travels through life.

Cheers!

It seems the last couple of posts have been about problems we recently encountered with either our motorhome or Smart car. In the past few years the old Boy has been losing more and more power at higher elevations. Betty & I have always enjoyed the dramatic scenery driving through mountains or into canyons. But I must admit that I have done a fair bit of cringing recently when contemplating steep grades. Our last three trips through the Rocky Mountains saw us labouring badly as we attempted to make it up and over. There was a lot of “I think I can. I think I can”, but there was a nagging fear that our motorhome would be found dead on the side of the road at any time now. Yikes!

Twelve years ago we had all the exhaust manifold gaskets replaced in San Antonio, Texas. At the time someone there told us about Banks Complete Power Systems, but as mentioned in an earlier post, we were on holidays and didn’t have time to consider that option. We were more than happy with the improved performance, and went on our merry way.

Then about four years ago we had the passenger-side manifold gaskets replaced in Winnipeg, and saw another temporary improvement in power. Unfortunately, two years ago, on our way out to Vancouver Island, we lost power again near Kelowna, B.C. and had the passenger-side gaskets replaced again. Some of the bolts installed in Winnipeg were not fitted properly and had worked themselves loose. BTW, bolts holding the driver’s side manifold were also stuck or missing, but that side is more difficult to access, so were never addressed.

We appreciated the work Cullen Diesel in Nanaimo did in replacing transmission fluid, spark plugs and wires, and crossed our fingers that our troubles were over. But as mentioned in a recent post, we lost power again just east of Portland, Oregon, and wasted a week in Boise, Idaho waiting for a GM dealership to diagnose and repair the problem. They turned off the “check engine” light, but that was about the extent of their help, and we waited a week for that…

Our last post saw us getting exceptional service at Craig’s Automotive in Twin Falls, Idaho, and we are more than happy with the results.

This is not an ad for Banks Power, and Gale Banks has not paid us for this post (although we would be happy to receive compensation from him. Lol). In fact, the installation of a Banks PowerPack Bundle cost us thousands of dollars, but so far we are more than satisfied with the results. 

In hindsight I wished we had it installed twelve years ago. But right now feel that this system has added years to the life of our home on wheels. We have literally traversed dozens of steep grades since leaving Twin Falls a couple of days ago, and at every one our motorhome has had power to spare! What an incredible difference in performance – from creeping up grades at 35 mph, to floating up the same or steeper grades at 60 mph.

Only time will tell if the resulting performance will continue, but Betty & I are most encouraged by the new lease on life that the Banks system has given to our motorhome. Here’s hoping that you can experience renewed vitality in your years to come!

Cheers!

In case anyone is wondering where The Ramblin’ Reddochs are, Betty & I are wondering the same thing too just now. lol. Permit me to catch you up on the latest phase of our overlandish odyssey, which can best be characterized as including bad, good, and ugly elements, to paraphrase an old movie title.

Our last post left off in Boise, Idaho, waiting for a GM dealership to interpret our “check engine” light. 

While we toured downtown Boise and the nearby Hulls Gulch, a mechanic read the presenting engine codes, cleared them, and by noon told us we were ready to go. We were pleasently surprised at the minimal bill – as we were afraid the engine might need replacement – until we got back on the Interstate again…

Within an hour the old boy started labouring up not-so-steep grades, with the “check engine” light returning. This was The Bad, as we crept along to our next stop – the Y-Knot winery in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. Needing a drink at that point, Betty & I said “Y – Knot!”

After a nice Mother’s Day of wine tasting, we had a quiet night at this delightful Harvest Host location.

With trepidation we headed east on Interstate 84 again, with nearby Twin Falls as our destination. Recognizing that we would be unable to navigate the upcoming Rocky Mountains in our current condition, we searched out a rescuer. Our first stop appeared promising – at Twin Falls Truck – until manager Mike informed us they only work on diesel engines. But he highly recommended Craig’s Automotive, and we haven’t been disappointed.

So far this is definitely “the good”. Even though Craig and his staff are very busy with other customers, they took the time to check the codes again and take the old boy for a test drive. Of course, as luck would have it, with Craig at the wheel our motorhome performed quite well, not showing any of the previous lethargy. It reminded me of the TV repair man we called back in the day. The old tube-type TV screen would be rolling, shrinking, or fuzzy until he arrived, then the picture would look just fine. Go figure…

As a start, Craig recommended changing out the fuel filter, which hadn’t been changed in a number of years. He noted that one of the exhaust manifold gasket bolts was missing AGAIN, and that a leak in this system would contribute to our loss of power. Craig indicated that the manifolds could be machined, but that would result in thinner metal that could warp in the not distant future.

I had explored the possibility of switching to a high-performance Banks Power System when our exhaust manifold gaskets were first replaced over a decade ago in San Antonio, Texas. But Betty & I were on holidays from work at that time, and couldn’t afford to wait until the Banks parts were ordered and installed. Fortunately, when Craig contacted the Banks factory in California, they had the system we needed in stock. It arrived today – a 2 ½ day delivery time – and is being installed as I write this. (Added note: Turns out half the system arrived, and the other half is still to come- hopefully next week.)

Another part of “the good”: Craig has a motorhome and recommended his RV tech to come and look at our living-room slide, which hasn’t been working since last November. Notwithstanding the “RV tech” in Nanaimo playing with it at least 6 – 7 times and not being able to figure out the problem (turns out he wasn’t qualified to do the work), Dale, of Tucks RV Repair, successfully diagnosed our need for a new slide controller within an hour. That’s also good news, although we will still need to find a suitable controller before it’s fixed. In the meantime, Dale showed me how someone could send the slide out, and bring it back, by reversing two wires on the motor.

Yet another part of “the good”: Craig recently set up an RV pad right next to his office. It has a level cement base, 50, 30, and 15 amp power outlets, and a tap for fresh water. We have been plugged in and parked at his garage all week, and it is definitely not inconvenient as we await service on our coach.

Ok, finally “the ugly“: The new RV pad has a sewer outlet, and Betty & I decided to use it yesterday. Our holding tanks were only half full, but we thought it would be better (less smelly for the workers) if we emptied them. Unfortunately, there was a blockage somewhere in the new sewer line, and our discharge ended up all over Craig’s new bathroom, closet with water softener, and waiting room. Yuck, what a smell! Super ugly!  Fortunately, Craig was able to get a professional cleaning crew in to restore the space in short order. It was an ugly experience that no-one would ever want to smell or see happen…

So that’s where Betty & I are just now. We’re somewhere in Twin Falls, Idaho having just lived through the bad, the good, and the ugly. Here’s hoping that your (and our) future travels come out more on the side of “the good”!

Cheers!