Day 3, Thurs Jan 20

Jan 20 Thurs, Day 3 overcast, cool, clearing late in the day to sun
I got a bright idea and checked the by-pass valve on the water heater & it was open, as soon as I closed it we had full hot water from the electric heater, just the gas part to solve now. We also developed a mystery, the dome lights in the RV cab will not turn off. Push the button; they go off when the button is in and back on when it is released. I pulled the unit out of the ceiling & removed the bulbs; of course it now will not go back in its ceiling hole snugly, hmmm. I strike again, fix something break something else.

One thing I forgot to mention about yesterday was driving down I 5 and seeing this flat topped snow covered mountain in the distance. We then realized it was Mt St Helens with no cloud cover looking majestic. When you see it for real & can see how big the flat part that was the blown off top is, you realize how big the eruption was. It was quite a sight.

So we get ready to pull out. I unhook all the facilities and check the car to find that with all the nonsense last night with having to turn everything around I left the key in the car with it turned on, (to unlock the steering), and now the battery is dead. Well. off we go pulling out at 9:40 @ 135514, stopped at Safeway a block up the road & out again 10:05. Now the search for the Camping World store to get heater fixed. We exit at Exit # 286, at 10:55, as per map instructions but can’t find it, after a cpl miles or so I stop at a mall with a Starbucks, set up computer on WiFi & looked up Camping World’s phone number & called them. My map was wrong, they said go back to I 5 & take exit 283, which I did & found it, arriving 11:20. They sent someone out and I told him that the little signal light would not come on when I switched it onand the was no sound of the gas igniting & running, no lights & dead silence. He then told me that the new heaters don’t have that feature, the light only comes on if it stops working after it lights. So he was outside, I pushed the switch inside & guess what - - the gas lit, it was fine all the time. No roar anymore as the gas fires up, it runs silent. So back to I 5 & south at 11:35 & into Wal-Mart10 miles down the road. We looked at TV’s & bought a 22 inch one, 1080 DPI, it’s a Vizio LCD/LED etc etc. Had a McDonalds Angus burger with Swiss cheese & mushrooms for lunch ($4.09). We left the car running for 20 mins, (roll started it by towing with RV – good ol’ standard shift). Out Wal-Mart 1:10 & down to Albany exit 233 for the Fred Myer gas stop, in at 2:05, gas @ 134667, & back on hwy 2:20. Trying to make 7 Feather Casino RV park with it’s indoor hot tub, heated swimming pool, & free WiFi for the night so I pushed it a bit, passing semi trailer trucks, motor homes, cars, running around 73mph, (117 kph). Made exit # 99 for the RV park at 4:20 @ 134882. In for a swim & hot tub session, (the hot tub is about 15 feet square). Me, Sheila, Paul & Yvonne were the only ones there. Then we called the free shuttle to take us all down the hill & across the hwy to the casino for supper, they have a rib eye steak with baked potatoes, veggies, salad with heaps of butter & sour cream and salad dressing for $8.95. Sheila stayed to gamble & I came home to do journal, trip planning, expenses etc. Maybe tomorrow we will tow the car for a while with the motor running to charge battery so we can start it if needed, sure glad it is a standard shift.